It’s my Parting Shot to talk about the third of my favourite sports topics – the first of a three-day look at the 2026-27 Western Hockey League season…..

I know, I know, I was supposed to do this back in mid-September – before the regular campaign began! But, in listening to my friend Guy Flaming out of Edmonton and his Pipeline Show podcast, he spoke with every W-H-L General Manager before the season started and, to a man, they all said that trying to figure out who would be good and who wouldn’t be good would be difficult to do until a month, maybe two into the season – or 10 to 20 games in!

I’m pretty much splitting the difference of that, it’s early November – about a month and a half in – and all teams have played at least 12 games and upward to as many as 17, as of this writing!

What we’re seeing a lot of, so far, is parity – especially in the Eastern Conference, which I’ll look at more closely on Thursday. In the past, you could easily tell which teams were on an upswing and expected to do well as opposed to which were in a rebuilding or retooling phase. Teams with older line-ups were felt to be more likely contenders than those with younger teams and prospects finding their way. Now it seems those prospects, aged 16 and 17, are on a level with those veteran players aged 19 and 20 – especially the 20s because most of the good ones have moved on to play in the N-C-Double-A. Not all teams have the full complement of three players born in 2006, unheard of in the pre-free reign to play anywhere you want to – as is the case now!!

The loss of top-quality 20-year-olds has been replaced by the influx of American-born players, especially those from the so-called “State of Hockey,” Minnesota! Those players aren’t just 17 and 18-year-olds, but 19s and even 20s! Some teams are very adept at picking up those older, mature and talented American players – and it shows in the early standings!!

With all that said, tomorrow I, also known as the Fearless Predictor, will prognosticate the eventual finish of the first place teams in each of the B-C and U-S Division and the full 12-team finish in the Western Conference – and, if I still have time, get a start on the first place finishers in the East and Central Division! Thursday, I’ll finish off the full Eastern Conference standings – paying a little special attention to the Saskatoon Blades and defending Conference-champion Prince Albert Raiders! Buckle up!!

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