British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League Explained

Sport:Ice hockey
Founded:2006
Inaugural:2006-07
Teams:5
Headquarters:Burnaby, British Columbia
Champion:Vancouver Island University
Most Successful Club:Simon Fraser University (5)
British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League

The British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) is a university ice hockey league based in British Columbia. The BCIHL was created with the purpose of offering a venue for competitive, high-calibre hockey for players beyond their junior hockey careers. Teams play a 24-game regular season schedule, with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs consisting of a best-of-three semifinal round, and a best-of-three championship series. Prior to 2012 the championship had been decided through a round-robin tournament.

The league operates as one of two Division 2 leagues in Canada when compared to the Division 1 U Sports league, the other being Alberta's ACAC. BCIHL teams, however, regularly play U Sports and NCAA teams.

History

In 2011, the BCIHL accepted its first US-based team in Eastern Washington University, which had previously played in the American Collegiate Hockey Association at the Division II level. Before 2011, the BCIHL consisted entirely of teams from British Columbia.

The 2016–17 season would see the BCIHL get its first NHL alumni as former Montreal Canadiens forward Patrick Holland would join the University of Victoria.[1]

Vancouver Island University was confirmed as the sixth team to join the BCIHL in 2017, and joined the league for the 2017/2018 season.[2]

In 2019, Trinity Western University's men's and women's hockey programs were officially accepted into the Canada West Universities Athletic Association starting in the 2020-21 season.[3] The Spartans would finish their final season in the BCIHL as regular season champions.[4]

In March 2021, Selkirk College announced it would be discontinuing the Saints men's hockey program due to budget constraints as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] [6] This departure marked the first time a former BCIHL Champion has dissolved.

On June 22, 2021, the Okanagan Lakers were added to the BCIHL via expansion and became the league's first independent club, consisting of student-athletes from both the University of British Columbia-Okanagan and Okanagan College.[7] [8]

On February 8, 2022, the Logan Lake Miners were added to the BCIHL via expansion, consisting of student-athletes from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology in Merritt. The team plays out of the Logan Lake Recreation Centre.

In addition to the Okanagan Lakers, the BCIHL is currently reviewing expansion proposals for two other teams: the Thompson Okanagan Pioneers and the Fraser Valley College Brigade.[9]

Teams

InstitutionTeam NameLocationJoined BCIHLChampionshipsChampionship YearsWebsite
Simon Fraser UniversitySFU Red Leafs Burnaby, British Columbia200652008, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2023sfuhockey.com[10]
University of VictoriaUVic Vikes Victoria, British Columbia200642007, 2009, 2012, 2017vikeshockey.com[11]
Vancouver Island UniversityVIU Mariners Nanaimo, British Columbia201712024viuha.ca[12]
University of British Columbia-Okanagan / Okanagan CollegeOkanagan Lakers Kelowna, British Columbia20210okanaganlakers.com[13]
Thompson Rivers University / Nicola Valley Institute of TechnologyLogan Lake Miners Logan Lake, British Columbia20220https://www.loganlakeminers.com/

Former teams

InstitutionLocationChampionshipsJoined BCIHLYear Left
Selkirk College Castlegar, British Columbia4 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)20072021
Trinity Western University Langley, British Columbia2 (2018, 2019)20062020
Eastern Washington University Cheney, Washington020112018
University of the Fraser Valley Abbotsford, British Columbia020062011
University of Northern British Columbia Prince George, British Columbia020062007
Okanagan College Kelowna, British Columbia020092012
Thompson Rivers University Kamloops, British Columbia020092014

Championships

The championship results for each season are listed below.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

Year Champion Runner-Up Result
2006–07 University of Victoria Simon Fraser University 4-0 (round robin)
2007–08 Simon Fraser University University of the Fraser Valley 3-1 (round robin)
2008–09 University of Victoria Simon Fraser University 3-1 (round robin)
2009–10 Simon Fraser University Thompson Rivers University 3-1 (round robin)
2010–11 Simon Fraser University Thompson Rivers University 3-1 (round robin)
2011–12 University of Victoria Simon Fraser University 4-0 (round robin)
2012–13 Selkirk College Simon Fraser University 2-0 (best-of-3)
2013–14 Selkirk College Trinity Western University 2-0 (best-of-3)
2014–15 Selkirk College Simon Fraser University 2-0 (best-of-3)
2015–16 Selkirk College Trinity Western University 2-0 (best-of-3)
2016–17 University of Victoria Trinity Western University 2-1 (best-of-3)
2017–18 Trinity Western University Selkirk College 2-0 (best-of-3)
2018–19Trinity Western UniversityVancouver Island University2-0 (best-of-3)
2019–20Playoffs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020–21Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021–22Simon Fraser UniversityVancouver Island University2-0 (championship tournament)
2022–23Simon Fraser UniversityVancouver Island University2-0 (best-of-3)
2023–24Vancouver Island UniversityUniversity of Victoria2-0 (best-of-3)

Notable players

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Former Hab Holland finds a home with Vikes hockey team. 12 May 2016 .
  2. Web site: BC Intercollegiate Hockey League - Powered By esportsdesk.com . 2023-03-17 . www.bcihl.ca.
  3. Web site: May 9, 2019. SPARTANS JOIN CANADA WEST IN MEN'S & WOMEN'S HOCKEY. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200630104608/https://gospartans.ca/news/2019/5/9/5_9_2019_712.aspx . 2020-06-30 .
  4. http://www.bcihl.ca/leagues/standingsTotals.cfm?leagueID=11139&clientID=3692
  5. Web site: Selkirk College Saints. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20101129115000/http://selkirk.ca/athletics/selkirksaints/ . 2010-11-29 .
  6. Web site: March 31, 2021. Selkirk College no longer offering men's hockey. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210407025606/http://www.bcihl.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3692&leagueID=11139&page=110694 . 2021-04-07 .
  7. Web site: BCIHL votes to grant lakers membership for 2021/22 season. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513223504/https://www.okanaganlakers.com/ . 2021-05-13 .
  8. Web site: June 24, 2021. BCIHL Announces Addition of Okanagan Lakers and 2021/22 Season Overview. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080331062612/http://www.bcihl.ca:80/leagues/newsletter.cfm?leagueID=11139&clientID=3692 . 2008-03-31 .
  9. Web site: May 13, 2021. BCIHL reviewing expansion proposals in Kamloops, Kelowna and Chilliwack. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210806000742/http://www.bcihl.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?page=110752&clientID=3692&leagueID=11139 . 2021-08-06 .
  10. http://www.sfuhockey.com/
  11. https://www.vikeshockey.com/
  12. http://www.viuha.ca/leagues/front_pageMariners.cfm?clientID=6440&leagueID=29088
  13. https://www.okanaganlakers.com/
  14. Web site: History: Championships . bcihl.ca . BC Intercollegiate Hockey League . 16 June 2024.
  15. Web site: BCIHL season wraps-up: Selkirk wins championship. 21 April 2013. HockeyNow. https://web.archive.org/web/20150108010516/http://hockeynow.ca/general/43603-bcihl-season-wraps-up-selkirk-wins-championship. 8 January 2015. dead.
  16. Web site: Selkirk College Saints Repeat as BCIHL Champions. 17 March 2014. Selkirk College.
  17. Web site: 2015 BCIHL Playoffs . BCIHL.ca . BCIHL . 2015-04-23.
  18. Web site: November 26, 2020. BCIHL announces official cancelation of 2020-21 season. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210119085318/http://www.bcihl.ca/leagues/newsletter.cfm?clientID=3692&leagueID=11139&page=110504 . 2021-01-19 .