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Wikipedia / British Columbia Hockey League

The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 20 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.

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.

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.

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. 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. Beginning in the 2024–25 BCHL season, the five Alberta-based teams, along with the Cranbrook Bucks, will form the East division of the Interior conference. The Prince George Spruce Kings, who previously were in the Interior Conference, moved to the Coastal Conference's East division.

VIJHL affiliation

In 2024–25, the league entered into an affiliation agreement with the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL). Following the announcement of the agreement, some BCHL franchises acquired an ownership stakes in VIJHL clubs. However, sources reported that there would be no club-specific affiliations, and that BCHL teams will be allowed to call players up from, or send players down to, any VIJHL team.

Current franchises

The league's 20 clubs are organized into two conferences—Coastal and Interior—and each conference has an East and West division.

Franchise history

  • 1961 – Okanagan-Mainline Junior Hockey League founded with Kamloops Jr. Rockets, Kelowna Buckaroos, Penticton Jr. Vees, and Vernon Jr. Canadians

  • 1962 – Vernon Jr. Canadians become Vernon Blades

  • 1963 – OMJHL changes name to Okanagan Junior Hockey League

  • 1963 – Penticton Jr. Vees leave league

  • 1964 – Penticton returns as Penticton Broncos

  • 1964 – Kamloops Jr. Rockets become Kamloops Kraft Kings

  • 1967 – OJHL changes name to British Columbia Junior Hockey League

  • 1967 – Vernon Blades become Vernon Essos

  • 1967 – Kamloops Kraft Kings become Kamloops Rockets

  • 1967 – New Westminster Royals and Victoria Cougars join from Pacific Coast Junior A Hockey League

  • 1969 – Vancouver Centennials join league

  • 1970 – Chilliwack Bruins join league

  • 1971 – New Westminster Royals and Victoria Cougars leave league

  • 1972 – Vancouver Centennials become Vancouver Villas

  • 1972 – Nanaimo Clippers and Bellingham Blazers join league

  • 1973 – Kamloops Rockets move and become White Rock Centennials and then Merritt Centennials

  • 1973 – Vancouver Villas leave league

  • 1973 – Langley Lords join league

  • 1973 – Vernon Essos become Vernon Vikings

  • 1975 – Penticton Broncos become Penticton Vees

  • 1975 – Bellingham Blazers become Maple Ridge Blazers

  • 1976 – Kamloops Braves and Abbotsford Flyers join league

  • 1976 – Maple Ridge Blazers become Bellingham Blazers

  • 1976 – Chilliwack Bruins become Maple Ridge Bruins

  • 1976 – Langley Lords become Langley Thunder

  • 1977 – Maple Ridge Bruins move, renamed Revelstoke Bruins

  • 1977 – Kamloops Braves become Kamloops Chiefs

  • 1978 – Kamloops Chiefs become Kamloops Rockets

  • 1978 – Bellingham Blazers become Bellingham Ice Hawks

  • 1978 – Chilliwack Colts and Delta Suns join league

  • 1979 – Penticton Vees become Penticton Knights

  • 1979 – Revelstoke Bruins and Kamloops Rockets merge to become Revelstoke Bruins/Rockets

  • 1979 – Richmond Sockeyes and Nor'Wes Caps join league from Pacific Junior A Hockey League

  • 1979 – Delta Suns, Langley Thunder, and Vernon Canadians leave league

  • 1980 – Vernon rejoins league as Vernon Lakers

  • 1980 – Cowichan Valley Capitals and Coquitlam Comets join league

  • 1980 – Revelstoke Bruins/Rockets change name to Revelstoke Rockets

  • 1980 – Bellingham Ice Hawks move, renamed Vancouver Blue Hawks

  • 1980 – Chilliwack Colts cease operations mid-season

  • 1981 – Langley Eagles join league

  • 1981 – Coquitlam Comets and Nor'Wes Caps cease operations

  • 1982 – Esquimalt Buccaneers and Shuswap/Salmon Arm Totems join league

  • 1982 – Nanaimo Clippers cease operations

  • 1982 – Vancouver Blue Hawks move, renamed Burnaby Blue Hawks

  • 1983 – Revelstoke Rockets renamed Revelstoke Rangers

  • 1983 – Esquimalt Buccaneers move, renamed Nanaimo Clippers

  • 1983 – Kelowna Buckaroos move, renamed Summerland Buckaroos

  • 1983 – New Westminster Royals cease operations

  • 1984 – Cowichan Valley Capitals move, renamed Sidney Capitals

  • 1984 – Vernon Rockets renamed Vernon Lakers

  • 1985 – Delta Flyers and Kelowna Packers join league

  • 1985 – Burnaby Blue Hawks and Revelstoke Rangers cease operations

  • 1985 – Merritt Centennials renamed Merritt Warriors

  • 1985 – Abbotsford Flyers renamed Abbotsford Falcons

  • 1985 – Salmon Arm Totems renamed Salmon Arm/Shuswap Blazers

  • 1986 – Sidney Capitals move, renamed Juan de Fuca Whalers

  • 1987 – Salmon Arm/Shuswap Blazers renamed Salmon Arm Tigers

  • 1987 – Merritt Warriors renamed Merritt Centennials

  • 1987 – Langley Eagles move, renamed Chilliwack Eagles

  • 1988 – Summerland Buckaroos and Abbotsford Falcons cease operations

  • 1988 – Juan de Fuca Whalers move, renamed Cowichan Valley Whalers

  • 1988 – New Westminster Royals rejoin league

  • 1988 – Delta Flyers move, renamed Powell River Paper Kings

  • 1989 – Kelowna Packers renamed Kelowna Spartans

  • 1989 – Chilliwack Eagles move, renamed Ladner Penguins

  • 1989 – Cowichan Valley Whalers renamed Cowichan Valley Capitals

  • 1989 – Salmon Arm Tigers cease operations

  • 1990 – Penticton Knights renamed Penticton Panthers

  • 1990 – Victoria Warriors join league

  • 1990 – Ladner Penguins move, renamed Bellingham Ice Hawks

  • 1990 – Richmond Sockeyes move, renamed Chilliwack Chiefs

  • 1990 – Cowichan Valley Capitals cease operations

  • 1991 – New Westminster Royals move, renamed Surrey Eagles

  • 1993 – Cowichan Valley Capitals rejoin league

  • 1993 – Victoria Warriors cease operations

  • 1994 – Victoria Salsa, Langley Thunder, Royal City Outlaws join league

  • 1995 – Bellingham Ice Hawks sell franchise rights to Trail Smoke Eaters of the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League; Trail joins BCHL

  • 1995 – Vernon Lakers renamed Vernon Vipers

  • 1995 – Kelowna Spartans cease operations

  • 1996 – Royal City Outlaws sell franchise rights to Prince George Spruce Kings; both Prince George and the Quesnel Millionaires of the RMJHL join the BCHL

  • 1996 – Surrey Eagles renamed South Surrey Eagles

  • 1998 – Burnaby Bulldogs join league

  • 1998 – Powell River Paper Kings renamed Powell River Kings; Langley Thunder renamed Langley Hornets

  • 2001 – Coquitlam Express and Salmon Arm Silverbacks join league

  • 2002 – Williams Lake TimberWolves join league

  • 2002 – Burnaby Bulldogs move to Alberni Valley

  • 2003 – South Surrey Eagles renamed Surrey Eagles

  • 2004 – Penticton Panthers renamed Penticton Vees

  • 2005 – Coquitlam Express move to Burnaby

  • 2006 – Langley Hornets move, renamed Westside Warriors

  • 2006 – Chilliwack Chiefs move to Langley

  • 2006 – Victoria Salsa renamed Victoria Grizzlies

  • 2007 – Williams Lake TimberWolves take leave of absence from league

  • 2009 – Williams Lake TimberWolves active in league

  • 2010 – Williams Lake TimberWolves declared "not in good standing"; operations suspended

  • 2010 – Burnaby Express move to Coquitlam

  • 2011 – Quesnel Millionaires move, become Chilliwack Chiefs

  • 2011 – Langley Chiefs renamed Langley Rivermen

  • 2012 – Westside Warriors renamed West Kelowna Warriors

  • 2015 – Wenatchee Wild join league from the North American Hockey League

  • 2020 – Cranbrook Bucks join the league as an expansion team

  • 2023 – Wenatchee Wild join the WHL

  • 2024 – Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders, and Spruce Grove Saints switch from the AJHL to the BCHL

  • 2024 – Merritt Centennials leave the BCHL

  • 2025 – Penticton Vees join the WHL

League championships

The top eight teams from each conference at the end of the regular season advance to the playoffs to compete for the league championship Rogers BCHL Cup, formerly known as the Fred Page Cup.

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

  • Most goals in a season: 105, Brett Hull, Penticton, 1983–84

  • Most assists in a season: 111, Bob Ginetti, Burnaby, 1986–87

  • Most points in a season: 188, Brett Hull, Penticton, 1983–84

  • Most goals in a season, defenceman: 38, Campbell Blair, Vernon, 1986–87

  • Most assists in a season, defenceman: 77, Bruce Harris, Bellingham, 1978–79; Ian Kidd, Penticton, 1984–85

  • Most points in a season, defenceman: 109, Campbell Blair, Vernon, 1986–87

  • Most goals in a season, rookie: 84, John Newberry, Nanaimo, 1979–80

  • Most assists in a season, rookie: 103, Doug Berry, Kelowna, 1974–75

  • Most points in a season, rookie: 185, John Newberry, Nanaimo, 1979–80

  • Most shorthanded goals in a season: 14, Greg Hadden, New Westminster, 1988–89

  • Most powerplay goals in a season: 32, Dan Bousquet, Penticton, 1993–94

  • Longest consecutive shutout streak: 250 minutes, 25 seconds, Brad Thiessen, Prince George, 2005–06

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. 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

Withdrawal from Hockey Canada

In March 2021, the league withdrew its membership from the Canadian Junior Hockey League. 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.

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. Under Hockey Canada regulations: The residential qualification did not apply to CHL Major Junior clubs, therefore they had the advantage of being able to recruit 16- and 17-year-old players from any jurisdiction in Canada. However, players who signed with CHL clubs were historically deemed ineligible to play college hockey in the United States because they were considered to be professionals by the NCAA. Therefore, the BCHL sought to attract elite 16- and 17-year-old players who were capable of playing Major Junior but wanted to retain their NCAA eligibility. In 2024 the NCAA changed its position and decided that CHL players were no longer ineligible as of the 2025–26 season. The decision was made after a class action was filed on behalf of a player who was declared ineligible after having played two exhibition games in the OHL when he was 16 years old.

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. 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. This was intended to reduce the likelihood of players being cut after the deadline, but also resulted in some players getting less playing time.

In 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.

References

Further reading