AJHL games between BCHL-bound teams and staying clubs cancelled

The future of the Alberta Junior Hockey League has become a little clearer – at least for the time being.

As announced earlier today, all games between the five BCHL-destined teams and the core 11 returning teams have been cancelled until further notice, shortening the season for numerous players.

“We are responding by taking steps to protect the competitive integrity of the AJHL and CJHL playoff systems and to ensure the safety of our players and officials,” the league wrote in a Jan. 25 statement.

The game cancellations are the result of an announcement made by the British Columbia Hockey League this past weekend stating that five teams from the AJHL were jumping ship to the neighbouring league next season.

The teams leaving the AJHL are the Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints.

In the following hours after the BCHL news, the AJHL released a statement on social media stating that they were informed through the announcement and no official notice had been provided by the five teams.

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— TheAJHL (@TheAJHL) January 20, 2024

The AJHL was not the only group caught off guard by the announcement.

In an article published by the Brooks Bulletin on Jan. 24, 2024, Paul Seaton, the Brooks Bandits president, said that the information entailing the five team's departures was not supposed to come out until May 1 and that nothing was signed yet, but an agreement had been reached.

Four games were immediately cancelled on the weekend, with an additional three matches being slashed on Monday – all games that featured at least one of the five departing franchises.

Until further notice, games scheduled between the 11 teams staying in the AJHL will be played while scheduled matches among the five clubs will also proceed, but no mixing of the two sides.

“Out of respect for the players on the five defecting teams, we will allow scheduled games among these clubs to proceed,” added the AJHL’s Jan. 25 statement.

This latest announcement shortens the season for all players, especially those on one of the five teams. For example, the Brooks Bandits have 17 games left on their schedule, but only five matches will allowed to proceed.

“We are working diligently with our partners – including the Canadian Junior Hockey League, Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada – to find a resolution to this unusual situation created by the five defecting teams and the BCHL and will provide updates as decisions are made,” explained the league today.

When officially complete, the move will grow the BCHL from 17 to 22 teams next season.

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— TheAJHL (@TheAJHL) January 25, 2024