Thoughts from the BCHL AGM (part 2)

Following a second full day of meetings at the BCHL AGM in Surrey, it appears that all is well on the Junior A hockey front in British Columbia and that the 2009-10 season is starting to take shape. It also looks like at least one rule change is imminent as it starts to filter down from the NHL through the semi-pro and into the amateur leagues. This particular rule change would see a team on the power play given the added advantage of starting the odd man situation in the offensive zone.

Those weren't the only rules that were discussed on Friday night as the league handed out the rules of the game in advance of Saturday's scheduling session. Darcy Buryn, the Spruce Kings president, is one of three representatives for the team at the BCHL AGM and shared with me some of his thoughts following Friday's sessions. The first question for Darcy was to find out if everybody behaved themselves and whether or not the full agenda was dealt with.


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Depending on how long the scheduling portion of the AGM goes, a first realization of the 2009-10 schedule could be available here first on Saturday night. Already it is known that the schedule will feature a full interlock and I for one think that is a good thing. Despite last season's experiment with the half interlock that received mixed reviews, I think it is the fans that will benefit from being able to see every other team at least once in the regular season.

Although the full interlock schedule will mean a few more games spread around, the regional weighted approach will still ensure a few extra games against teams in close proximity to one another. For the Spruce Kings, the addition of the Williams Lake Timberwolves will inevitable bring down the higher total of games played against the Quesnel Millionaires and Merritt Centennials. With only complete speculation guiding me, my guess would be no more than eight games against the Millionaires and Timberwolves, six games against the Merritt Centennials and Vernon Vipers. That would leave four games against the remaining four teams in the Interior Division with an expectation of playing double headers against the Trail Smoke Eaters.