The 2024–25 BCHL season is the 63rd season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and its second season as an independent league.[1]
| 2024–25 BCHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | British Columbia Hockey League |
| Sport | Hockey |
| Number of games | 54 |
| Number of teams | 21 |
League changes
editThe Merritt Centennials left the BCHL to join the KIJHL.[2]
The Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) announced that it would withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and operate as an independent farm league for the BCHL.[3][4]
The league introduced "universal affiliate" players. Teams will be allowed to supplement their rosters with affiliate players from the VIJHL and the Junior Prospects Hockey League (JPHL).
At the 2024 BCHL Showcase, the league will pilot an initiative allowing coaches to challenge plays that were not penalized, in order to assess a double-minor, major or match penalty. If the challenge is unsuccessful, the challenging team will be assessed a minor penalty for delay of game.
The league's 21 teams will be organized into two conferences — Coastal and Interior — with each conference divided into West and East divisions. The five Alberta-based teams, which left the AJHL part-way through the 2023–24 season, will play in the East division of the Interior conference, as will the Cranbrook Bucks. The Prince George Spruce Kings, who had been in the Interior Conference, has been moved into the Coastal Conference's East division.
The teams will play a 54-game regular season with top 8 teams from each conference advancing to the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the first seed in each conference will play the eighth seed, the second seed will play the seventh seed, the third seed will play the sixth seed, and the fourth seed will play the fifth seed. Each round will be a best-of-seven series with the winner advancing to the next round.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "BCHL To Become Independent League". BCHL. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ "Centennials to Cease BCHL Operations for 2024-25 Season". Merritt Centennials. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
- ^ Ewen, Steve (30 April 2024). "Vancouver Island Junior B loop cuts ties with Hockey Canada, joins forces with BCHL". The Province. Postmedia. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ "VIJHL announces decision to become independent league". vijhl.com. Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
- ^ "2024 BCHL Annual General Meeting Recap". bchl.ca. British Columbia Hockey League. Retrieved 14 June 2024.