Don’t look now but there will be a W-H-L game played 72 days from now!

The Dub released its 46-game pre-season schedule Monday morning with Medicine Hat visiting Lethbridge on September 5th, then individual teams began releasing their respective home openers Monday afternoon. The Saskatoon Blades will play an eighth home opener in their 60-year history on a Sunday when they host the arch-rival Prince Albert Raiders at 4 o’clock on September 24. It’ll be the 26th time since P-A came into the league in 1982 that the Blue and Gold’s home opener is against the Raiders. The Bridge City Bunch will play their first game of their 60th regular-season campaign on Saturday, September 23, against the Pats in Regina – the 10th time the Blades will open a season against the Pats and the seventh time in Regina. The former Winnipeg ICE, now the Wenatchee Wild, will play their first game at home on September 22 against Portland. As for the pre-season, Saskatoon will meet Prince Albert for a second straight year at the Jim Neilson Memorial Centre on the Big River First Nation on September 6th. The Blades and P-A will play two other exhibitions against each other, on the 9th at the Art Hauser Centre and the 16th at the Legends Centre in Warman. The Blue and Gold will also travel to Regina for a pre-season contest on September 13. The W-H-L is expected to release the entire schedule Tuesday. Following is the pre-season schedule news release from the league…..

WHL ANNOUNCES 2023 PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, JUNE 26, 2023

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today the 2023 Pre-Season Schedule, featuring 46 games beginning Tuesday, September 5 and concluding Sunday, September 17.

The 2023 WHL Pre-Season Schedule will see WHL Clubs bring the excitement of WHL hockey to eight communities outside WHL Club markets, providing an opportunity for hockey fans in other areas of Western Canada to witness WHL hockey in person.

Wednesday, September 6, the Prince Albert Raiders will host the Saskatoon Blades at Big River First Nation Arena in Debden, Sask., located approximately 100 kilometres northwest of Prince Albert.

Friday, September 8, the Calgary Hitmen will host the Red Deer Rebels at Siksika Deerfoot Sportsplex in Siksika, Alta., located approximately 125 kilometres southeast of Calgary.

The Jon Baillie Arena in Port Coquitlam, B.C., will be the site for two WHL Pre-Season games featuring the Prince George Cougars, including Friday, September 8 vs. the Vancouver Giants and Saturday, September 9 vs. the Victoria Royals.

Saturday, September 9, the Edmonton Oil Kings will host the Calgary Hitmen at the Enoch Recreation Centre in Enoch, Alta., located approximately 25 kilometres southwest of Edmonton.

The Moose Jaw Warriors will meet the Swift Current Broncos Saturday, September 9 at the Southland Co-op Centre in Assiniboia, Sask., approximately 100 kilometres southwest of Moose Jaw.

The Grande Cache Recreation Centre in Grande Cache, Alta., will serve as the venue for a pair of games between the Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince George Cougars. Friday, September 15 and Sunday, September 17, the Oil Kings and Cougars will drop the puck roughly halfway between Edmonton and Prince George – 580 kilometres east of Prince George and 430 kilometres west of Edmonton.

The Legends Centre in Warman, Sask., will once again be the scene for the Blades and Raiders, while Cam Neely Arena in Maple Ridge, B.C., will welcome the Giants and Kamloops Blazers on Saturday, September 16.

The 2023 WHL Pre-Season Schedule also features two tournaments, including events hosted by the Everett Silvertips and Tri-City Americans.

Everett’s six-game pre-season tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, September 9 and will include appearances by all six U.S. Division Clubs, including the Wenatchee Wild. All six games will be hosted at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.

Tri-City’s four-game pre-season tournament is scheduled to begin Friday, September 15 and will include appearances by Wenatchee, the Spokane Chiefs, and Portland Winterhawks.

The Wenatchee Wild will make its WHL Pre-Season debut Tuesday, September 6, visiting the Spokane Chiefs at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

The 2023-24 WHL Regular Season Schedule will be unveiled Tuesday, June 27.