WHL to add two expansion teams

Jack Murray/Penticton Vees

After much talk about OHL and QMJHL expansion over the past few months, the WHL will be the only league to secure an additional team for next season.

The WHL announced Monday that the Penticton Vees, one of the BCHL's flagship franchises, will be joining the league for the 2025-26 season. At the same time, the WHL announced "the initiation of a franchise application process for the City of Chilliwack, to begin play in the 2026-27 WHL season."

The news of Penticton joining the WHL has been floating around for a couple months now. The Vees are one of the BCHL's most successful franchises on and off the ice and they play in a major junior ready building.

An ownership group for the Penticton franchise has already been set up. The group includes existing Vees majority owner Graham Fraser, Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele, former New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter and prominent local businessmen.

Welcome to the Western League, @PentictonVees! pic.twitter.com/uScbQTmzaK

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 24, 2025

Multiple media reports indicate that the Vees expansion fee was somewhere in the ballpark of $15 million, which included a payment to the Kelowna Rockets who held the territorial rights. The two cities are less than an hour apart.

Chilliwack, meanwhile, was home to the WHL's Bruins from 2006 to 2011 before they were relocated to Victoria. No ownership group has been setup for the franchise yet.

According to the WHL, "the City of Chilliwack is set to invest $3.7 million in upgrades to the Chilliwack Coliseum prior to the arrival of a WHL franchise in 2026-27, including enhancements to the scoreboard, lighting system, NHL-standard boards, and more."

Start the countdown!

The 2026-27 WHL Season can't come soon enough🤩 pic.twitter.com/Noy7caFuzs

— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) March 25, 2025

These additions will give the WHL 24 teams in two years time.

Notebook: CHL TV but without the WHL?

WHL

The future of CHL TV is very much in question following an announcement by the Western Hockey League this week.

The WHL announced Thursday that all of its playoff games and the full 2025-26 regular season will be streamed for free on Victory+. The streaming service has been making some noise of late, broadcasting Dallas Stars, Anaheim Ducks and Texas Rangers games.

From the WHL:

The WHL Playoffs will be available on Victory+ without geo-restrictions, giving fans the opportunity to follow their favorite teams and players on the road to the championship. With Victory+ offering a free, ad-supported streaming service, this ensures that the game is accessible to everyone, no matter where they are or what devices they use, including Samsung and Vizio smart TVs, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, iOS, Android and web browser.

Making all games available for free is a big move – and one that you have to wonder if the OHL and QMJHL may follow. Following junior hockey isn't easy in this era of dwindling media coverage. It's even harder to follow at a cheap price.

All three leagues have been streamed on the subscription based CHL TV since 2021.

LOTTERY TALK

The Saint John Sea Dogs finished 17th in the 18-team QMJHL, giving them the second best odds of winning the league's draft lottery.

The QMJHL's bottom five teams will all be entered into the lottery.

18. Victoriaville - 9 balls

17. Saint John - 6 balls

16. Halifax - 3 balls

15. Newfoundland - 2 balls

14. Quebec - 1 ball

The Acadie-Bathurst Titan/Newfoundland Regiment own the Gatineau Olympiques' pick.

The Sea Dogs also currently own Cape Breton's first-round pick, which will be 10th overall. We'll see what picks Saint John ends up with on draft day, which will be June 6-7 in Quebec City.

Notebook: Off to Quebec

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

The Saint John Sea Dogs travel to Quebec for the final time this regular season this week.

The Sea Dogs visit the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Chicoutimi Sagueneens on Thursday and Friday, respectively, before wrapping up the trip with a Sunday afternoon game in Shawinigan.

The Sea Dogs don't play these three teams too often but they have all met very recently. The Sagueneens visited Saint John on Jan. 23, the Drakkar on Feb. 8 and the Cataractes on Feb. 15. Saint John lost all three of those games.

Against Quebec based clubs this season, the Sea Dogs are 6-15-0-0

Saint John will look to end an eight-game losing streak on this trip. Their last win was Jan. 26 in Halifax.

PLAYOFF UPDATE

While this will be the final regular season trip to Quebec for the Sea Dogs, they will very likely face a Quebec club in the opening round of the playoffs – if they qualify, of course.

The Gatineau Olympiques earned a big 2-1 shootout win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada on Saturday, pushing them within two points of the Sea Dogs for that 16th and final playoff spot.

Gatineau didn't play Sunday or Monday, so they now have a game in hand on Saint John.

The Olympiques will host the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies on Friday and visit the Sherbrooke Phoenix on Sunday.