WHL ANNOUNCES NUTRIEN AS OFFICIAL PRESENTING PARTNER OF 2023 WHL PLAYOFFS AND WHL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today a new partnership with Nutrien Ltd. (TSX and NYSE: NTR) to serve as the official presenting partner of the 2023 WHL Playoffs and WHL Championship Series.
The 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien are scheduled to open Friday, March 31.
Nutrien and the WHL represent a natural fit, with Nutrien’s global headquarters located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and other corporate offices in Calgary, Alberta and Regina, Saskatchewan, along with Nutrien’s extensive retail branches and Nitrogen and Potash operations found throughout all four Western Canadian provinces and the Pacific Northwest United States. Like the WHL, Nutrien strives to be a meaningful partner in the communities where its employees live and work.
“To successfully achieve our Purpose of Feeding the Future™, we rely on the safety and integrity of our people – and our people are our greatest asset. As a major employer across the Canadian prairies and into the northwest US, we are always searching for top industry talent and partnering with the WHL allows us to reach their diverse and energetic fanbase,” says Lori Free, Vice-President, Talent Attraction & Organizational Development with Nutrien.
“Like the WHL, our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion nurtures the best ideas and attracts the best talent to help feed a growing world. We strive to empower every employee with the opportunities and support needed to reach their highest potential. A key part of our path forward is challenging ourselves to do all we can to ensure that inclusion is embedded in our culture, in our ways of thinking and ways of working – the goal is that it’s a natural part of what we do.”
To welcome Nutrien to the WHL family, the WHL has unveiled unique WHL Club-inspired applications of the new WHL Playoffs brand identity and logo, which was originally revealed Thursday, March 2.
Presented by Nutrien, the WHL Club-inspired renditions of the 2023 WHL Playoffs logo will serve to connect fans to the excitement of WHL Playoff hockey while tying the WHL Playoffs brand to each Club’s unique identity. This is the first time in WHL history in which the WHL Playoff brand has been customized to include 22 different applications unique to each WHL community.
WHL PLAYOFFS & CLUB BRANDING ASSETS
As presenting partner of the 2023 WHL Playoffs, Nutrien will be visible throughout WHL arenas in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest United States beginning Friday, March 31, including as the official helmet entitlement sponsor of WHL Officials. Nutrien will also serve as the official helmet entitlement sponsor of competing players during the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien.
WHL fans can look forward to unique and exciting promotions delivered by Nutrien during the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series and Western Conference Championship Series, as well as during the 2023 WHL Championship Series.
“The WHL is delighted to enter into a new partnership with Nutrien to serve as our exclusive presenting partner of the 2023 WHL Playoffs and WHL Championship Series,” commented WHL Commissioner Ron Robison. “We believe this partnership with Nutrien is a perfect fit as the WHL not only operates in the same markets and shares similar values, but we feel this is a great opportunity to expose our teams and fans to one of the top employers in our region.”
Nutrien employees around the world are committed to keeping each other safe and creating a sustainable environment for generations to come. With over 23,000 employees, operations and investments in 13 countries, Nutrien reaches every major growing region of the world. Nutrien invests in its employees through learning, supporting educational goals, and career development planning. Nutrien offers terrific roles, competitive salaries, great benefits and performance-based incentives. Those interested in a career with Nutrien are encouraged to visit www.nutrien.com/WHL for life changing opportunities.
The 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien are scheduled to open Friday, March 31, with the continuation of the Conference Playoff format. Sixteen qualifying WHL Clubs will embark on the journey towards the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien.
The first-place teams in the two Division in each Conference will receive the top two playoff seeds in the first round only based on Regular Season points. The next six Clubs in each Conference, based on Regular Season points, will receive the third to eighth playoff positions.
Clubs advancing to the second round and Conference Championships will be re-seeded each round based on Regular Season points. The two Conference Champions will advance to the WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien, with the Club possessing the most Regular Season points receiving home-ice advantage.
All series throughout the 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien will feature a best-of-seven format.
About Nutrien
Nutrien is the world’s largest provider of crop inputs and services, helping to safely and sustainably feed a growing world. We operate a world-class network of production, distribution, and retail facilities that positions us to efficiently serve the needs of growers. We focus on creating long-term value for all stakeholders by advancing our key environmental, social and governance priorities.
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
