2017 WHL Offseason

[PG Canuck]

It's now the offseason, anything going on yet?

Click to read more...

 

[PG Canuck]

Apparently the Cougars are raising the prices on season tickets for next season. Guess who isn't renewing their season tickets after two years? This guy - they can take it and shove it. Not many people happy right now. I am not paying more, for a likely worse product.

 

[phillipsj89]

Apparently the Cougars are raising the prices on season tickets for next season. Guess who isn't renewing their season tickets after two years? This guy - they can take it and shove it. Not many people happy right now. I am not paying more, for a likely worse product.

They are going to a pro style configuration. No age based pricing. 3 Sections are now cheaper than the adult ticket last year, and 1 is more expensive. So it really depends how you spin it.

Yes, they raised prices, but yes, they also lowered them. Also, there are 2 sections (End zones, first 4 rows) that you can get season tickets for $7/ game , that's $25/month over 10 months. Incredible value.

 

[denominator]

The Hitmen have parted ways with head coach Mark French - a move I am happy to see. It will be interesting to see who they bring in.

Like PG Canuck... I'm not renewing my season tickets this year either (after 5 years). I got a really good deal on my pair of tickets such that I paid $12.50/game to sit in row 8 behind the attacking net. Since the Hitmen moved to the "weekend warrior" schedule, we've found that too many weekends are either tied up by 3 games in 3 nights, or that we're having to give up games to be able to do other things. Add to that that parking at the Saddledome keeps going up (Last year was $15/game - that's more to park than my ticket cost) and that prices on food and beer keep going up ($9 for a Budweiser) and it's just too expensive to be spending that much time.

I'd love to see the Hitmen move to one of the other arenas here in Calgary where the overhead would be lower, and they wouldn't be tied to Saddledome scheduling. I would be inclined to buy back in, but until then I just can't justify the cost of all the extras around Hitmen games any longer.

 

[PG Canuck]

They are going to a pro style configuration. No age based pricing. 3 Sections are now cheaper than the adult ticket last year, and 1 is more expensive. So it really depends how you spin it.

Yes, they raised prices, but yes, they also lowered them. Also, there are 2 sections (End zones, first 4 rows) that you can get season tickets for $7/ game , that's $25/month over 10 months. Incredible value.

They are also worse seats. Not many people want to sit behind the net where the Cougars attack once, or behind the net at all. Quite frankly, I don't care if the Cougars lost 2.3M, there is still no loyalty shown towards longtime season ticket members.

I will not be renewing.

 

[phillipsj89]

They are also worse seats. Not many people want to sit behind the net where the Cougars attack once, or behind the net at all. Quite frankly, I don't care if the Cougars lost 2.3M, there is still no loyalty shown towards longtime season ticket members.

I will not be renewing.

That's fine, but IMO, their season ticket base will increase because of this. People are not that loyal to their seats, and this opens up season tickets to a whole new demographic. $25/ month is VERY doable for a lot of middle to low income families. Honestly, if the arena is only half full... pay for the $7/ game tickets and sit wherever you please. Win/Win.

 

[PG Canuck]

That's fine, but IMO, their season ticket base will increase because of this. People are not that loyal to their seats, and this opens up season tickets to a whole new demographic. $25/ month is VERY doable for a lot of middle to low income families. Honestly, if the arena is only half full... pay for the $7/ game tickets and sit wherever you please. Win/Win.

I don't see attendance drastically improving because of this. It hardly did when the team was good.

Everyone still living on hopes and prayers.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Kootenay Ice fired Head Coach Luke Pierce.... some coaching positions opening up around the league

Kootenay, Calgary, Spokane, Victoria all need new head coaches... Portland, Vancouver, Kamloops(maybe more, but these are for sure) need Asst. Coaches

 

[PG Canuck]

Just drafted Henri Jokiharju in my pools entry draft. Really excited about this player. Anyone able to give some more insight on him? Wanting to know as much as I can.

 

[n00bxQb]

Next season could be painful in Victoria. They'll probably still make the playoffs (not that it means much when 8 of 10 teams in the West make it), but I can't see them being as competitive as they've been the past few seasons unless some guys take some big steps or Cam Hope makes some big moves.

Losing Lowry is going to hurt, too.

 

[AnArmchairScout]

Next season could be painful in Victoria. They'll probably still make the playoffs (not that it means much when 8 of 10 teams in the West make it), but I can't see them being as competitive as they've been the past few seasons unless some guys take some big steps or Cam Hope makes some big moves.

Losing Lowry is going to hurt, too.

Players that thrive under Dave Lowry's system might struggle with a new coach, truth is that their underrsized, not strong defensively (Losing Gagnon and potentially Reddekopp will be extremely tough.) They are banking on Outhohuse being better then he was last year and that in it's own will be tough.

If Soy stays healthy, Phillips continues to produce and players like Hannoun, Bobylev, Nagy and Peckford to provide secondary scoring this could be a good team. Will be a bubble team again this year.

 

[PG Canuck]

PG will be trash next year. Bondra is now gone as well. Morrison is traded.

It's a good thing they just raised the ticket prices as they are getting worse again. Good stuff. How to run a business 101.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

PG will be trash next year. Bondra is now gone as well. Morrison is traded.

It's a good thing they just raised the ticket prices as they are getting worse again. Good stuff. How to run a business 101.

Its CRAZY the amount of talent you guys are losing next season. Going to be an extremely frustrating season for fans next year and probably foreseeable future

 

[phillipsj89]

Its CRAZY the amount of talent you guys are losing next season. Going to be an extremely frustrating season for fans next year and probably foreseeable future

It's gonna be rough. But it's largely to be expected. They had to go for it, they can likely make some moves at the deadline and acquire some good assets.

Saving grace? Only need to be better than 2 teams in the west.

 

[SpoolCat]

It's gonna be rough. But it's largely to be expected. They had to go for it, they can likely make some moves at the deadline and acquire some good assets.

Saving grace? Only need to be better than 2 teams in the west.

As a Hurricanes fan this has bugged me for a while. Back in 2013 we finished in last in the central where we had to routinely face the Oil Kings, Hitmen,Tigers, Rebels and the Ice. Who were all very powerful (the ice where 8th but still had future 2nd overall pick in Sam Reinhart). Yet according to the standings we would have been 7th in the West. Instead it was the typical Hurricanes finished out playoffs story we were hearing a lot back then( the truly awful years were just around the corner). Admittedly we would have been killed in the playoffs, that was our ride Ty Rimmer till he dies year, but still.

 

[snovalleyhockeyfan]

Everett Silvertips player not only getting it done on the ice, but in class, too....



Tremendous accomplishment here for this player from the Everett Silvertips, and what I'm sure makes this especially remarkable is he was able to maintain all of this despite his busy schedule with the team including all the long bus rides on road trips and missed class time resulting from all of that.

 

[PG Canuck]

It's gonna be rough. But it's largely to be expected. They had to go for it, they can likely make some moves at the deadline and acquire some good assets.

Saving grace? Only need to be better than 2 teams in the west.

I mean they would've still had a decent team this coming year even though they went for it last year. However both Bondra and Popugaev (probably) signing overseas and then trading Morrison, it's going to be a rough season.

 

[phillipsj89]

I mean they would've still had a decent team this coming year even though they went for it last year. However both Bondra and Popugaev (probably) signing overseas and then trading Morrison, it's going to be a rough season.

Agreed. Morrison was good as gone after his treatment. hopefully he has a great year in Vancouver.

PG needs to draft 2 great imports. Probably 1 one on the blueline and on up front. I don't think they have the resources to get that done. Not only will it cost them money (Transfer Fees) that the owners don't want to spend, but it also requires ties to overseas Agents that I don't believe they have.

 

[SpoolCat]

Read a rumor online that Brent Kisio is going back to Calgary to be the head coach of the Hitmen and maybe GM. Hopefully it's wrong I have more confidence in Anholt, but I still find it hard to believe in the Hurricanes grabbing two good coaches in a row.

 

[GermanDevil]

Does anybody know, when the League will release the new WHL Schedule for 2017-18? Last year it was on June, 27th.

Thanks in advance for helping me to plan my trip to Western Canada, beginning of November this year.



Okay, Edit: Here it is

=> http://chl-wordpress-uploads.s3.ama...040/17-06-27_WHL_Reg_Season_Final_DATES-1.pdf

 

[Deif]

Seems like Brandon got a possible high end talent in Martin Kaut. Hopefully he reports.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Kootenay Ice sign import draft pick D slovak Martin Bodak
Martin will be arriving from Tappara u20 (finland top junior league)

18 years old RHD | 6 foot 1 | 196 lbs

http://kootenayice.net/article/ice-sign-import-draft-pick-martin-bodak

- 2016-2017: 22 points (7 goals) in 38 games, 50 penalty minutes
also played 11 pro games Tappara,Leki(Tappara minor league team)
last season; collected 2 assists for Leki in 7 games

 

[Milos Krasic]

http://reginapats.com/article/pats-sign-2017-chl-import-draft-picks

The Regina Pats Hockey Club is pleased to announce they have signed both 2017 CHL Import Draft Picks, defenceman Egor Zamula and forward Emil Oksanen, to Standard WHL Player Agreements.


The Pats selected Zamula in the first round, 60th overall in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.

The product of Chelyabinsk scored three goals and had 23 assists in 36 games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk U17 in 2016/17.

Zamula is entering his 17-year-old season.

Regina selected Oksanen in the second round of the 2017 CHL Import Draft, 120th overall.

The 19-year-old played professionally with Espoo United of the Mestis League in 2016/17. He scored 13 goals and had six assists in 48 games.

Oksanen stands 6’1†and weighs 189 lbs, he won a gold medal at the 2016 Under-18 World Championships with Team Finland.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Cholowski to PG... I knew it was only a matter of time till he signed in WHL... also IMO itll only be a matter of time till he is dealt to a contender and PG gets a huge return.... PG hit the lotto here!!!

 

[PG Canuck]

Please deal him and get this rebuild going. Perfect piece to sell off.