Last season, the junior hockey pipeline expanded, allowing players from Canadian Hockey League franchises to play at NCAA schools in the United States.
The effects on the BCHL were immediate. Players on BCHL teams left to play for Major Junior teams. One BCHL team – the Penticton Vees – joined the Western Hockey League as an expansion franchise.
The pipeline expansion created new opportunities for players. Players from Major Junior teams are no longer limited to which schools they can attend. That itself creates unique opportunities for BCHL teams.
Historically, BCHL teams could always sign Major Junior players to improve their teams. Now, those CHL players gain playing time and attention from NCAA schools. Now, I’d argue that there are NCAA schools actively looking at these players.
This article will expand on this idea. Before that, I will examine the destinations of past Major Junior players after their time in the BCHL.
The BCHL and USports
During the 2021-22 season, the Victoria Grizzlies had several goaltenders on their roster. One such goaltender was former Kelowna Rockets goalie Cole Schwebius.
As a 20-year-old, Schwebius started that season in Kelowna with the Rockets. In early November 2021, he was released by the Rockets, and Victoria signed him for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. The following season, Schwebius started playing USports hockey at the University of British Columbia.
Another example is former Cowichan Valley Capitals forward Logan Camp. Camp spent most of his junior career playing in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. He split time between the Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Cape Breton Eagles. After one season in Cowichan Valley as a 20-year-old, Camp committed to Ontario Tech University and began playing USports hockey for the Oshawa, Ontario-based school.
Finally, defender Anson McMaster spent most of his junior career in the WHL. After stops in Kootenay and Winnipeg, McMaster was traded to the Victoria Royals early in the 2021-22 season.
During the 2022-23 season, McMaster played six games for Victoria as a 20-year-old. In October 2022, the Vernon Vipers acquired McMaster’s Canadian Junior A rights from the Winnipeg Freeze of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, and he finished the season in the North Okanagan. He now attends the University of Ottawa and plays USports hockey for the Gee-Gees.
Every player listed here lost their NCAA eligibility under the old rules because they played for a Major Junior team. That rule no longer exists. Could these players have earned NCAA commitments under the new regulations? It’s certainly food for thought.
The BCHL’s advantages
Before going independent, the BCHL operated under Hockey Canada and Canadian Junior Hockey League recruitment rules. As an independent league, the BCHL has modelled itself after the NCAA.
On the BCHL’s FAQ page, the league touts how it has tailored its season to resemble the NCAA season. The BCHL rulebook is also nearly identical to the NCAA rulebook.
It might seem out of left field, but the BCHL has several similarities with the Western Coast League. The WCL is a collegiate summer baseball league. Players on the WCL’s 17 teams develop and look to gain the attention of Major League Baseball scouts. They also compete with MLB-level equipment and play under Major League Baseball rules.
Players in the BCHL play under NCAA rules in front of NCAA scouts. For years now, NCAA programs have recruited players from BCHL teams. That’s another advantage the BCHL has over Major Junior leagues – a reputation that extends over 60 years.
Over the year, players from across North America came to play in the BCHL and NCAA programs from across the U.S. recruited from the BCHL. Currently, 15 players on the Princeton Tigers men’s ice hockey team played in the BCHL.
The BCHL excels at adapting to changes. It could become the destination for players wanting experience at both levels. We’ll see what adaptations the BCHL can make in the coming months, but there is one more thing to consider.
A final consideration
In 2026-27, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is changing. It is promoting 11 of the league’s 21 teams to Junior A Tier 1. The other ten will remain with a Junior A Tier 2 designation.
The Pacific Junior Hockey League is doing the same. In total, eight of the league’s 16 teams will play at the Junior A Tier 1 level. That’s 19 new Junior A teams that will be competing with the BCHL for players.
It’s clear that, along with the BCHL, sanctioned hockey leagues are also making changes. If the BCHL wants to stay ahead of the Hockey Canada-sanctioned leagues, it too will need to adapt as time goes along.
Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
