Many people are talking about “why” the BCHL left the CJHL. And that’s all it is, talk and nothing based on any facts.
Lets be clear, the FACT is the BCHL is not becoming part of the USHL. It has never been discussed and it not going to happen. This was a completely false rumor started by someone to get visits and followers. Sources in the BCHL and the USHL have confirmed that the USHL has not had talks and the USHL is completely not interested.
FACT – The BCHL leaving the CJHL was timed because the CJHL/Hockey Canada agreement is set to expire May 20, 2021 and the BCHL thought they could negotiate their own agreement with Hockey Canada that would allow them to be a Canadian Tier I labeled league.
FACT – Sources within Hockey Canada have reported they will not give the BCHL anything more than what any other CJHL member receives in the Hockey Canada/CJHL agreement which will be renewed.
FACT – Hockey Canada is not giving the BCHL Tier I status. Hockey Canada is not moving to a “Tier” system like one used in the United States. The CCHL has removed the “Tier I” portion of their old logo because of this. Hockey Canada is not about to alienate all the CJHL member leagues in order to make the BCHL happy.
The idea that Hockey Canada would make the BCHL “Tier I” and the rest of the CJHL teams “Tier II” is like saying Hockey Canada will make the OHL “Tier I” of Major Junior, the WHL “Tier II” because they have fewer NHL players, and then the QMJHL would be “Tier III”? Who thinks that will happen?
FACT – The BCHL made proposals to the CJHL to allow for out of Province recruiting of U-16 and U-18 players. That proposal was denied by the CJHL and by Hockey Canada. Hockey Canada makes the recruiting rules, and they are not going to be changed for the BCHL.
FACT – The BCHL is no longer listed on the CJHL website, the divorce is final.
FACT – The BCHL uses more import “American” players than any other league, averaging more than 130 American players per year for the last six years. (not including 2020-2021 due to COVID) More than twice as many as the CCHL who are in second place, and more than four to six times as many players as the rest of the Canadian members of the CJHL.
FACT – The BCHL can not survive without American players.
FACT – BCHL member teams have been charging players fee’s for various items including tuition for about seven years and those fee’s vary from team to team. Few BCHL teams are completely free to play, and would not meet Tier I criteria based on their financial models alone.
FACT – Import player numbers, American players are going to be reduced by Hockey Canada in the coming years from 6 per team to 4 per team. Hockey Canada is in the business of developing Canadian players, not American players.
FACT – The BCHL has regularly signed American players to use them as trade capitol to make deals with other CJHL teams to get their top Canadian players. A clear pattern of these trades is evident after players have played a few games and then are shipped off to other leagues.
FACT – The vast majority of NCAA commitments in the BCHL come from American players.
FACT – The vast majority of those American players with NCAA commitments in the BCHL have their commitment before going to play in the BCHL.
FACT – The BCHL wants a later start to the junior hockey season because they can not sell tickets to games in September which cuts into profit margins.
These are the facts. After investigating and actually speaking to people involved and not hearing some rumor from some scout at a game, or some guy at the bar that his aunt’s, cousin’s, neighbor knows a guy.
This has nothing to do with how “good” the BCHL is. How “good” the BCHL is or is not is completely subjective opinions from people watching hockey and everyone has their opinion.
This is strictly about the facts of the BCHL leaving the CJHL and why it happened. If you think these facts are interesting, wait until the “fallout”. Look for that article in the next day or two, because the BCHL team owners are about to find out on Wednesday at their BOG meeting that they played their hand completely wrong.
Joseph Kolodziej – Adviser
