British Columbia Hockey League

Last updated
British Columbia Hockey League
Current season or competition:
Hockey current event.svg 2023–24 BCHL season
BCHL Logo.svg
Countries
Region(s) British Columbia, Alberta
CEOChris Hebb
Former name(s)
  • Okanagan-Mainline Junior "A" Hockey League (OMJHL) (1961–67)
  • British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL) (1967–95)
Founded1961;63 years ago (1961)
No. of teams22
Recent Champions Penticton Vees (2022–23)
Most successful club Penticton Vees (14)
Website www.bchl.ca OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 22 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior 'A' league within the Hockey Canada framework until it became independent in 2023. Since becoming independent, the league characterizes itself simply as a Junior ice hockey league.

Contents

History

1961 to 1993

In 1961, the heads of four junior "B" hockey teams in the Okanagan region of British Columbia got together and formed the first Junior "A" league in British Columbia's history. The Okanagan-Mainline Junior "A" Hockey League (OMJHL) originally consisted of the Kamloops Jr. Rockets, the Kelowna Buckaroos, the Penticton Jr. Vees, and the Vernon Jr. Canadians.

Early expansion

In 1967, the league expanded out of the Okanagan region, bringing in the New Westminster Royals and the Victoria Cougars of the original (1962–1967) Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League. With the expansion, the league decided that since it was no longer solely in the Okanagan region that it need a new name, becoming the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL). A year later, the Vancouver Centennials joined the league. In the 1970s, the Victoria Cougars jumped to the Western Hockey League and the New Westminster team was forced to fold due to the relocation of the Estevan Bruins into their arena. In 1972, the Bellingham Blazers and the Nanaimo Clippers expanded the league to eight teams.

In the early 1970s, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association separated the two tiers of Junior A hockey. The BCJHL, being a Tier II league, was then disallowed from competing for the Memorial Cup, which had traditionally been the National Junior A Championship trophy. Consequently, the Tier II Junior A leagues across Canada agreed to compete for a new trophy called the Centennial Cup.

Rivalry with the PJHL

The 1970s also saw the rise of a rival league for the BCJHL, the Pacific Coast Junior Hockey League (PCJHL), which briefly existed in the 1960s and was resurrected for the 1971–72 season. The PCJHL was promoted to a Junior "A" league for the 1973–74 season and changed its name to the Pacific Junior A Hockey League. The PJHL champions competed with the BCJHL champions for the provincial championship, the Mowat Cup.

The existence of the two Junior A leagues in British Columbia caused an unusual turn of events in the 1977–78 season postseason. The BCJHL sent their regular season champion, the Merritt Centennials, to play as the BC representative in the Pacific region (BC and Alberta) interprovincial Doyle Cup, excusing them from the BCJHL playoffs. The BCJHL continued their league playoffs without them, crowning Nanaimo as the playoff champion after Penticton Jr. Vees refused to finish the playoff finals due to a series of brawls in the third game of the series. Meanwhile, the Merritt Centennials won the Doyle Cup and advanced to the Abbott Cup (the Western Canada Championship) against the winner of the ANAVET Cup, the Western region champion Prince Albert Raiders of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The Centennials lost to the Raiders, four games to one.

Merger with the PJHL

The PJHL and the BCJHL merged for the 1979–80 season.

During the 1980–81 season, the Coastal division season was interrupted by a strike at BC Ferries in late January. Since the mainland teams could no longer reach the island teams, the Coastal Division stopped playing, and began extended playoff rounds in place of the regular season.

National champions

In 1986, the Penticton Vees became the BCJHL's first Junior A national championship team, defeating the Metro Valley Junior Hockey League's Cole Harbour Colts by a score of 7–4 to win the Centennial Cup. A year later, the BCJHL's Richmond Sockeyes won the league's second consecutive national title.

1993 to 2021

From 1993 to 2021, the league was a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League, an association of Junior A leagues across Canada that would play for the National Junior A Championship. The winner of the BCHL Fred Page Cup (not to be confused with the CJHL Fred Page Cup) would continue on to play the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions in the Doyle Cup for the right to compete for the national championship. The BCJHL was renamed the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) in 1995.

Further expansion and relocations

The Burnaby Bulldogs joined as an expansion team in 1998 and moved to Port Alberni in 2002. The Coquitlam Express and the Salmon Arm Silverbacks joined in 2001. The Williams Lake TimberWolves joined in 2002 and folded in 2010.

The Chilliwack Chiefs moved to Langley in 2006 and were later renamed the Langley Rivermen. That team replaced the Langley Hornets who moved to West Kelowna and were later renamed the West Kelowna Warriors. In 2011, the Quesnel Millionaires moved to Chilliwack and were renamed the Chilliwack Chiefs.

The Wenatchee Wild joined in 2015 and ownership moved operations up to the WHL in 2023, following the BCHL move to go independent. The Cranbrook Bucks joined the league in 2020.

2021 to present

Withdrawal from CJHL and Hockey Canada

In March 2021, the BCHL withdrew its membership from the Canadian Junior Hockey League. [1] [2] [3]

On May 1, 2023, the BCHL decided not to renew its agreement with governing body Hockey Canada, and thus became an independent league. The reasons for the decision included the aim of allowing BCHL teams to recruit players under the age of 18 from outside BC Hockey's territorial jurisdiction. [4]

Expansion into Alberta

On January 20, 2024, the league announced that five teams from the Alberta Junior Hockey League would join the BCHL in the 2024-25 season, namely, the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints. [5] In the interim, it was decided that for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, the five Alberta-based teams would compete only with each other, and that there would be a year-end competition with the winner of the Alberta-based teams playing the winner of the BC-based teams. [6]

Current franchises

For the 2023-24 season, the league's 17 teams were organized into two divisions, or conferences; with 9 teams making up the Coastal Division, and 8 teams making up the Interior Division. The league has yet to announce the structure for the 2024-25 season when it will add five Alberta-based teams. [7]

ConferenceTeamCityArenaJoined BCHL
Coastal Alberni Valley Bulldogs Port Alberni Weyerhaeuser Arena 1998 as Burnaby Bulldogs

2002 as Alberni Valley Bulldogs

Chilliwack Chiefs Chilliwack Chilliwack Coliseum 2011
Coquitlam Express Coquitlam Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex 2001
Cowichan Valley Capitals Duncan Cowichan Community Centre 1980
Langley Rivermen Langley George Preston Recreation Centre1990
Nanaimo Clippers Nanaimo Frank Crane Arena 1972
Powell River Kings Powell River Hap Parker Arena1988
Surrey Eagles Surrey South Surrey Arena1976
Victoria Grizzlies Victoria The Q Centre 1967
Interior Cranbrook Bucks Cranbrook Western Financial Place 2020
Merritt Centennials Merritt Nicola Valley Memorial Arena 1961
Penticton Vees Penticton South Okanagan Events Centre 1961
Prince George Spruce Kings Prince George Kopar Memorial Arena 1972
Salmon Arm Silverbacks Salmon Arm Shaw Centre2001
Trail Smoke Eaters Trail Cominco Arena 1987
Vernon Vipers Vernon Kal Tire Place 1961
West Kelowna Warriors West Kelowna Royal LePage Place 1994
Alberta Blackfalds Bulldogs Blackfalds Eagle Builders Centre 2024
Brooks Bandits Brooks Centennial Regional Arena 2024
Okotoks Oilers Okotoks Okotoks Centennial Arena 2024
Sherwood Park Crusaders Sherwood Park Sherwood Park Arena 2024
Spruce Grove Saints Spruce Grove Grant Fuhr Arena 2024

    Timeline of teams

    League championships

    Each season the top eight teams from each conference advance to the playoffs. The postseason consists of four rounds, all consisting of a series of best-of-seven games, with the Coastal and Interior Conference playoff champions meeting in the league finals to play for the Fred Page Cup.

    YearLeague championLeague runner-up
    Memorial Cup era
    1962Kamloops RocketsKelowna Buckaroos
    1963Kamloops RocketsKelowna Buckaroos
    1964Kamloops RocketsKelowna Buckaroos
    1965Kelowna BuckaroosKamloops Kraft Kings
    1966Kamloops Kraft KingsKelowna Buckaroos
    1967Penticton BroncosKelowna Buckaroos
    1968Penticton BroncosKelowna Buckaroos
    1969Victoria CougarsPenticton Broncos
    1970Vernon EssosVictoria Cougars
    Modern era
    1971Kamloops RocketsVancouver Centennials
    1972Vernon EssosPenticton Broncos
    1973Penticton BroncosChilliwack Bruins
    1974Kelowna BuckaroosLangley Lords
    1975Bellingham BlazersKelowna Buckaroos
    1976Nanaimo ClippersPenticton Vees
    1977Nanaimo ClippersPenticton Vees
    1978Merritt CentennialsPenticton Vees
    1979Bellingham BlazersKamloops Rockets
    1980Penticton KnightsNanaimo Clippers
    1981Penticton KnightsAbbotsford Flyers
    1982Penticton Knights New Westminster Royals
    1983Abbotsford FlyersKelowna Buckaroos
    1984Langley EaglesPenticton Knights
    1985Penticton KnightsBurnaby Blue Hawks
    1986Penticton KnightsRichmond Sockeyes
    1987Richmond SockeyesKelowna Packers
    1988Vernon LakersRichmond Sockeyes
    1989Vernon LakersNew Westminster Royals
    1990New Westminster RoyalsVernon Lakers
    1991Vernon LakersPowell River Paper Kings
    1992Vernon LakersBellingham Ice Hawks
    1993Kelowna SpartansPowell River Paper Kings
    1994Kelowna SpartansCowichan Valley Capitals
    1995Chilliwack ChiefsPowell River Paper Kings
    1996Vernon VipersLangley Thunder
    1997South Surrey EaglesVernon Vipers
    1998South Surrey EaglesPenticton Panthers
    1999Vernon VipersChilliwack Chiefs
    2000Chilliwack ChiefsVernon Vipers
    2001Victoria SalsaMerritt Centennials
    2002Chilliwack ChiefsVernon Vipers
    2003Vernon VipersChilliwack Chiefs
    2004Nanaimo ClippersSalmon Arm Silverbacks
    2005Surrey EaglesVernon Vipers
    2006Burnaby ExpressPenticton Vees
    2007Nanaimo ClippersVernon Vipers
    2008 Penticton VeesNanaimo Clippers
    2009Vernon VipersPowell River Kings
    2010Vernon VipersPowell River Kings
    2011 Vernon VipersPowell River Kings
    2012 Penticton VeesPowell River Kings
    2013 Surrey EaglesPenticton Vees
    2014 Coquitlam ExpressVernon Vipers
    2015 Penticton VeesNanaimo Clippers
    2016 West Kelowna WarriorsChilliwack Chiefs
    2017 Penticton VeesChilliwack Chiefs
    2018 Wenatchee WildPrince George Spruce Kings
    2019 Prince George Spruce KingsVernon Vipers
    2020 Not awarded [lower-alpha 1]
    2021 Not awarded [lower-alpha 2]
    2022 Penticton VeesNanaimo Clippers
    2023 Penticton VeesAlberni Valley Bulldogs
    1. ↑ The 2020 playoffs were cancelled by Hockey Canada after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [8]
    2. ↑ The league decided that they would not hold playoffs for the 2020–21 season because continued public health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [9]

    National championships

    The Centennial Cup (known as the Royal Bank Cup from 1996 to 2018) is the Canadian Junior Hockey League championship tournament. It was awarded to BCHL teams 14 times in its history. BCHL teams are no longer eligible to play in the tournament since the league withdrew from the CJHL in 2021.

    BCHL records

    Individual records

    Team records

    Notable alumni

    Brett Hull, a National Hockey League Hall of Famer, played for the Penticton Knights and holds the BCHL record for most goals in a season (105), which he set in 1983–84. [10] Other NHLers who played in the BCHL include Chuck Kobasew of the Penticton Panthers, Scott Gomez of the Surrey Eagles, Carey Price of the Quesnel Millionaires, Willie Mitchell of the Kelowna Spartans, Shawn Horcoff of the Chilliwack Chiefs, and Paul Kariya of the Penticton Panthers.

    List of NHL alumni

    Names in bold indicate inductees of the Hockey Hall of Fame

    Withdrawal from Hockey Canada

    In March 2021, the league withdrew its membership from the Canadian Junior Hockey League. [11] [12] [13] The league cited a financial dispute as one of the reasons. It said that there was a long-standing practice of the NHL compensating Hockey Canada when their players are drafted by the NHL. If the draft pick comes from a Major Junior club, the team receives compensation from Hockey Canada. However, if the draft pick comes from a Junior A club, compensation is awarded to the CJHL, not the club. [14]

    On May 1, 2023, the BCHL made the controversial decision not to renew its agreement with governing body Hockey Canada, and thus became an independent league. The reasons for the decision included the aim of allowing BCHL teams to recruit players under the age of 18 from outside BC Hockey's territorial jurisdiction. [15] Under Hockey Canada regulations:

    Players seventeen (17) years of age and below must register in the Member where their Parent(s) reside, unless the Player is registered in a Hockey Canada School With Residence or Hockey Canada Accredited School, and registers with one (1) of that school’s Teams.

    — Hockey Canada, By-laws, Regulations and History, regulation c(1), (June 2023) [16]

    The residential qualification does not apply to CHL Major Junior clubs, therefore they are able to recruit 16- and 17-year-old players from any jurisdiction in Canada. Players who sign with CHL clubs become ineligible to play college hockey in the United States because they are considered to be professionals by the NCAA. Therefore, the BCHL sought to become a viable alternative for elite 16- and 17-year-old players who are capable of playing Major Junior but want to retain their NCAA eligibility. [17] Beginning in the 2023-24 season, BCHL teams are required to have at least three players under the age of 18 on their roster. [18]

    As a consequence of becoming an independent, or non-sanctioned, league, anyone—including players, coaches, trainers, managers and referees—involved with the BCHL after the 30 September cut-off date, is barred from participating in any sanctioned games and programs for the remainder of the season under Hockey Canada's Non-Sanctioned Leagues policy. [19] Players who are cut from BCHL rosters after 30 September will have limited options to play elsewhere. Further, BCHL teams cannot recruit affiliate players, i.e. players from a lower tier league that may be selected to play a limited number of games at the higher level, from leagues that are within the Hockey Canada framework. [20] [21]

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Junior Hockey League</span> Association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues

    The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champion of the Canadian Junior Hockey League wins the Centennial Cup.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Centennial Cup</span> Canadian junior ice hockey championship since 1967

    The Centennial Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which determines the national champion of junior A ice hockey. It is a ten-team round robin featuring the winners of all nine CJHL member leagues as well as a pre-selected host city.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Doyle Cup</span> Canadian junior ice hockey trophy

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Trail Smoke Eaters</span> Ice hockey team in British Columbia, Canada

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Merritt Centennials</span> Ice hockey team in Merritt, British Columbia

    The Merritt Centennials are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Merritt, British Columbia. They are members of the Interior Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The franchise was established in Kamloops in 1961 and moved to White Rock in 1973 when the WCHL's Vancouver Nats moved to Kamloops and became the Chiefs. The Centennials settled in Merritt midway through the 1973–74 season. They play their home games at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Vernon Vipers</span> Canadian junior ice hockey team founded 1961

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Mowat Cup</span>

    The Mowat Cup is emblematic of the Junior "A" ice hockey Championship of British Columbia (BC). The winner of the Mowat Cup historically moved on to play the winner of Alberta's Carling O'Keefe Cup for the Doyle Cup, signifying the Canadian Pacific Regions champion.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">West Kelowna Warriors</span> Junior "A" ice hockey team in the BCHL

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Rockets</span> Ice hockey team in Golden, British Columbia

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    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellingham Blazers</span> American junior ice hockey team

    The Bellingham Blazers were an American junior ice hockey team from Bellingham, Washington, during the regular season and Langley, British Columbia, during their 1970s playoff runs. They were members of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

    An electoral redistribution was undertaken in 2008 in British Columbia in a process that began in late 2005 and was completed with the passage of the Electoral Districts Act, 2008 on April 10, 2008. The redistribution modified most electoral boundaries in the province and increased the number of MLAs from 79 to 85. The electoral boundaries created by the redistribution were first used in the 2009 provincial election.

    The 2012-13 BCHL season was the 51st season of the British Columbia Hockey League. (BCHL) The sixteen teams from the Coastal and Mainland Conferences will play 56 game schedules, starting with the 2012 BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack, BC.

    The 2011–12 BCHL season marked the 50th anniversary of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The sixteen teams from the Coastal and Interior Conferences played 60 game schedules.

    The 2014-15 BCHL season was the 53rd season of the British Columbia Hockey League. (BCHL) The sixteen teams from the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions played 58 game schedules, starting with the 2014 BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack, BC from September 19 to 21, 2014.

    The 2015–16 BCHL season was the 54th season of the British Columbia Hockey League. (BCHL) The seventeen teams from the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions played 58-game schedules, featuring the 2015 BCHL Showcase, hosted in Chilliwack, shortly after the start of the season from September 24 to 27, 2015.

    The 2016–17 BCHL season was the 55th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The seventeen teams from the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions played 58-game schedules. The 2016 BCHL Showcase, hosted in Chilliwack, was held shortly after the start of the season from September 21 to 25, 2016.

    The 2017–18 BCHL season was the 56th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The seventeen teams from the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions played 58-game schedules. The 2017 BCHL Showcase, hosted in Chilliwack, shortly after the start of the season from September 20 to 24, 2017.

    The 2020–21 BCHL season is the 59th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Originally, eighteen teams from the Interior and Coastal Conferences were to play 54-game schedules, but due to delays caused by COVID-19 pandemic, sixteen teams played 20-game schedules in five "pods" of three or four teams each. In normal seasons, the top teams from each conference would play for the Fred Page Cup, the BCHL Championship, in March, but no playoffs were held in 2021.

    The 2021–22 BCHL season was the 60th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). The eighteen teams from the Coastal and Interior Conferences played 54 game schedules. The 2021 BCHL Showcase occurred shortly after the start of the season on October 20–24, 2021, in Chilliwack. In April, teams played for the Fred Page Cup, the BCHL championship, won by the Penticton Vees.

    References

    1. ↑ "BCHL rumoured to be unhappy with national Junior A body, looking to go out on its own". TheProvince.com. March 25, 2021.
    2. ↑ "BCHL confirms exit". Castanet.net. April 9, 2021.
    3. ↑ "CJHL STATEMENT REGARDING BCHL". Canadian Junior Hockey League. April 9, 2021.
    4. ↑ "BCHL pulls out of Hockey Canada, becomes an independent league". The Province. May 1, 2023.
    5. ↑ "BCHL agrees to terms with five Alberta-based teams". bchl.ca. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
    6. ↑ "BCHL announces finalized franchise agreements and integration with five Alberta-based teams". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
    7. ↑ "BCHL-Alberta FAQ". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
    8. ↑ "CJHL Announces Official Cancellation For Remainder Of 2019-20 Season". CJHL. March 13, 2020.
    9. ↑ "BCHL announces season will end with no playoffs, plans for alternate set of pod awards". BCHL. April 28, 2021.
    10. ↑ "All-Time Stats Leaders". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
    11. ↑ "BCHL rumoured to be unhappy with national Junior A body, looking to go out on its own". TheProvince.com. March 25, 2021.
    12. ↑ "BCHL confirms exit". Castanet.net. April 9, 2021.
    13. ↑ "CJHL STATEMENT REGARDING BCHL". Canadian Junior Hockey League. April 9, 2021.
    14. ↑ "Modernizing Junior Hockey in Canada" (PDF). bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
    15. ↑ "BCHL pulls out of Hockey Canada, becomes an independent league". The Province. May 1, 2023.
    16. ↑ "By-laws, Regulations and History" (PDF). hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
    17. ↑ "Modernizing Junior Hockey in Canada" (PDF). bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
    18. ↑ "BCHL announces roster rules and important dates for 2023-24". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
    19. ↑ "Non-Sanctioned Leagues policy" (PDF). hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
    20. ↑ "BCHL FAQ". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
    21. ↑ "By-laws, Regulations and History" (PDF). hockeycanada.ca. Hockey Canada. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
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