One of the biggest junior hockey leagues in the world leaves Hockey Canada!

This just in, the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) has announced today that it is leaving Hockey Canada and will become a full independent organization.

The BCHL is the world's largest "Junior A" hockey league, ranking just a step below Major Junior leagues like the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. The important distinction that the BCHL retains over those other leagues though is that the NCAA (American college organization) does NOT consider the BCHL to be a professional league, like it does with the WHL, OHL and QMJHL. This means that players can play in the BCHL and retain the amateur status needed to compete in the NCAA. Once a player elects to sign in the WHL, OHL or QMJHL they forfeit their NCAA eligibility.

“The BCHL sends more players to NCAA Division I teams than all other junior hockey leagues in Canada combined,” said BCHL Chairman Graham Fraser in a prepared statement. “During the past season there were 411 BCHL alumni on NCAA rosters, making up nearly a quarter of all Division I college hockey. That is exciting, but we aspire to do more for players and to provide a higher level of hockey for our fans. Under the current system, that’s just not possible.”  

So... why would the BCHL do this?

The league has received federal funding under the Hockey Canada umbrella for decades, so... why give up the free financial support?

Clearly the BCHL thinks financially it'll be able to make up the difference. The biggest change for the league is now that it's an independent league, it can now recruit players from all over Canada, the United States and Europe. So, to me, this move is a direct play to compete more directly with the USHL and the NAHL, the two most prominent American Junior A leagues.

The BCHL will now be able to recruit U18 players from other provinces, as well as from the USA and outside of North America. In addition, the BCHL remains committed to BC player development. Currently 97 percent of BC-born players who played NCAA Division I hockey last year played in the BCHL. Current roster minimums for BC-born players will not change. 

How it all plays out remains to be seen, but suffice it to say that today is a historic day for junior hockey.