Message from BC Hockey

Last year, the word “authenticity” was selected as the Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s word of the year. At the time, I wrote that I liked it, because authenticity has always been a driver of what we all do in delivering hockey in our communities. This year, I think Merriam-Webster nailed it again in selecting “POLARIZATION” as the word of the year. Again, I think it hits the nail on the head. Of course, we’re all bombarded every day with reminders of how much disagreement there seems to be out there. Sure, our friends, families and neighbours have always had political opinions, economic views, and thoughts on social issues. It feels different now – as if everyone wants everyone else to know how they feel, and our technology and media are there to make sure it happens.  

Does it strike anyone else as ironic that this pervasive feeling that we don’t agree on much is the one thing we can all agree on?

Hockey has no special immunity to this issue, and in fact, in some ways the varying opinions on how to best deliver our game have always been a topic. If you’re reading this, you might be a referee, coach, volunteer, wondering if all the hours you put in are making a difference, with your own opinions on ways we can improve. Or you might work at a hockey academy or be involved in the higher performance end of our game – AAA hockey or a Junior League – struggling to make sense of a landscape where teams and players are strangely divided up in sanctioned and non-sanctioned programs. You might be a parent just trying to figure out why your local minor hockey association operates the way it does, or why your ice times always seem to be so early on Saturday, at that rink so far away! Facing and solving challenges is something we all share, and having diverse opinions – even sometimes serious disagreements - on how to tackle these things is part of the process. 

So…. Polarization? Yeah, it’s a thing. The way I see it, if it’s all around us, we might as well embrace it. Seek to understand our differences if we can, and keep our eyes on what we most certainly all have in common: that collectively delivering our game to our 60,000 participants in B.C. and Yukon is well worth the effort. Yes, we have disagreements in our game, and inequities. Participants in some locations enjoy more choice and more resources than others do, and we have the urgent challenge of rebuilding an aspirational piece our development model with some high performance and Junior programs testing the waters outside of Hockey Canada’s historical umbrella. We’ll sort it out, because we need to, and because the physical, mental, and social benefits of sport transcend these individual opinions about specific delivery models for sport. These things transcend politics and power play theory and everything in between.  

Which brings me to the here and now. Spring! Championships! The TELUS Cup in Chilliwack in April! Whatever the spring and summer has in store for you and your family, BC Hockey and Hockey Canada (and all of our member associations and programs) are here and ready to serve. Our game is strong and healthy. Our numbers are up again, across the board this year, to record levels. Yes, you read that correctly – participant registration in 2024-25 vaulted past our highest pre-pandemic levels. We have more players, more coaches, and more officials than ever before in B.C. and Yukon, and we’ve already begun planning for another record year in 2025-26.

That’s future talk. For now, enjoy our polarized world – perhaps even take a moment to engage with your friends and neighbours about global affairs, or cryptocurrency, or Nickelback, or why you should be selecting Canada’s next World Junior team – and then enjoy the spring weather, and think about attending our BC Hockey Summit in Whistler in June. If you do come to Whistler, all ideas and opinions are more than welcome!

Cameron Hope - Chief Executive Officer

Championship Season is Around the Corner!

Get ready for championship action!

The countdown to championship season is on, and players from all corners of B.C. and Yukon are gearing up to start their quest for the championship banner.

Teams in the U13, U15 and U18 categories are looking forward to competing for 15 BC Hockey championships in 15 different locations across B.C!

In Prince Rupert, the Senior Male AA Championship is set to unfold. Hosted by the Rupert Rampage, teams will battle it out for the Coy Cup from March 25-29, 2025, at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.

In the Junior A Tier 2 category, the champions from the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) will go head-to-head in a best-of-five series for the Mowat Cup in April. The series kicks off with the PJHL champion hosting Games 1 and 2, then the competition shifts to the KIJHL champions' turf for the remaining games, including Games 4 & 5, if necessary.

For all the latest details, including dates, venues, and hosting teams, check out the Championship page on the BC Hockey website by clicking the button below.

BC Hockey Award Nominations Now Open

Every year, BC Hockey honours members and volunteers who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the growth and management of hockey in B.C. and Yukon through the BC Hockey Awards. These awards celebrate remarkable contributions across every level of the sport, from grassroots players to the volunteer Executive Committee in eight categories. A committee reviews all submissions before choosing the winners.

For this year’s awards, we’ll be going virtual, posting the winners on BC Hockey’s social media channels. This new approach will let us shine a spotlight on each award, while also celebrating this year's recipients.

Below is the list of awards available for nomination. Click HERE for a detailed description for each award.

• Diamond Stick Award
• Chair of the Board Award
• Indigenous Impact and Legacy Award
• Life Members' Volunteer - Executive Award
• Minor Hockey Association of the Year - Frank Spring Award
• Official of the Year Award
• Coach of the Year - Ernie Gare Award
• Safety Recognition Award
• Mike Landucci Development Award - Officiating
• Development Award - Coaching

Nominations close on April 15, 2025!

The TELUS Cup is Coming to the Fraser Valley!

The best of U18 AAA hockey in Canada comes to the Fraser Valley this spring!

The BCEHL's Fraser Valley Thunderbirds will host the TELUS Cup, Canada's U18 AAA Club Championship from April 21-27, 2025, at the Chilliwack Coliseum. The tournament will consist of the host Thunderbirds, and the five regional champions from across Canada, competing for the national championship.

The Thunderbirds' first game is scheduled for Monday, April 21 at 7:00 p.m. With tons of talent set to take the ice at the TELUS Cup, it's poised to be an awesome week of hockey!

During the tournament there's set to be some interactive events going on at the Chilliwack Coliseum all week long!

Check out the buttons below to get all the info!

Have You Registered For The Summit Yet?

Nominate Someone For a Heslop Award!

Applications are still OPEN for the 2025 Fred Heslop Minor Hockey Awards until March 25, 2025, and recognize the exceptional volunteers who make a significant impact on hockey in B.C. and Yukon. These awards are a part of National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 27 - May 3, 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the hardworking individuals who help keep our hockey communities thriving.

Do you know an outstanding volunteer who has done the following:

• Exceeded expectations to create a positive influence in their hockey community
• Achieved notable accomplishments
• Contributed meaningfully to enhance programs within their Minor Hockey Association
• Set an outstanding example for fellow volunteers

Nominate them for a Heslop award HERE!

Don’t forget to include photos with your nomination to help showcase the incredible work of these volunteers!

A total of five awards will be presented during National Volunteer Week, with nominations closing on March 25, 2025.

Join Our Board of Directors!

It's the final call for BC Hockey's Board of Director applications as the deadline is March 27, 2025!

The Board of Directors play a key role in guiding and overseeing BC Hockey. They are responsible for making sure that essential systems, like finances, policies, and procedures, are in place to support BC Hockey's operations. 

BC Hockey's Board of Directors will welcome new members this summer as four seats will become available in June!

If you are interested in joining the BC Hockey Board of Directors:

• Step One: Complete the Board of Directors Application for Nomination by clicking HERE
• Step Two: Complete the BC Hockey Board Competency & Skills Matrix Survey HERE

Do you think you've got what it takes? Do you want to get involved and make a difference in the future of hockey? If yes, click the button below to get all the details and apply!

The deadline for applications is March 27, 2025!

2025 Program of Excellence Season Preview

The 2025 Program of Excellence (POE) season is gearing up!

The Male and Female POE programs will hold Identification Camps (formerly Regional Camps) this spring. From these camps, a selection of athletes from the Male and Female camps will be chosen to move onto the next stages of the Program of Excellence.

Female POE

Female U16/U18 Identification Camps are open for registration for the 2025 Program of Excellence (POE) season. Athletes born between 2008 and 2011 are eligible to participate in these camps.

Players Registration: Click HERE.

Goalie Registration: Click HERE.

The deadline to register for the camps is April 1, 2025.

After Identification Camps, a select group of athletes will move on to the next steps of the Program of Excellence, which include Provincial Camp and September Camp.

The Female U18 roster will compete as Team BC at the 2025 National Women's U18 Championship, taking place in November.

Male POE

BC Hockey’s 2025 Program of Excellence's (POE) Male U15/U16 Identification Camps are just around the corner!

Registration is now closed for the Male Camps.

When the camps have concluded, a number of athletes from each age category will be selected to move on to the next phases of the Program of Excellence.

For U15 players, the final stage will take place in May at the U15 Provincial Tournament.

Only the top U16 athletes will advance and compete in the BC Cup. This is then followed by athletes moving on to Provincial Camp.

The U16 team will represent Team BC at the 2025 WHL Cup, which will be held in October.

BC Hockey's 'The Onside' Comics - Celebrating Sanctioned Hockey

In November, BC Hockey began rolling out a series of seven animated cartoons designed to emphasize the value of sanctioned hockey and celebrate its positive influence. These cartoons illustrate the many benefits that members gain from participating in sanctioned hockey.

These cartoons are available on BC Hockey’s website and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and X).

BC Hockey Products on International Stages

Over the last few months, BC Hockey products have made their mark on various tournaments around the globe.

2024 International Para Hockey Cup



Team Canada competed in the 2024 Para Hockey Cup in Charlottetown, P.E.I. from December 8-14, 2024.

With Smithers, B.C. native Adam Kingsmill between the pipes, Canada took home the silver medal.

Way to go, Adam!

2025 U18 Women's World Championship

Team Canada took home the Gold Medal at the U18 Women's World Championship in Vantaa, Finland, from January 4-12, 2025, and were led by a pair of BC Hockey products!

During the tournament, Danica Maynard (South Okanagan MHA) provided four points (1g-3a). Meanwhile, Chloe Primerano (North Shore Winter Cub) chipped in with 10 points (4g-6a), earning the Best Defender award for the second year in a row and a spot on the Media All-Star Team.

With a total of 37 points (18g-19a) in 21 games, Chloe became the all-time leading scorer for the Canadian Women’s Under-18 team.

Congratulations Chloe and Danica!

2025 4 Nations Face-Off



Congratulations to the four BC Hockey products who took home the Gold Medal with Team Canada at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off from February 12-20, 2025.

• Sam Reinhart (Hollyburn MHA) who walked away with four apples during the tournament.

• Devon Toews (Abbotsford MHA)

• Shea Theodore (Aldergrove MHA)

• Head Coach Jon Cooper (Prince George native)

Buddy Check for Jesse

Buddy Check for Jesse, founded in memory of Jesse Short-Gershman by his father Dr. Stu Gershman, aims to foster meaningful conversations about mental health among youth hockey players. The program can help provide coaches with resources to facilitate supportive team environments, reducing mental health stigma in the hockey community.

Over the past six years, numerous associations and coaches have participated in organizing Buddy Check events, which typically include Coaches' Chats designed to help athletes discuss mental health in a safe space. Players also receive green Buddy Check swag as a symbol of solidarity, making the initiative both impactful and a way to promote well-being in the sport.

For more information or to start planning your event, please contact events@buddycheckforjesse.com and check out their website and extensive social media footprint: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube

#BuddyCheckForJesse

With the season in full force, there is lots going on surrounding BC Hockey. Check out some additional Quick Hits below:

• Celebrating Sherry Wakelin on International Women's Day
• BCHC and BC Hockey Announce Details for the 2025 Mowat Cup
• BCEHL Player Profile - Reed Russell and Jasper Wood - U17 Okanagan Rockets
• BCEHL Player Profile - Avery Lowe - U18 Valley West Giants
• BCEHL Story: The Drapack Drop
• BC Hockey Junior A Feature - Port Coquitlam Trailblazers
• 2024-25 BFL Canada Women in Coaching Award Nominations Open

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