The playoffs are raging on the ice in the sa国际传媒 Hockey League, including Tuesday and Wednesday at the Q Centre with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs playing the Victoria Grizzlies, but it’s the debate off the ice that is creating the most stir.
The BCHL is considering moving out of the Hockey sa国际传媒 fold, according to Jeff Marek of Sportsnet, who made the comments over the weekend on Hockey Night in sa国际传媒’s 32 Thoughts between-periods segment.
“The British Columbia Junior Hockey League, which is the country’s top Junior A loop, is planning on leaving Hockey sa国际传媒 and going out on its own as early as next season,” said Marek.
The heart of the issue is a glaring discrepancy regarding 16- and 17-year-old players. They are not allowed to play for out-of-province Junior A teams unless their parents reside in that province or relocate to it. There are no such family-residency requirements for 16- and 17-year olds in major-junior hockey.
“The goal of this is to create a league of high-level Junior A players from all over the country. If you go out on your own, away from Hockey sa国际传媒, you have access to everybody,” said Marek.
Marek said the vote is scheduled for May but could be moved up if the insurance issues are settled earlier.
“They are looking to create this elite-level loop for players that are looking to pursue hockey in college.”
The BCHL appears to be already there with 104 alumni playing in the 2023 U.S. collegiate NCAA Div. 1 tournament, which concludes with the Frozen Four this week at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. All 16 teams in the NCAA tournament had at least one former BCHL player on the roster, led by Quinnipiac University with 14. Quinnipiac meets the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Frozen Four on Thursday while Boston University plays the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Veteran Grizzlies forward Jack Gorton will be watching closely as he is set to join Boston University next season. This week, however, Gorton will be trying to keep Victoria alive in the BCHL Coastal Conference playoff quarter-finals.
The sixth-seed Bulldogs opened the best-of-seven series with 7-5 and 4-0 victories over the sixth-seed Grizzlies over the weekend at the Alberni Valley Multiplex. The series swings into Colwood for the third and fourth games tonight and Wednesday night at the Q Centre with the Grizzlies not quite at, but nearing, must-win territory.
Hobie Hedquist, the Bulldogs’ six-foot-two American goaltender headed to traditional NCAA Div. 1 power North Dakota, is coming off Saturday night’s 32-save shutout as red-hot Alberni Valley moved to 23-4-1 overall since Christmas.
The series features 21 players — 12 on the Bulldogs including Hedquist and nine on the Grizzlies including Gorton — committed to NCAA Div. 1 teams.
In the other Coastal Conference playoff quarter-final series, the conference top-seed Nanaimo Clippers — with interim coach Dave Liffiton behind the bench in place of the suspended Colin Birkas – were tied 1-1 in games against the eighth-seed Langley Rivermen heading into the third game, which was in progress at press time Monday night in Langley.
The second-seed Surrey Eagles and seventh-seed Powell River Kings were tied 1-1 heading into the third game that was in progress Monday night in Powell River. The fifth-seed Chilliwack Chiefs lead the fourth-seed Coquitlam Express 2-0 heading into the third game tonight in Chilliwack.
