This is the 2022-23 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League season. This is the league's 62nd season.
Membership changes[]
- On August 3, 2022 the league announced that the Spokane Braves would not be participating in the 2022-23 season due to issues involving recruiting a team that could meet Canada's COVID-19 vaccination policy to enter Canada.[1]
As a response to the British Columbia Hockey League withdrawing from Hockey Canada effective June 1, 2023; on June 17, 2023 the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League announced that it had applied with BC Hockey to be classified as Junior A for the 2023-24 season along with all of its' membership.[2] Followed by the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League announcing on July 11, 2023 that it had applied with BC Hockey to be classified as Junior A for the 2023-24 season along with all of its' membership, [3] with the Pacific Junior Hockey League expected to do the same shortly there after.[4] On July 25, 2023 BC Hockey would elevate all three leagues to Junior A Tier-II (a name which previously didn't exist in Hockey Canada's pyramid of levels for junior hockey). The teams would have to meet certain standards to have the possibility of being elevated to Junior A Tier-I in the future.[5]
Teams[]
Standings[]
Kootenay Conference[]
Eddie Mountain Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | SL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Valley Rockies | 44 | 31 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 218 | 126 | 66 |
| Kimberley Dynamiters | 44 | 28 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 136 | 106 | 62 |
| Golden Rockets | 44 | 25 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 175 | 168 | 53 |
| Fernie Ghostriders | 44 | 23 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 163 | 138 | 53 |
| Creston Valley Thunder Cats | 44 | 19 | 23 | 1 | 1 | 147 | 189 | 40 |
Neil Murdoch Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | SL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Forks Border Bruins | 44 | 25 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 146 | 133 | 53 |
| Nelson Leafs | 44 | 24 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 150 | 137 | 53 |
| Beaver Valley Nitehawks | 44 | 24 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 129 | 136 | 51 |
| Castlegar Rebels | 44 | 11 | 28 | 1 | 4 | 103 | 169 | 27 |
Okanagan/Shuswap Conference[]
Doug Birks Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | SL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revelstoke Grizzlies | 44 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 153 | 95 | 67 |
| Kamloops Storm | 44 | 26 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 145 | 105 | 57 |
| Sicamous Eagles | 44 | 26 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 158 | 111 | 55 |
| 100 Mile House Wranglers | 44 | 16 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 111 | 167 | 36 |
| Chase Heat | 44 | 10 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 93 | 194 | 24 |
Bill Ohlhausen Division[]
| Team | GP | W | L | OL | SL | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princeton Posse | 44 | 31 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 181 | 110 | 68 |
| Osoyoos Coyotes | 44 | 27 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 188 | 140 | 58 |
| North Okanagan Knights | 44 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 143 | 144 | 50 |
| Summerland Steam | 44 | 14 | 24 | 3 | 3 | 104 | 165 | 34 |
| Kelowna Chiefs | 44 | 6 | 34 | 1 | 3 | 95 | 205 | 16 |
Teck Cup Playoffs[]
Format[]
The top four teams in each division qualify for the playoffs, except due to the uneven number of teams in the Kootenay Conference, if the fifth place team in the Mountain Division finishes with a superior record they will qualify as a wild card and assume the fourth seed in the Murdoch Division.
The playoff champion advances to the 2023 Cyclone Taylor Cup for the provincial Junior B championship which is being held in Ladner, British Columbia hosted by the Delta Ice Hawks of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Division Semifinals[]
- Fernie Ghostriders defeated Columbia Valley Rockies 4 games to 2
- Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Golden Rockets 4 games to 1
- Creston Valley Thunder Cats defeated Grand Forks Border Bruins 4 games to 1
- Beaver Valley Nitehawks defeated Nelson Leafs 4 games to 2
- Revelstoke Grizzlies defeated 100 Mile House Wranglers 4 games to none
- Sicamous Eagles defeated Kamloops Storm 4 games to 3
- Princeton Posse defeated Summerland Steam 4 games to none
- North Okanagan Knights defeated Osoyoos Coyotes 4 games to 1
Division Finals[]
- Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Fernie Ghostriders 4 games to 3
- Beaver Valley Nitehawks defeated Creston Valley Thunder Cats defeated 4 games to 3
- Revelstoke Grizzlies defeated Sicamous Eagles 4 games to none
- Princeton Posse defeated North Okanagan Knights 4 games to 1
Conference Finals[]
- Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Beaver Valley Nitehawks 4 games to 2
- Princeton Posse defeated Revelstoke Grizzlies 4 games to 2
Final[]
- Kimberley Dynamiters defeated Princeton Posse 4 games to 3
The Kimberley Dynamiters advance to the 2023 Cyclone Taylor Cup.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.kijhl.ca/spokanebraveswithdrawfrom202223kijhlseason
- ↑ https://www.kijhl.ca/2023-kijhl-agm-concludes-in-sicamous
- ↑ https://www.vijhl.com/vijhl-applying-for-junior-a-status-for-2023-24-season
- ↑ https://thejuniorhockeynews.com/an-advisers-life-vijhl-also-applies-for-junior-a-status/
- ↑ https://www.bchockey.net/news-listing/bc-hockey-announces-new-junior-a-pathway