If the Winterhawks just kept their logo, rights, etc could we support a mid-level professional hockey team? Ex- winterhawks goalie Mucha just signed for the AA idaho stealheads. Heres their league. www.echl.com
Junior hockey has a lot of top NHL prospects, whereas minor league hockey has a lot of minor league players, and some young players who might work their way up to NHL. Kinda like the defference between NCAA basketball and the CBA or IBL. I don't really go to Winterhawks games these days, but I'd prefer the WHL to ECHL or AHL. Here is a list of the 2008 NHL draft first round, almost all are from junior hockey (OHL, WHL). 1. Tampa Bay Lightning - Steven Stamkos, center (Sarnia, OHL) 2. Los Angeles Kings - Drew Doughty, defenseman (Guelph, OHL) 3. Atlanta Thrashers - Zach Bogosian, defenseman (Peterborough, OHL) 4. St. Louis Blues - Alex Pietrangelo, defenseman (Niagara, OHL) 5. Toronto Maple Leafs (from NY Islanders) - Luke Schenn, defenseman (Kelowna, WHL) 6. Columbus Blue Jackets - Nikita Filatov, left wing (Moscow CSKA, Russia Div. 2) 7. Nashville Predators (from NY Islanders/Toronto) - Colin Wilson, center (Boston Univ, NCAA) 8. Phoenix Coyotes - Mikkel Boedker, left wing (Kitchener, OHL) 9. New York Islanders (from Nashville/Florida) - Joshua Bailey, center (Windsor, OHL) 10. Vancouver Canucks - Cody Hodgson, center (Brampton, OHL) 11. Chicago Blackhawks - Kyle Beach, center (Everett, WHL) 12. Buffalo Sabres (from Los Angeles/Anaheim/Edmonton) - Tyler Myers, defenseman (Kelowna, WHL) 13. Los Angeles Kings (from Buffalo) - Colten Teubert, defenseman (Regina, WHL) 14. Carolina Hurricanes - Zach Boychuk, center (Lethbridge, WHL) 15. Ottawa Senators (from Nashville) - Erik Karlsson, defenseman (Frolunda, Sweden Jnr) 16. Boston Bruins - Joe Colborne, left wing (Camrose, Alberta Jnr) 17. Anaheim Ducks (from Calgary) - Jake Gardiner, defenseman (Minnetonka, U.S. high school) 18. Nashville Predators (from Ottawa) - Chet Pickard, goaltender (Tri City, WHL) 19. Philadelphia Flyers (from Columbus/Colorado) - Luca Sbisa, defenseman (Lethbridge, WHL) 20. NY Rangers - Michael del Zotto, defenseman (Oshawa, OHL) 21. Washington Capitals (from New Jersey) - Anton Gustafsson, center (Frolunda, Swe Jr) 22. Edmonton Oilers (from Anaheim) - Jordan Eberle (Regina, WHL) 23. Minnesota Wild (from New Jersey/Washington) - Tyler Cuma, defenseman (Ottawa, OHL) 24. New Jersey Devils (from Minnesota) - Mattias Tedenby, left wing (HV-71, Sweden Jnr) 25. Calgary Flames (from Montreal) - Greg Nemisz, center (Windsor, OHL) 26. Buffalo (from San Jose) - Tyler Ennis, center (Medecine Hat, WHL) 27: Washington Capitals (from Philadelphia) - John Carlson, defenseman (Indiana, USHL) 28: Phoenix Coyotes (from Anaheim) - Viktor Tokhonov, right wing (Severstal, Russia Superliga) 29. Atlanta Thrashers (from Pittsburgh) - Daulton Leveille, center (St. Catharines, Ontario Jnr B) 30. Detroit Red Wings - Thomas McCollum, goaltender (Guelph, OHL)
Well the original WHL folded in 1974. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Hockey_League_(minor_pro) But the current WHL is what we have today. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Hockey_League Winterhawk attendance has been aweful the last 3 years with losing seasons.
