BCHL releases 2024-25 regular season schedule

The Vees, who are perennial favorites, finished second in the BCHL last season and lost to the Surrey Eagles in the championship series. However, they are winners of two of the last three Fred Page Cup titles.

The Bulldogs will then go on the road four times in a row against Cranbrook, Brooks, Surrey and Chilliwack.

With the new format of the league, the Interior East Division will not play the Coastal West Division, which also includes the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. So there won’t be any Bulldogs vs. Bulldogs action, at least not in the regular season.

The league confirms this is for travel reasons and will change from season to season.

The schedule does not yet include the preseason, as well as BCHL Showcase games (October 13-17) or Road Show games (February 15-16), all of which will be announced soon.

The league notes that attendance increased 8.1 percent last season, thanks in large part to more games on prime night, meaning they take place on Fridays, Saturdays or holidays of the team’s choosing.

This season, 91 percent of the games will take place on prime nights.

News and comments from BCHL AGM earlier this month (according to the BCHL):

• The Board of Directors voted to add universal affiliate players in the future, meaning affiliate players from the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) and Junior Prospects Hockey League (JPHL) will be allowed to suit up for any BCHL team during the year .

  This new system will allow them to experience different league markets and organizations to help them make a better decision if they want to play full-time in the BCHL in the future.

• The Board of Directors also voted to adopt a pilot for coaches challenges during the 2024 BCHL Showcase. The pilot project will allow BCHL coaches to challenge plays that have not been penalized in order to avoid a double-minor, major or match penalty to be able to impose. If the challenge does not meet the criteria, the challenging team will be assessed a minor delay of game penalty.

  If the challenge is successful, the challenging team is entitled to a second challenge in the game.

• The BCHL has extended the contracts of Commissioner Steven Cocker and Vice President of Hockey Operations Brad Lazarowich.

  The league has also hired a full-time events manager, Connor Ewert, who started in early May and will focus on the continued growth of league events and properties.

click here to view the full 2024-2025 schedule.

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