It’s my Parting Shot for The Fearless Predictor’s look at the upcoming W-H-L season – with a major rider…..

In listening to my friend Guy Flaming out of Edmonton do his preview of all 23 league General Managers on his outstanding “The Pipeline Show” podcast, there was one over-riding sentiment expressed by his guests!

The changed landscape of the league means a lot of uncertainty as to who is going to be good and who won’t be good. You may need upwards of 10 games into the season to get a handle on this!

That changed landscape involves the first full season for the W-H-L working within the new rule in which players don’t lose their eligibility to play collegiately in the N-C-Double-A down south if they suit up in the W-H-L. For some teams, hello Victoria and Medicine Hat, that meant losing several players – who still had W-H-L eligibility this season – to U-S College teams. For others – Calgary, expansion Penticton and Kelowna from the sounds of it – there is an influx of players from the States and Junior A hockey coming into the W-H-L after previously being scared off from doing it because of the N-C-Double-A eligibility rule!

With all that said, I’m picking the Spokane Chiefs to win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as W-H-L champion next May – beating the Edmonton Oil Kings in the final!

I think Spokane will be top dog in the U-S Division – just ahead of Portland, Everett and Seattle in that order with Tri-Cities and Wenatchee following. As Memorial Cup hosts, Kelowna has drastically re-tooled their roster and will be the first place team in the B-C Division – followed by Vancouver, Kamloops, Penticton, Prince George and Victoria.

In the Eastern Conference – specifically the Central Division – the Oil Kings will run away with first place, followed by Medicine Hat, Calgary, Red Deer and Lethbridge. In the East Division, the same three teams that went down to the final Saturday of the regular season to determine the finish, will be there again. This time it’ll be Brandon on top, followed by Prince Albert and Saskatoon with Regina, Moose Jaw and Swift Current in that order trying to make the playoffs!

Now, here’s T-F-P’s rider. I’m waiting until, at least, the N-H-L regular season starts – of not once all teams have played 10 games – before I get a real handle on who is who and make predictions that stick! Yes, I know, lame and chicken – but, it’s my commentary and my rules! So there!!

That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!