Penticton reportedly getting a WHL franchise next season

One of the BC Hockey League’s (BCHL) premier franchises could be on the move to the WHL next season, according to sources.

Cam Robinson, content director and director of film scouting at EliteProspects.com posted on social media on Thursday that a Penticton franchise would be entering the WHL as an expansion team next season and they have already paid their fees to do so.

While Robinson did not specify the cost, sources told him the league expansion fees were anywhere from $5 million to $15 million and the Vees also had to pay a fee to the Kelowna Rockets for territorial rights.

Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dhali on CHEK television further confirmed what Robinson had reported.

Dhaliwal stated that the BCHL recently asked for team declarations for next year and Penticton abstained.

He added that the expansion franchise reportedly paid $1 million to the Rockets, who could soon be Penticton's newest rivals.

The WHL has not confirmed if Penticton is getting an expansion team, but a league spokesperson did say that the WHL's board of governors met this week and discussed a variety of topics, including "many aspects around the WHL’s future plans."

“Although no plans were finalized, we continue to evaluate the changing landscape of junior hockey and consider all strategic options for the league’s future," reads a statement from the WHL.

The identity of the incoming WHL franchise, and whether they follow the Wenatchee Wild's lead and maintain a Vees name soaked in tradition as they enter a new league, is unknown at this time.

The Penticton Vees are one of the founding clubs of the BCHL and have had several dominant periods in the league.

Over the past decade and change, the team has appeared in five of the last eight BCHL finals and won the championship four times.

Several notable NHL players have worn the Vees jersey at some point in their hockey journeys, including Duncan Keith, Paul Kariya, Ray Ferraro, Brendan Morrison, Ryan Johansen and Troy Stecher.

Penticton joining the WHL would grow the BC Division to six teams and the Western Conference would boast 12 squads, one more than the Eastern Conference.

The last time the WHL had an expansion team was in 2007 when the Edmonton Oil Kings were created.

NowMedia has reached out to the Penticton Vees and the WHL for comments.

_{Thumbnail photo courtesy of Gord Goble and Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets.}