Nothing junior about it: 5 AJHL teams officially join BCHL
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on February 2, 2024.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews An Alberta champion will be crowned in the British Columbia Hockey League this season. On Thursday in a surprise announcement, the BCHL said it has officially opened its doors to five Alberta Junior Hockey League teams rumoured to be looking westward for supposedly higher competition. “Effective immediately, the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints are members of the BCHL,” the league said in its statement. In late January, speculation rose that the five teams were eyeing the BCHL, which left Hockey Canada’s jurisdiction in the summer. After rumours ran rampant online, the BCHL issued a statement an. 20 that it had come to terms with the five teams. That statement was quickly followed up by the AJHL, which exiled the five teams, cutting off access to the rest of the league. The AJHL said at the time the five teams were free to play games, but only against each other and not against the league’s remaining 11 teams. The five teams also released statements, saying the punishment was harsh, noting they hadn’t signed any agreements. Those agreements were signed Thursday. “We are pleased to officially welcome these five franchises into the fold as members of our league,” said Chris Hebb, the BCHL’s CEO. “All five are strong organizations from great communities and we look forward to the immediate boost they will give our league. We were encouraged by their belief in our model and think that adding these teams will strengthen the development of all our players.” In a response to the BCHL’s announcement, the AJHL also issued a statement, saying, “We are disappointed, but not surprised, that the five defecting clubs now intend to drop out of the AJHL to immediately participate in an unsanctioned exhibition series. “For the past week, they have repeatedly denied any agreement with the BCHL, but today’s admission of ‘finalized franchise agreements and integration’ has helped clarify their true position. “The full impact of this decision on our ongoing investigation remains to be determined, as the teams have now eliminated a route back to the AJHL for their players this season.” According to the BCHL, the five Alberta teams will play games against each other for the remainder of the season. Within those five teams, a champion will be crowned and they will meet the BCHL playoff champion in a year-end competition. The Okotoks Oilers were slated to host the 2025 Centennial Cup, a Hockey Canada-sanctioned tournament, which will no longer be possible after joining the BCHL. 16-15
