By Anthony Corea

BCHL IMPACT

What does it mean for players after big changes by the BCHL

May 3, 2023 | 5:12 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The BCHL has left Hockey Canada and become independent. Which means changes to the league going forward. One of those changes is acquiring players to play.

Right now, the BCHL sees some challenges with the current system, including the following.

• If a U18 player signs with a Major Junior team in the Canadian Hockey League, it disqualifies them from US colleges because the NCAA considers the CHL a professional league.
• If a U18 player decides to keep their eligibility and play Junior A instead, they are restricted to playing only in their province of residence (note: this isn’t a restriction for players in the CHL and the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) which includes players from the U15-U18 divisions.
• If a U18 player does not have a competitive junior option in their own province, they are often forced to leave Canada to play in the USHL or NAHL to find better competition, while maintaining NCAA eligibility. Or they must uproot their family at a significant cost to move provinces.

It’s something the BCHL is trying to change.

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These changes can go both ways. For one it enables the BCHL to bring in top-end players looking for NCAA scholarships and improve the league play for fans. But it also could cause some problems. If a player gets released after the September 30th deadline it might be tough to find somewhere to play. This all hinges on Hockey Canada re-instating the unsanctioned player into their program. Something which has previously been a challenge with unsanctioned players and leagues.

As for a response, BCHL CEO Chriss Hebb believes it’s Hockey Canada’s responsibility to reinstate a player if his time in the BCHL comes to an end.

The changes will be made in the coming months. It’s yet to be seen if leaving Hockey Canada will be a success or a mistake