The best WHL conference? Circumstantial evidence points West

Published 1:30 am Thursday, February 23, 2017

As I wrote in Wednesday’s WHL notebook, the U.S. Division had excellent success while playing at the East Division.

The East features both the two-team defending Eastern Conference champion Brandon Wheat Kings and the preseason WHL favorite Regina Pats. Moose Jaw and Swift Current are also excellent teams. The Tips went 3-1 against those four opponents including a decisive 4-2 victory over the Pats.

“I think right now at this moment the Western Conference is a very strong conference,” head coach Kevin Constantine said. “That’s a trend that will change, and a year from now we might be talking about the Eastern Conference as the stronger conference. I think right now the Western Conference has a very good conference.”

How does that help teams prep for the Eastern swing?

“Ultimately in terms of your game, the way you improve is to be challenged and I think playing every game in this conference is a challenge, and I think that ultimately that helps your progress in terms of improving,” Constantine said. “But at the same time it’s a battle because it’s so competitive.”

I also inquired of Tips captain Noah Juulsen if there is a different style played by teams in the East.

“They’re more ‘go, go, go’ and obviously we have a different game here,” Juulsen said. “We’re still an offensive team, but I think we have to play our game like we did up there and it works out well.”

The Tips play host to the Portland Winterhawks Friday at 7:35 p.m. at Xfinity Arena. Kamloops comes to town Saturday before the Tips head south to Kent Sunday.

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