In their last game of the season, the 91原创 Trappers defeated the struggling Aldergrove Kodiaks 6-1 on Feb. 5, in their fourth and final crosstown match of the season.

Now comes word there won't be a rematch next season, with the announcement the two teams will be playing in different junior A tiers.

It was the next step in a process that started in July 2023, when BC Hockey approved the reclassification of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) that the Kodiaks and Trappers play in, as well as the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL), from junior B to junior A teams,

It was a response to the decision by 18 junior A teams in the BCHL, including the 91原创 91原创, to leave Hockey Canada to become an independent league, a move that, among other things, means those teams can recruit from other provinces, the U.S., and outside North America.

All 36 former junior B teams were designated junior A tier 2 and would have to meet certain standards to become tier 1 teams, something that required a number of upgrades, including higher training requirements for coaches, a full-time trainer, a minimum of three to four practices a week, along with other measures.

On Tuesday, March 18, B.C. Hockey released the results of a review by Blackfin Sports Group, a Vancouver, firm headed by former Canucks Sports & Entertainment executives Chris Gear, Chris Beardsmore and James Douglas. 

PJHL will transition into a two-league structure for the 2025-26 season by adding a junior A tier 1 league, where the Trappers will play, while the Kodiaks will remain a tier 2 team.

鈥淭his is a step forward in redeveloping junior hockey in B.C.,鈥� PJHL Commissioner Trevor Alto said. 鈥淚t is the right time to establish both tier 1 and tier 2 levels in the PJHL, which will allow clubs to work with their tiered partners to grow the game and set standards to enhance the player experience.鈥�

An online FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) post by the league indicated the change will end the crosstown rivalry between the two teams until such time as the Kodiaks are raised to tier 1.

"Currently, there are no plans for competition between tier 1 and tier 2 teams."

Kodiaks didn't win a game all season, while the Trappers made the playoffs before falling to Surrey Knights.