Breaking: WHL’s Kootenay Ice moving to NHL city

According to multiple online reports the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Kootenay Ice, who are based in Cranbrook, BC, will be moving to Winnipeg  for the 2019-20 season where they will be known as the Winnipeg Ice.

Ice co-owners Greg Fettes and Matt Cockell purchased the franchise from Edmonton’s Chynoweth family prior to the 2017-18 season and critics claim that he has planned on moving the team to Winnipeg from the moment he purchased the team. In fact, Global News uncovered the fact that Fettes purchased domain names for a Winnipeg Ice franchise just days after purchasing the Ice in 2017.

The franchise was founded in 1996 as the Edmonton Ice, and moved to Cranbrook in 1998. The Ice won the Memorial Cup in 2002, and also participated in 2000 and 2011, after having won the WHL championship.

Notable NHL alumni for the team include Sam Reinhart, Mike Green, Cody Eakin, Roman Polak, Jarret Stoll, Mike Comrie and Brayden McNabb.