The Prince George Cougars and the P.G. Spruce Kings will be impacted somewhat by the Winnipeg Ice move to Wenatchee.
The Wild left the BCHL a week ago to join the WHL.
The BCHL acknowledged today that the ownership group of the Wenatchee Wild have acquired a WHL franchise and will not operate in the BCHL in 23-24.
RELEASE: https://t.co/xapqSdjFYg pic.twitter.com/K3j0yZEd9J
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) June 16, 2023
The Spruce Kings’ travel budget should be reduced slightly since they will no longer have to cross the border.
The BCHL is left with an odd number of teams (17) with the Spruce Kings part of the 8-team Interior Division while the other nine are in the Coastal.
Since just about everybody makes the BCHL playoffs (16 of the 18 qualified last season) this should not be a factor for the Spruce Kings to concern themselves with.
While the Spruce Kings won’t be affected that much with the Wild out of the league, the Cougars will feel the Wenatchee presence a bit more.
Instead of eight out 10 Western Conference teams qualifying for the postseason, it will now be eight out of 11.
The Cougars, though, appear to be on the rise so this should not be a concern in the short term as their current roster is built to win a B.C. division title, and not just sneak into the playoffs.
With six teams in the U.S. Division, up from five, this should give Prince George a bit more flexibility on road trips south of the border, such as visiting three teams on one trip and the other three on another.
Wenatchee will also bring one more team for fans at CN Centre to look at.
The WHL regular season schedule comes out on Tuesday.
IMPORTANT DATES AHEAD!
👉 Monday June 26th – Pre-Season Schedule Announcement
👉 Monday June 26th – Home Opener Date
👉Tuesday June 27th – Regular Season Schedule Announcement!
👉 Wednesday June 28th and Thursday June 29th – NHL Draft!Stay tuned 👀#ForTheNorth • #WHL pic.twitter.com/vzOtsnKpE6
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) June 21, 2023
While the Winnipeg Ice dealt many of its future draft picks away to load up for the 2022-23 season, the franchise should still be very competitive in 23-24 unless the team decides to unload players to try and restock picks.
#WHL: ‘Twas a short, yet successful, time for the Winnipeg ICE as they relocate West. Their .762 point percentage (166-49-6-2) in regular season play was the best in any four season (including shortened) span in League history. Passes Kelowna’s .760 (210-60-12-6) from 2012-16.
— Geoffrey Brandow (@GeoffreyBrandow) June 17, 2023
Seattle, Winnipeg and Kamloops (in that order) were the three best teams in the WHL this past season and now are all in one conference.
Each of those three should be headed in a downward trend since they have dealt many assets and have many of their top players not returning this fall.
The question becomes how far each of those three will plunge.
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Prior to the pandemic, the NHL Draft often fell on a Friday, for round one, and on a Saturday for rounds two-seven.
This year the Draft in Nashville will be midweek on Wednesday (June 28th) for the opening round and on Thursday for the remainder.
Two Prince George Cougars (Riley Heidt and Koehn Ziemmer) plus one player from Prince George (Niko Myatovic of the Seattle Thunderbirds) will in all probability hear their name called.
The question is how early?
Heidt and Ziemmer could be chosen in the first round or they could slip to the second.
“It’s a lot of excitement and nerves heading into it”
Riley Heidt talks about the #2023NHLDraft which is just 1 week away!
Full chat at https://t.co/yCc5UdwRjo#ForTheNorth • #WHL pic.twitter.com/uvx5JP5DFW
— Prince George Cougars (@PGCougars) June 21, 2023
Myatovic climbed the rankings in the last year and there is an outside chance he could also go in round one but more than likely in round two or three.
The final Central Scouting rankings had Heidt 21st among North American skaters, Ziemmer 25th, Myatovic 26th and Saskatoon Blades defenceman Tanner Molendyk of McBride 28th.
Other rankings for Heidt are here, for Ziemmer are here, for Myatovic are here and for Molendyk are here.
Koehn Ziemmer is a forward for the @PGCougars.
Hockey wasn’t Ziemmer’s only passion growing up – the Alberta-native aspired to be a bull rider when he was younger, practicing the sport until age 11. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/C6tCQCI4Tj
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 22, 2023
It is an anxious time for players that know they are about to become the property of an NHL team, but it is important for them to keep their emotions in check.
All will claim they are pleased to be drafted but some will feel the disappointment of not being picked higher.
In the end, each of those players will determine their own fate by performance and other intangibles, regardless of what number they were selected.
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Greg Gardner is the WHL Chief Operating Officer.
Could he be the next league commissioner?
I am not sure whether the 36-year-old former PG Cougar is ready for the top job but one can assume he will be among the top candidates given consideration.
The WHL has a year to find a replacement for Ron Robison who will leave the position in 2024 after spending a record 24 years on the job.
The WHL concluded its 2023 Annual General Meeting Wednesday, highlighted by the announcement that the 2023-24 WHL season will mark the 24th and final season for longtime WHL Commissioner Ron Robison.
📰 | https://t.co/kisgSCtLtF pic.twitter.com/V3VT6SnCpo
— The WHL (@TheWHL) June 21, 2023
Taking Note:
Wild searching for head coach and an assistant . . . Robison: Winnipeg scenario was all about facility . . . 20-team KIJHL applies for junior A status https://t.co/dUH5iNdZhz
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) June 23, 2023
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said giving immunity to Houston Astros players in their sign-stealing scandal was “maybe not my best decision ever.” Would Manfred like to tell us what decisions he has made as MLB commissioner that ARE his best ever?
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California
The Stanley Cup had an interesting first week in Las Vegas. So far, it’s almost been lost in a poker game at Caesars, been a prop at a Luxor dinner show, and served as collateral to a loan shark named Bruno.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Rumour has it Madame Tussaud’s recently unveiled wax figure of Steph Curry met with an ironic mishap. The lights above it were so hot Curry started to dribble.
*Comedy writer RJ Currie of Winnipeg
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. After growing up in Winnipeg, he has lived in Prince George for the last 44 years and completed his 10th season as the radio colour commentator on the Prince George Cougars home games. Hartley is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
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