The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in North America. Established in 1961, the BCHL has grown to become a premier destination for aspiring hockey players looking to hone their skills and make their way to higher levels of play. Today, the BCHL boasts 16 teams spread across British Columbia and Alberta, featuring many of the brightest young hockey prospects from across Canada. The BCHL is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), which was founded in 1969. The CJHL works closely with Hockey Canada to ensure that only top-level junior hockey players are allowed to compete in the league.
What Makes the BCHL So Successful? BCHL players have been drafted by NHL teams at a higher rate than any other league since 1987. Over the past three decades, nearly 1,000 BCHL players have been selected in the NHL amateur draft.
The 2021-22 season is the 60th anniversary for the BCHL and the league has announced plans to celebrate the milestone and honour the rich history of the league going back to its inception in 1961.
The league’s 60th Anniversary plans include an outdoor event, retro jerseys for each team, a retro theme night in each building and plenty of digital content taking a look back at the past 60 years.
“We are thrilled to announce our plans to honour the league’s history for our 60th Anniversary season starting in the fall,” said BCHL Commissioner Chris Hebb. “The BC Hockey League has been a huge part of British Columbia’s culture since all the way back to 1961, producing top-end hockey players, great people and fantastic stories as well. Over the past 60 years, the BCHL has also grown into the largest Canadian feeder league for college hockey with the majority of players receiving scholarships to play at the NCAA Division I level. We are excited to take a look back at how we got to this point and we think the fans will enjoy it just as much as us.” – source: https://bchl.ca/60th-anniversary
The 60th Anniversary events being held in Penticton will include retro theme nights, games and many other outdoor activities.
The Allstar Game starts at 2:30 PM at Penticton’s own outdoor rink.
