On Sept. 20, the Spruce Grove Saints played their first game against a B.C.-based opponent when they hosted the Penticton Vees at the Grant Fuhr Arena. The next game between an Alberta and a B.C.-based BCHL team was the next night when Penticton visited the Crusaders at Sherwood Park Arena. […]
Interior Conference
BCHL power rankings – November 2024
Let’s get familiar with the BCHL power rankings. The goal is to understand how teams are performing offensively, defensively, on the power play and penalty kill, and in goal, compared to other teams. For those of you familiar with my Kootenay International Junior Hockey League power rankings from years ago, […]
Examining the Victoria Grizzlies last five BCHL Showcase appearances
The 2024-25 BCHL Showcase went down from Oct. 13-17 in Chilliwack this year. The Victoria Grizzlies played two Showcase games. On Oct. 16th, the Grizzlies faced the Penticton Vees at the Chilliwack Coliseum and the next day, they were back at the same venue to meet the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. […]
BCHL alumni help propel RIT to national tournament
Last winter, a strong contingent of British Columbia Hockey League alumni helped the Rochester Institute of Technology men’s hockey team compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time since 2016. In the national tournament, the No. 15-seeded Tigers lost 6-3 to No. 2-seeded Boston […]
10 players with BCHL ties selected in the 2024 NHL Draft
The 2024 NHL Draft was once again a significant event for the British Columbia Hockey League as 10 players with ties to the league were selected this year, including four players who skated in the league during the 2023-24 season. Four of the players appeared in the BCHL before moving […]
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 […]
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 […]
Examining January’s 2-for-1 trade between Alberni Valley and Merritt
On Jan. 9, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs completed a trade with the Merritt Centennials to send forward Jack Ziliotto to the Interior Conference team. In return, the Bulldogs received forward Cullen Emery and goaltender Beau Lane. Because of the deal, the Bulldogs hold Lane’s B.C. Hockey League playing rights as […]
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 […]