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The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada, alongside the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Teams play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup, with the winner moving on to play for the Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship. WHL teams have won the Memorial Cup 19 times. Many players have been drafted from WHL teams, and have found success at various levels of professional hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL).
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington.
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho, and a member of the ECHL. The Steelheads play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference since the 2016–17 season. In 1996, the Steelheads were announced as a 1997–98 expansion team by Diamond Sports Management, headed by Cord Pereira, as a member of the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL). The Steelheads and the rest of the WCHL joined the ECHL in 2003. As of the 2022-23 season, the Steelheads are the westernmost ECHL team. During the 2003–04 season and since the 2005–06 season the Steelheads have been an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Dallas Stars. The Austin-based Texas Stars have been the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate since the 2009–10 season. Home games are played at the 5,002-seat Idaho Central Arena in downtown Boise.
The Victoria Salmon Kings were a professional ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia, and members of the ECHL. The team debuted in the 2004–05 season and folded after the 2010–11 season. The Chilliwack Bruins of the major junior Western Hockey League relocated to become the Victoria Royals and the two teams could not simultaneously operate. They played at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. For most of their history, they were affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks.
The Las Vegas Wranglers were a professional ice hockey team based in Las Vegas Valley. The Wranglers were members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the ECHL. The Wranglers were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 following the ECHL's takeover of the West Coast Hockey League.
The Alaska Aces, known as the Anchorage Aces until 2003, was a professional ice hockey team in Anchorage, Alaska. Home games were played at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. The Aces won three Kelly Cup championships, with their last championship following the 2013–14 ECHL season.
Peter Joseph Ferraro is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He and his twin brother Chris became the second set of identical twins to play on the same NHL team, in the 1995–1996 NHL hockey season. The first was Ron and Rich Sutter.
Christopher M. Ferraro is an American former professional ice hockey player who formerly played in the National Hockey League. Along with his twin brother, Peter, became the second set of identical twins to play on the same NHL team: the New York Rangers in the 1995–96 season.
The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a Junior "A" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Cup competes with the champions of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) for the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the British Columbia Provincial Title. The winner of the Cyclone Taylor Cup moves on to compete for the Western Canada "B" Crown, the Keystone Cup.
This is a timeline of events throughout the five decade-plus history of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Jay Elliot Henderson is a former Canadian professional ice hockey winger. He is currently an assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League. Henderson was the final player drafted in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, picked in the ninth round, 246th overall, by the Boston Bruins.
Matt Keetley is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one game for Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL) during the 2007–08 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2007 to 2013, was spent in the minor leagues.
Brett Darryl Sutter is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently serving as the captain of the Calgary Wranglers in the American Hockey League (AHL). Sutter was drafted by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He made his NHL debut for the Flames during the 2008–09 season, scoring a goal in his first game. He is the son of former Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter, and one of nine members of the famous Sutter family to play in the NHL.
Robin Gomez is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He most recently played for the Bloomington PrairieThunder of the now defunct International Hockey League.
J. D. Watt is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He was originally drafted by the Flames in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Beginning with the 2012–13 season, Watt has been playing with the SAIT Trojans of the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC). Watt was born and raised in Cremona, Alberta.
Mark Alexander Terrance Pysyk is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and forward who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He is currently signed to a professional tryout agreement with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL). Pysyk was originally selected in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.
The ECHL Hall of Fame is an ice hockey museum dedicated to honoring members that have played in the ECHL. It was created by the league in 2008. The ECHL Board of Governors created the ECHL Hall of Fame to recognize the achievements of players, coaches, and personnel who dedicated their careers to the league. Hall of Fame members are selected in four categories: Player, Developmental Player, Builder, and Referee/Linesman. Players must have concluded their career as an active player for a minimum of three playing seasons, though not continuous or full seasons. Developmental Players must have begun their career in the ECHL and went on to a distinguished career in the NHL, playing a minimum of 260 regular season games in the NHL, AHL and ECHL. Builders may be active or inactive whereas Referee/Linesman must have concluded their active officiating career for a minimum of three playing seasons.
Curtis Lazar is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Ryan Dingle is an American ice hockey coach and former professional center. He won a National Championships with Denver in 2005.
