Thor Liffiton will forever be enshrined in Penticton Vees' history.

Several hundreds of eager fans packed the Penticton Lakeside Resort on Wednesday (May 7) and watched legendary Junior A bench boss Fred Harbinson stand behind a podium to announce Liffiton's name, marking the first draft pick in Vees' WHL history.

Although not in attendance, Liffiton ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” a 14-year-old defenceman who was born in Cleveland but spent the last two seasons playing minor hockey in Calgary ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” was welcomed with roars and cheers from those at a watch party.

And with that, it was official. Penticton had ushered in a new era in its storied hockey history.

"The one thing that's not going to change is our standards," said Harbinson, who's led Penticton's BCHL club to six Fred Page Cup titles since taking over as head coach in 2007. "We're going to have professionalism and accountability all the way from our ownership down to our coaching staff. Our players are going to understand that when they get here."

In March, it was announced Penticton would be joining the WHL as its newest expansion franchise ahead of the 2025-2026 season.

That process was on full display Wednesday as the team acquired 22 players in the expansion draft before selecting Liffiton with the fourth overall pick in the WHL Prospects Draft.

The 6ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™1, 160-pound defenceman posted 38 points in 32 games with the Calgary CNHA U15 AAA Northstars this past season. He'll turn 15 in December.

"He already carries himself like a pro and itÎÚÑ»´«Ã½™s why we knew he was a great fit to be a Vee," Adam Sergerie, the team's director of scouting, said about Liffiton.

Familiar faces returning to Penticton

The Vees are leaving the BCHL and joining the WHL's Western Conference next season, but that doesn't mean those who have previously played for the city's BCHL club won't be back.

Nolan Stevenson, who currently serves as the Vees' alternate captain in the BCHL but had his rights retained by the Swift Current Broncos, was acquired by Penticton via trade in the expansion draft.

The 20-year-old has been with the Vees since 2023.

"It's super special," said Stevenson on staying in Penticton as a WHLer. "There are going to be challenges with getting everyone assimilated with how we do things here, but I'm excited for that."

Another familiar face to Penticton hockey fans, Jesse Sanche, was also acquired on Wednesday by the Vees in the expansion draft. The 19-year-old goaltender is an alumni of the Okanagan Hockey Academy and spent parts of the last two seasons with the Kamloops Blazers and Everett Silvertips.

The Penticton Western News covered the expansion draft on Wednesday afternoon and complied a full list of the Vees' selections

As the league's newest team, Penticton will be permitted to dress four 20-year-old players in all pre-season, regular season, and playoff games during the 2025-26 campaign.

Will ticket prices change?

Graham Fraser, majority owner of the Vees, said Wednesday that "everyone can afford to be in this rink," amid the team's jump to major junior hockey.

"We have not made these prices crazy and have done everything we can to keep them in line," Fraser said during the team's WHL launch party.

Playing in the WHL will bring eight more Vees home games to the South Okanagan Events Centre (SOEC).

There will be no tarped-off areas in the SOEC, unlike some BCHL games.

"The average ticket price I think is up just a few bucks, so we've done everything we can to keep it that way," Fraser added.

Kids aged 12 and under will get into Vees' games for free, courtesy of Peters Brothers Construction. Half-price tickets are also returning for teenagers.

Special ticket prices for seniors will also be made available, Fraser added. 

'Winning the Memorial Cup is always the goal'

Fraser stressed the need for patience as the powerhouse BCHL franchise enters new waters.

"We've gotten a little spoiled in 18 years," he said, referring to Harbinson's prolific run as head coach, general manager, and president. "We've got the best recruits and have won the division 13 years in a row and I don't think we'll do that anymore, although we'll try."

At the same time, Fraser referenced the Canadian Hockey League's (CHL) championship trophy, the more than 100-year-old Memorial Cup.

"In life, you always aspire to be the best," he said. "Winning the Memorial Cup is always the goal."

The team's majority owner also acknowledged the WHL stars ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” and future NHL draft picks ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½” that will come through Penticton as opponents. He mentioned Gavin McKenna, forward for the Medicine Hat Tigers, who is currently pegged as the No. 1 prospect ahead of the 2026 NHL draft.

"I think it's going to be really nice to have that level of hockey here," Fraser said.

What's next?

Penticton will play at the 5,000-seat South Okanagan Events Centre in a B.C. division that features Victoria, Prince George, Vancouver, Kamloops and Kelowna.

As part of the WHL's Western Conference, Penticton will also meet clubs multiple times from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Washington and Oregon.

The winner of the WHL each season advances to the aforementioned Memorial Cup, a four-team round-robin tournament that crowns the CHL champions.

Penticton will begin play in its new league this September.

The estimated direct economic impact of a WHL franchise, for a mid-size market team, is approximately $7.1 million.