2020–21 BCHL Season
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The 2020–21 BCHL season is the 59th season of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). Originally, eighteen teams from the Interior and Coastal Conferences were to play 54-game schedules, but due to delays caused by
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, sixteen teams played 20-game schedules in five "pods" of three or four teams each. In normal seasons, the top teams from each conference would play for the Fred Page Cup, the BCHL Championship, in March, but no playoffs were held in 2021. In previous seasons, the BCHL playoff champion represented the league in the
Doyle Cup The Doyle Cup was an ice hockey trophy won through a best-of-7 series conducted annually by the Canadian Junior Hockey League to determine the Pacific region berth in the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A championship. From 1971 to 2021, th ...
, a best-of-seven series against the
Alberta Junior Hockey League The Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) is an Alberta-based Junior A ice hockey league that belongs to the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). It was formed as a five-team league in 1964. The 2023–24 season began with 16 teams, however 5 ...
champion, to determine who represents the Pacific region in the
Canadian Junior Hockey League The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior ice hockey#Junior A, junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champi ...
's (CJHL) National Junior A Championship, the
Centennial Cup The Centennial Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament organized by Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which determines the national champion of Junior ice hockey#Junior A, junior A ice hockey. It consists of a ten-team ...
, that would have been held in
Penticton Penticton ( ) is a city in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley of the British Columbia, Canada, situated between Okanagan Lake, Okanagan and Skaha Lake, Skaha lakes. In the 2021 Canadian Census, its population was 36,885, while its Census geographic un ...
in 2021. However, the 2021 Doyle and Centennial Cups were cancelled by
Hockey Canada Hockey Canada (which merged with the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in 1994) is the national governing body of ice hockey and ice sledge hockey in Canada. It is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation and controls the majority ...
. In March 2021, the BCHL withdrew its membership with the CJHL and is no longer eligible to compete for the Doyle Cup or Centennial Cup.


Offseason


Pandemic impact

Due to restrictions during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the league announced a tentative start date of December 1, with an extended training camp and exhibition season starting on September 25. This was to serve as a test for how the BCHL envisioned the regular season would work out, with the 17 teams able to participate while divided in to four groups playing in their home arenas. The league had made a number of changes to ensure the health and safety of its players, such as requiring full-face shields. Players were also required to separate as soon as play stops with ten minute misconducts being given out for failing to do so. However, as
British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
started to experience a second wave of infections, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry introduced new restrictions on November 7 barring non-essential inter-regional travel for sporting competitions in the Lower Mainland. This effected the
Chilliwack Chiefs The Chilliwack Chiefs are a junior hockey team based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Chilliwack Coliseum which w ...
,
Coquitlam Express The Coquitlam Express are a Junior ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Poirier Sport & Leisure ...
,
Langley Rivermen The Langley Rivermen are a junior ice hockey team based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). History The BCHL franchise was founded as the Richmond Socke ...
,
Powell River Kings The Powell River Kings are a junior ice hockey team based in Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Hap Parker Arena. History ...
and
Surrey Eagles The Surrey Eagles are a junior ice hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at South Surrey Arena. History New ...
, and all remaining exhibition games were cancelled between them. Two weeks later, these restrictions were expanded to the rest of the province on November 23, as well as the suspension of all adult sporting activities. Because the league has 19 and 20-year-olds on its roster, the remainder of the exhibition season was cancelled and plans for the regular season were put on hold. In the meantime, the Wenatchee Wild announced that they had withdrawn from the regular season due to the Canada-United States border closure, as it is a US-based team. With restrictions having not been lifted by March, and talks between the league and the Provincial Health Authority continuing, the BCHL considered a possible cancellation of the season. On March 12, the Provincial Health Authority approved the league's return-to-play plan and it was announced that the 2020–21 season would go ahead, with teams playing 20 game schedules divided into five pods of three to four teams each starting in April, with only the
Langley Rivermen The Langley Rivermen are a junior ice hockey team based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). History The BCHL franchise was founded as the Richmond Socke ...
opting out of the season. Before the start of the season, the BCHL notified the
Canadian Junior Hockey League The Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) is an association of Canadian junior ice hockey#Junior A, junior A ice hockey leagues and teams and was formed in November 1993, emerging from the Canada West Association of Junior 'A' Hockey. The champi ...
(CJHL) that it was withdrawing its membership effective March 24, 2021.


League changes

*The Cranbrook Bucks joined the league as part of the Interior Conference. *The
Prince George Spruce Kings The Prince George Spruce Kings are a junior ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Interior Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Kopar Memor ...
moved to the Interior Conference. The remaining nine teams in the Island and Mainland Divisions were merged into the Coastal Conference. *The regular season schedule was reduced from 58 games to 54, but were further reduced to 20 games due to the pandemic. *The top eight teams from each conference would qualify for the playoffs. As a result, crossover spots were eliminated. Eventually, playoffs were cancelled entirely for this season. *Players would be suspended after their second fight of the season, (previously fifth) and discipline would increase exponentially for every fight after. Players would now receive automatic suspensions for instigator and aggressor penalties. *A number of changes were made as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, including requiring full-face shields for all players and attempting to reduce the amount of contact between teams during stoppages in play, including assessing ten minute misconducts for failing to separate. *Due the United States-Canada border closure during the pandemic, the Wenatchee Wild withdrew from the season. *The
Langley Rivermen The Langley Rivermen are a junior ice hockey team based in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). History The BCHL franchise was founded as the Richmond Socke ...
opted out of the league's plans to restart the season.


Standings

''Note: GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T/O/S = Ties/Overtime Losses/Shootout Losses, Pts = Points''
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Prince George Spruce Kings The Prince George Spruce Kings are a junior ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Interior Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Kopar Memor ...
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Chilliwack Chiefs The Chilliwack Chiefs are a junior hockey team based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Chilliwack Coliseum which w ...
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Merritt Centennials The Merritt Centennials are a junior ice hockey, Junior 'A' ice hockey team based in Merritt, British Columbia. They are members of the Bill Ohlhausen Division of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). They play their home game ...
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Surrey Eagles The Surrey Eagles are a junior ice hockey team based in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at South Surrey Arena. History New ...
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Powell River Kings The Powell River Kings are a junior ice hockey team based in Powell River, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Hap Parker Arena. History ...
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Coquitlam Express The Coquitlam Express are a Junior ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at the Poirier Sport & Leisure ...
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Penticton Vees The Penticton Vees are a junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The junior Vees were founded in 1961, sharing the name of the senior hockey team, the Penticto ...
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Trail Smoke Eaters The Trail Smoke Eaters are a junior A ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). History The Smoke Eaters (aka ''Smokies'') have existed as both junior and senior teams si ...
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Victoria Grizzlies The Victoria Grizzlies are a junior ice hockey team based in Victoria, British Columbia. They are members of the Island Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at The Q Centre. The franchise was founded in ...
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Alberni Valley Bulldogs The Alberni Valley Bulldogs are a junior ice hockey team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Island Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Weyerhaeuser Arena. ...
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Nanaimo Clippers The Nanaimo Clippers are a junior ice hockey team based in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Island Division of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Frank Crane Arena. Franchise his ...
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Cowichan Valley Capitals The Cowichan Valley Capitals are a junior ice hockey team based in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal conference in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Cowichan Community Centr ...
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Vernon Vipers The Vernon Vipers are a junior "A" ice hockey team based in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Interior Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). They play their home games at Kal Tire Place. History The ...
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Salmon Arm Silverbacks The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are a junior ice hockey team from Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The Silverbacks returned a BCHL team to Shuswap/Salmon Arm 12 years after the previous tea ...
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West Kelowna Warriors The West Kelowna Warriors are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and play in the Interior Conference. The West Kelowna Warriors are a relocated ...
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Postseason

Due to the pod-based season and ongoing pandemic-related restrictions in Canada, the BCHL announced there would be no postseason in 2021.


Players selected in 2021 NHL Entry Draft

* Joaquim Lemay (
Salmon Arm Silverbacks The Salmon Arm Silverbacks are a junior ice hockey team from Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The Silverbacks returned a BCHL team to Shuswap/Salmon Arm 12 years after the previous tea ...
) – Round four, pick 119


See also

*
2020 in ice hockey The following were the events of ice hockey for the year 2020 throughout the world. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ice hockey, Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of scheduled ice hockey events were cancelled. IIHF World Championships 2 ...
* 2021 in ice hockey * 2021 NHL Entry Draft


References


External links


Official Website of the British Columbia Hockey League
{{DEFAULTSORT:2020-21 BCHL season
BCHL The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 21 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior "A" league within the Hockey Canada framework, until it became independe ...
British Columbia Hockey League seasons