Current season or competition: 2023–24 BCHL season | |
Countries | |
---|---|
Region(s) | British Columbia, Alberta |
CEO | Chris Hebb |
Former name(s) |
|
Founded | 1961 |
No. of teams | 22 |
Feeder League(s) | VIJHL |
Recent Champions | Brooks Bandits (2023–24) |
Most successful club | Penticton Vees (14) |
Website | www |
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, the second tier for junior hockey 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.
In 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League left Hockey Canada and became the official affiliate league of the BCHL
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 more control over their scheduling, particularly the timing of the playoffs, and allowing BCHL teams to recruit players under the age of 18 from outside BC Hockey's territorial jurisdiction. [4]
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 the five Alberta-based teams would play out the rest of the 2023-24 season as a separate division under the aegis of the BCHL, 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] [7]
For the 2024-2025, the league's 21 teams are going to be organized into Four divisions, and two conferences: with 10 teams making up the Coastal Conference, and 11 teams making up the Interior Conference.
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.
Year | League champion | League runner-up | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Memorial Cup era | ||||||||||
1962 | Kamloops Rockets | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1963 | Kamloops Rockets | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1964 | Kamloops Rockets | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1965 | Kelowna Buckaroos | Kamloops Kraft Kings | ||||||||
1966 | Kamloops Kraft Kings | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1967 | Penticton Broncos | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1968 | Penticton Broncos | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1969 | Victoria Cougars | Penticton Broncos | ||||||||
1970 | Vernon Essos | Victoria Cougars | ||||||||
Modern era | ||||||||||
1971 | Kamloops Rockets | Vancouver Centennials | ||||||||
1972 | Vernon Essos | Penticton Broncos | ||||||||
1973 | Penticton Broncos | Chilliwack Bruins | ||||||||
1974 | Kelowna Buckaroos | Langley Lords | ||||||||
1975 | Bellingham Blazers | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1976 | Nanaimo Clippers | Penticton Vees | ||||||||
1977 | Nanaimo Clippers | Penticton Vees | ||||||||
1978 | Merritt Centennials | Penticton Vees | ||||||||
1979 | Bellingham Blazers | Kamloops Rockets | ||||||||
1980 | Penticton Knights | Nanaimo Clippers | ||||||||
1981 | Penticton Knights | Abbotsford Flyers | ||||||||
1982 | Penticton Knights | New Westminster Royals | ||||||||
1983 | Abbotsford Flyers | Kelowna Buckaroos | ||||||||
1984 | Langley Eagles | Penticton Knights | ||||||||
1985 | Penticton Knights | Burnaby Blue Hawks | ||||||||
1986 | Penticton Knights | Richmond Sockeyes | ||||||||
1987 | Richmond Sockeyes | Kelowna Packers | ||||||||
1988 | Vernon Lakers | Richmond Sockeyes | ||||||||
1989 | Vernon Lakers | New Westminster Royals | ||||||||
1990 | New Westminster Royals | Vernon Lakers | ||||||||
1991 | Vernon Lakers | Powell River Paper Kings | ||||||||
1992 | Vernon Lakers | Bellingham Ice Hawks | ||||||||
1993 | Kelowna Spartans | Powell River Paper Kings | ||||||||
1994 | Kelowna Spartans | Cowichan Valley Capitals | ||||||||
1995 | Chilliwack Chiefs | Powell River Paper Kings | ||||||||
1996 | Vernon Vipers | Langley Thunder | ||||||||
1997 | South Surrey Eagles | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
1998 | South Surrey Eagles | Penticton Panthers | ||||||||
1999 | Vernon Vipers | Chilliwack Chiefs | ||||||||
2000 | Chilliwack Chiefs | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2001 | Victoria Salsa | Merritt Centennials | ||||||||
2002 | Chilliwack Chiefs | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2003 | Vernon Vipers | Chilliwack Chiefs | ||||||||
2004 | Nanaimo Clippers | Salmon Arm Silverbacks | ||||||||
2005 | Surrey Eagles | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2006 | Burnaby Express | Penticton Vees | ||||||||
2007 | Nanaimo Clippers | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2008 | Penticton Vees | Nanaimo Clippers | ||||||||
2009 | Vernon Vipers | Powell River Kings | ||||||||
2010 | Vernon Vipers | Powell River Kings | ||||||||
2011 | Vernon Vipers | Powell River Kings | ||||||||
2012 | Penticton Vees | Powell River Kings | ||||||||
2013 | Surrey Eagles | Penticton Vees | ||||||||
2014 | Coquitlam Express | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2015 | Penticton Vees | Nanaimo Clippers | ||||||||
2016 | West Kelowna Warriors | Chilliwack Chiefs | ||||||||
2017 | Penticton Vees | Chilliwack Chiefs | ||||||||
2018 | Wenatchee Wild | Prince George Spruce Kings | ||||||||
2019 | Prince George Spruce Kings | Vernon Vipers | ||||||||
2020 | Not awarded [lower-alpha 1] | |||||||||
2021 | Not awarded [lower-alpha 2] | |||||||||
2022 | Penticton Vees | Nanaimo Clippers | ||||||||
2023 | Penticton Vees | Alberni Valley Bulldogs | ||||||||
2024 | Surrey Eagles | Penticton Vees |
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.
Individual records
Team records
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. [11] 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.
Names in bold indicate inductees of the Hockey Hall of Fame
In March 2021, the league withdrew its membership from the Canadian Junior Hockey League. [12] [13] [14] 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. [15]
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. [16] 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) [17]
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. [18] Beginning in the 2023-24 season, BCHL teams are required to have at least three players under the age of 18 on their roster. [19]
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. [20] Players who are cut from BCHL rosters after 30 September would have limited options to play elsewhere. Further, BCHL teams would not be able to 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. Because of this, the BCHL increased the number of players that teams could include in their regular roster. [21] [22] This was intended to reduce the likelihood of players being cut after the deadline, but also resulted in some players getting less playing time.
On 29 April 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would also withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and operate as an independent farm league for the BCHL beginning in the 2024–25 season. [23] [24]
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.
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 consists of a ten-team round robin featuring the winners of all nine CJHL member leagues as well as a pre-selected host city.
The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a junior ice hockey league in British Columbia, Canada and Washington state, USA sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Cup competes with the champions of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and until the 2024/2025 season, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) for the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the British Columbia Provincial Title.
The Doyle Cup was an ice hockey trophy won through a best-of-7 series conducted annually by the Canadian Junior Hockey League to determine the Pacific region berth in the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A championship. From 1971 to 2021, the series was played between the Fred Page Cup champions of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and the Enerflex Cup champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), except from 2013 to 2017 when it was replaced by the four-province Western Canada Cup. Its future status is uncertain because of format changes to the national championship and the BCHL's withdrawal from the CJHL after the 2020–21 season. The current trophy was donated in 1984 by Pete Doyle, a Penticton, British Columbia businessman, replacing the Pacific Centennial Cup that two leagues competed for from 1971 to 1984.
The Trail Smoke Eaters are a junior A ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League.
The Merritt Centennials are a Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Merritt, British Columbia. They were members of the Interior Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Starting in the 2024–25 season, the Centennials will be joining the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), and will become members of the Bill Ohlhausen Division. 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.
The Vernon Vipers are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Interior Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Kal Tire Place.
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.
The Surrey Eagles are a junior ice hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at South Surrey Arena.
The West Kelowna Warriors are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and play in the Interior Conference.
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.
The 2013–14 BCHL season was the 52nd 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 2013 BCHL Showcase in Chilliwack, BC.
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 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.