CANMORE – Five teams are leaving the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) next season, including the national Junior A champion Brooks Bandits, according to the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL).
The BCHL, an independent league, announced Saturday (Jan. 20) that Alberta-based teams – the Bandits, Spruce Grove Saints, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs and Sherwood Park Crusaders had come to terms with the league and would be joining it for the 2024-25 season.
“Further information, such as league structure, will be announced in the coming weeks,” the statement said.
“There will be no further comment until more information is available.”
In response to the big shake-up, the AJHL released a statement later Saturday, which said the league was informed by the BCHL announcement and “no official notice has been provided to the AJHL by the respective teams.”
“As a league, we are assessing next steps and schedule implications. The AJHL will continue to provide unprecedented development opportunities for our athletes within our valuable communities,” the statement said.
— TheAJHL (@TheAJHL) January 20, 2024
The AJHL cancelled four games Saturday and Sunday (Jan. 20-21): Olds Grizzlys vs. the Bulldogs, Drayton Valley Thunder vs. the Bandits, Calgary Canucks vs. the Saints, and the Whitecourt Wolverines vs. the Bandits.
The Bandits, which made history in May 2023 as the first team to win the national Junior A title three years in a row, retweeted the BCHL's major announcement on X, formerly Twitter. The Bandits held a three-on-three challenge Saturday night at home following the AJHL cancelling its games.
The Canmore Eagles, the local AJHL team, did not provide a comment at this time.
A LOOK AT BOTH LEAGUES
The BCHL currently has 17 teams, with 16 B.C.-based teams and one Washington state-based club.
Last year, the BCHL became an independent league – leaving Hockey Canada – in an effort to give its players more opportunities. With the divorce from Hockey Canada, the league said the move would expand options for U18 players looking to compete in college hockey in the United States.
Leagues that fall under Hockey Canada banner are also subject to equipment rules. In the AJHL, for example, by the 2025-26 season, all AJHL players will be required to wear face cages to “increase safety in the game.”
The AJHL currently has 16 Alberta-based teams. Before the 2023-24 season, the league announced it would be adopting a full interlock schedule, or moving down to one division, which some teams opposed, including the Eagles.
More information to come.
