2012-13 record: 35-35-2-0 (Lost to Edmonton in Conference quarters)
One of the youngest teams in the WHL last year, the Kootenay Ice made the playoffs, and gave Edmonton all they could handle before succumbing in five games. This year, the Ice return their top two scorers in Sam Reinhart and Jaedon Descheneau. They lose Brock Montgomery (their third leading scorer), Drew Czerwonka, and Joey Leach to graduation, and will bring in two new players via the Import Draft (Rinat Valiev and Artturi Lehkonen). Despite putting up below average numbers on offense (203 goals scored), their defense was quite respectable (only 221 goals given up), and much of the team's best players will return, with Reinhart, Descheneau, and goalie Mackenzie Skapski all being key players. Of course, it also helps that reigning Dunc McCallum winner Ryan McGill will still be behind the bench for the Ice.
Prediction: 5th in the East
Despite being in a division that boasts a still-defeinsively strong Edmonton team, an up and coming Calgary team, and a Red Deer team that will still have a strong defensive presence, Kootenay has the potential to surprise people and while they're still a year away from being Central Division contenders, it is not out of the question that they could make a deep playoff run, perhaps even getting home ice in the first round, with the East Division only having Prince Albert and Swift Current as potential threats next season.
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