BC Elite Hockey League

BC Elite Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded2004
No. of teams14
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		Okanagan Rockets
Related
competitions		Telus Cup
Official websitewww.bcehl.net

The British Columbia Elite Hockey League (BCEHL) is the highest level of provincial youth ice hockey league in British Columbia, Canada. The league is governed by BC Hockey and was inaugurated in 2004 as the British Columbia Hockey Major Midget League (BCMML).

The league currently consists of 9 integrated teams (U15, U17, U18) and 5 U18 women's teams. Players range from 14 to 17 years old.[1] BCEHL is part of BC Hockeys' "High Performance" program to develop the best U18 players around the province. The U18 league champion goes on to compete with the top Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) U18 team to represent the Pacific region at the annual Telus Cup, Canada's national U18 championship. The Okanagan Rockets are the current 2023 champions,[2] and the 2022 Vancouver North East Chiefs[3] were the last team to represent the BCEHL at the Telus Cup.

History

Originally established in 2004–05 as the British Columbia Major Midget League[4] for players under 18 years of age, a female division was initialized in 2007–08 and played under the umbrella of the Female Midget AAA League. In 2018, a U16 AAA league was created (now the U17 AAA league), followed by a U15 AAA league in 2019. These four divisions (Female U18 AAA, U18 AAA, U17 AAA and U15 AAA) now comprise the BCEHL.

On September 16, 2021, the league was announced as being renamed the British Columbia Elite Hockey League.[5]

Current teams

Integrated

  • Cariboo Cougars
  • Fraser Valley Thunderbirds
  • Greater Vancouver Canadians
  • Okanagan Rockets
  • Thompson Blazers
  • Vancouver Island Royals
  • Valley West Giants
  • Vancouver North East Chiefs
  • Vancouver North West Hawks

Female

  • Fraser Valley Rush
  • Greater Vancouver Comets
  • Northern Capitals
  • Thompson Okanagan Lakers
  • Vancouver Island Seals

Former teams

  • North Island Silvertips (merged in 2023 with South Island Royals to form Vancouver Island Royals)
  • Kootenay Ice
  • Kootenay Wild (female)

U18 League champions

Year Champion Pacific Championship Result in Telus Cup
2024 Vancouver North East Chiefs Lost to Calgary Buffaloes –
2023 Okanagan Rockets Lost to Calgary Flames –
2022 Vancouver North East Chiefs Defeated Calgary Buffaloes Sixth
2021 Was not played Was not played Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020 Okanagan Rockets Was not played Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019 Cariboo Cougars Lost to Calgary Buffaloes –
2018 Fraser Valley Thunderbirds Lost to Lethbridge Hurricanes –
2017 Cariboo Cougars Lost to Leduc Oil Kings Sixth
2016 Valley West Hawks Lost to Lloydminister Bobcats –
2015 Vancouver North East Chiefs Lost to UFA Bisons –
2014 Okanagan Rockets Defeated Red Deer Chiefs Bronze
2013 Vancouver North West Giants Lost to Red Deer Chiefs –
2012 Vancouver North West Giants Lost to Red Deer Optimist Rebels –
2011 Vancouver North West Giants Defeated Red Deer Optimist Rebels Fourth
2010 Vancouver North West Giants Lost to Red Deer Optimist Rebels –
2009 Vancouver North West Giants Lost to Calgary Buffaloes[6] –
2008 Cariboo Cougars Lost to Calgary Buffaloes[7] –
2007 Vancouver North West Giants N/A[a] Fourth
2006 Okanagan Rockets Lost to Calgary Buffaloes[9] –
2005 Thompson Blazers Lost to SSAC Boston Pizza Athletics –
  1. ^ The Giants earned an automatic bye into the Telus Cup because the Red Deer Optimist Rebels were hosting the tournament[8]

Telus Cup

The Vancouver North West Giants (2007, 2011), Okanagan Rockets (2014) and the Vancouver North East Chiefs (2022) are the only teams to have represented the league at the Telus Cup. Upon the Giants' winning the BC MML championship in 2007, a regional final with the AMHL was not necessary as Red Deer was hosting the Telus Cup that year.[10] The Giants finished fourth in the Telus Cup tournament in 2007 before returning four years later; they again finished fourth in 2011. The 2014 Rockets, meanwhile, won the bronze medal.

Prior to the inauguration of the BC MML, the national midget championship was held in British Columbia twice – hosted by Kelowna in 1996 and Prince George in 2001. The Burnaby Winter Club Travellers represent the only B.C. team to win the national championship, defeating the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy from Quebec in 1982, as well as winning bronze in 1980.[11]

Timeline of franchises (since 2004)

Source:[12]

Former member Current member

See also

References

  1. ^ "Q&A". BC Hockey Major Midget League. Retrieved 2009-03-30.
  2. ^ "Past Championships and Awards | BC Elite Hockey League". www.bcehl.net. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  3. ^ "Rosters | 2022 TELUS Cup". www.hockeycanada.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  4. ^ "Program & History | BC Elite Hockey League". www.bcehl.net. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  5. ^ "BC Hockey AAA Leagues Rebrand as British Columbia Elite Hockey League". BC HOCKEY. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
  6. ^ "Pacific Midget Regional's - Game 3". BC Hockey. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
  7. ^ "National Playoff Bracket" (PDF). Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  8. ^ "National Playoff Bracket" (PDF). Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  9. ^ "Road to the Telus Cup" (PDF). Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  10. ^ "2007 Telus Cup". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  11. ^ "Telus Cup". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  12. ^ "Elite Prospects - BCEHL U18 - Season 2023-2024". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2023-09-14.