But it’s the old ones that might draw the biggest crowd as the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League club hopes to have alumnists Ryan O’Byrne (Colorado Avalanche), Jamie and Jordie Benn (Dallas Stars), Greg Scott (Toronto Marlies) and Taylor Ellington (Chicago Wolves of the AHL and Chicago Express of the ECHL) along for the ceremonial puck drop.

In the long run, Panthers’ governor and director of player personnel Pete Zubersky hopes his team will attract both former and new fans with the talent he’s about to put on the ice for the 2012-13 season.

The Junior B campaign officially launches tonight with one of two new VIJHL teams, the Westshore Wolves, entertaining the Kerry Park Islanders at Bear Mountain Arena at 7:30. The new franchise opens its doors, free of admission, tonight in hopes of attracting its own new following.

The Wolves will feature three former Panthers — Joshua Bloomenthol, Kayle Ramsay and Chris McDonald — who return to play in their Westshore roots, traded from Peninsula in the off-season after the Wolves and Nanaimo Buccaneers were officially welcomed to the VIJHL.

“Not a lot of guys back, no,” Zubersky said of the Panthers. “A handful at the most.”

Logan Gibson, Cody Allison and Grayson Vickers are veterans making their return to Peninsula, along with Spencer Loverock and Stephen Heslop, who spent some time with the Panthers last season, along with Kyle Richardson and Cole Glover.

“I think we’ve got a very, very young, inexperienced, but talented team,” said Zubersky, who owned the team from 1999-2007 and returned to it last season. “I’ve seen this in the past, where we go out for the home-opener with guys who haven’t worn a half-shield before and haven’t played junior, and they’re tentative.

“I expect some of that on Friday night. But I think this is a talented group.”

Loverock was playing midget last season, but broke his leg early in the campaign.

“He’s a good player,” said Zubersky. “We signed him on Jan. 10 [2012], hoping he might play some. He played the last five regular-season games and then the playoffs. He went from hardly being able to skate to our top two pairing [on defence].”

Heslop made the jump from midget as well and will be the starting goaltender for the Panthers, who will sport a new jersey on Friday night.

The VIJHL features nine teams this season, all playing 48 games apiece.

The South is comprised of Peninsula, Westshore, the Saanich Braves, Kerry Park Islanders and defending champion Victoria Cougars, who got a lot stronger adding goaltender Mike Herringer — a 16-year-old goaltender in the WHL Victoria Royals’ system — to the roster.

Coach Mark Van Helvoirt’s Cougars will be the favourite again this season.

The Cougars begin play Saturday at 7:30 at Kerry Park, which is also the opening opponent of the Braves on Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Pearkes Arena.

The Oceanside Generals, Comox Valley Glacier Kings, Campbell River Storm and Nanaimo Buccaneers form the North Division.

All nine teams will make the playoffs with an interesting twist. A wild-card game will be held at season’s end with the two last-place divisional teams meeting in a sudden-death game to determine the last full post-season spot.⿝