Victoria Cougars Begin New Era Under Familiar Faces

The Victoria Cougars, one of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League’s most successful franchises, have officially entered a new chapter of ownership.

Longtime team insiders Chris Lynn and Philip Pang have purchased the club from the Esquimalt Hockey Society, which has operated the Cougars since their inception in 1998. The league’s Board of Governors approved the sale earlier this week, finalizing the transition from society to private ownership.

Lynn, a former VIJHL coach and general manager of the Cougars, said the opportunity to take over the franchise is special.
“We are incredibly excited to join this storied franchise and become a part of a team and organization with such a deep love for the game and history of excellence,” said Lynn.

Pang, who has served as team president and has deep family ties to the club through his sons and nephew, echoed that vision.
“This acquisition represents a new chapter for our organization,” says Philip. “We are committed to building on the team’s strong foundation and delivering a winning product on and off the ice.”

League president Mark MacDonald said the deal required extra steps because of the team’s nonprofit structure, but the result was worth the effort.
“This was a complicated deal because it was the Esquimalt Hockey Society that owned it, so it was not a private ownership,” MacDonald said. “There are intricacies to go from that to private ownership, but it’s been a great learning experience for everybody, and we’re really happy to have these gentlemen involved.”

He added that the ongoing support of the Esquimalt Hockey Society was also key. Volunteers have committed to continue handling game-day operations such as 50/50 draws, ticket sales, and concessions.
“That was a big thing for the league, to make sure that was in hand,” MacDonald said. “The society and its members will continue to support the team, and that’s very important to everybody.”

Looking ahead, MacDonald said Lynn and Pang’s history with the club makes the changeover as smooth as possible.
“These are not strangers to the Cougars or the society,” he said. “They’ve both been involved, and it’s about the best transition we could hope for. The team they’ve put together this year is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Since joining the VIJHL in 1998, the Cougars have won eight league championships, second only to the Campbell River Storm. This season, the club has started 2-1-1-0 and already has 21 goals, the second-highest total in the league.

The Cougars return to action Thursday, Sept. 18, against the Nanaimo Buccaneers at Archie Browning Arena.