Hockey Canada sets the rules now that the BCHL is itself

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Hockey Canada is starting to set boundaries with the BC Hockey League.

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The sport’s governing body sent a letter to its members on Thursday explaining some of the rules regarding permitted series. This was in response to the BCHL’s announcement that it would split from Hockey Canada on Monday and become independent as of June 1.

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The 18-team Junior A loop wants greater autonomy in terms of player recruitment, for example.

Postmedia received a copy of Hockey Canada’s letter. It says, among other things, that any player or coach on an unsanctioned team after September 30 cannot participate in Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities for the remainder of the season until the reinstatement committee hears, even if they are released from their unsanctioned team during the season.This includes eligibility for consideration for national team selection or other Hockey Canada high performance activities.

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This also means that the BCHL cannot bring in players from the Junior B leagues to play a game here and there due to injuries, and the players will later return to their original lineup as before.

The letter also states that teams under Hockey Canada’s jurisdiction are eligible to compete against teams sanctioned by other International Ice Hockey Federations (IIHF). For example, a non-sanctioned team is not eligible to compete against a team in the United States Hockey League that is sanctioned by USA Hockey.

The Hockey Canada letter used this very example.

The USHL and BCHL are the two main feeder leagues in the NCAA. A showdown between champions would attract considerable attention.

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BCHL commissioner Steven Cocker believes the non-sanctioned rules are designed specifically for fledgling leagues and not for leagues like the BCHL, which dates back to 1961.

There have been rumors of the BCHL branching off from ten years ago. The most popular one has them paired with Alberta teams. It’s unclear how close it ever came to being realized.

The BCHL withdrew from the Canadian Junior Hockey League, which was formed to unite 10 Junior A loops for Hockey Canada and host events such as the Centennial Cup National Championship. In April 2021, BCHL CEO Chris Hebb said his league had made changes to the CJHL a year earlier and received no response. The BCHL released a 35-page white paper it wrote last September called Modernizing Junior Hockey in Canada and sent it in advance to Hockey Canada and BC Hockey. They were also not happy with how they received their care then.

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Cocker insists his league still wants to make things work with Hockey Canada and BC Hockey, the provincial body, and explains to follow up on the phone with anyone who wants to talk to us.

Landing referees and linesmen could prove difficult for the BCHL if Hockey Canada remains adamant that it has no overlap with non-sanctioned leagues.

We want to do the best we can for our athletes and our officials, Cocker said.

Leaving Hockey Canada also means the BCHL is no longer covered by the insurance plan. The BCHL has been working on its own insurance deal, which Cocker says is on par, if not better, in some areas.

Hockey Canada’s official statement on the BCHL news on Monday was low-key, includingHockey Canada continues to work with BC Hockey and its nearly 94,000 remaining participants to provide opportunities for British Columbians to safely enjoy, develop and compete in Canada’s game. It did not spell out specific rules like Thursday’s letter.

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BC Hockey CEO Cam Hope said Monday that the creation of a second Junior A league under Hockey Canada to replace the BCHL was likely, though he did not have a timeline.

The BCHL has long made it clear that it felt the junior A recruiting restrictions were too tight and wanted to get 16- and 17-year-old players from other provinces without their families moving to BC. This is not allowed according to Hockey Canada. Rules.

@SteveEwen

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