One of the posters above almost hit what is probably our best hope. We need a few more western states to get serious about AAA. I am hoping that the Jr Knights will turn AAA some day, and a similar team in Seattle once they have their NHL franchise running will do it. The NHL clubs all want to have feeder systems, if for no other reason than you end up with a lot of well heeled ex hockey players in an area when you have an NHL club.
Once we have a couple more AAA clubs on the coast, we will have the possibility of a nice little AAA western circuit and the travel costs will come down for everyone. CAHA will have nothing to do with that.
Just in time for my kids to all have finished playing
As for the 'great bleed' that everyone seems to see of kids going to east coast schools, I'm sorry, but I don't see it as a crisis. It happens everywhere. My nephew did it... from Ontario. When your kid is good enough, regardless of where you play, at some point that becomes a possibility that you have to look at. We did, and decided our kid was too young to move away. I know the Bantam Major Jr Sharks lost 1 to prep school this year. Not sure what happened with the Kings or Ducks but 'other' issues will certainly have contributed to the Kings. When presented with choices, sometime people choose to take a chance.