The world of Canadian junior hockey suffered an unexpected blow yesterday as it was announced in a Media Release that five teams from the AJHL are making the jump over to the BCHL.
This kind of Mid-Season mutiny has many people talking as to the future and practices of the AJHL and Hockey Canada.
Teams involved in the exodus are The Blackfalds Bulldogs, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints and the reigning Inter-Pipeline Cup AJHL Champions, The Brooks Bandits.
A media team member for a team within the AJHL had this to say about the situation,
“I’m torn on it honestly, leaving Hockey Canada and going for stronger competition is good thing for teams involved BUT I don’t like how they did it mid-season behind the leagues back. They found out through the BCHL release like the public did. Wrong way to go about it.”
Our source then continued,
“There’s already been division in the league for at least the past 5 years but this just confirms the mentality of ‘we’re too good for the teams here’ which for certain teams is true, there are some that are absolute jokes and can’t compete. Brooks and Spruce Grove have won every championship in the last decade but the league should’ve taken steps to level the playing field and they haven’t done that.”
Needless to say this last series of events has the Canadian Hockey world talking and watching closely to see what happens next for both leagues.
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