OLDS - It’s official.
The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) says five Alberta-based teams have signed franchise agreements and are now members of that league as of Jan. 31.
Up unitl then, the five teams -- the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints – had been members of the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).
After the five teams’ plans were first announced on Jan. 20, the AJHL described them as “defecting teams” and instituted a plan whereby they would only play each other until the end of this season.
The remaining 11 AJHL teams would only play each other as well.
The five teams will now play each other under the BCHL going forward starting with games Feb. 2.
The BCHL says once an AJHL champion has been crowned and a BCHL champion has been determined, “there will be an opportunity for the champion from Alberta to meet the champion from B.C. in a year-end competition.”
“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.”
