Blades and Raiders to Start the Next W-H-L Regular-Season Against One Another

The full 2025-26 W-H-L schedule will be released on June 23, but for now home openers for all 23 teams have been revealed.

After a two-year hiatus, the traditional home-and-home set on opening weekend between the Saskatoon Blades and arch-rival Prince Albert Raiders is back. P-A will host the first game on Friday, September 19, with the return match-up on Saturday, September 20, at SaskTel Centre. The expansion Penticton Vees will play their first two games in Victoria before playing their home opener on Friday, September 26, against the Kelowna Rockets. Following is the news release from the Blades and the W-H-L…..

Blades announce weekend home-and-home against Raiders to begin 2025-26 season

Calgary, AB – The Western Hockey League announced today home opening dates for all 23 Clubs for the 2025-26 WHL Regular Season.

The 2025 WHL Preseason schedule and complete 782-game WHL Regular Season schedule for 2025-26 will be announced the week of June 23.

The 2025-26 WHL Regular Season will officially begin Friday, September 19, with eight games on the calendar, highlighted by the 2026 Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets welcoming the Spokane Chiefs to Prospera Place.

The defending WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers will start the 2025-26 season Saturday, September 20, when they host the Regina Pats at Co-op Place.

The WHL’s newest franchise – the Penticton Vees – will initiate a new B.C. Division rivalry on Friday, September 26, when they entertain the Rockets at the South Okanagan Events Centre.

After spending opening weekend on the road, the defending Western Conference champion Spokane Chiefs will return to Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, September 27, for a contest with their archrival Tri-City Americans.

The East Division champion Prince Albert Raiders will kick start the 2025-26 campaign with a classic home-and-home highway rivalry series with the Saskatoon Blades, beginning Friday, September 19, at the Art Hauser Centre in Hockeytown North before concluding Saturday, September 20, at SaskTel Centre in the Bridge City.

The B.C. Division champion Victoria Royals will return to the ice at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on Friday, September 19, when they play the Vees in Penticton’s first WHL regular season game.

Reigning WHL Rookie of the Year Landon DuPont and the Everett Silvertips will take to home ice at Angel of the Winds Arena on Saturday, September 20, when they welcome the Wenatchee Wild for an all-U.S. Division showdown.

The Portland Winterhawks will return to home ice Saturday, October 25, following a series of renovations and upgrades to Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

2025-26 WHL Regular Season Home Opening Dates

Friday, September 19
Moose Jaw Warriors at Brandon Wheat Kings
Spokane Chiefs at Kelowna Rockets
Calgary Hitmen at Lethbridge Hurricanes
Saskatoon Blades at Prince Albert Raiders
Portland Winterhawks at Prince George Cougars
Edmonton Oil Kings at Red Deer Rebels
Regina Pats at Swift Current Broncos
Penticton Vees at Victoria Royals

Saturday, September 20
Red Deer Rebels at Edmonton Oil Kings
Wenatchee Wild at Everett Silvertips
Spokane Chiefs at Kamloops Blazers
Regina Pats at Medicine Hat Tigers
Brandon Wheat Kings at Moose Jaw Warriors
Prince Albert Raiders at Saskatoon Blades
Tri-City Americans at Seattle Thunderbirds
Penticton Vees at Vancouver Giants