The Creston Valley Thunder will begin a new era of junior hockey when they open the inaugural Western International Junior Hockey League (WIJHL) season on Friday, Sept. 18.
The Thunder are one of the founding teams in the new league and will play a 44-game regular season that concludes Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027. The 2027 WIJHL playoffs are scheduled to begin Friday, March 5.
Creston Valley will compete in the WIJHL’s South Division alongside the Castlegar Rebels, Kelowna Chiefs, Oliver Outlaws and Spokane Braves.
Each team will play 28 games against divisional opponents and 16 interdivisional games, giving fans an opportunity to see every club during the regular season.
The WIJHL said 92 per cent of the league’s 220 regular-season games have been scheduled on weekends to reduce weekday travel and help student-athletes balance hockey with their education.
The league will observe its annual holiday break from Dec. 20 to 30 before regular-season play resumes on New Year’s Eve.
WIJHL chairman Brandon Buliziuk said the release of the schedule marks another milestone as the league prepares for its inaugural season.
“The release of our regular season schedule marks another exciting milestone as we prepare for the 2026–27 season. On behalf of the Western International Junior Hockey League, I would like to sincerely thank our member communities, team Governors, ownership groups, Boards of Directors, league staff, volunteers, and everyone who has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to bring this season to fruition. The commitment, passion, and collaboration shown across our league have been nothing short of exceptional. Together, we continue to build a league that is committed to developing young athletes, strengthening our communities, and providing an outstanding Junior Hockey experience for our players and fans.”
The league also recognized Spokane Braves head coach and assistant general manager Jason Greenwell for developing the inaugural regular-season scheduling matrix and leading the league’s annual scheduling meetings.
The WIJHL said it will release its 2026-27 pre-season schedule on Aug. 3.
The complete regular-season schedule is available at www.wijhl.com.
