CHL 2026–27 Season Preview Part 1: Biggest Stories, WHL & OHL

TFTO Cold Open

Sue 0:00

Every September, hope returns. Every fan believes this could be the year. Some teams are built to win, some are one year away, and some are about to surprise everyone. New players, new expectations, a brand new season. And across the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL, everybody starts in the exact same place, believing this could be their year. So before the puck drops, let's talk about what's coming in the CHL for this season, 2026-2027. Welcome

Opening CHL 2026-27 Preview - Part 1

Sue 0:38

back and thanks for joining me today. So over the years, I've watched a lot of junior hockey. And I don't just mean the world juniors at Christmas. Most of what I followed has been in the OHL. I'm not going to pretend I know the WHL or the QMJHL nearly as well, but I've always had an interest in the CHL because I love junior hockey. There's something different about watching these young players compete. Some are chasing scholarships, and some are hoping to hear their name called at the NHL draft. And some are just trying to figure out where hockey might take them next. So for this episode of True Fan True Opinions, I'm looking at all three leagues, the WHL, the OHL, and the QMJHL, and giving you my honest takes, opinions from a perspective of a fan. Not an expert, a fan. So let's talk sports like fans do.

Biggest Storylines in the CHL

Sue 1:33

Before we start getting into the three leagues, I want to talk about a few storylines that piqued my interest over the summer and heading into this season. And as any true hockey fan, we need to start with fighting. The OHL is cracking down on fighting for this season. The threshold drops from 50 fights to 35. 50 fights? That seems like a hell of a lot of fights when you're only playing 68 games. So I personally think that's a good call. So the clubs will be fined $50,000 per fight once they cross that 35 fight limit. That's a steep increase from the previous at $2,000 penalty. As well, the league is tightening on premeditated stage fights before the puck drops, and players engage in a second fight during a single stoppage. Players are capped at three fighting majors between opening night and December 31st. On January 1st, the counter resets, granting players three additional fighting majors for the remainder of the regular season. And if a player goes over either three fight limit, they're looking at a minimum two game suspension. I honestly believe this is a good move. I understand why fighting exists in hockey. I've always believed there are times when players have to police things themselves. But the older I get and the more we understand about players' safety, the more I find myself moving towards the other side of this debate. Which I'm not going to, because honestly, fighting in a hockey could be an entire TFTO episode by itself. So I'll leave that for another day. Staying with the OHL, let's talk about the host team for the Memorial Cup, Guelph Storm. So Guelph is hosting the 2027 Memorial Cup. So like unlike everybody else in the CHL, they already know they're going to be in this tournament. And they certainly built their roster with that opportunity in mind. Entering the current season, the 2026-2027, the Storm roster boosted 10 NHL draft prospects, anchoring a deep and a mature lineup. There's no question Guelph loaded up because they're hosting. But I'm still not convinced they're one of my four bests in the OHL. Another storyline is the interleague between the OHL and the Q. After a successful pilot of four games, the OHL and the Q officially doubled their interleague slate to eight regular season games. These are not exhibition games. Every matchup counts directly towards each team's respective official league standings. So these games count. And some of these games are gonna be exciting. You've got Gatineau and Ottawa, Sudbury and Rune Niranda, and North Bay against Valda. These games are gonna be fun to watch. Could we eventually see even more interleague games? I hope so. Because growing up in Sudbury and then living most of my adult life in Barrie, I followed the Wolves and the Colts. So I knew the OHL pretty well. I wish back then I had more opportunities to see the teams from the other leagues. And not just the best of them once they got to the Memorial Cup, but throughout the year. And now that I've moved to Moncton and learning the queue, it would be nice to see some of the OHL teams again. And another storyline that I was interested in, it was the WHL no return overtime experiment. So if you've watched the three-on-three overtime, you've probably seen teams gain the zone, decide they don't like what they see, skate all the way back out to reset. Well, the WHL experimented with taking that option away. The core rule, which is a preseason pilot rule, is that once an attacking team carries, passes, or shoots the puck across the blue line into the offensive zone during a three-on-three overtime, they cannot deliberately bring the puck backwards into the neutral zone to regroup. The WHL tested it throughout the preseason, and the GMs will decide whether to adopt it for the regular season. I love this. Don't reset, just go. For me, three-on-three is supposed to create space, skill, chances. If a team enters the offensive zone and can't retreat to regroup, something has to happen. Attack the net, turn the puck over, make a save, create a rush the other way. Do something. I think it could create better entertainment and shorten overtime. So I'm looking forward to this.

WHL Preview

Sue 6:07

Alright, it's time to talk about our leagues, and I'm gonna start with the WHL. Before I get into the team and players, there were a few changes in the WHL this year that I really like. And one change I actually really like is that the WHL is trying to give these kids a little bit more recovery time. It's what they're calling schedule decompression. It's still a 68-game season, but it's stretched an extra week through March 28th of 2027, with more games pushed towards the weekends and holidays. The idea is to give these young players more time for recovery, development, and their schooling. And when we're talking about the WHL, we have to talk about travel. Teams can now use air travel for one designated out-of-conference road trip when the same bus trip would be more than 10 hours. Then for the playoffs, the first round becomes a best of five starting with the 2027 WHL playoffs, not the best out of seven. That helps accommodate the longer regular season calendar while keeping the Memorial Cup timeline intact, which I get. And hey, a five-game series can definitely make an early upset a little bit more possible. And that's always fun. I love junior hockey, but at the end of the day, these are still teenagers and young adults balancing hockey, development, school, and huge amounts of travel. And the WHL geography in particular makes some of the travel brutal compared with the OHL and the queue. So, in my opinion, these changes are good for players and good for the league itself. And there's another WHL change this season that I really like. But this one, this is for us the fans. WHL regular season games are going to be available free on YouTube. Yes, free. As a fan living in New Brunswick, who used to live in Ontario, I don't follow the WHL nearly as closely as I did with the OHL or the Q. So I love this. If I'm talking about Prince Albert, Medicine Hat, Kelowna, and all these players on this podcast, now I can actually jump onto YouTube and watch them. And you can too, through the WHL's official YouTube channel. Speaking of these games, teams, and players, let's get into it. The WHL have many talented and skillful players, but there was a few that caught my eye, and I'll be watching this year for different reasons. So one of the players I'm watching is Cameron Schmidt in Victoria. He's a Dallas Stars prospect who exploded for 51 goals and 100 points last season. Wow, that was a great year. Victoria missed the playoffs by just one point last season. And I think Schmidt could be a huge part of getting them back in it. There's Arvid Draught. He was drafted in a 2026 CHL imported draft. Draught officially signed with the Medicine Hot Tigers this summer to make his North American debut. He's a Florida Panthers prospect. And I like that he's a two-way player, skillful, with speed up front, and defensively responsible. He's gonna fit very nice on this very good team. And then there's Yogos Penteles, who I'm really looking forward to watching with the Brandon Week Kings. He's an LA Kings prospect who plays a heavy game, plays a safe, reliable shutdown game. And you guys will know I love good defense. I expect him to play some big minutes for Brandon, and I think he would be a real difference maker for this team. And then we have Parker Tracey in Regina, a Montreal Canadians prospect. He has a future NCAA commitment to Nordame, but he signed with Regina for this season. His presence gives the Pats a legitimate top-tier weapon right now that will help them, I believe, make the playoffs again. And a fun fact, he's the grandson of the Hall of Famer and six-time Stanley Cup champion, Brian Tracey. So with a name like that, watch out. Those were some of the players I'll be watching. But what about the head coaches calling the shots? Well, the two that I'm keeping my eyes on are David Bell and Travis Krickard. Regina has been trying to find its identity after Bedard left. And with Bell, I think this is gonna help. He brings professional experience. And I'm also interested to see whether he's the coach who'll help move them from rebuilding towards becoming competitive again. And Travis Krickard now with the Swift Current Broncos, for me, this is a big name and a big move for the Broncos. And I think really a good move for both the coach and the team. He comes from the queue where he was previously the head coach of the St. John Sea Dogs. Big move. Why? Well, Swift Current didn't just hand him the bench, they handed him the keys to the castle by naming him both head coach and general manager. You know what? Maybe this is exactly what the Broncos needs. Alright, time to talk about a team I am looking forward to watching, and dare I call them my surprise team? Now, this team I'm not putting among my main favorites, but I think could be much better than people expect. Brandon Wheat Kings is a team I really do think can make some noise this year. First off, anytime a team gets swept in the first round of any playoff, that's gonna humble the team. And probably piss them off a little bit too, right? And Brandon responded with a pretty significant offseason retool. Brandon this year has a bruising and a very skilled team that other teams will hate to play them. I already talked about Pentales. They also added a six foot three Christoph Meusu, who brings even more size and offensive potential. And I hope I said his name right. They have a chip on their shoulder from how last season ended. And the way they rebuild this team with physical heavy shutdown defense with scoring depth, yeah, they're gonna be tough to beat. I think they're built to win some tough, ugly games. Now, from a team that fascinates me to a team that everyone seems to be buying in on, but I'm not. The Everett Silvertips. Now, I'm not saying they're gonna have a bad season, but compared to the expectations around this team, there's something that makes me hesitate. And here's some of the reasons. There's going to be a complete identity shift for them. They have a huge turnover, and you can't just assume the same chemistry carries over. And not having Landon DuPont, who committed to the University of Michigan, is another blow to the team. As well, the team will be relying entirely on a new goalie tandem that I think other teams will exploit. I just don't see why or how they will repeat. Now, I might be in my words come April, and that's okay. So if I'm not buying Everett as one of my favorites, who am I buying? So here are my top four. At number four, I'm going with the Kelowna Rockets. And yes, there's a pretty big Enguinla question hanging over this one. I believe Nginla is gonna play some games in the WHL this season. The question is, how many? Is it just a handful? Does he play more than half the season with Kelowna? And maybe the biggest question of all, is he back with the Rockets for the playoffs? Because if he is, oh boy, I already think Kelowna has a good hockey team. That's why they're number four for me, even with all this uncertainty. Because if they get in Guinla for a significant part of the season, and especially if he's there for the playoffs, I think their ceiling changes considerably. So yeah, there's some risk with this pick, but right now, I'm going with Kelowna as my number four. Number three, Pententon V's. The V's pulled off one of the biggest stories in junior hockey last season. They left the BCHL, joined the WHL as an expansion team, and made it all the way to the Western Conference Final. But they're not going to surprise anyone this season. They do have an elite team. They're well coached, and reacquiring Tristan Peterson definitely helps. Expectations are going to be a lot higher this time around, but I think they're ready for it. And I think the V's are going to be a top threat in the WHL this season. Number two, Medicine Hat Tigers. And I like this team a lot, especially their players. You've got the Rock Twins, Captain Price Pickford, and I've already talked about Arvid Draught. In my opinion, this is an elite contender. There are going to be a lot of pressure and expectations on them, especially after last year's playoff exit to Prince Albert. But the one thing I'm keeping my eye on is the Rock Twins. What happens if one or both sticks around the NHL with Pittsburgh longer than expected? I still think Medicine has a very good team without them. But that's definitely something that could affect just how good this team can be. And my number one team in a WHL going into this season is the Prince Albert Raiders. One of the biggest reasons? Well, they're back end. They got Rudolph on defense, they've added a 17-year-old Brock Chris, and then there's this 6'4 Michael Ursulach in net. That's a huge goalie. But don't think this is just a team that's gonna shut you down because they can score too. Rudolph actually led the Raiders in scoring last season, and he's a defenseman. So yeah, they can keep the puck out of their net, but they can put it in yours too. Yeah, give me great defense and goaltending anytime. I love goals as much as anybody, but if you can shut the other team down, I'll take that every time. And that's why going into this season, Prince Albert is my number one team in the WHL.

OHL Preview

Sue 16:17

Let's leave the West and go into an area that I'm a little bit more familiar with. And I don't mean just with geography, but the teams too. The OHL. Like Kitchener Rangers defending their title. So, how does a Memorial Cup champion follow up with some of the pieces that got them there are now gone? Defending a title is no small task in any league, and losing the core of your championship team will be a huge obstacle to overcome. And it's not only on the ice. The Rangers will have a new coach with Jeff Krizakis. And I can see some early season growing pains. I'm not saying there will be a bad team, not at all. But defending that title will not be easy. Chasing history is always a fun storyline, and that's what Ryerson Linders will be doing this year with his new team, Owen Sound Attack. Yep. New team, no added pressure, right? But can he get there? Well, 32 wins is the magic number to break the record of 126. And that was held by JP Anderson for the last 14 years. Linders did have 31 wins last year. So it's possible. And if you can add even more pressure, he has to do it this year. Because this is absolute his last year. He's an overage player at 20. So if you want to see history made, I got four words for you. Let's go, Owen Sound. Okay, those are a couple of the stories I'm watching. Now, who are some of the players that have caught my attention? Well, I'm very interested in Ryan Roebuck, a Chicago Blackhaw, now with the Guelph storm. As we all know, there are going to be a lot of expectations on this Guelph team because they're hosting the Memorial Cup. Roebuck was with Niagara last season, a rebuilding team, and now he's moving to a much more competitive situation in Guelph. And I think that's going to benefit both sides. Guelph gets a very skilled player who can complement an already talented roster. And Roebuck gets an opportunity to play meaningful hockey on a team that's building towards the Memorial Cup. So I'm expecting a bigger year from him than last year. Here's somebody whose first OHL season caught my attention. And I want to see what year two looks like for him. Evgeny Duprovtiv's with the North Bay Battalion. Finishing his first OHL season with 38 points after coming from Russia, in my mind, is a pretty darn good year. And I know I wasn't that impressive at 17. What I like about him is his speed. He's feisty, and he finished the final couple of his months last season very strong. So now, with the year of OHL hockey under his belt, I could see a breakout season coming from him. I'm always intrigued by rookies and how quickly they can adapt to major junior hockey. Usually there are going to be some growing pains. But here are two rookies I'll be keeping my eye on. And I think they're going to adapt just fine. Kane Kluche was the number one pick and will be joining the Oshawa Generals. He dominated the GTHL. And I'm really interested to see how quickly that translates to the OHL. I think he'd give Oshawa a scoring spark that they've been waiting for. And if everything goes the way they hope, he could become the face of the franchise over the next few years. I don't want to use the word savior, but some people might. Then there's the number two pick, Colin Kennedy. And he's joining the Erie Otters. This kid knows how to score. And I think he's gonna give Erie another legitimate offensive threat right away. I'm not expecting a teenager to walk in and fix everything. Again, we're not using the word savior here, but I do think he could become a big cornerstone for this organization. And I'll be watching to see just how quickly he gets there. Alright, from the young players to the men in charge, let's talk about a couple of head coaches I'll be watching. Michael Babcock with the Brantford Bulldogs. My question is pretty simple. What's Michael Babcock going to bring to Brantford? Although maybe everybody else's question is how much attention is going to follow him simply because of that last name. Personally, I don't really care about the name. I wanted to see what he does with this team. And remember, Brantford went to the Eastern Conference Final last season. I think Babcopp can keep this team competitive, and he's certainly not walking into this alone. He's got Brian Burke there as a senior advisor and Gary Roberts involved in player development. So yeah, I think Bradford is going to be just fine. And then there's Drew Bannister with the Sioux Greyhounds. Or should I say, back with the Sioux Greyhounds. He's coached there, he's played there, he won a Memorial Cup there. And I love a good coming home story, don't you? And now he's returning with NHL head coaching experience after his time with the St. Louis Blues. That's only gonna help. But that's not the only reason I'm watching. The Greyhounds are going through a roster transition. And I think bringing in somebody with Bannister's experience makes a lot of sense for where this team is right now. He's been behind the NHL bench. He knows the OHL. He knows this organization. Now I want to see what he can do with it.

unknown 21:59

Okay.

Sue 22:00

Time to talk about the teams. And unlike the WHL, I don't really have a team I can call a surprise. But I definitely have a team I'm buying. And this one actually hurts me a little bit. Growing up a Sudbury Wools fan and later become a Barry Coles fan, North Bay was never exactly a team I was cheering for. And yes, I know back in the day it was the North Bay Centennials. But growing up in Sudbury, North Bay itself was the rivalry. But I have to give them credit, maybe just for this episode. I really like what the battalion have done this offseason. They lost a good chunk of their scoring and veteran leadership from last season, but I like what they still have and what they brought in. There's Parker Vaughn, who led them in the playoff scoring, Helenka Gretzky's standout Cam Warren, Florida Panthers prospect Shamar Moses, Duprasov, who you already know I'm pretty high on. And North Bay was busy on the trade market as well. And you know me, I love me some good trades. They brought in Rosetto from Brantford, along with Van Baumell and Creedy from London. I also think they're gonna be solid in net with veteran Mike Meckenvoor and Rookie Loftus. They might not get the same kind of attention as some of the bigger market OHL teams, and I really hate saying this, but I'm buying the North Bay Battalion. I think this is gonna be a very good hockey team. Okay, there I said it. Enough about North Bay. Let's talk about a team that has me a little worried. The Windsor Spitfires. Windsor finished first in the West last season, but I'm not convinced they're gonna be as strong this year. And I really think teams like Flint and the Sioux could make the race for the division a lot more interesting. Windsor was pretty much an all-in team last season as well. Now, maybe there's actually a positive side to what comes next. Expectations aren't quite the same. There's less pressure, and maybe a younger team can just go out there and play loose. But that can work both ways. When you got a younger team, playing loose can also mean defensive mistakes and growing pains. And that's what concerns me. They've lost a lot of veteran leadership. They're going to be younger, and I'm not convinced the goaltending is going to bail them out every time those mistakes happen. I could see Windsor having some rough nights early in the season while this team figures itself out. I'm not saying they're going to be bad. I just don't think they're going to be the same Windsor Spitfires we saw sitting at the top of the West last season. Alright. Time for my top four teams going into the OHL season. Number four, Sioux Greyhounds. Why the Sioux? Well, one of the biggest factors for me is Drew Bannister. And I've already talked about him. But it's not just the coach. They got a very good group of forwards that can score. And I especially like Pittsburgh Penguins, Prospect, Hayes, and Charon. It's going to be tough getting through the Western Conference. I get that. You got some very good teams with London, Kitchener, Guelph, and Windsor. But my biggest question mark with the Sioux is goaltending. If Landon Miller can give them solid, consistent goaltending, I think the Greyhounds are going to be a really fun team to watch. So I got them at number four. As I mentioned at the beginning of this segment, I think the Rangers are going to have a hard time repeating what they did last season. They got a new head coach. They lost some important pieces from that championship team. And I think there could be some struggles while everything comes together. But here's the thing. That's how much I respect what Slaughton Kitchener and what this organization has built. The Western Conference is going to be tough, and everybody's going to be coming after the defending champs. I don't think repeating is going to be easy, but I definitely wouldn't count the Rangers out. Number two, the Ottawa 67s might actually be the team I trust the most. Do I think they can play the most exciting hockey? No. But that's just me. But why do I trust them? Well, it starts behind the bench with David Cameron, who seems like he's coached a million games by now, right? His teams play a very heavy defensive game, and I think it really limits those terrible nights. And when you add a strong goaltending tandem with Federoff and Nelson, this is going to be a difficult team to beat. Now, they're not necessarily the team that's going to make me jump out of my seat every night, but they might frustrate the hell out of a team on the other bench. And if there's one team I think that can lead the East Division and challenge the Eastern Conference besides my number one, it's Ottawa. And speaking of my number one, the Brantford Bulldogs. Now, I know this team has gone through a lot of changes from the team that won the Eastern Conference last season. I get that. They've lost some important players. They got a new head coach in Michael Babcock, who I talked about earlier. That's going to bring some challenges. I get it. But I really like what management has done to retool, or maybe pivot is the better word, from the players they lost while still trying to keep this team highly competitive. They brought in Bo Christini from the USHL, who had a really good preseason. They also traded for Owen Pratz from Sudbury. He's a reliable defenseman who adds even more to an already talented young blue line. So, yes, there are changes. But I don't look at Brantford and see a team starting over. I see a team that's trying to stay right in the championship conversation. And I know, I know, the Western Conference gets a lot of attention. And usually for good reason. But I think the Eastern Conference is gonna shine this year. And going into the season, the Brantford Bulldogs are my number one team in the OHL.

Looking Ahead to Part 2

Sue 28:27

And honestly, putting this episode together remind me just how much I love junior hockey. You start looking at one team, then another player catches your attention, then you find another storyline, and suddenly you're thinking, okay, I need to watch that team too. And that's part of what makes a new season so much fun. But we're not done because next week we're heading east to the QMJHL, and this one's gonna be a little different for me. It's my first full season following the Q. I've got a brand new home team to cheer for, and yes, I'm already making some pretty bold predictions. So we'll pick this conversation up right there next week.

TFTO Closing & Signoff

Sue 29:10

Thanks so much for listening to another episode of True Fan True Opinions. If you enjoyed today's conversation, I really appreciate it if you follow the show, leave a review, and share it with another sports fan. And don't forget, I want to hear your thoughts. Did you agree with my takes? Did I miss something? Let me know in the comments or on social media. Until next time, keep sharing, keep believing, and remember chin up, don't give up. I'm rooting for you.