WHL to Add Penticton Vees in 2025-26 and Chilliwack in 2026-27

Photo via CHL.ca

The Western Hockey League is adding two new teams over the next two seasons. Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday’s headlines where he discussed the expected announcement on Monday.

This doesn’t come as a surprise with the new NCAA/CHL eligibility agreement. After the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) defected from the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) on May 1st, 2023, there was a lot of discussion regarding the future of the former Junior A league turned independent. Some teams from the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) defected to the BCHL and now have to apply for reinstatement into the AJHL, should they choose to return to the AJHL.

With the Vees leaving for the WHL next season, the BCHL lost one of their top teams which will no doubt hurt the BCHL and only strengthen the WHL.

In Friedman’s report, he also mentioned that current Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele will become a part of the ownership group for the Vees. Scheifele joins former NHL goalie Mike Richter.

There was a further comment that Chilliwack could be headed over to the WHL in 2026-27, but they have to begin a search for an ownership group before a team is brought in.

Chilliwack will be an interesting expansion group to bring in after their complicated history with the WHL, but it is still not a surprise.

All in all, it will be interesting to see how the BCHL survives going forward, especially after losing their ace card where they were the main path to the NCAA.

ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing Inside The Rink

Join Conrad and Chris as the discuss Gavin McKenna making the jump to the NCAA, Pittsburgh and San Jose making additions, and the NHL season to begin on October 7, 2025.
  1. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing
  2. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos
  3. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening
  4. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again
  5. ITR 43: It's Winning Time

Discover more from Inside The Rink

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Conrad Jack

Conrad Jack is a Manitoba based sportswriter covering the Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and the Manitoba Moose (AHL). He also covers the NHL Draft and World Junior Championship for ITR. He writes the Bargain Bin blog which covers NHL News & Rumours.

Leave a Reply

Manitoba Moose 2025-26 Season Schedule Revealed

The Manitoba Moose, alongside the American Hockey League, revealed the team’s 72-game schedule for the 2025-26 AHL season. The Moose open their season at home with a pair of games against the Laval Rocket on Friday, October 10th at 7:00 pm CST, followed by a Sunday, October 12th, 2:00 pm CST matchup. After the two-game […]

Read More

AHL: Manitoba Moose Bring Back Three Players

The Manitoba Moose announced yesterday that they have re-signed defenseman Dylan Anhorn alongside forwards Tyson Empey and Reece Vitteli to one-year contracts through the 2025-26 season. Empey and Anhorn played for the Moose in the 2024-25 season, while Vitteli joined the group at the end of the season on loan from the ECHL’s Savannah Ghost […]

Read More
Gavin McKenna skating

Gavin McKenna Reportedly Committing to Penn State University

The projected first overall draft selection in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is reportedly taking his talents to the NCAA. After weeks of speculation on where Gavin McKenna would play in the 2025-26 season, the reports started heating up that he’d be playing in the NCAA. Today, Cam Robinson, alongside others, reported the news that […]

Read More