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. 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 since the league became eligible to compete for the trophy. 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 Regina Pats are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League. The Pats are based out of Regina, Saskatchewan and Brandt Centre is their home arena. The Regina Pats are the oldest major junior hockey franchise in the world that have continuously operated from their original location and use the same name. They began operations in 1917. They were originally named the Regina Patricia Hockey Club, after Princess Patricia of Connaught, the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of the Governor General. The team name was also associated with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, named for the same Princess, to the point that Pats sweaters still bear the regimental badge and "PPCLI" flash as a shoulder patch. In 2017 the club celebrated its 100th anniversary. Games are broadcast on 620 CKRM radio.
The Seattle Thunderbirds are a major junior ice hockey team based in the city of Kent, Washington, south of Seattle. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League. They play their games at home in accesso ShoWare Center.
Eric Peter Brewer is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played sixteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), last suiting up for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is an NHL All-Star and Olympic gold medalist.
The Kamloops Blazers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference, is based out of Kamloops, British Columbia, and play home games at Sandman Centre.
The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league from British Columbia formerly under Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 18 teams.
The Spokane Chiefs are a major junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League based out of Spokane, Washington. The team plays its home games at the Spokane Arena. Their uniforms are similar to those of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. Spokane consistently ranks in the top 10 in the Canadian Hockey League in attendance. The Chiefs won the Memorial Cup in 1991 and 2008. They also hosted the first outdoor hockey game in WHL history on January 15, 2011, at Avista Stadium versus the Kootenay Ice.
The Prince George Cougars are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team currently members of the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team is based in Prince George, British Columbia, and plays its home games at the CN Centre, formally known as the Prince George Multiplex. The Cougars were founded in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars, but later moved to Prince George in 1994, becoming the northernmost franchise in the Canadian Hockey League. On March 19, 2014, after months of rumours, a team of local investors led by Greg Pocock, along with NHLers Dan Hamhuis and Eric Brewer, agreed in principle to purchase the Prince George Cougars. The deal was approved by the WHL Board of Governors on April 30 the same year.
The New Westminster Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. There were two franchises that carried this name:
The Cowichan Valley Capitals are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Island Division in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Cowichan Community Centre.
William Edward Ranford is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender and current director of goaltending for the Los Angeles Kings. He was selected in the third round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft, 52nd overall, by the Boston Bruins. Over the course of fifteen NHL seasons Ranford would play with Boston, the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Detroit Red Wings, winning two Stanley Cups, a Canada Cup, and the 1994 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships while playing for Canada. He is the only goaltender in history to be awarded the MVP of Stanley Cup Playoffs, Canada Cup/World Cup & Men's Ice Hockey World Championship.
This is a timeline of events throughout the five decade-plus history of the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Victoria Cougars may refer to any of several ice hockey teams from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada:
The Mowat Cup is emblematic of the Junior "A" ice hockey Championship of British Columbia (BC). The winner of the Mowat Cup historically moved on to play the winner of Alberta's Carling O'Keefe Cup for the Doyle Cup, signifying the Canadian Pacific Regions champion.
The Golden Rockets are a junior 'B' ice hockey team based in Golden, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Eddie Mountain Division of the Kootenay Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The Rockets play their home games at Golden Arena, nicknamed the "Plywood Palace". John Gillen is the team's president, Chuck Wight is the general manager and coach. The 2020-21 team captain was Bryce Trimmer.
The 1981 Memorial Cup occurred May 3–15 at the Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ontario. It was the 63rd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating teams were the winners of the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League which were the Kitchener Rangers, Cornwall Royals and Victoria Cougars. Cornwall won their second Memorial Cup in a row and third overall, defeating Kitchener in the final game.
The 2009–10 WHL season is the 44th season of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The regular season began on September 17, 2009 and ended on March 14, 2010. The 2009 Subway Super Series, featuring Team WHL versus Team Russia, took place from November 25–26, 2009.
Brett Connolly is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). During his major junior career with the Prince George Cougars, he was named Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Rookie of the Year for the 2008–09 season. Selected sixth overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, he joined the team in 2011–12. He was later traded to the Boston Bruins, following which he signed with the Washington Capitals prior to the 2016–17 season. Connolly won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Capitals in 2018.
The Victoria Grizzlies are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They are members of the Island Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at The Q Centre. The franchise was founded in 1994 as the Victoria Salsa.
The Victoria Royals are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team currently members of the B.C. Division of the Western Conference in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team began play during the 2011–12 season after the League announced the relocation of the Chilliwack Bruins to Victoria. It marked the return of the WHL to Vancouver Island, 17 years after the departure of the Victoria Cougars. The Royals are based in Victoria, British Columbia, and play their home games at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.
