British Columbia Hockey League - 2020's
League Years 2020's
The British Columbia Hockey League began the 2020s in the midst of the global Covid-19 Pandemic. The league stuggled to ice a season for 2020-21. After many attempts to configure a schedule, to please all parties, it was eventually scaled down to an abbreviated one. It involved extending the 'Training Season' and shortening the regular season to 20 games of 'Pod Play' with 3 to 4 teams per pod.
2020-21
The Cranbrook Bucks become the league's 18th team.
An extended exhibition season took place from September to November. Cohorts of 4 teams played in 4 different regions which were the Island, Mainland, Kootenay and Okanagan. A 20 game Pod Season(Regular Season) was established where pods consist of 3-4 teams. Pod citys were Port Alberni, Coquitlam, Chilliwack, Penticton & Vernon.
Langley Rivermen & Wenatchee Wild opt out of Pod Season due to covid-9 pandemic related issues.
The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced, April 9 2021, that the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) has submitted a notice to withdraw their membership from the CJHL, effective March 24th.
Reasons why the BCHL left the CJHL Modernizing-Junior-Hockey-in-Canada.pdf.
2021 saw yet another standout performance at the NHL Draft as well. Former Trail Smoke Eaters forward Kent Johnson was drafted fifth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets after playing his freshman season at the University of Michigan. Johnson won the league MVP in his final year in the BCHL and also eclipsed the 100- point mark as the league's top scorer.
2021-22 (60th ANNIVERSARY)
Players and staff traveling across the border will follow all COVID-19 guidelines, including providing a negative test before crossing into the U.S. and before returning to Canada.
BCHL regular-season standings will be determined by point percentage rather than total points.
Due to ongoing floods, road closures and the approaching winter weather, the BCHL will remove all out-of-conference games for part of the 2021-22 season.
Penticton and Nanaimo meet in the Fred Page Cup. Penticton won the series in four straight games to secure their thirteenth.
Note: On Friday, April 9, 2021, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) announced it had withdrawn its membership from the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) so, the BCHL league champions no longer take part in the National Jr. A, Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, playdowns.
2022-23
The BCHL's Board of Governors has voted to not renew the league's agreement with Hockey Canada, meaning its 18 franchises will operate outside Hockey Canada's system (non-sanctioned league) as of June 1, 2023. Read all about it HERE. Meaning henceforth it will operate as an independent league.
Penticton won it's record setting fourteenth league title defeating Alberni Valley in the Fred Page Cup series in four straight games.
2023-24
The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) acknowledged today that the ownership group of the Wenatchee Wild has successfully acquired the Winnipeg Ice of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and will be moving the team to Wenatchee for next season. This will mean the BCHL's Wild franchise will no longer play in Wenatchee.
February 1 - The BC Hockey League (BCHL) has announced that five Alberta-based teams have signed franchise agreements and are now officially members of the league, as of January 31. Effective immediately, the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints are members of the BCHL.
March 31, 2024 - Merritt Centennials Board of Directors have made thedecision to cease operations at the end of this season and withdraw from the BCHL. Citing increased expenses, covid-19 pandemic, the floods of 2021, lower than expected attendance and higer costs of player development and recruiting.
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2020's Season by Season Overview
- 2020-21 Trainin Season, Covid-19 Adjusted
- Cranbrook Bucks enter
- 20 game Pod
Season(Apr2-May9)
5 City Pods, 3-4 teams per Pod - Wenatchee Wild - opted out for
Season
Powell River Kings - opted out for Training Season -
No Playoffs
(Cancelled-Covic-19)
Pod Winners
Port Alberni Pod - Victoria Grizzlies
Chilliwack Pod - Prince George Spruce Kinga
Coquitlam Pod - Surrey Eagles
Penticton Pod - Penticton Vees
Vernon Pod - Vernon Vipers
Langley Rivermen - opted out for Pod Season
- 2021-22
- Coastal & Interior Conferences - 54 game schedule
- Playoffs:
Top 8 in each Conference: 1v8, 2v7, 3v4, 4v5
4 Round Playoff. - Champion - Penticton Vees
- 2022-23
- Coastal & Interior Conferences - 54 game schedule
- Playoffs:
Top 8 in each Conference: 1v8, 2v7, 3v4, 4v5, Re-Seeded each round
4 Round Playoff - Champion - Penticton Vees
- 2023-24
-
Wenatchee Wild, folded - WHL
Blackfalds Bulldogs*
Brooks Bandits*
Okotoks Oilers*
Sherwood Park Crusaders*
Spruce Grove Saints*
* added mid-season Jan 31 - Coastal & Interior Conferences - 54 game schedule
- Alberta Conference - 20 game schedule
- Playoffs - TBD