The BC Hockey League has announced its intention to withdraw from the Canadian Junior Hockey League.

The CJHL 害羞草研究所� the governing body that oversees junior 害羞草研究所楢害羞草研究所� hockey leagues across the country, from B.C. to the Maritimes 害羞草研究所� indicated in a short statement Friday morning that the B.C. league plans to leave.

害羞草研究所淭he Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) announced today that the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) has submitted a notice to withdraw their membership from the CJHL, effective March 24th,害羞草研究所� .

害羞草研究所淭he remaining nine Leagues within the CJHL will continue with their commitment to player development, through their partnership with Hockey Canada, and its members, as well as the National Hockey League, which includes the presentation of the Centennial Cup national championship, the World Junior A Challenge, and the CJHL Prospects game.害羞草研究所�

The move to leave the CJHL had been rumoured for a few weeks, after Regina-based online sports-radio host Rod Pedersen reported that it was in the works. On March 25, a BCHL spokesperson told Black Press Media that 害羞草研究所渨e害羞草研究所檝e seen these reports and we can害羞草研究所檛 make any comment on it at the moment.害羞草研究所�

Black Press Media has requested further comment from the BCHL in light of the CJHL害羞草研究所檚 statement, but has not yet received a response.

The BCHL害羞草研究所檚 plans moving forward are as yet unclear, though the idea that the B.C. league 害羞草研究所� long considered the best junior 害羞草研究所楢害羞草研究所� league in Canada 害羞草研究所� could run as an independent operation has been floated before. Pedersen reported in March that a handful of teams from the Alberta Junior Hockey League could join the BCHL in some sort of 害羞草研究所榮uper league害羞草研究所� while the idea that the BCHL could operate in some type of partnership with the United States Hockey League has also been suggested as a possibility.

The CJHL, along with Hockey Canada, operates the Centennial Cup national junior 害羞草研究所楢害羞草研究所� championship tournament, as well as the World Junior 害羞草研究所楢害羞草研究所� Challenge and a CJHL Top Prospects game. Presumably, BCHL players would be ineligible to compete in those events once the BCHL leaves the CJHL.

The BCHL is currently playing a , with teams based in various hub cities throughout the province.

sports@peacearchnews.com
Like us on and follow us on