Jets' Mark Scheifele joins partnership in WHL expansion for B.C.

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 24, 2025 1:44 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

The Western Hockey League has awarded an enlargement franchise to Penticton, B.C., for the 2025-26 season.

The WHL made the announcement Monday, successful summation to initiating a franchise exertion process for Chilliwack, B.C., to statesman play successful the 2026-27 campaign.

The enlargement increases the fig of teams successful the league to 24 by 2026-27, with 18 teams successful occidental Canada and six successful the United States.

The Penticton Vees volition articulation the B.C. Division successful the Western Conference, migrating distant from the inferior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).

The Vees were founded successful 1961 and were founding members of the BCHL. They were league champions successful some the 2021-22 and 2022-23 season.

The franchise volition beryllium owned and operated by Graham Fraser, who has been the bulk proprietor of the Vees since June 2008.

Winnipeg Jets guardant Mark Scheifele, erstwhile New York Rangers goaltender Mike Richter, and salient Penticton businessmen Joe Walters and Gord Kovacik volition articulation Fraser arsenic partners.