2023 BCHL Playoffs are here!

There 2023 BCHL are here starting tonight. I am terrible at predictions, but her is who I would love to see move on to the next round. I would like to see the Langley Rivermen beat the Clippers, Surrey Eagles beat the Kings, Bulldogs beat the Grizzlies, Smoke Eaters beat the Bees, Wild beat the Bucks, Vipers beat the Warriors, and Spruce Kings beat the Silverback. 

Below is a graphic I made showing MY dream playoffs, with the Surrey Eagles winning it all in game 7 of the Fred Page Finals.

Then again, the Penticton Vee's only lost 4 games all season, and one of those was a shoot out loss, so they are the favourites to win the Fred Page Cup!

Wild Join British Columbia Hockey League

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE - Courtesy of BCHL Media (www.bchl.ca)

The Wenatchee Wild will join the BCHL as its 17th franchise starting with the 2015-16 season, the team and league announced Monday at a media conference held in the central Washington city.

“The BCHL is gaining a strong franchise in the Wenatchee Wild and we value the passion and professionalism they bring to our league,” said BCHL commissioner John Grisdale. “The Wild will quickly develop rivalries with our existing franchises and I believe they will be a big draw in opposing buildings.”

The Wild had been a member the North American Hockey League (NAHL) since the 2008-09 season. They have had a winning record in each of their seven seasons of existence and this past season, they had six players on their roster committed to NCAA Div. I programs. Playing out of Wenatchee’s Town Toyota Center, the team averages about 3,000 fans at home games.

Head coach Bliss Littler, a native of Minot, N.D., is entering his 22nd year as a Junior hockey coach.

“We could not be more excited or humbled to be joining the BCHL,” said Littler. “Knowing the history and reputation of the league, be it sending players to play NCAA Division I hockey, NHL draft picks or the professionalism of the member teams and league have, we look forward to being a good league member on and off the ice.”

As a U.S.-based club, the Wild will be allowed to roster a maximum of four Canadian players.

With today’s announcement, they become the first U.S.-based franchise in the BCHL since the Bellingham Ice Hawks, who operated from 1990 to 1995.

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This is great news, as I have been following the Wild for a few seasons now, via their online game broadcasts. I have been hoping to make it down to a game for the past two seasons, as I was hoping to see a game vs the Odessa Jackalopes who played in the NAHL (The Jackanapes have been a favorite of mine since they played in the old WPHL in 1996). Sadly, now that the Wild have joined the BCHL, I will not get the chance to see the Jackalopes, but I will get to see the Wild when they come up here to play. This also might be just the kick I need to finally make it down to Wenatchee to catch a Wild home game.

Surrey Eagles Pocket Schedule Holder

Here is the BCHL Surrey Eagles 2014/15 pocket schedule holder.

Second Sked of the season

Today while I was out on my Comic book run, I stopped in to have a snack at Quizno's and there on the counter was a sked holder full of Surrey Eagles pocket schedules. I had to subvert my urge to take the whole sked holder full of skeds... I took 7 skeds and left the sked holder with two or three skeds left in it. I'll be sure to ask for a sked holder next time I make it out to an Eagles game.
The Surrey Eagles play in the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League).

First Hockey sked of the season

While we were out today I spotted a sked holder full of 2010/2011 Langley Chiefs pocket schedules at an Arby's restaurant. This is the first hockey schedule I have seem this season. I guess this means its time to start sending out those sase's to all the teams again, and to start hitting all the local arenas looking for schedules.
The BCHL hockey season actually started already, but I didn't manage to make it to any of the home openers last week. I am hoping to make it to the Coquitlam Express home opener next weekend. The Express originally played in Coquitlam but moved to Burnaby when the Burnaby Bulldogs moved to Port Alberni. I guess the Express found the same lack of enthusiasm that forced the Bulldogs to leave town. And from what I have seen on the Express web site, it looks like they have done lots of work on the arena and the rest of the complex around it, so it should be a fun game to attend!