For many families, hockey has come to an end for this season. For others, it continues, with camps and spring ice times and maybe even spring or summer leagues. Either way, this is the time of transition for our game, on and off the ice.

Most of our participants in B.C. and Yukon – about 60,000 of us if you count players, officials, coaches, staffers, and volunteers of all kinds – enjoy our game as part of a local Minor Hockey Association. Others hit the ice in academy or school programs, or in “Zone” or Junior leagues. Wherever you find yourself in our membership, it's a fine time of year to reflect on the season past, and on what lies ahead. If you haven’t already, consider thanking those who helped make your hockey experience interesting and fun. Leave some room for some gratitude for those who serve on MHA or District Boards - volunteers - all, who give so much of their time and (in many cases) have just saddled-up to serve again. 

So, how is hockey doing these days? Well, pretty good. Registration is up across the board, with the growth of female hockey leading the way again. We saw record numbers of new coaches and officials as well. Are there challenges? Absolutely. As time marches on, the world always seems to change in ways that we could have scarcely imagined 10 or 20 years ago, and hockey (and the delivery of our game) has no immunity to this, nor should it. Let’s face it, we have been delivering our game under a system dating back (for BC Hockey) to 1919, part of a national body with a vast array of Bylaws, Regulations, Policies and Rules. Yes, the adaptation process is continuous, and we all work hard to focus on pleasing everyone in our game, but the wishes and expectations of athletes and families can change even faster. The fact that some athletes or families (or even entire teams and leagues) question the value of being a member of BC Hockey or Hockey Canada ought to inspire all of us to better understand why that is so. After all, although we don’t own the game of hockey, we do believe that our structure for delivering the game in a safe, fun, and values-driven way (under the Hockey Canada umbrella) is by far the best way. So, even a small percentage of those playing our game seeing it otherwise behooves us to ask why, and to seek to understand if there are any steps we can take to address these sentiments.

This brings me to why we are so excited about this summer, and about the AGM and Congress just ahead in Penticton. We have a terrific keynote speaker lined up, some exceptional people from Hockey Canada coming to present at sessions, and some important Resolutions on the docket that are aimed at making us an even better example of excellence in sport governance. Plus, times of challenge and change are often the most interesting, at least for me. We know, for instance, that our membership will again participate in a robust example of democracy in action, with 11 highly qualified candidates (thanks to the hard work of the Nominations Committee), seeking to fill Board seats. With the departure of some existing Directors, we know that at least 1/3 of the BC Hockey Board will consist of brand-new faces after June 8th. Yes, fresh perspectives and new ideas are as important as ever, but the timing could also not be better for the stable influence of those who are returning as Directors, to lead the strategic effort as we navigate forward. Delivering our game in alignment with our mission and values requires good people and hard work, and I’m grateful for a Board that lives these words. Anyhow, political things aside, I also look forward to Congress for a lot of other reasons – from the seminars to the social gatherings, to the awards night, and to just having a cold one or two to talk hockey with those who attend. I can hardly wait.

Our theme for this summer at BC Hockey is to celebrate “The Hockey Life,” whatever that means to you. Our game is just that – a game – and participation should be a positive addition to the busy lives of all who choose hockey to be a part of it. Families put their trust in local associations, BC Hockey, and Hockey Canada to make that happen. As always, we’re up for the challenge.  

See you at the rink,

Cameron Hope

BC Hockey would like to thank the Canucks for Kids Fund for supporting our participants and programs during the 2023-24 season. Your dedication to British Columbians and the game of hockey is deeply appreciated.

That's a wrap!

Throughout March and April, we crowned the 2024 BC Hockey Champions across B.C. and Yukon from the U13 level, all the way up to Senior Female and Senior Male.

A huge congratulations to all of the teams who participated and a special thanks to all of the coaches, officials, volunteers and everyone else who helped make the championship season a success.

And your 2024 BC Hockey Champions are....

U13

Female - North Shore Winter Club

Tier 1 - Semiahmoo

Tier 2 - Fort St. John

Tier 3 - Kerry Park

Tier 4 - Kitimat

U15

Female - Richmond Ravens

Tier 1 - OMAHA-North

Tier 2 - Port Moody

Tier 3 - New Westminster

Tier 4 - Kitimat

U18

Female - Pentiction

Tier 1 - OMAHA-Central

Tier 2 - South Delta

Tier 3 - Mission

Tier 4 - Clearwater

AAA

Female U18 - Thompson-Okanagan Lakers

U18 - Vancouver North East Chiefs

U17 - Okanagan Rockets

U15 - Fraser Valley Thunderbirds

U21 - South Delta

Junior A - Revelstoke Grizzlies

Senior Female AA - Meadow Ridge Moose



Senior Male AA - Terrace River Kings

Click the button below to check out the Championships page on the BC Hockey website and catch up on what happened across all of the BC Hockey Championships!

National Volunteer Week:

Fred Heslop Minor Hockey Awards

National Volunteer Week took place from April 14-20, 2024, which was a great opportunity to celebrate some of our outstanding volunteers within BC Hockey! Throughout the week we handed out the 2024 Fred Heslop Minor Hockey Awards! These awards recognize outstanding volunteers who have made positive impacts in their local hockey community.

2024 Fred Heslop Award Winners

Jodi Bradford - Greater Trail Minor Hockey Association

For over 30 years, Jodi Bradford has been a key hockey volunteer in Greater Trail. Jodi started coaching in 1993 alongside his father. In his time volunteering, he has estimated to have worked with more than 350 players and 50 different coaches.

Read Jodi's story HERE

Glynis Vennberg - Prince George Minor Hockey Association

Glynis Vennberg wanted to know the behind the scenes on how decisions were made, and ended up as a member of Prince George Hockey Association Board of Directors, a position she has held for the last 10 years. In those years, she has had roles from division coordinator to current president.

Learn about Glynis HERE

Lily Roberts - Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association

Showcasing the importance of female mentors and her inclusive volunteering style, Lily Roberts has left a positive impact on her community. The Vernon Female U13 Lakers coach also competed in the 2024 Esso Cup skating with the BCEHL's Thompson-Okanagan Lakers. 

Read more about Lily HERE

Samantha Barrowcliff - Alberni Valley Minor Hockey Association

From lacing up skates to being the President of Alberni Valley MHA, Samantha Barrowcliff has become a staple in her community. Samantha started out as the manager of safety and has held the titles of registrar and vice-president.

Get to know Samantha HERE

Daryl Stepaniuk - Penticton Minor Hockey Association

Daryl Stepaniuk has been a key member of Penticton MHA by motivating and mentoring kids to find their spirit on the ice. He demonstrates the importance of teaching kids it's not about winning, but finding their warrior spirit.

Read Daryl's story HERE

Thompson-Okanagan Lakers Hosted Successful 2024 Esso Cup

The BCEHL's Thompson-Okanagan Lakers U18 Female AAA team hosted the 2024 Esso Cup at Kal Tire Place in Vernon between April 21-27.

The Lakers finished in second place during the regular season with a record of 22-8-1-1 over 32 games. They then went on to win the BCEHL Championship in March after defeating the Fraser Valley Rush.

The girls played hard during their seven games. The Lakers defeated the Edmonton Junior Oilers in their round-robin matchup, which also served as the Pacific Regional Championship that added another trophy to the mantle. The Lakers earned fourth place in the nation.

Lily Roberts, who was a Fred Heslop Minor Hockey Award recipient and led the team in goals during the tournament, was awarded the Esso Most Dedicated Athlete Award and secured herself a $1000 scholarship.

Everyone at BC Hockey is proud of the dedicated players, staff, and volunteers that helped make this event a huge success.

The 2024 BC Hockey Annual Congress is just around the corner! The Penticton Lakeside Resort in Penticton, B.C. will host the annual event from June 7-8, 2024.

The theme of this year's Congress will be "The Hockey Life". There are some great seminars and speakers to look forward to including Keynote Speaker, Mike Gillis who will also be joining the Hot Stove Panel alongside BC Hockey Chair of the Board Stephanie White and Hockey Canada COO Pat McLaughin.

Click the button to view the schedule of events for what will be a great weekend!

The Return of the Mowat Cup: Revelstoke Grizzlies Capture Title!

This year, BC Hockey was proud to announce the return of the Mowat Cup after its retirement in 2017. The Cup was awarded to the winner of the BC Hockey Junior A Tier II Championship. The four-team tournament was held April 18-21, 2024 in Kimberley, B.C., where the champions of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, Pacific Junior Hockey League, and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League fought for the Cup alongside the host Kimberley Dynamiters. 

The Revelstoke Grizzlies went undefeated throughout the tournament, earning a flawless 4-0-0 record, scoring 15 goals while only conceding eight. Revelstoke hoisted the cup after notching a 3-2 overtime win versus the PJHL's Ridge Meadow Flames.

Grizzlies defender Mikkel Hrechka was awarded the Mowat Cup Most Valuable Player Award for his performance. He recorded six points (3g-3a) during the tournament, including three points (2g-1a) while on power play. Luke Aston who tallied 7 points (2g-5a) and Alexander Bronswyk who put up 5 points (4g-1a) were also key contributors for the Grizzlies.

Congratulations to the players, staff, and everyone involved with the Mowat Cup making everyone at BC Hockey proud.

Fraser Valley Thunderbirds to Host 2025 Telus Cup

At the end of April, Hockey Canada announced that the Fraser Valley Thunderbirds will host the TELUS Cup, Canada's U18 AAA Club Championship in 2025.

The tournament, scheduled for April 21-27, 2025, will take place at the Chilliwack Coliseum. It will feature the five regional champions from across Canada, along with the host Fraser Valley Thunderbirds, competing for the national championship. Over the course of six days, the teams will play 19 games.

The Thunderbirds will look to build off of last year's success, where they finished atop the U18 league standings with a record of 30-5-1-0 during the 2023-24 season.

In 2024, the TELUS Cup was held at the Membertou Sport & Wellness Centre in Membertou, Nova Scotia where the Quebec representative (Cantonniers de Magog) won gold.

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The Wilson's Group

The Wilson’s Group wishes a lively yet restful summer to members of BC Hockey and their families. We are proud to be your trusted transportation partner and look forward to serving you again as soon as you hit the ice! 

As thanks for your support, we would like to offer you a special discounted rate for our services this summer, which include the BC Ferries Connector, Gray Line Victoria Hop On Hop Off tours and the Tofino Bus. For Gray Line, please use the code: 20OFF and for the BC Ferries Connector and Tofino Bus, use the code: bchockey24

For links to these services and to find out more about the how we service our B.C. communities and visitors to our great province, go to www.gowilsonsgroup.com

Also, stay tuned. The Wilson’s Group and Victoria Hockey Legacy Society is excited to announce that plans are underway for a celebration campaign next March of the 100^th anniversary of the Stanley cup win by the Victoria Cougars. The Western Canada Hockey League’s Cougars were the last west coast team to win the cup. Stay tuned for more updates!