Western Hockey League (WHL)

The original Western Hockey League (WHL) started as the Pacific Coast Hockey League (PCHL) in 1948. In 1951, the league absorbed three teams from the Western Canada Senior Hockey League and changed its name to the Western Hockey League in 1952. By the 1960s, the league was in many major Western markets. The established league back East feared the WHL would become a rival major league. As a result, the older league doubled in size, adding six teams including the California Seals and later Vancouver from the WHL. Unable to compete with the established circuit and the rival World Hockey Association (WHA), the WHL ceased operations in 1974.

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