Are plans in the works for the BCHL to leave Hockey Canada?

The BC Hockey League could look to operate as an independent circuit that’s not under the umbrella of Hockey Canada.

Based on reports from Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek, the BC Hockey League is planning on leaving Hockey Canada and operating on its own as early as the 2023-24 season.

“The goal is to create this league of high-level, elite-level junior A players from all over the country without having to pay for players to bring them in,” reported Marek. “If you go out on your own away from Hockey Canada, you have access to everybody.”

One of the things Marek is referring to is the fact that right now, junior A leagues in Canada are restricted to only signing out-of-province Canadian players once they are over the age of 18, so basically out of high school.

Currently, if a U18 player wants to leave their province to play junior A hockey, their family has to uproot and change residence to the province where the league they want to go to is located.

Marek added the BCHL Board of Governors is set to vote on leaving Hockey Canada later this spring.

“There’s a vote in May on this proposal but if they get their insurance done earlier – and I’m told it shouldn’t be a problem – don’t be surprised if that vote gets pushed up.”

However, Jesse Adamson, who is the BCHL’s Manager, Communications and Events, indicates things aren’t as definitive as Marek makes them out to be.

“We are always exploring opportunities to support more players. However, no decisions or votes have taken place and the reports are just rumours and speculation,” said Adamson.

The idea of an elite junior A level of hockey was something BCHL Chief Executive Officer Chris Hebb mentioned in an interview with BCHLNetwork owner and editor-in-chief Brian Wiebe last October.

“What we felt, strongly, was that there should be an elite level of junior A in this country and as part of that, these elite kids should not be paying to play. They’re just going to college, they’re not a group that should be exploited, they’ve spent all this money over all these years to get to this level and we feel that when you get to an elite level like that, you do not pay to play hockey in this country,” explained Hebb.

In wrapping up his news about the BCHL on Saturday, Marek mentioned that if the league leaves Hockey Canada to become an elite junior A circuit with NCAA-eligible players of all ages from across Canada, some neighbours to the east might follow suit.

“One thing I was told to watch out for as well, don’t be surprised if this goes through if teams from the Alberta Junior (Hockey League) loop join as well,” said Marek.