Former Canucks player bringing WHL team to Chilliwack
A new team will be joining the WHL in the 2027-28 season, and a former member of the Vancouver Canucks is part of the new ownership group.
The WHL announced on Wednesday that an expansion franchise has been awarded to Chilliwack, B.C., and an ownership group headed up by Jeremy Colliton.
While Colliton played a handful of games in the NHL for the New York Islanders, he’s better known as a coach.
He was the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks for parts of four seasons, and spent two seasons as the head coach of the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.
But there’s a deeper connection to the Canucks in the ownership group of the new Chilliwack franchise, as part of the group is former Canuck Mason Raymond.
Part of the best team in Canucks history
Anne-Marie Sorvin/USA TODAY Sports
Raymond was the Canucks’ second-round pick in the 2005 NHL Draft and played six seasons in Vancouver, including some of the best seasons in franchise history.
He hit career highs with 25 goals and 53 points in the 2009-10 season, then was an underrated contributor to the Presidents’ Trophy-winning 2010-11 team that went to the Stanley Cup Final.
With his speed in transition, Raymond played a key role in the Canucks’ possession game at even strength, and he also pitched in on both sides of special teams.
Between the regular season and the playoffs, Raymond played 429 games for the Canucks before finishing up his career with stints with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Anaheim Ducks.
Raymond has been away from the game for a while. After leaving the NHL, he played the 2017-18 season in Switzerland so he would be eligible to represent Canada at the 2018 Olympics, where he had two points in six games en route to a bronze medal.
Since then, Raymond has had no public affiliation with hockey. Instead, he returned to his hometown of Cochrane, Alta., where he has been the president of a vehicle dealership.
It’s unknown what Raymond’s role in the ownership group will be. It’s his first time being connected with the WHL, as he played his junior hockey in the Junior-A AJHL to retain his eligibility to play in the NCAA.
Colliton returning to WHL roots
Colliton, who played four seasons with the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL, won’t just be a part-owner of the new Chilliwack franchise. He will also be the governor, general manager, and head coach.
“I’m honoured to be back in the Western Hockey League, which played such an important role in my development as a player and person,” said Colliton in a press release. “Our family is thrilled to be returning to the Fraser Valley. We are grateful for the partners we have at the City of Chilliwack, and in the regional business community. We look forward to building a franchise the hockey fans of Chilliwack will be proud of.”
The team will play out of the Chilliwack Coliseum, which already hosted a WHL franchise, the Chilliwack Bruins, from 2006 to 2011.
It’s unknown what this will mean for the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs, who currently play out of the Chilliwack Coliseum and have previously indicated that they hope to continue in the BCHL in the future despite the WHL expansion.