The British Columbia Hockey League, one of the country's top junior A loops, is thinking about leaving Hockey Canada, according to Sportsnet's Jeff Marek.
Speaking on the 32 Thoughts segment of Hockey Night in Canada, Marek said the BCHL may break from Hockey Canada to go on their own as early as next season.
"The goal to this is to create this league of high-level, elite level, Junior A players from all over the country without having to pay for players to bring them in," Marek said. "If you go out on your own, away from Hockey Canada, you have access to everyone."
This would provide an elite-level loop of Junior A players who are looking to pursue a career in college hockey since participating in one major junior game with the CHL renders players ineligible to join the NCAA.
As it stands, 16- and 17-year-old players are restricted from playing junior A hockey outside their home province.
According to Marek, the scheduled vote for this proposal is in May, but may get pushed up if the league is able to get insurance done earlier.
Marek also believes that if this vote goes through, teams from the neighbouring Alberta junior loop will join.
In 2022, the BCHL published a 35-page document describing how best to modernize junior hockey in Canada, including criticizing Hockey Canada for favouring major junior. Among their top recommendations was lifting the provincial restrictions for younger players.
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