British Columbia Junior Hockey League
Current season, competition or edition: 2016–17 BCHL season
|
|
 |
|
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| CEO | John Grisdale |
| No. of teams | 17 |
| Countries |
 Canada United States
|
| Most recent champion(s) |
West Kelowna Warriors (1st title) |
| Most titles | Vernon Vipers (10) |
| Official website | www |
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior A ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 17 teams. These teams play in three divisions, known as the Interior, Island and Mainland divisions. The winner of the BCHL playoffs (Fred Page Cup) continues on to play in the Western Canada Cup or (WCC) featuring the champions of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Manitoba Junior Hockey League, and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Two representatives from the WCC will compete in the Junior "A" National Championship for the Royal Bank Cup.
In 1961, the heads of four junior "B" hockey teams in the Okanagan region of British Columbia got together and formed the first ever Junior "A" league in British Columbia's history. The Okanagan-Mainline Junior "A" Hockey League, the precursor to the BCHL, was comprised originally of the Kamloops Jr. Rockets, the Kelowna Buckaroos, the Penticton Jr. Vees, and the Vernon Jr. Canadians.
In 1967, the league expanded out of the Okanagan region, bringing in the New Westminster Royals and the Victoria Cougars. With the expansion, the league decided that since it had stretched out of the Okanagan region, that it need a new name - The British Columbia Junior Hockey League. A year later, the Vancouver Centennials joined the league as well. In the 1970s, the Victoria Cougars jumped to the Western Hockey League and the New Westminster team was forced to fold due to the invasion of the Estevan Bruins into their arena. In 1972, the Bellingham Blazers and the Nanaimo Clippers expanded the league to 8 teams.
...
Wikipedia