The British Columbia Hockey League became independent from Hockey Canada

The junior-level British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is severing ties with Hockey Canada and becoming an independent league, executives announced Monday.

BCHL officials say the move will allow the league to recruit high-quality players from across Canada and the world, while improving opportunities for players looking to move on to college hockey.

0:44The first BCHL Pride Night was held in Coquitlam, BC

The league board’s vote not to renew its contract with Hockey Canada means its 18 clubs will begin operating as an independent league on June 1.

Hockey Canada and our members are committed to ensuring that participants of all ages and skill levels can enjoy the game of hockey in communities across the country, both recreationally and competitively,” Hockey Canada said in a statement in response to the BCHL’s exit.

“While we strongly believe that our model of delivering hockey benefits and benefits players, coaches, officials, parents, administrators and volunteers, we recognize that the BCHL and others are free to enjoy the game outside of sanctioned programs.”

The BCHL said it has been working with Hockey Canada for five years to try to overcome several key complaints about the previous arrangement.

U18 players signed with Canadian Hockey League Major Junior teams were barred from playing at U.S. colleges because the NCAA considers the CHL a professional league, the BCHL said.

It added that players who maintained their eligibility by playing Junior A could only play in their province of residence, forcing them to either leave Canada or relocate their entire families to play.

The BCHL sends more players to NCAA Division I teams than all other junior hockey leagues in Canada combined, BCHL president Graham Fraser said in a release.

This past season, there were 411 BCHL alumni on NCAA rosters, nearly a quarter of all Division I college hockey. It’s exciting, but we want to do more for the players and provide a higher level of hockey for our fans. In the current system, that is not possible.

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According to the BCHL, leaving Hockey Canada means more NCAA and Canadian U Sports scholarships for players.

It also expects a higher level of play, as the league is free to recruit U18 players from outside the province and country.

However, the current minimums for BC-born players will not change, it added.

We believe that under-18 players should have two development paths in Canada’s Major Junior leading to the National Hockey League (NHL) and another college-tracking junior that leads to a US university and then the NHL, BCHL CEO Chris Hebb said. release.

“Both are important. Both should be supported.”

The league said it has “laid the foundation for all operational areas” for the 2023-24 season, including risk management, health and safety, training programs, insurance, officials and administration.

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