Reflecting on the final BCHL season in Penticton and the search for a new franchise home
The Penticton Vees’ final season in the BCHL remains one of the most transformative years in the league’s history. While the team entered the 2024–25 campaign as early favourites to reclaim the Fred Page Cup, the landscape of junior hockey shifted mid-stream when the NCAA altered the eligibility rules forever.
The reversal of NCAA eligibility for Major Junior players sent ripple effects through every locker room in the province. Roster turnover became the new normal as players weighed their futures, and Penticton found itself at the epicentre of a changing industry. One year later, the impact of that final season continues to define the conversation around the franchise’s legacy.
The mystery of the BCHL franchise rights
Despite Penticton’s successful transition to a new chapter in the Western Hockey League, Graham Fraser still holds the rights to the former BCHL Vees franchise. Twelve months later, those rights have yet to find a permanent home, leaving room for continued speculation about the league’s map.
Campbell River remains a logical, if speculative, future destination for these rights. Beyond the Island, Sun God Arena in Delta remains a viable candidate. As the home of the BC Hockey Conference’s Delta Ice Hawks, the facility has the capacity to host a BCHL-calibre product – a move the West Kelowna Warriors explored in years past. For now, the rights remain in a state of suspended animation, much like the Wenatchee Wild’s BCHL entity did when that ownership group made the jump to the WHL.
Personnel and roster breakdown
Returning to lead Penticton in its final BCHL season was Fred Harbinson, who has helmed the Vees since the 2007–08 season. In this final BCHL season, Harbinson continued his extensive role as head coach, general manager, and team president.
Joining Harbinson on the bench were assistant coaches Jason McKee and Matthew Vanden Berg, with Jesse Plewis serving as the goaltending coach. The hockey operations department was supported by assistant GM Matt Miller, skating and skills coach Mark MacMillan, and strength and conditioning coach Matthew Fraser.
In the crease, the Vees mostly relied on the tandem of Will Ingemann and Ethan Buenaventura. Ingemann took the lion’s share of the starts, posting a 24-5-6 record in 34 regular-season games and appearing in seven playoff contests. Buenaventura was equally reliable, recording a 13-1-1 mark in 18 regular-season games before taking over for eight games in the postseason. The Vees also saw brief appearances from Andrew Ness and Sharky Nowek.
On the blue line, Penticton utilized 12 different defenders, including mid-season addition Oscar Pantzare and San Jose Sharks draft pick Michael Fisher. Nolan Stevenson emerged as the top producer on the back end, notching eight goals and 31 assists in 51 games. He was the only defender to finish in the team’s top ten in scoring.
Up front, the Vees were partially led by NHL prospects Max Heise (San Jose Sharks) and Ben Merrill (Montréal Canadiens). The offensive engine was driven by the trio of Ryden Evers, Luke Posthumus, and Caton Ryan. Evers led the way with 60 points in 54 games, while Posthumus recorded 25 goals, and Ryan provided elite near-point-per-game production in his 44 appearances.
The final chapter
The Vees’ final BCHL regular-season game was a 5-1 loss to the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on March 29, 2025. Despite that result, Penticton finished the year with a dominant 41-8-5-0 record, securing first place in the Interior Conference and the league overall.
In the playoffs, the Vees advanced to the Interior Conference final but were ultimately eliminated by the Brooks Bandits in six games. The franchise’s final BCHL playoff game ended in a 3-1 loss to the Bandits on May 12, 2025, marking the conclusion of a historic chapter in Penticton hockey history.
Photo credit: Island Images Photography
