Heavy Dee
Registered User
- May 29, 2005
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BCHL isn’t under Hockey Canada’s umbrella anymore. Better for recruiting (more options, less restrictions) should be better competition, potential for increased revenue for teams. Happening a lot at younger levels, super leagues outside of HC control popping up. Can’t say I blame them.Could somebody explain to me how this makes sense in any way?
But the travel will be insane, no?BCHL isn’t under Hockey Canada’s umbrella anymore. Better for recruiting (more options, less restrictions) should be better competition, potential for increased revenue for teams. Happening a lot at younger levels, super leagues outside of HC control popping up. Can’t say I blame them.
Generally the majority of the players are post high school age. Likely will be more travel, but don’t know yet how the divisional play will work, maybe not a full interlocking schedule. This is for serious kids who either want to go the college route or play pro. Other leagues are closely watching this, could be more teams going this route.But the travel will be insane, no?
These are still mostly kids in school.
No different than major junior age, and that travel is way worse. Assume they will run it so that the Alberta teams play each other a lot.But the travel will be insane, no?
These are still mostly kids in school.
True. However the main reason for the BCJHL breaking from HC (scandals aside) was to facilitate the recruiting of 16-17 year old players from areas outside the provincial boundaries, without strong tier 2 junior leagues. So the impact remains on school aged athletes.Generally the majority of the players are post high school age. Likely will be more travel, but don’t know yet how the divisional play will work, maybe not a full interlocking schedule. This is for serious kids who either want to go the college route or play pro. Other leagues are closely watching this, could be more teams going this route.
Ya, I had mentioned that in my first post, that recruitment was one of the key points in why the AJ teams are wanting to do this. Should be interesting how this ends up, this is just in its infancy.True. However the main reason for the BCJHL breaking from HC (scandals aside) was to facilitate the recruiting of 16-17 year old players from areas outside the provincial boundaries, without strong tier 2 junior leagues. So the impact remains on school aged athletes.
That will help with recruitment.
That will help with recruitment.
The AJ has changed over the years, no longer just the local kids on the team. Our team (Cru) only has one local player on the roster, and 10 players from outside the province. The whole thing is just a mess right now.Don't fault the AJHL on this, the way people are finding out about this change is very crass and unprofessional.
Odd that some see this as a benefit as, when one looks at a BCHL roster, it is the local players that are getting squeezed. Looking at the roster, it's not unusual to see the number of foreign players in the double digits, then you count the players that are from outside of BC.
The AJ has changed over the years, no longer just the local kids on the team. Our team (Cru) only has one local player on the roster, and 10 players from outside the province. The whole thing is just a mess right now.
This also isn’t anything new, there have been rumours for years about this. The league even addressed it back in 2021.
My view is if it’s not local kids on the team, then I prefer to watch the best available players at that level. For Okotoks to give up Cen Cup, that tells you how much they were willing to lose to get out. I don’t have much nice to say about HC, so understand why the grassroots leagues are sprouting up.That's still better than a lot of BCHL teams that have the largest share of players on their rosters from OUTSIDE CANADA.
The problem is that the teams seemed to have decided to do this behind the backs of the AJHL. Okotoks was slated to host the Centennial Cup in '25 and still went ahead with it. The AJ has every right to react this way when teams have stated in public they weren't interested in the BCHL scheme.
Now, they've gotten themselves suspended, which is likely to void agreements with communities for arena use and with their sponsors. Even more so if they decide to put new franchises in other communities that have been looked at for a long time.
St Albert feels they have learned the lessons to have another shot. Fort Sask certainly would want back in, and Leduc is still chomping at the bit. That's just for the northern teams that are out one way or another.
My view is if it’s not local kids on the team, then I prefer to watch the best available players at that level. For Okotoks to give up Cen Cup, that tells you how much they were willing to lose to get out. I don’t have much nice to say about HC, so understand why the grassroots leagues are sprouting up.
Grassroots in the sense that it’s the first big league to get away from HC’s clutches, so a pioneer in that way. We will disagree about the HC reasoning. But a lot of younger age groups are breaking away from the old HC model and doing a really good job.If you think the BCHL scheme is "grassroots" then you are going to have some problems.
It has nothing to do with HC but is about a bunch of big men in BC trying to make up for their small wieners.