Western Hockey League commissioner Dan Near has said interest is high for the expansion Chilliwack team, with several groups interested in owning the new club.
Speaking to last week, Near stated that the groups expressing interest have ties to Chilliwack and the Fraser Valley.
"I'm really pleased to share that there are multiple groups with major local ties to the Fraser Valley and Chilliwack who are deeply engaged in this process," he said. "We're actively talking to them."
Near explained that there is a WHL board meeting in the Penticton area later this month and he will be providing the board an update on the situation at that time.
"Coming out of that I think we'll have a little better direction on when we'll narrow down the list and what the next steps might be," he added.
Near pointed out that the Chilliwack expansion is a different journey than their expansion cousins the Penticton Vees, as the Chilliwack team has to come up with a team name, logos, season ticket packages and more. The Vees were an existing BCHL team and will use all the same logos and branding they used previously.
He reiterated that the WHL is working very closely with the City of Chilliwack and hopes to continue mending a relationship that was severed when the Chilliwack Bruins left town in 2007.
"I think if you heard the press conference and the introductory work we did, there's some regret that the WHL has that we ever left there," he said. "And we want to ensure when we come back we do it in the right way with the right leadership group that's committed to the city."
The WHL announced its planned return to Chilliwack on March 24 and the club begins play in the 2026-27 season. The announcement was made in conjunction with the news of the WHL adding the Penticton Vees for the 2025-26 season. The Vees participated in an expansion draft on May 7 and also selected players in the WHL Draft on May 8. It's expected that the Chilliwack franchise will follow a similar timeline next year.
The additions of Chilliwack and Penticton will increase the number of teams in the WHL from 22 to 24. The Vees host the Kelowna Rockets for their home opener on Sept. 26, 2025.
Meanwhile, the BCHL's Chilliwack Chiefs will continue to use the Chilliwack Coliseum for the 2025-26 before they have to make room for the new WHL team. The City of Chilliwack is set to invest $3.7 million in upgrades to the Chilliwack Coliseum prior to the arrival of a WHL franchise in 2026-27, including enhancements to the scoreboard, lighting system, NHL-standard boards, and more.
