For the third season in a row, the BCHL (BC Hockey League) has had to change their schedule.
The BCHL has rescheduled additional upcoming games because of travel issues in the province.
Due to ongoing floods, road closures and incoming winter weather, the league will reschedule all out-of-conference games for the remainder of the 21-22 season.https://t.co/FTsa8ztlP2 pic.twitter.com/0mstNRPDAV
— BCHL (@BCHockeyLeague) November 30, 2021
During the 2019-2020 hockey season, the season was cut short because of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the season was able to happen, but teams were put into small bubbles and played without fans and didn’t play the majority of the league. And this year, all out of conference games have been rescheduled to be played in-conference because of the ongoing floods and road closures across the province.
A look from a flyover of #BCHwy1 at Tank Hill near Lytton and Nicomen.
For the latest #BCStorm travel info, check @DriveBC's website: https://t.co/0sq39Ad5WN#TransCanadaHighway pic.twitter.com/N4zVto5vNK
— BC Transportation (@TranBC) November 15, 2021
The league consists of two conferences, interior and coastal, and each conference has 9 teams each. 17 of the teams are Canadian, and one team is from Washington (Wenatchee Wild).
(Elite Prospects)
The teams along the left side of the picture are in the Coastal Conference and the teams on the right (including the Wenatchee Wild) are in the Interior Conference.
Prince George Spruce Kings Communication Director and Play by Play Director Cole Waldie said the times are unprecedented but is thankful that the boys are still going to have a complete seasons, even though it is unknown where exactly they are going to play.
“So the league is starting a process, you know, throughout these next couple of weeks, to try and get the games rescheduled in conference. So we’re still gonna play our full 54 games season, or thing for the kids to, to get out. But it just going to be a bit of a different schedule. We’re not exactly sure sure who we’re going to play at the New Year.”
While playing teams only in conference isn’t ideal, it is much better than playing in a bubble of three teams for the entire season without any fans, like what happened last season. This season, most teams had already faced off against each other before the rescheduling started.
There isn’t too much concern for not playing against the out of conference teams throughout the rest of the season before playoffs, because the only time a match up would occur between two teams from different conference in playoffs would be in the final round.
And as for the players on how they’re feeling about the changes to the schedule, this is what Waldie had to say:
“I’m not sure if they’re incredibly affected by it. I think the only difference is that, you know, maybe a team that you think are winnable points out of conference, but you know what, we’re playing all these teams in conference so far. So why not just keep playing them? So I don’t think they’re very affected by it. I think they’re just gonna go about their business and keep on moving forward.”
To stay up to date to changes in the BCHL, make sure to check out their website.