New league coming to a city near you!

[Kristi]

http://www.wha.goalline.ca/news2.php?news_id=17185&lang=1

Any thoughts??

[N.W. Bruin]

http://www.wha.goalline.ca/news2.php?news_id=17185&lang=1

Any thoughts??

They were suppose to play pro hockey during the NHL lockout year. Nothing happened. People like Phil Esposito just quit on them. Though starting up a junior league maybe more pausible it is already almost mid-June.

[HAF]

This is from their site.

Player Information










WHA JUNIOR WEST HOCKEY LEAGUE
INFORMATION for PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS

The World Hockey Association is introducing the WHA Junior West Hockey League to begin play this September, 2006, in B.C. and Washington State . The inaugural season will see six teams compete in the following cities: New Westminster , B.C.; Squamish, B.C.; Osoyoos, B.C. and Bellingham , Wa; Kent, Wa ; and Pierce County ( Tacoma ), Wa.

The WHA Junior West Hockey League is not affiliated with either Hockey Canada or USA Hockey, meaning that we can recruit players much differently than other leagues. WHA Junior West players must be 20 years of age as of Dec. 31, 2006 or younger. There is no minimum age as long as a player is skilled enough and mature enough to play at the junior level. There are no import restrictions for either crossing province to province or country to country, (with the exception of U.S. Immigration or Canadian Immigration). If a player has been carded with a junior team in another league and is not happy with their situation, they may be able to join our league.

Our league will be focused on helping players develop with the idea of moving up to Junior A or Major Junior, depending on the players’ preference. Education will be a priority, with not only our coaches being involved in monitoring their player’s school progress, but full reports will be submitted to the WHA Corporate office.

We are looking for skilled, dedicated hockey players that truly want to have the opportunity to play, excel, and try to move up to the next level. Our coaches and the league office will be in contact with Junior A, Major Junior, NCAA Div 1, and NCAA Div 3 schools throughout the season.

Our program is intense and offers the following:


48 Regular season games, minimum 2 exhibition games, and playoffs
4 or 5 practices per week (no late night – primarily morning or afternoon)
Most equipment provided, except skates (helmets, facial, gloves, elbow pads, shoulder pads, pants, shin pads, sticks)
Goalie equipment provided, except skates (leg pads, pants, blocker, catcher, arm & chest, helmet/mask*, sticks) *goalies may use their own brand of mask if desired
Regular Season Cost - $0.00 !! (minimal training camp cost only).
Players will pay room and board cost if billeted
Open Evaluation Camps are being held in July. Please see "Open Evaluations" on this site, or continue scrolling down this page.

Please contact Gary Scott, VP of Operations for more information. Phone: 778-988-4625 or e-mail: gscott@officialwha.com (gscott@officialwha.com)

WHA JUNIOR WEST HOCKEY LEAGUE
OPEN EVALUATION CAMPS for PROSPECTIVE PLAYERS

The WHA Junior West Hockey League is holding two open player evaluation camps this July in Langley , B.C. The camps will be attended by WHA Junior West Hockey League coaches and scouting personnel. These camps are open to players born between the years 1986 to 1992.

Coaches and scouting personnel will be extending invitations to main training camps to participants that demonstrate a true ability to play junior hockey this season. Coaches will also be able to make full commitments to prospects at the camps if they choose.

Camp 1 Dates: July 7, 8, 9, 2006 Location: Langley Twin Rinks, Langley B.C.
Camp 2 Dates: July 28, 29, 30, 2006 Location: Langley Twin Rinks, Langley B.C.
Players do not need to attend both camps.

Cost: $125.00 Canadian

Players are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. At the present time we are working on a special rate with two local motels close to the arena. Motel information and special rates will be forwarded upon receiving registration.

The camp format will be scrimmage games only. Each team will play 5 games with an official on the ice for each game. Teams will be limited to 15 players and 3 goalies maximum.

Main Training CampsThe main training camps for all WHA Junior West Hockey League Teams will begin at the earliest Aug. 26 and the latest Aug. 28, 2006.

Questions: Please phone Gary Scott, Vice President of Operations778-988-4625 or e-mail: gscott@officialwha.com (gscott@officialwha.com)




It looks like a home for a lot of dub throw backs to me.

[Beaner]

I dont know about this - I see the have a New Westminster team but looking at what we have for Junior hockey already in the lower mainland I can't see how successful they will be.

If I recall media reports from this playoff season, the Burnaby Express of the BCHL were having a hard time drawing crowds and they won the national championship.

[Tipped Off]

IT will be interesting. Two of the locations are areas the T-birds might look to if Seattle falls through and Bellevue doesn't step up....Tacoma and Bellingham. I thought Belligham would be a good place for the T-birds to end up.

[rinkrat]

This line sort of tells it all...

"Players will pay room and board cost if billeted"




Good luck

[Kristi]

This line sort of tells it all...

"Players will pay room and board cost if billeted"


Good luck

Ok so I did read that right! that is CRAZY!

[scrunt]

Ok so I did read that right! that is CRAZY!

Seems odd to me. Each of the team names are from the original WHA of the 1970's, as is the league logo. :skeptical

Osoyoos Spurs? Really? Shouldn't that be the New Denver Spurs? And the Sharks should be out of Port Angeles.

Here's a few more for them: Comox Jets, Coquitlam Racers, Houston Aeros, Burns Lake Blazers, Merritt Cowboys, Phoenix (BC) Roadrunners, Castlegar Crusaders, Tofino Toros, Quesnel Nordiques, Port Hardy Mariners. ;)

[The_Vulk]

This last year, they had their WHA Super Junior Hockey League, for the Florida area.

Their web-page has been inconsistant all year with providing details of the games, etc.

[Rooselk]

IT will be interesting. Two of the locations are areas the T-birds might look to if Seattle falls through and Bellevue doesn't step up....Tacoma and Bellingham. I thought Belligham would be a good place for the T-birds to end up.

If they were to move, I'd prefer to see the T-birds in Bellevue, still in the Seattle market. But Bellingham would be interesting too. Living in Mount Vernon as I do, it would be just as easy to go to T-birds game as a Tips game.

[RunTheGoalie]

This last year, they had their WHA Super Junior Hockey League, for the Florida area.

Their web-page has been inconsistant all year with providing details of the games, etc.

I'll have to ask a friend of mine in Palm Harbor if they even finished that season.

Looking at this league, and the goal of "developing" players for Jr A and Major-Junior, my initial thought is "great, another Jr B league"

However, I wonder if they are trying to do an end-run around HockeyCanada's attempts at bolstering the midget ranks by giving 16 year olds an alternate place to go? Regardless, like every other thing with the WHA name attached to it, I expect it will fail miserably.

[Beaner]

Looks like the league is a go as I have seen flyers up all over New Westminster advertising the New Westminster Whalers all over the place.

Opening Game is Sunday Sept 24th @ 2:15 at Queens Park arena.

[Beaner]

If anyone is interested in attending the home opener for the New Westminster Whalers, Sunday September 24th at Queens Park Arena 2:15pm, send me a PM.

I may be able to get you some comps. No promises no guarentees, first come first served.

But I need to know tomorrow (Wed, 13th).

[RunTheGoalie]

Interesting to see that this league may actually play.

Also, there is another rebel league in Ontario, the Greater Metro Junior A hockey league (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Metro_Junior_A_Hockey_League), also not sanctioned by HockeyCanada. I still find the timing of these leagues interesting given the changes in elegibility in sanctioned leagues this year.

As far as the WHA super juniors in Florida goes, it is apparently still operating, but killed another Jr B league in the Tampa area in its wake.