Ron Robison, Commissioner of the Western Hockey League, today officially launched the 2008-09 WHL Regular Season via WHL WEB TV video release, from Calgary, Alberta. The WHL opens its 43rd Regular Season on Thursday, September 18th as the Memorial Cup Champion and WHL Champion Spokane Chiefs begin defense of their titles in Cranbrook, British Columbia against the Kootenay Ice. The game will be broadcast LIVE across Western Canada on the SHAW television network and available to Comcast customers in the Spokane area starting at 7:00 pm MT.

Robison also announced that the WHL 2008-09 season will be dedicated in the honour of Ed Chynoweth, who passed away in April, 2008. A special tribute involving members of the Chynoweth family will take place prior to the season opening game between the Spokane Chiefs and the Kootenay Ice on September 18th. Ed Chynoweth was the principle builder of major junior hockey in Canada as President of the WHL and CHL over the past four decades. Throughout the season all players and officials helmets will display a decal with Ed’s initials, EC.

“The 2008-09 WHL Season will allow us to showcase some of the finest young hockey talent in world today,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison, “We fully expect each WHL Division will feature highly competitive races as our Clubs battle for playoff position.”

The WHL is also pleased to announce the SHAW TV broadcast schedule for the upcoming WHL regular season. SHAW has served as the official regional cable broadcaster of the WHL for the past four seasons. WHL broadcasts on SHAW this season will feature 30 regular season games and extensive coverage of the 2009 WHL Playoffs commencing Friday, March 20th, 2009. The broadcast schedule begins on September 18th with a special half hour WHL Regular Season preview show followed by the WHL Season Opening game.

WHL WEB TV is back for another season with the WHL’s internet streaming partner INSINC. WHL WEB TV allows hockey fans to watch their favorite team or player in action LIVE from the comfort of their computer. All 792 WHL regular season games plus the entire 2009 WHL Playoffs will be available, giving fans the opportunity to view up to 35 LIVE WHL games a week on WHL WEB TV. This season WHL WEB TV will also offer an inside look at the WHL’s top NHL prospects, highlight WHL Alumni and provide WHL All-Access feature stories. Click the WHL WEB-TV icon on www.whl.ca to catch all the action.

The 2008-09 WHL season will also be highlighted with the ADT Canada Russia Challenge Series, an annual CHL showcase event. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge Series, featuring Team WHL versus the Russian Selects, will take place on Wednesday, November 26th in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and Thursday, November 27th in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

The WHL is also pleased to announce the WHL Alumni Association will implement new initiatives for the 2008-09 WHL season, headed by Alumni President Kelly Hrudey. The Alumni Association will continue to expand its database and begin to build a group of members to participate with the WHL’s Speakers Bureau and Player/Coach Mentorship Program. A WHL Celebrity Golf Tournament will launch in 2009 with the WHL Alumni Association playing an active role in the event with proceeds directed at the WHL Scholarship Program and a designated charity.

The QMJHL and the City of Rimouski, Quebec will serve as the official hosts for the 2009 MasterCard Memorial Cup. The Rimouski Oceanic will host the Ed Chynoweth Cup – WHL Champions, Ontario Hockey League Champions and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Champions from May 15 – 24, 2009.

The MasterCard Memorial Cup will return to the WHL in 2010 and three Clubs have submitted applications to host. The WHL Clubs which have submitted bid applications include the Brandon Wheat Kings, Everett Silvertips and Kelowna Rockets. The bid presentations will take place at the next WHL Board Governors in-person meeting on October 15th, 2008 in Calgary, Alberta. The decision on which Club will host the 2010 MC Memorial Cup will be determined by a vote of the WHL Board of Governors and will be announced following the October 15th meeting.

The WHL would like to thank our prestige partner Kal-Tire for their continued support of the Western Hockey League. The WHL would also like to recognize our official partners Waste Management, Husky, Sobeys, Boston Pizza and All Weather Windows together with our broadcast partners SHAW TV, Rogers Sportsnet and INSINC.