The BC Hockey League is set to celebrate its 60th season this fall – and now the league has detailed just how they plan to mark the milestone.
On Wednesday morning, the junior ‘A’ hockey league announced a handful of plans that pay homage to the circuit’s rich history in the province, highlighted by plans for an all-star weekend three-on-three tournament in Penticton that will be played on an outdoor rink.
In addition to the outdoor event – which is planned for Jan. 14-16, 2022 – teams will wear retro jerseys at various points in the season, and each of the league’s 18 teams will also host a retro theme night. As well, the league promises “plenty of digital content” that will look back at the first 60 years of the BCHL.
“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.”
A full retro night schedule will be release in the coming weeks, the league said.
Fans will also have input and a “chance to engage in several aspects” regarding the anniversary season, including a fan vote on all-star rosters as well as all-star jerseys.
This season will be a 54-game schedule that begins in October. Last year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, teams played a short, 20-game season in various pods based throughout the province.
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