World Hockey Association

[bc49]

The 2006 version of the WHA has set up shop around BC and Washington in what it is calling the WHA Junior West Hockey League.

This is said to be a developmental league for the larger WHA project that has its eye on franshies in Columbus, Philly, Pittsburgh etc. starting in the 2007 season.

The Jr West League has six teams that started the season this past week with franchises in
New Westminster Whalers
Armstrong Sharks
Bellingham Bulls
Lumby Fighting Saints
Squamish Cougars
Osoyoos Spurs

Other locations considered included Tacoma and Kent Wa. but they never materialized in time for the season start.
The leauge is based in Surrey and its parent company is a publically traded entity. The league commissioner is none other than Bobby Hull.

Basically the league is for 16-20 year olds who missed roster spots on WHL and BCJHL teams, with franchises located in smaller towns overlooked by the BCJHL.

It's gotten off to a rough ride with BC Hockey and Hockey Canada calling the new circuit an 'outlaw league' and threatening sanctions against its players, referees and coaches.

So I wish them the best of luck with this project. They will need it!

[Sir Purrcival]

Pittsburgh can hardly support an NHL Fanchise and I doubt Columbus is much metter. Why would any new league setup shop in those places. Maybe better in say (Hamilton, Regina, Winnipeg etc.)

[Lionut]

Well, if it doesn't have the blessing of Hockey Canada, then it is an "outlaw league" in that discipline matters will be outside the reach of Hockey Canada. You often find that when it comes to on and off-ice indiscretions, these non-sanctioned leagues tend to be a bit more, err, "forgiving", and that isn't necessarily a good thing.

As a former on-ice official, however, I resent the fact that Hockey Canada is threatening "sanctions" against the referees. By all means, remind the guys that their insurance coverage doesn't extend to these games, tell them to take their BCAHA crests off while doing them, and remind them that they are on their own if some player or coach decides to take a swing at them for a call they don't like. (Not an unheard-of occurence in those non-sanctioned leagues, I can assure you.) But to blackball a guy for trying to make a couple of bucks calling a game, or blackball a kid who just wants to play the game? Not cool.

Just the travel costs alone will be very pricey, and I somehow doubt they are going to attract enough paying customers to cover even that. The history of leagues like this is not a long or happy one, I'm afraid.

[cromartie]

Haven't they been trying to get the WHA up and going since 2005?

Wasn't it, at one point, supposed to be another big league that competed directly with the NHL?

Now it's down to this?

http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

Laaaaaame.

[Lionut]

I think this is all about preserving the name in some form. A rag tag, de facto Junior "B" league is a long way from what they were envisioning, clearly, but my theory is that they are just trying to preserve the WHA name in some form until they can roll it out into something else. I don't think that, "something else" is ever going to materialize, but anyway...

[TheLionKing]

Haven't they been trying to get the WHA up and going since 2005?

Wasn't it, at one point, supposed to be another big league that competed directly with the NHL?

Now it's down to this?

http://www.worldhockeyassociation.net/

Laaaaaame.

The "new" WHA was supposedly to be up and running during the NHL lockout. Vancouver was rumoured to be in line for a franchise.

[maddeep73]

The "new" WHA was supposedly to be up and running during the NHL lockout. Vancouver was rumoured to be in line for a franchise.

Yes, basically it was an empty threat dreamed up by the players during stalled negotiation. Not surprisingly it got 'pushed back' a dozen times or so till the reality of it never happening kicked in.

[LFITQ]

Basically the league is for 16-20 year olds who missed roster spots on WHL and BCJHL teams, with franchises located in smaller towns overlooked by the BCJHL.

Pittsburgh can hardly support an NHL Fanchise and I doubt Columbus is much metter. Why would any new league setup shop in those places. Maybe better in say (Hamilton, Regina, Winnipeg etc.)

If my city of 10,000 proper 20,000 surrounding area can support a BCJHL team, I'm sure Pittsburgh could handle it quite nicely.

Based on the locations mentioned, I don't think travel will be nearly as high as what the BCJHL currently has teams doing.

[Yank In BC]

Bellingham Bulls

Thats interesting that they chose Bellingham. Between the border and Everett there is exactly ONE sheet of ice. That in Bellingham with seating for about 100 people.

[Lionut]

Bellingham Bulls

Thats interesting that they chose Bellingham. Between the border and Everett there is exactly ONE sheet of ice. That in Bellingham with seating for about 100 people.

Yank, what rink are they using in Bellingham? Do they still have that old barn/airplane hangar out by the airport, or is that long gone?

[Yank In BC]

Bellingham Bulls

Thats interesting that they chose Bellingham. Between the border and Everett there is exactly ONE sheet of ice. That in Bellingham with seating for about 100 people.

Yank, what rink are they using in Bellingham? Do they still have that old barn/airplane hangar out by the airport, or is that long gone?

That was gone after the Ice Hawks left the BCHL in 95 or 96 to go to Trail. It is now warehouse space.

The rink is right in the same complex now as Civic Stadium (Track/FB) and Joe Martin (Baseball). The original intention was to build one sheet and get it up as fast as possible and then add on with a 1,000-1,500 seat venuse attached to it, to bring back the BCHL, which actually drew fairly well. That fell through and they put in an indoor soccer field and also a half size rink for little kids. The small rink has now also been converted to field turf for indoor soccer year round. One of the reasons I think now that the rink is survivng is Garth Butcher is running it and the Hockey Programs as his kid is on the way through there.

[bc49]

From Wikipedia:
The Bellingham Sportsplex is a multi-use sports facility located in Bellingham, Washington. The Sportsplex contains two turf fields, primarily used for indoor soccer, and an ice rink, used by local amateur ice hockey teams, figure skating lessons and performances, and home games for the Bellingham Bulls and Western Washington University hockey teams.

[kx96]

WHA PHOTOS[/img]

[kx96]

xkcnaxan[/img]

[CB123]

So it actually exists? I guess it hasnt really taken off