Is there the Western Hockey League in Winnipeg's future? Does the success of the WHL in Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver bode well for a team in the city? Having a Memorial Cup win in Winnipeg would be pretty cool and a long time coming. There hasn't been a Memorial Cup championship in Winnipeg since 1959 when the Winnipeg Braves took home the coveted and elusive trophy.
The CBC's Cassie Campbell-Pascall says maybe...
Could WHL Be Next in Winnipeg?
The Western Hockey League has enjoyed some success in NHL markets, so it begs the question: Is Winnipeg a WHL option in the future?
WHL commissioner Ron Robison thinks so, but the league hasn't had any formal discussions with anyone at this stage.
"Several parties have expressed interest in bringing a WHL team to Winnipeg over the past 10 years," he said. "I have also not spoken to Mark Chipman to determine their interest. Given that we do not envision expansion in the future, we will not be in a position to consider Winnipeg unless a relocation of an existing franchise would occur.
"Now that Winnipeg is an NHL market we believe we could co-exist with the Jets given our success in Calgary, Vancouver and Edmonton."
