WHL Commissioner Dan Near makes first visit to Prince Albert

For the primary time in his tenure as WHL commissioner, Dan Close to paid a go to to the Artwork Hauser Centre on Friday.

Since taking up because the WHL Commissioner, Close to has made an effort to go to each market within the league. Prince Albert was one vacation spot he didn’t make it to final season and he says he’s excited to see the Artwork Hauser Centre and the neighborhood.

“I do know it’s such an necessary neighborhood for the league and one which I wished to get to earlier than the winter began and Gord Broda and Curtis Hunt had been sort sufficient to say, hey, come on, we’ll do some pregame ceremonies. I’ve an opportunity to drop the puck. I’m thrilled to be right here, I’m thrilled to see what the workforce appears like this yr.”

Close to started his tenure because the WHL Commissioner on Jan. 1 of this yr and labored intently along with his predecessor Ron Robison till taking up the Commissioner’s workplace on Feb. 15.

Close to says he nonetheless retains in contact with Robison regularly and he hopes to have the ability to proceed to construct on Robison’s legacy with the WHL.

“I’m nonetheless working and studying from Ron Robison. He stayed on as an advisor. And so we communicate a pair instances every week. There’s numerous nuance. There’s numerous sophisticated issues, numerous historical past and backstory. He’s there to assist me out. He’s additionally given me numerous area to determine it out and study. He’s been an amazing accomplice in that regard. I discovered him to be the mayor of Saskatchewan. Each time I come someplace right here, he’s very well regarded. He’s had an influence and a legacy that has put the league in such a robust spot and such a powerful spot that I actually admire him and I actually look as much as him.”

Earlier this month, Regina Pats overage ahead Braxton Whitehead introduced that he has a verbal dedication to the Arizona State College, an NCAA Division I hockey program.

Beneath present NCAA guidelines, CHL gamers should not permitted to play for NCAA packages because of the truth the NCAA considers the three member CHL leagues as skilled. CHL gamers obtain a month-to-month stipend for residing bills.

A category-action lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Courtroom in Buffalo, New York final month that would permit gamers from all three CHL member leagues to take part within the NCAA.

Close to says there is no such thing as a ongoing conversations between himself and the NCAA, however he says the choice to have the ability to attend faculty on both facet of the border can be a sport changer for the league.

“We’re not in energetic negotiations. What Braxton selected to do so far as contacting the coach and coming with a possible consequence for him ought to the eligibility guidelines change, we’re actually excited for him. As a man that’s going to graduate from our league, a part of Regina’s management workforce, an American child, a 4.0 GPA, in all probability not able to go professional, the notion that somebody can proceed their journey towards being knowledgeable hockey participant, however in a college setting, whether or not that’s within the US or Canadian facet, we predict it’s actually unbelievable and nice.”

On the time of publication, 5 WHL golf equipment have expressed curiosity in internet hosting the Memorial Cup in 2026, when the WHL is scheduled to host the match.

The Spokane Chiefs, Drugs Hat Tigers, Brandon Wheat Kings, Kelowna Rockets and Lethbridge Hurricanes have all expressed intents to bid for the match.

Close to says the excessive variety of groups within the match reveals the power of the WHL product.

“I believe that it does sign that post-COVID, we’ve seen a restoration to the purpose the place persons are keen to go and search out the funding, the volunteerism, the group, all of the issues which are required to placed on an occasion like that. I don’t know if there’s ever been a Memorial Cup that’s had 5 groups bid on it. It leaves us in a tricky spot the place 4 are going to be disenchanted, which is clearly a scary factor. However I believe it’s a testomony to the well being of the sport and well being of the property and well being of the Western Hockey League proper now.”

Earlier this yr, the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) introduced that they’d be altering from a 68 to 64 sport schedules efficient this season.

With the WHL having the biggest geographic space of any of the three CHL member leagues, groups can have many extra hours on the bus then their counterparts within the OHL or QMJHL.

Close to says the WHL isn’t contemplating the same change to the schedule presently, nevertheless it all the time trying to discover methods to make the league higher for the gamers.

“It’s not an energetic dialogue. I believe that we’re all the time taking a look at our sport to see what are the issues that we may do this influence the participant expertise in a constructive approach, the aggressive setting and so forth and so forth. We’re additionally watching the opposite leagues and the completely different modifications and guidelines and scheduling and divisions and the rest that’s occurring. It’s not an energetic dialog for us proper now. We’re comfy at 68.”

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