The BC Hockey League has announced its intention to withdraw from the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

The CJHL 鈥� the governing body that oversees junior 鈥楢鈥� hockey leagues across the country, from B.C. to the Maritimes 鈥� indicated in a short statement Friday morning that the B.C. league plans to leave.

鈥淭he Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced today that the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) has submitted a notice to withdraw their membership from the CJHL, effective March 24th,鈥� .

鈥淭he remaining nine Leagues within the CJHL will continue with their commitment to player development, through their partnership with Hockey Canada, and its members, as well as the National Hockey League, which includes the presentation of the Centennial Cup national championship, the World Junior A Challenge, and the CJHL Prospects game.鈥�

The move to leave the CJHL had been rumoured for a few weeks, after Regina-based online sports-radio host Rod Pedersen reported that it was in the works. On March 25, a BCHL spokesperson told Black Press Media that 鈥渨e鈥檝e seen these reports and we can鈥檛 make any comment on it at the moment.鈥�

Black Press Media has requested further comment from the BCHL in light of the CJHL鈥檚 statement, but has not yet received a response.

The BCHL鈥檚 plans moving forward are as yet unclear, though the idea that the B.C. league 鈥� long considered the best junior 鈥楢鈥� league in Canada 鈥� could run as an independent operation has been floated before. Pedersen reported in March that a handful of teams from the Alberta Junior Hockey League could join the BCHL in some sort of 鈥榮uper league鈥� while the idea that the BCHL could operate in some type of partnership with the United States Hockey League has also been suggested as a possibility.

The CJHL, along with Hockey Canada, operates the Centennial Cup national junior 鈥楢鈥� championship tournament, as well as the World Junior 鈥楢鈥� Challenge and a CJHL Top Prospects game. Presumably, BCHL players would be ineligible to compete in those events once the BCHL leaves the CJHL.

The BCHL is currently playing a , with teams based in various hub cities throughout the province.

sports@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on