It's Official

[2,5,andagame]

Next season Swift will move back to the East.

WHL Annouces Re-Alignment

The WHL also announced today the new WHL Conference and Division Alignment for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.

Beginning in the 2006-07 WHL season, the Kootenay Ice will return to the WHL Central Division, while the Swift Current Broncos move back to the WHL East Division. The expansion Chilliwack Bruins will commence play next season in the WHL B.C. Division. As a result, the 2006-07 alignment will feature 10 Clubs in the Western Conference and 11 Clubs in the Eastern Conference.

With the addition of the Edmonton expansion franchise in 2007-08, the WHL Eastern Conference increases to 12 Clubs while the WHL Western Conference remains with 10 Clubs.

[CrazyGeorge]

So next year Swift Current will be playing in the East division with Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, Regina, Brandon and Prince Albert AND Kootney will be playing in the central division with Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer, and Lethbridge AND the year after that (2007) Edmonton will be in the central division with Kootney, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer, and Lethbridge...Why is it that one conference will have 12 teams and the other conference only 10? Is there though of bringing in two more team to make it 12 and 12 perhaps? Just a thought because if in one division 4 teams miss out as apposed on playoffs to 2 teams in the other conference, I was just wondering if that was ever a thought.

[Johnsy05]

Good news for swift the central is one of the toughest in the league.. Looks like next year(probally not) or the year after its back to dominating the eastern division. :thumb:

[Toswammi]

Watch out East Div. You are getting a team in your division that is young, hungry, and will have a solid ethic. Lets not forget talented. We in swift have more than a few good players 17 and younger. There may be some sweet days at the top of this division the next few years.

[Flathead]

Watch out East Div. You are getting a team in your division that is young, hungry, and will have a solid ethic. Lets not forget talented. We in swift have more than a few good players 17 and younger. There may be some sweet days at the top of this division the next few years.
The talent and youth is definetly there, if all goes well we should be an elite team in years to come. Even next year I'm expecting vast improvments, we've seen the team improve at the end of this season. The only thing I don't like about being back in the eastern division is that we have a strong rivalary with MH, now we have to build one in the east again. Who will be our biggest rival in the east?

[hockey4]

Im sure they will figure out a playoff format that will be fair to all teams. They could always have a conference playoff format instead of a divisional, and if the 9th place team in the east has more points than the ninth in the west, they could play in the west's playoff. The governers wouldn't agree to this alignment had there not been a proposal for an equal playoff format.

[Beaner]

Im sure they will figure out a playoff format that will be fair to all teams. They could always have a conference playoff format instead of a divisional, and if the 9th place team in the east has more points than the ninth in the west, they could play in the west's playoff. The governers wouldn't agree to this alignment had there not been a proposal for an equal playoff format.

Doubtful. The travel for the Eastern Conference team that got into the playoffs would be a killer, both physically and financially.


I still think this is a sign of yet more teams coming.

[Swando]

Can you see Victoria coming back in?

[Beaner]

Can you see Victoria coming back in?

I can.

But the ECHL Salmon Kings would have to leave first.

Still travel problems with the Island, but I think the league could work it out.

[hockey4]

There is no chance victoria will ever get team without relocation. even then i seriously doubt the governers would ever accept it. You could never do a three in three weekend that included them, and it is not possible for teams to always do 2 games there in a weekend. Plus the league will not grant a franshise within edleast with the next 8 years becasue of the watering down of the talent pool. I stand by my prediction that the playoffs will include a possible crossover, just like the cfl.