Kootenay International Junior Hockey League

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Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Founded1966, 57 years ago
CommissionerJeff Dubois
No. of teams20
Countries Canada  United States
Most recent
champion(s)
Kimberley Dynamiters (2023)
Most titlesCranbrook Colts11
TV partner(s)hockeytv.com
Official websitekijhl.ca
50 Years: 1966-2016

The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a Junior A Tier 2 ice hockey league in British Columbia, Canada sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Cup competes with the champions of the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League(VIJHL) for the Cyclone Taylor Cup, the British Columbia Provincial Title.

History[edit]

Early history: 1966–1980[edit]

The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League was founded in 1966 as the West Kootenay Junior Hockey League. Five teams joined the league in its first year and started play in the 1969–70 season. They included the Trail Jr. Smoke Eaters, the Nelson Plaza Oilers, the Castlegar Apollos, the Grand Forks Border Bruins, and the Rossland Warriors. The Smoke Eaters won the inaugural league championship, advancing to the provincial championship. The next year, Castlegar would withdraw from the league, leaving only four teams. In 1971–1972, the Spokane Valley Kings and Cranbrook Colts joined the league, raising the number of teams to six, and incorporating an American team for the first time. Furthermore, the Nelson Plaza Oilers were renamed the Nelson Leafs. For 1972–73, the league was rebranded the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League. In this season, the Kimberley Knights joined the league, while the Grand Forks Border Bruins took a leave of absence. In 1973–74 the league expanded again, incorporating a Fernie-based team. The league did not expand for two years after this point, during a period dominated by the Colts. The next expansion occurred in 1976–77, when the Creston Clippers and the Castlegar Rebels joined the league, and the Rebels won the league championship in their debut season. Columbia Valley joined in 1978–79 season, thus bringing the league to a total of 10 teams, an all-time high.

1980–1990[edit]

In the 1981–82 season, Fernie would withdraw from the league, while the Elk Valley Raiders (Sparwood) would join in their place. The following year, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks would join, bringing the league to a total of 12 teams. Creston would withdraw from the league in 1985, and Nelson, Elk Valley and Grand Forks would do the same in 1986. Elk Valley and Grand Forks would return the next year and Nelson in 1989. The 1980s were largely dominated by the Cranbrook Colts with a 6 championship winning streak.

1990–2000[edit]

In 1990, the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League was formed, creating a level of competition between the two geographic rival leagues. Cranbrook and Kimberley would depart the league in 1991, while the Golden Rockets would enter. The Rossland Warriors would return to the league the following season after a lengthy absence. In 1993–94, the KIJHL gained two new teams in the form of the North Okanagan Kings and the Revelstoke Grizzlies. North Okanagan won the league title in their first year. The following year, Elk Valley and Nelson would depart the league, while the Sicamous Eagles would join. The Eagles, too, won the league in their debut season. In 1996–97, the Castlegar Rebels relocated to Osoyoos, who played one season under the Rebels name, before being renamed the Heat. Castlegar was granted an expansion franchise in 1998–99, who was named the Rebels. In 1999–2000, the Nelson Leafs rejoined the KIJHL, winning the title in their first season back, and the Rossland Warriors relocated for a single season to Summerland. The 1999–2000 Summerland Warriors had the distinction of never having won a game, finishing their only season with a record of 0-45-0, conceding 485 goals in 45 games.

2000–2010[edit]

The 2000–01 season saw the folding of the Summerland Warriors and the creation of the Creston Valley Thunder Cats. In 2001–02, the league was split from two to three divisions, the Neil Murdoch, Eddie Mountain, and Okanagan/Shushwap. Along with the division re-alignment, the North Okanagan Kings relocated to Enderby, becoming the Enderby Ice Kings. The Osoyoos Heat took on the name the Osoyoos Storm, and an expansion franchise was granted to Summerland, which took the name Summerland Sting. 2001–02 also saw the presence of the KIJHL's most accomplished alumnus, Shea Weber, who played for the league champions Sicamous Eagles for this single season. In 2002–03, the Princeton Posse joined the league, becoming the furthest west team in the KIJHL, and the Enderby Ice Kings folded after one season. In 2004–05, the Fernie Ghostriders joined the league from the North American Hockey League, and the following year the Golden Rockets were renamed the Golden Xtreme. They were renamed again the following year, this time becoming the Golden Jets. Also, 2006–07 saw the demise of the Osoyoos Storm, who moved to Kamloops Storm, while retaining the Storm name. In 2007–08, the league was divided into two conferences, which were furthermore split into two divisions each, dropping the Okanagan Shushwap, while creating the Eddie Mountain Conference, East and West Divisions, and likewise with the Neil Murdoch Conference. The Golden Xtreme was again renamed, this time reverting to the Rockets name. Furthermore, the Chase Chiefs joined the league in 2007–08, while the Fernie Ghostriders would capture the league title. There were no team changes in 2008–09, and the Nelson Leafs would capture the league title. In 2009–10, however, the Summerland Sting were forced to relocate to nearby Penticton, taking the name Penticton Lakers. Furthermore, an expansion team was granted to Armstrong, and the North Okanagan Knights were founded.

2010–2020[edit]

In the 2010–11 season, the Osoyoos Coyotes were formed, and won the league title in their debut season, while the Chase Chiefs relocated to Rutland, Kelowna to become the Kelowna Chiefs. The following year, two expansion franchises were granted to Chase and Summerland, and the Chase Heat and Summerland Steam were formed. The 2012–13 season saw no team changes, while the Castlegar Rebels won the league title. The following year, 2013–14, the Penticton Lakers were forced into relocation to 100 Mile House due to low ticket sales, which stemmed from playing in the neighbouring arena to that of the Jr. A Penticton Vees, whose national success offered difficult competition. The new team was branded the 100 Mile House Wranglers. The following year again saw no team changes, and the Kimberley Dynamiters won the league title. In 2015–16, the Grand Forks Border Bruins made the playoffs for the first time in 19 years, a provincial Jr. B record and the 100 Mile House Wranglers won the Keystone Cup; the Cyclone Taylor Cup and the KIJHL Championship in their third only season against the previous year's champion, the Dynamiters. The 2016–17 season marks the KIJHL's 50th anniversary, with the Creston Valley Thunder Cats hosting the Cyclone Taylor Cup. Prior to the 2019–20 KIJHL season, the Okanagan Division was renamed the Bill Ohlhausen Division along with the KIJHL Championship renamed the Teck Cup for sponsorship reasons.

2020-present[edit]

The Teck Cup not awarded in 2020 due to the league suspended operations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Dubois was later named the new commissioner. In June 2023, following the British Columbia Hockey League's decision to leave Hockey Canada sanctioning, the KIJHL applied for Junior A status from BC Hockey, on July 25, 2023, BC Hockey announced that three BC Junior B leagues, the KIJHL, PJHL, and VIJHL, were being promoted to Junior A under a new Tier 2 status starting in the 2023–24 season. BC Hockey is evaluating their Junior A Tier 2 program and will be selecting teams from all three leagues to be promoted to Junior A Tier 1 under a new league to replace the BCHL. This also marks the return to BC Junior A for five KIJHL franchises: the Castlegar Rebels, Creston Valley Thunder, Kimberley Dynamiters, Nelson Leafs, and Fernie Ghostriders, since the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League (RMJHL) ceased operations in 1999. The Spokane Braves also returned to the KIJHL for the 2023–24 hockey season for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that shortened the KIJHL 2019–20 season, ending their nearly four season hiatus from the KIJHL due to travel restrictions from international travel. The 2023–24 hockey season also raised the limit of 20-year-old players from five to six players per team. The last Junior "B" player transaction from the KIJHL occurred on July 24, 2023, with a defenceman traded from the Grand Forks Border Bruins of the KIJHL to the Regina Capitals of the PJHL (Prairie Junior Hockey League) in Saskatchewan for future considerations.

In 2023, governing body BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its junior hockey framework following the departure of its only Junior A league.[1] The three Junior B leagues (PJHL, KIJHL and VIJHL) were summarily designated as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to conduct an independent evaluation of those teams seeking to be promoted to "Junior A Tier 1". It was expected that those teams promoted to Tier 1 would eventually apply for membership in the CJHL.[2] The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024—25 season.[3]

On March 22, 2023, it was announced that the Summerland Steam franchise has been sold and relocated to Williams Lake for the 2024-25 season, where they will now be known as the Mustangs and play out of the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Centre.[4]

Teams[edit]

Division Team City Arena Founded Joined Head Coach Captain
Kootenay Conference
Eddie Mountain Columbia Valley Rockies British Columbia Invermere, BC Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena 1978 Emery Olauson

(2022)

Creston Valley Thunder Cats British Columbia Creston, BC Johnny Bucyk Arena 1992 2000 Bill Rotheisler
(2020)
Fernie Ghostriders British Columbia Fernie, BC Fernie Memorial Arena 1991 2004 Jeff Wagner
(2018)
Golden Rockets British Columbia Golden, BC Golden Arena 1991 Chuck Wight (2020)
Kimberley Dynamiters British Columbia Kimberley, BC Kimberley Civic Centre 1972 1972–1990; 2001–present Derek Stuart
(2016)
Ryan Bennett
Neil Murdoch Beaver Valley Nitehawks British Columbia Fruitvale, BC Beaver Valley Arena 1981 Terry Jones
Castlegar Rebels British Columbia Castlegar, BC Castlegar Community Complex 1976 1976–1996; 1998–present Arnie Caplan
(2021)
Josh Wiens
Grand Forks Border Bruins British Columbia Grand Forks, BC Jack Goddard Memorial Arena 1969 Dave Hnatiuk
(2021)
Ray Warrack
Nelson Leafs British Columbia Nelson, BC Nelson Community Complex 1968 1968–1994; 1999–present Briar McNaney
(2023)
To be announced
Spokane Braves Washington (state) Spokane, WA Eagles Ice Arena 1971 1971–2020; 2023–present Michael Bay
(2024)
To be announced
Okanagan/Shuswap Conference
Doug Birks 100 Mile House Wranglers British Columbia 100 Mile House, BC South Cariboo Recreation Centre 2013 Dale Hladun
(2014)
Kolby Page
Chase Heat British Columbia Chase, BC Art Holding Memorial Arena 2011 Brad Fox
(2011)
Kamloops Storm British Columbia Kamloops, BC McArthur Island Sports & Events Centre 2006 Geoff Grimwood
(2021)
Revelstoke Grizzlies British Columbia Revelstoke, BC Revelstoke Forum 1993 Ryan Parent
(2014)
Cole Berg
Sicamous Eagles British Columbia Sicamous, BC Sicamous District Recreation Centre 1994 Tyler Gunn
(2019)
Bill Ohlhausen Kelowna Chiefs British Columbia Kelowna, BC Rutland Arena 2010 Ken Law
(2018)
Tyler Love
North Okanagan Knights British Columbia Armstrong, BC Nor-Val Centre 2009 Dean McAmmon
(2019)
Osoyoos Coyotes British Columbia Osoyoos, BC Osoyoos Sunbowl Arena 2010 Carter Rigby
(2019)
Princeton Posse British Columbia Princeton, BC Princeton District Multipurpose Arena 2002 Mark McNaughton
(2017)
Summerland Steam British Columbia Summerland, BC Summerland Arena 2011 Mark MacMillan
(2021)
Everett Scherger
2010-11 KIJHL Team Location Map

Teck Cup Champions[edit]

Year Winning team Coach Losing team Coach Games Winning goal
1970 Trail Smoke Eaters Rossland Warriors
1971 Trail Smoke Eaters Rossland Warriors
1972 Trail Smoke Eaters Cranbrook Colts
1973 Cranbrook Colts Rossland Warriors
1974 Cranbrook Colts Grand Forks Border Bruins
1975 Cranbrook Colts Trail Smoke Eaters
1976 Cranbrook Colts Rossland Warriors
1977 Castlegar Rebels Cranbrook Colts
1978 Castlegar Rebels Creston Clippers
1979 Trail Smoke Eaters Spokane Flames
1980 Kimberley Knights Trail Smoke Eaters
1981 Trail Smoke Eaters Cranbrook Colts
1982 Cranbrook Colts Trail Smoke Eaters
1983 Cranbrook Colts Trail Smoke Eaters
1984 Cranbrook Colts Spokane Flames
1985 Cranbrook Colts Trail Smoke Eaters
1986 Cranbrook Colts Trail Smoke Eaters
1987 Cranbrook Colts Castlegar Rebels
1988 Columbia Valley Rockies Trail Smoke Eaters
1989 Columbia Valley Rockies Nelson Leafs
1990 Columbia Valley Rockies Nelson Leafs
1991 Trail Smoke Eaters Columbia Valley Rockies
1992 Nelson Leafs Spokane Braves
1993 Nelson Leafs Columbia Valley Rockies
1994 North Okanagan Kings Castlegar Rebels
1995 Sicamous Eagles Castlegar Rebels
1996 Castlegar Rebels Sicamous Eagles
1997 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Columbia Valley Rockies
1998 Revelstoke Grizzlies Osoyoos Rebels
1999 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Revelstoke Grizzlies
2000 Nelson Leafs Sicamous Eagles
2001 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Revelstoke Grizzlies
2002 Sicamous Eagles Beaver Valley Nitehawks
2003 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Sicamous Eagles
2004 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Columbia Valley Rockies
2005 Osoyoos Storm Beaver Valley Nitehawks
2006 Sicamous Eagles Beaver Valley Nitehawks 4–1 Dustin Sobchak (0:42, first)
2007 Fernie Ghostriders Nelson Leafs 4–2 Derek Porter (11:44, second)
2008 Fernie Ghostriders Kamloops Storm 4–2 Josh McEwan (0:05, third)
2009 Nelson Leafs Kamloops Storm 4–0 Michael Spring (2:01, third)
2010 Revelstoke Grizzlies Nelson Leafs 4–1 Brad Friedrich (8:20, third)
2011 Osoyoos Coyotes Ken Law Castlegar Rebels Steve Junker 4–2 Steve Sasyniuk (19:25, first)
2012 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Terry Jones Kelowna Chiefs Ken Andrusiak 4–0 Craig Martin (9:35, second)
2013 Castlegar Rebels North Okanagan Knights 4-2 Stuart Walton 5:54, first)
2014 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Kamloops Storm 4-2 Dallas Calvin 19:19, first)
2015 Kimberley Dynamiters Jerry Bancks Kamloops Storm Ed Patterson 4–2 Jordan Busch (13:16, second)
2016 100 Mile House Wranglers Dale Hladun Kimberley Dynamiters Jerry Bancks 4–1 Brady Ward (3:57, third)
2017 Beaver Valley Nitehawks Terry Jones Chase Heat Brad Fox 3-0 Dylan Kent (7:02, second)
2018 Kimberley Dynamiters Derek Stuart Revelstoke Grizzlies Ryan Parent 4-2 Nicholas Ketola (00:20, third)
2019 Revelstoke Grizzlies Ryan Parent Kimberley Dynamiters Derek Stuart 4-1
2020 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – Teck Cup not awarded[f]
2021 Cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic - Teck Cup not awarded[f]
2022 Revelstoke Grizzlies Ryan Parent Nelson Leafs Mario DiBella 4-1
2023 Kimberley Dynamiters Derek Stuart Princeton Posse Mark Readman 4-3

NHL alumni[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "BC HOCKEY ANNOUNCES NEW JUNIOR A PATHWAY". bchockey.net. British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  2. ^ "BC HOCKEY JUNIOR A PATHWAY UPDATE". bchockey.net. British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  3. ^ "B.C. JUNIOR A LEAGUES PARTNER WITH BLACKFIN SPORTS GROUP". bchockey.net. British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  4. ^ jdubois (2024-03-22). "KIJHL approves move to Williams Lake". www.kijhl.ca. Retrieved 2024-03-24.

External links[edit]