New events, initiatives highlight new BCHL season

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In July, the league unveiled two new events on the calendar for the 2019-20 season. The first is the relaunch of the BCHL Showcase Festival presented by Bauer from Oct. 2 to 5, which now includes a second venue in Penticton who will host the event along with longtime host Chilliwack. The event will also include a Hockey Festival in Penticton with a Kids Zone, activities for BCHL parents and a Showcase Panel featuring NHL legends Scott Niedermayer, Mike Richter and Doug Weight alongside BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb. Matt Sekeres and Blake Price from TSN 1040 radio will also broadcast live from the event on Thursday, Oct. 3 in Chilliwack and Friday, Oct. 4 in Penticton.

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The second new event on the schedule is the LNG Canada BCHL Road Show where the defending-champion Prince George Spruce Kings will take on their division-rivals the Langley Rivermen in two regular-season games played in Kitimat, B.C. on Feb. 15 and 16. On top of the two games, other festivities will include community activities involving the two BCHL teams as well as Vancouver Canucks alumni players.

Rule Changes

The BCHL is continuing to align with the NHL by changing the rules for faceoffs following a penalty or an icing call. The attacking team will now have the choice of what side of the ice they want to take the draw in the offensive zone.

The idea behind the change is to give the attacking team another strategic advantage in the offensive zone. The BCHL is the first and only Junior A league in Canada to adopt this rule so far.

Player Safety Initiatives

The league has made a commitment to strengthen their stance on player safety by expanding the criteria for supplemental discipline.

“No matter the outcome, if there is a dangerous play in a BCHL game, we want to make sure it is properly addressed,” said Steven Cocker, BCHL Executive Director of Competition & Events. “The league has made a commitment to player safety and this is another step forward in our mission to protect our players.”

In another effort to emphasize player safety, the league has also renewed its partnership with Head Check Health, which is an app is designed to allow doctors to access the concussion history of a specific player and help create a return-to-play plan with the team. Non-medial team staff can also use the app to document suspected concussions, identify red flags and collect key symptom information that can be instantly transferred to a medical professional.

Education

This season, the BCHL has also renewed its partnership with GradeSlam, which provides players with one-on-one online tutoring and academic support at any time of day. Sessions are conducted via chat, email, text or call, creating a learning environment that allows students to interact freely and personally with their tutor.

The BCHL has also announced a new focus for the league moving forward: ‘Modern Hockey’.

The new tagline represents a shift in culture for the BCHL as it moves into a more modern style of play and operation at the team and league levels.

Within the ‘Modern Hockey’ brand are four pillars which the league is built on: Speed and Skill, Player Safety, Education and Community.

“The game of hockey is quickly growing and changing and we want to make sure the BCHL is at the forefront of that movement,” said BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb. “The league is shifting from old-school to new-school and ‘Modern Hockey’ is the perfect symbol of that.”

Speed and Skill With fighting penalties significantly declining year after year, the BCHL is already in the process of moving away from that type of hockey and instead emphasizing speed, skill and scoring. The league also serves as a model for the professional game. This is backed up by the BCHL’s growing representation at the NHL Draft. Eight players were selected out of the BCHL in 2019, including first-rounder Alex Newhook, as well as four more players who will play in the league this year.

Player Safety The BCHL will also continue to explore ways to improve player safety through initiatives at the league level. In recent years, the BCHL hired former NHL official Brad Lazarowich as the league’s Officiating Director. With 30 years and nearly 2,000 NHL games under his belt, he brings an unrivaled professionalism and commitment to player safety.

Education With some BCHL players still enrolled in high school and others going on to college, education has always been an important subject for the BCHL. The league is by far the country’s leader in scholarships, with over 165 committed players last year alone.

Community Whether it’s a team visit to a school or hospital or a food drive around the holidays, BCHL players and teams are an important part of their communities. Many teams are also supported by local businesses, so it has always been a two-way street. Community involvement will continue to be a priority to the league and teams.