With the news that the Penticton Vees are set to join the Western Hockey League for the 2025-26 WHL season and that a franchise will soon be again coming to Chilliwack, we look at the history of the Western Hockey League as they get set to expand to twenty-three teams.
The Vees will play out of the South Okanagan Events Centre beginning in September 2025. The Western Hockey League announced on March 24, 2025, the awarding of an expansion franchise to the Penticton VEES for the 2025-26 WHL season. The Vees have been one of the top teams in Junior A as part of the BCHL, but in a rumor that has been out there for quite some time, are moving to Major Junior. WHL Commissioner Dan Near stated that “This is an exciting day, as the Western Hockey League takes its next step as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players…”. Penticton has an incredibly rich hockey history and has seen the likes of numerous NHLers such as Brett Hull, Andy Moog, Ray Ferraro, Paul Kariya, and Duncan Keith to just name a few. Of course there will be an instant rivalry with nearby Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers for hockey bragging rights in BC’s Okanagan Valley.
History of the Western Hockey League
1966
The WHL was started in 1966 with seven teams in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Back then the league was known as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League (CMJHL) and consisted of the following seven franchises:
- Calgary Buffaloes
- Edmonton Oil Kings
- Estevan Bruins
- Moose Jaw Canucks
- Regina Pats
- Saskatoon Blades
- Weyburn Red Wings
1967
A year later, the league expanded into Manitoba and changed its name to the Western Canada Junior Hockey League (WCHL). The additional league teams now included:
- Calgary Centennials (renamed from the Buffaloes
- The Brandon Wheat Kings
- Winnipeg Jets
- Flin Flon Bombers
- Swift Current Broncos
1968
- Weyburn, Moose Jaw and Regina franchises leave to join the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
1970
The Medicine Hat Tigers joined the league, now known as he Western Canada Hockey League (as changed in 1968).
1971
The WCHL expands into British Columbia with the following franchise updates:
- Estevan Bruins move to New Westminster to become the New Westminster Bruins
- Victoria Cougars
- Vancouver Nats
1973
The Vancouver Nats move to Kamloops and become the Kamloops Chiefs. The Winnipeg Jets are rebranded as the Winnipeg Clubs.
1974
The Swift Current franchise moves to Lethbridge and becomes the Lethbridge Broncos.
1976
The League expands into the united states as the Edmonton Oil Kings relocate to Portland and become the Winterhawks. The Winnipeg franchise again rebrands this time to the Winnipeg Monarchs.
1977
Some additional expansion:
- The Calgary Centennials move to Montana and become the Billings Bighorns
- Kamloops move to Seattle and become the Seattle Breakers
- The Winnipeg franchise moves to Calgary and become the Calgary Wranglers
1978
The “Dub” is born as the league becomes the Western Hockey League (WHL). The Flin Flon Bombers relocate to Edmonton to become the second iteration of the Edmonton Oil Kings.
1979
The Edmonton Oil Kings move again this time becoming the Great Falls Americans, but the team folds in mid-December.
1980
- The Great Falls team now becomes the Spokane Flyers
- Winnipeg gets back into the WHL, this time as the Winnipeg Warriors.
1981
- New west Minster Bruins move to Kamloops and become the Kamloops Junior Oilers
- Spokane Flyer fold in December
1982
- The Billings Bighorns move to Vancouver Island and become the Nanaimo Islanders
- Expansion franchise is awarded to Prince Albert. The team becomes the Prince Albert Raiders
- Kelowna, BC is also awarded an expansion franchise as the Kelowna Wings are born.
1983
- After only a single season in Nanaimo, the Islanders move to the lower mainland and become the second version of the New Westminster Bruins.
1984
- The Kamloops Jr. Oilers rebrand as the Kamloops Blazers
- The Winnipeg Warriors move to Moose Jaw and become the Moose Jaw Warriors.
1985
- The Kelowna Wings relocate to Spokane and become the Spokane Chiefs
- The Seattle Breakers rebrand to become the Seattle Thunderbirds
1986
- The Lethbridge franchise moves back to Swift Current and become the Swift Current Broncos 2.0.
1987
- The Calgary Wranglers move south to Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Hurricanes are born.
1988
- The New West Bruins are on the move again and move to Washington state to become the Tri-City Americans.
1991
- Tacoma, Washington is awarded an expansion franchise and the team becomes the Tacoma Rockets
1992
- Further expansion in Alberta as the Red Deer Rebels are born.
1994
- The Victoria Cougars relocate to Prince George.
1995
- The WHL returns to Calgary as the Calgary Hitmen are born.
- Tacoma Rockets relocate to Kelowna and become the Kelowna Rockets
1996
- Edmonton is awarded a WHL franchise and become the Edmonton Ice
1998
- Edmonton relocates to Cranbrook, BC becoming the Kootenay Ice
2001
- With an expansion franchise being awarded to Vancouver, the Vancouver Giants are born.
2003
- The city of Everett, Washington is granted an expansion franchise. Enter the Everett Silvertips.
2005
- The WHL grants an expansion team to Chilliwack. The team is to become the Chilliwack Bruins.
2006
- The Western Hockey League comes back to Edmonton yet again with an expansion franchise. Enter the Edmonton Oil Kings 3.0.
2011
- The Chilliwack Chiefs relocate to Victoria and become the Victoria Royals.
2016
- The Vancouver Giants (still known as the Vancouver Giants) move to play their games out of Langley, BC.
2019
- The Kootenay Ice relocate to Winnipeg to become the Winnipeg Ice.
2023
- The Winnipeg Ice franchise is sold and relocated to Wenatchee, Washington where they become the Wenatchee Wild.
2025
- The WHL awards and expansion franchise to Penticton. The team will become the Western Hockey League’s version of the Penticton Vees
- The league also grants an expansion franchise to Chilliwack.
The Western Hockey League has a long and storied past. Looking forward to seeing the Penticton Vees battle the Kelowna Rockets for Okanagan supremacy.
