Vancouver vs. Kamloops. I am saying this since I have been able in the past to interview not only players from both teams but both team coaching staff.
If anyone doubts this please check out the last time this 2 teams played in Vancouver and see the total penalty minutes, game suspensions and so on and this should give you a better idea of the huge rivarly between this two WHL teams.
The same can be said to a much limited scale for this year regarding Vancouver vs. Kelowna. In the past years this was a strong rivarly but with Kelowna going through the rebuilding stage this is not as a huge rivarly as it was in the past. Though in the coming years if Kelowna improves again I see no reason why this ravarly will not come alive again.
The above 2 are for the bragging rights of Alberta. Very intense games. Hard nosed hockey.
Calgary vs Vancouver - the battle of the big city. Both teams hate each other. Always entertaining, lots of hitting, good flow, lots of scoring chances. It doesn't matter where they sit in the standings, it's like they are playing for 1st place and it brings out the best in both teams. These are the games I circle on my calendar. Too bad they don't play each other more. Each team with a win against each other this year and both did it on the road.
Vancouver-Kelowna is a good one, from a Vancouver perspective at least.
Vancouver-Everett isn't as intense as it used to be, but it's still fun to go to games in Everett and hear it from their crowd. They're good people though, my favourite arena to visit. Hopefully we meet in the playoffs again really soon.
Vancouver-Chilliwack was a huge letdown, thanks in large part to Chilliwack sucking, and their fans knowing full well we owned them. Hopefully the rivalry with Victoria is a lot better.
And after a couple of seasons playing them in the playoffs, I've grown to despise Spokane.
Vancouver-Kelowna is a good one, from a Vancouver perspective at least.
Vancouver-Everett isn't as intense as it used to be, but it's still fun to go to games in Everett and hear it from their crowd. They're good people though, my favourite arena to visit. Hopefully we meet in the playoffs again really soon.
Vancouver-Chilliwack was a huge letdown, thanks in large part to Chilliwack sucking, and their fans knowing full well we owned them. Hopefully the rivalry with Victoria is a lot better.
And after a couple of seasons playing them in the playoffs, I've grown to despise Spokane.
They did not totally suck the last 2 seasons, their defence has always seemed to be a problem.
My point, though, was that to have a good rivalry, both teams need to be competitive and the fans of both teams need to be into it. With Vancouver/Chilliwack that was never the case, and it showed. Only a handful of Bruins fans would come to Vancouver, where as nearly a hundred would go out to Chilliwack. We met in the playoffs two years in a row, Vancouver winning 4-1 and 4-0 respectively. Having said that, full credit to the Bruins fans who came out and heckled us just as much as we heckled them.
Now having said that, I'm not taking the Giants/Bruins rivalry as a sign of what's to come with Victoria. The teams will likely be battling for one of the last playoff spots again and the Victoria fans are jacked to get a team. Financial and time constraints will likely play a role in terms of an away fan presence at games, so hopefully bus trips are offered at a reasonable rate. I'd like to see Saturday night games starting at 5pm and Sunday 1 or 2pm matinees strongly considered when these two play each other.
As a Kelowna season ticket holder ours would be: Kelowna - Vancouver (because of the success both teams have had lately)
Kelowna -Kamloops (not as much lately, because of Kamloops having a hard time, but because of geography it is our #1 dating back to Kelowna Wings times and BCJHL times as well).
Kelowna - Spokane was at the beginning but not so much any longer (because that is where the Kelowna Wings went).
this is a general question but who would be the top 3 rivals for Victoria
Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops, I assume, since they have played each other for a few years now, Prince George could quickly become a big one too, with PG being the former Victoria club.
Before the Rockets moved to Kelowna, the Tacoma vs. Seattle rivalry was pretty intense. More times than not there would even be fights in the stands. This is not seen today with Seattle's so-called rivals of Portland, or Everett.
I have been to WHL games in Washington, Oregon, B.C. and Alberta and have not seen anything to even come close then or now.
Defs would be Edmonton Oilkings and Calgary Hitmen. I've been to many Oilkings games and the most intensive games are against the Hitmen for sure, pretty close up there to was Oilkings and Rebels. But Rebels kicked ass every game
Someone threatened to kill me when I wore my Giants jersey in Kelowna a few years ago. Wearing Giants gear in Orchard Park Mall really brings out the best in everyone up there.
Vancouver/Medicine Hat was an awesome one for a couple years there. The 06/07 finals was, for my money, the best series I've ever seen in person.
I remember watching that series on Shaw - 4 game to 3 for the Hat. Series could have gone either way. Then in the Memorial Cup - same thing. Hat won one game and then lost in the Final to the Giants. They could have played a bet of 11 and it would have finished 6 game to 5.
I also remember looking at the scores from the Tri Cities/Spokane series a few year ago. I think it ended 4 games to 3 as well and 4 or 5? of them went to OT.
In the old days, coaches/players would have their comments quoted in the papers. Comments would go back and forth and it would build up hatred between the teams and between the opposing fans.
Nowadays, in today's feel good society, we can't do that. Instead we get comments like, "We gave it 100%" What's wrong with stirring up the rivalries with some good comments in the media. Maybe we'll get a few fans excited enough to show up to the rink.
I'll also throw my hat in the Seattle-Portland ring. Vancouver-Everett seemed pretty good for a while, not sure if it has died off any. It's been some years since I went to a Tips game.
In the old days, coaches/players would have their comments quoted in the papers. Comments would go back and forth and it would build up hatred between the teams and between the opposing fans.
Nowadays, in today's feel good society, we can't do that. Instead we get comments like, "We gave it 100%" What's wrong with stirring up the rivalries with some good comments in the media. Maybe we'll get a few fans excited enough to show up to the rink.
It's certainly not what it was but when The TBirds hired Konowalchuk as their new coach, at the press conference they mentioned his illustrious career, save for 2 years in Portland. At the very end of his introductory speech, the coach said he was looking forward to beating the Winterhawks.
All it would take is another playoff series like the 7-gamer back in 2006 to re-kindle the rivalry. Everett and Seattle meeting in the playoffs would get that going, too. There was a small mathematical chance last season of them tying for the last playoff spot resulting in a one-game playoff. That would have done wonders to build that up.
It's certainly not what it was but when The TBirds hired Konowalchuk as their new coach, at the press conference they mentioned his illustrious career, save for 2 years in Portland. At the very end of his introductory speech, the coach said he was looking forward to beating the Winterhawks.
All it would take is another playoff series like the 7-gamer back in 2006 to re-kindle the rivalry. Everett and Seattle meeting in the playoffs would get that going, too. There was a small mathematical chance last season of them tying for the last playoff spot resulting in a one-game playoff. That would have done wonders to build that up.
Another thing that hurt rivalries is the new playoff format where Conference teams are listed 1 to 8 rather than playing in your division first. The US or BC divisions should play to a winner thus creating more of a rivalry between the teams. It's hard for Spokane to build a rivalry with Kamloops burt easier when they play a US team in the playoffs. Just my opinion.
I'll also throw my hat in the Seattle-Portland ring. Vancouver-Everett seemed pretty good for a while, not sure if it has died off any. It's been some years since I went to a Tips game.
It's definitely not as heated as it once was. I started going down to games in Everett in 06. The animosity then compared to now is night and day. I'd love to see us meet in the playoffs again, especially second or third round.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RetiredHockeyDad
Another thing that hurt rivalries is the new playoff format where Conference teams are listed 1 to 8 rather than playing in your division first. The US or BC divisions should play to a winner thus creating more of a rivalry between the teams. It's hard for Spokane to build a rivalry with Kamloops burt easier when they play a US team in the playoffs. Just my opinion.
I think they really need to bring back to the division first format. That was GREAT for rivalries, and especially road trips. This whole conference thing is just to be more like the NHL.
They're good people though, my favourite arena to visit. Hopefully we meet in the playoffs again really soon. 
