Burning questions

A new building and a strong core of players means the Moose Jaw Warriors may be ready for primetime.

Meanwhile, Saskatoon and Portland, championship contenders from a year ago, may be heading in opposite directions this season. The Blades may have the biggest hole to replace with the departed Brayden Schenn, while the Winterhawks will have the most holes to overcome with the likely graduations of their stars.

Several players could be on the verge of huge seasons, including cementing a roster spot on the Canadian world junior team this December.

Burning questions:

1. How will the Portland Winterhawks overcome junior graduation?

The Portland Winterhawks were a who's who of future NHL players last season. This season, their list of graduated players could include Nino Niederreiter, Ryan Johansen, Brett Ponich and Sven Baertschi, in addition to the three overagers. Portland won't be in complete dire straits, as they will still have Ty Rattie, Joe Morrow, Troy Rutkowski and Derrick Pouliot. As is always the case, younger players will need to step into the departed roles of graduated players. The Winterhawks will still be a strong team but their championship window is closing, assuming their top three forwards will make the jump to the NHL.

2. Will the Moose Jaw Warriors open their new building with a bang?

The Crushed Can is no more in Moose Jaw and a new era is set to begin. The Warriors will open their new building, Mosaic Place, in the WHL's season opener on Thursday against Brandon. The timing couldn't be better, since the Warriors are expected to ice their best team since the 2005-2006 season, when they lost in the league championship against Vancouver. The Warriors should be strong from the backend out with first round pick Dylan McIlrath and another likely first-rounder, Morgan Rielly. Former first overall bantam pick Quinton Howden should also be on the verge of a big season. This season will be memorable for more than just the opening of the new building in Moose Jaw.

3. Are the Edmonton Oil Kings ready to emerge?

This season will mark the fifth since the modern Oil Kings returned to the league. Edmonton struggled to make much of an impact in each of the previous four seasons, but made the playoffs twice. The team began taking bigger strides last season, finishing just three games below .500 and with their best record in modern history. There are many positives to begin with in Edmonton, from their young group of forwards to their emerging depth on defence. The young team became an offensive threat last season and should be ready to take the next step. A playoff spot is a foregone conclusion, and home ice is a distinct possibility.

4. How much longer will the Saskatoon Blades' championship drought continue?

The stars appeared to be aligning for the Blades to finally win their first league title last season, but their dreams were dashed in a shocking four-game sweep to the eventual champion Kootenay Ice. The Bridge City has been home to the Blades since 1967 and their 44 years without a title is the longest in both the WHL and the CHL. There's little hope the drought will end this season, but the assets they traded to acquire Brayden Schenn at the deadline pushed them back even further. There are assets they can trade to replenish those from the Schenn trade, the most obvious being Maple Leafs prospect Josh Nicholls. Given the rising asking price in deadline deals continues to escalate, Nicholls could fetch a nice haul, but a championship is still a long way away in Saskatoon.

5. Are the Vancouver Giants a championship contender?

Hardly a season goes by when the Giants aren't vying for a title. One of the league's best run franchises fell back down to earth last season, but was hardly a pushover. Vancouver should be an improved team this season with a healthy Marek Tvrdon, and the improvements of players such as Brendan Gallagher and David Musil. Goaltending may still be an issue since Canucks prospect Jonathan Iilahti has not been able to report due to contractual obligations in Finland. With head coach Don Hay, who will also guide the Canadian world junior team in the same capacity, the Giants won't stay down for long, but they will need some more pieces to put together another run at the championship.

Five players to watch:

1. Ryan Murray, Everett Silvertips

Murray is one of junior hockey's most underrated players. Even though he's already the captain of his team and a consensus lottery pick for the upcoming draft, his talents have never truly been given due credit. Murray could very well be playing his final season of junior and could wear a letter while logging big minutes on Canada's world junior team.

2. Calvin Pickard, Seattle Thunderbirds

The younger brother of former Tri-City goaltender Chet Pickard, Calvin enters his fourth season as the top goaltender in the WHL. Pickard, however, had always been the brightest spot on a rebuilding team. The Thunderbirds may not be finished retooling, but they should be a playoff team. If they fall behind early, Pickard could be one of the hottest commodities at the trade deadline.

3. Brendan Gallagher, Vancouver Giants

This will be Gallagher's fourth season in the WHL, whenever he is released from Montreal Canadiens training camp. The diminutive forward forged a reputation as a point producer, finishing tied for eighth in scoring last season with 91 points. He could be on the verge of another big season and will get a long look at a roster spot on Canada's world junior team.

4. Hunter Shinkaruk, Medicine Hat Tigers

Another small, gifted forward with a late birthdate brings shades of former Tiger and current Buffalo Sabres forward Tyler Ennis. Shinkaruk had an exceptional rookie season with 14 goals and 42 points in 63 games. Since his draft year is still a season away, that extra season could do the same for Shinkaruk as it did for Ennis, an eventual first-rounder.

5. Griffin Reinhart, Edmonton Oil Kings

The second of three brothers (Max and Sam in Kootenay), Griffin Reinhart could be one of the league's top young defencemen this season. Scoring 25 points in 45 games as a rookie last season was only the tip of the iceberg. Reinhart will be a pillar in the resurgence of the Oil Kings and could cement his draft status as a first round pick next June.