The CEO of BC Hockey says he is 乌鸦传媒渆xcited乌鸦传媒� about the decision to reclassify the province乌鸦传媒檚 three Junior B leagues to Junior A 乌鸦传媒� Tier 2.
Cameron Hope fielded questions in a press conference about the decision on Tuesday, July 25 following the announcement.
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The decision affects 45 teams in three leagues: 20 in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), 14 in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and 11 in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL).
There are still many details that need to be ironed out, Hope said.
One of the main things discussed is the opportunity for these newly designated Tier 2 teams to pursue Junior A - Tier 1 designation.
乌鸦传媒漌e乌鸦传媒檙e going to let the ecosystem settle and just be mindful of everybody乌鸦传媒檚 best pathway to end up where they want to be,乌鸦传媒� Hope said. 乌鸦传媒淭here are going to be some changes. These three leagues operate within specific geographical footprints because of how unique B.C. is.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e going to maintain that for now, but there乌鸦传媒檚 no question that as clubs strive quickly to become Tier 1 and be ready to take on more, there may be a reshuffle there, so we乌鸦传媒檒l let it take its own path, we don乌鸦传媒檛 want to force that and we don乌鸦传媒檛 want to force the time either.乌鸦传媒�
Hope also said he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 think every franchise will want to step up and ask to be evaluated to Tier 1, partially due to increased costs associated with the enhanced standards Tier 1 designation will have, in terms of practice and travel.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e going to take baby steps first, we乌鸦传媒檙e going to let everybody crawl, then we乌鸦传媒檙e going to get them all walking and those that don乌鸦传媒檛 want to walk, and certainly those that don乌鸦传媒檛 want to run, have the option of staying and just saying no, we乌鸦传媒檙e not going to be able to do this.
乌鸦传媒淏ut we want everybody to have the opportunity. So it乌鸦传媒檚 not just about raising standards and raising player experience, it is about the reality of some of the communities and some of the less-funded franchises to decide whether or not they want to take a deep breath and take a deep plunge.乌鸦传媒�
Another uncertainty that still needs to be determined is the future of the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the championship these three leagues compete for each year.
乌鸦传媒淚n terms of the Cyclone Taylor Cup, we乌鸦传媒檙e open to suggestions on that one that乌鸦传媒檚 on the list of things to figure out what to do,乌鸦传媒� Hope said. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a storied and historic part of B.C. Hockey and we have to figure that out.乌鸦传媒�
The application for Junior A status came after the BC Hockey League decided to leave Hockey Canada to become independent, leaving a Junior A void in B.C.
Hockey Canada and the Western Hockey League (WHL), Hope said, have been very receptive to this reclassification, as it keeps a credible pathway within sanctioned hockey very soon after BCHL乌鸦传媒檚 departure.
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乌鸦传媒淲e have a lot of players that they hope will end up in the WHL in our system, and that development path is critical to them,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淯ltimately it乌鸦传媒檚 not a good thing to have a big, strong branch like ours out here in B.C. not represented at the Centennial Cup and not represented nationally.
乌鸦传媒淎nd so step by step, we乌鸦传媒檒l get these leagues乌鸦传媒n shape to knock on the door of the CJHL and be able to join that group, so they乌鸦传媒檙e keenly interested.乌鸦传媒�
In terms of what fans can expect this coming season when they go see their local teams play, Hope said the changes are mainly going to be things the fans don乌鸦传媒檛 see.
乌鸦传媒淭he things that are happening behind the scenes in terms of the standards for the player experience, which is where we乌鸦传媒檙e focused here, and for that development path, are the things that are going to change,乌鸦传媒� he said.
乌鸦传媒淭hat will ultimately translate into players that are playing at a higher level, there乌鸦传媒檒l be different standards in terms of how they乌鸦传媒檙e travelling and how they乌鸦传媒檙e practicing and whether or not that乌鸦传媒檚 visible to the fans right away. I don乌鸦传媒檛 know but it乌鸦传媒檚 exciting.乌鸦传媒�
paul.rodgers@kimberleybulletin
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