The 2023-24 British Columbia Hockey League season was unlike any other in the circuit’s 62-year history. Not only was it the first season of operation independent from Hockey Canada, but it also saw the addition of five teams from Alberta — as expansion clubs — midseason. On Jan. 20, 2024, […]
Author: Brian Wiebe
Powell River Kings graduating players and eligible returnees
As the British Columbia Hockey League off-season gets closer for all 21 teams, anticipation is building for next season already. With future considerations from this season’s trades potentially turning into players, plus recruiting and players moving on due to age or college commitments, there’s no shortage of work before training […]
16 players with BCHL experience competing in 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2024 National Hockey League playoffs are underway and 16 players with British Columbia Hockey League experience began the quest for the Stanley Cup in the first round. Our list includes players who served as affiliates in the BCHL like Mathew Barzal and Jordie Benn. The Colorado Avalanche led the […]
2023-24 stats for BCHL alumni in the NHL
Now that the 2023-24 National Hockey League season has wrapped up, it’s time to look back at how each player with British Columbia Hockey League experience fared. Thirty-eight players who skated for at least one game in the BCHL took to the ice in the NHL this past season, with […]
After leaving BCHL, Merritt Centennials join the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
The City of Merritt was without a junior hockey team for less than five minutes. The Merritt Centennials, a storied franchise in the British Columbia Hockey League, announced on Mar. 31 that they will cease operations in that league at the end of the 2023-24 season. Within minutes of the […]
End of an era: Merritt Centennials leave BCHL after 51 seasons
The British Columbia Hockey League’s longest-continuously run franchise is no longer the Merritt Centennials. After 51 seasons in the BCHL’s smallest market, the Centennials declared they would not operate in the league during the 2024-25 season. In a media release, Centennials President Ken Carruthers noted that the team’s board of […]
5 Alberta Junior Hockey League teams confirmed to join BCHL for 2024-25
In a move that’s sent shockwaves across the junior hockey world, the British Columbia Hockey League confirmed on Saturday morning that the rumours are, in fact, true. The league announced that five teams that currently play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League have agreed to terms to join the BCHL […]
Report: Five Alberta Junior Hockey League teams make bold move to join BCHL
Reports surfaced on Friday afternoon that in a surprising and unprecedented move, five prominent Alberta Junior Hockey League teams — Spruce Grove Saints, Sherwood Park Crusaders, Brooks Bandits, Blackfalds Bulldogs, and Okotoks Oilers — will depart from the AJHL to join the British Columbia Hockey League for the 2024-25 season. […]
Top 20 2003-born BCHL scorers for 2023-24
As the British Columbia Hockey League continues to be a home for emerging hockey talent, the 2023-24 season showcases a cohort of players born in 2003 who are leaving an indelible mark on the league. In this ranking, we highlight the top 20 players whose skills and performance set them […]
Five BCHL alumni in action at this year’s Spengler Cup
I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been drawn to watching the Spengler Cup. Maybe it’s the majestic imagery of the tournament being held during the magical holiday season in a gorgeous Alpine resort in the Swiss Alps. Maybe it’s the fact that the tournament doesn’t attract the same stakes […]