There’s movement afoot in the province’s junior hockey landscape.
Junior B leagues like the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) are discussing the possibility of being reclassifed as Junior A-level hockey since the BC Hockey League (BCHL) divorced itself from Hockey Canada in order to become an independent league.
The BCHL was this province’s Junior A level hockey circuit with 18 franchises but it chafed under eligibility rules set by Hockey Canada. On June 1, the BCHL became independent of Hockey Canada in order to address hurdles for players under 18 years of age who wish to maintain eligibility for U.S. college scholarships, amongst other challenges. The league can now also recruit players from outside the province, the U.S. and even Europe.
READ MORE: BCHL splits from Hockey Canada, forms independent league
The departure of the BCHL leaves Hockey Canada and BC Hockey without a Junior A circuit in this province and so it was speculated that the Junior B leagues could step up to that level. Junior B leagues in B.C. include the VIJHL (Vancouver Island), the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (B.C. Interior) and the Pacific Junior Hockey League (Lower Mainland of B.C.).
Those three Junior B leagues are currently in discussion with each other on classification, VIJHL president Simon Morgan told Black Press Thursday, June 22.
“The three leagues have been working in conjunction with each other on this project dating back to May,” Morgan said.
And there are discussions scheduled with BC Hockey next week, he added.
“Once these meetings are concluded, the league may be in a position to release further information, however, not at this time,” Morgan said.
The “project” got a boost of interest Thursday when it was announced that the KIJHL has submitted an application to BC Hockey to have the league and its members reclassified as Junior A level.
READ MORE: KIJHL submits application to reclassify to Junior A
KIJHL Chairman Brett Holt said that the BCHL’s departure to independent hockey has left “a major hole in sanctioned junior hockey programming in our province.”
“With the BCHL departing to independent hockey, we believe that we are in existing place right now to offer a solid alternative, an opportunity for really affordable, grassroots hockey. and just building on what we’ve been doing for 55 years,” Holt told the Kimberley Bulletin.
“Not having a sanctioned Junior A league in B.C. creates a significant void that we are well-positioned to help fill. It was very exciting to witness the positive feedback from our partners at the minor hockey level and their enthusiasm to see increased Junior A playing opportunities for B.C. athletes.”
– With files from Trevor Crawley, Cranbrook Townsman, and Paul Rodgers, Kimberley Bulletin.
@AlstrT
editor@campbellrivermirror.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter