BCHL finalizes agreement for 5 AJHL teams to join

Sign the dotted line here – five Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) teams and the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) have officially finalized franchise agreements.

The move will see the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints immediately become members of the BCHL, jumping ship from the AJHL.

“We are pleased to officially welcome these five franchises into the fold as members of our league,” said Chris Hebb, chief executive officer of the BCHL.

“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.”

The five Alberta-based teams will play each other for the remainder of the season, with an Alberta champion eventually being crowned.

After the conclusion of the BCHL playoffs, the Alberta and BC champions will then square off for a year-end competition.

Officially official ✅

The BC Hockey League is proud to officially welcome five Alberta-based teams to the league, effective immediately.

DETAILS: https://t.co/9E1b53w9s3 pic.twitter.com/MvtdE7AH9x

— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) February 1, 2024

“With the unfortunate situation the Alberta teams have faced in recent weeks with having games cancelled in their previous league, it was imperative to us to get these players back on the ice in meaningful competition,” said BCHL Commissioner Steven Cocker.

“This five-team schedule and postseason will give these athletes the chance to get in a full set of games for the remainder of the year, which is the most important thing to us.”

The transition to the BCHL has been a bumpy road for the five former AJHL teams.

Immediately following the news on Jan. 20 that the five clubs planned to join their neighbours to the west, the AJHL cancelled games involving the defecting teams.

The AJHL then permitted the leaving clubs to play already scheduled matches against each other for the remainder of the season, cutting the 2023-24 campaign considerably short for many players, fans and personnel.

“We are responding by taking steps to protect the competitive integrity of the AJHL and CJHL playoff systems and to ensure the safety of our players and officials,” the AJHL wrote in a Jan. 25 statement.

Following the news that the defecting teams would only be allowed to play each other, the five teams banded together, releasing a statement that they had not entered into an agreement to leave the AJHL.

The Jan. 25 statement added that they disagreed with the AJHL’s decision to cancel games and that the five clubs had intentions to fulfill their commitments to the league and complete the season.

pic.twitter.com/CDazeBuFFw

— Brooks Bandits (@BrooksBandits) January 26, 2024

The next day, the AJHL released a statement asking for the BCHL to clarify the situation, stating that there had been “contradictory statements coming from the BCHL and five defecting clubs.”

The 12 days of back-and-forth statements led to today’s news that the five clubs will leave the AJHL.

“This is a historic day for our franchise,” said Brooks Bandits head coach and GM Ryan Papaioannou in a statement.

“After thorough consideration, we are confident the BCHL gives our players the best opportunity to compete at the highest level for college tracking players in Canada.”

The newest BCHL teams have a schedule of 20 games (10 at home and 10 on the road) that will be effective immediately.

AJHL Statement on Five Defecting Clubs pic.twitter.com/KvlllKQJ6Q

— TheAJHL (@TheAJHL) February 1, 2024