Update on the 5 AJHL Teams Leaving the AJHL

We felt it important to update you all on what we view as the short term and potential longer-term impacts of Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Blackfalds Bulldogs, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints leaving the AJHL.

First some brief background, late last week news leaked that the 5-AJHL teams had secretly negotiated agreement with the BCHL to join their league in 2024-25 – WITHOUT informing the AJHL of their intentions. This leak forced the BCHL and 5-AJHL teams to make their intentions public in a formal press release. As a result, the AJHL reacted by postponing any AJHL games involving these 5-teams playing any other AJHL team, while they work with the CJHL and Hockey Canada to determine any other sanctions – as well as determine a longer-term strategy for the AJHL as a whole.

We feel it is also important to understand the background of the BCHL and their similar decision to leave Hockey Canada in 2023 off season, and the results YTD. Some of the rational the BCHL gave at the time for leaving Hockey Canada was to raise the level of play by allowing Europeans, create more
opportunities for BC born players, etc.. It is also important to know that our understanding is that NOT all BCHL teams were in agreement to leave Hockey Canada and some abstained from voting. Regretfully to date in our opinion some of these goals the BCHL had hoped to achieve have NOT been achieved
…though admittedly it is only the 1 st year playing in an UNSANCTIONED environment.

Currently, 6 of the top 10 in BCHL scoring are American born players. Also, 13 of the top 20 scorers are American born. Further, only ONE of the Canadian born players in the top 20 of scoring is from BC. The other Canadian players currently in the top 20 of scoring are from Quebec and Ontario. So, the BCHL goal of wanting to develop more BC born players is not overly evident when you look at the rosters and the current leading players.

As for Europeans in the BCHL, there currently is only 1- European skater ( Johannes Løkkeberg – Norway) in the top 50 of BCHL scoring. There is a total of 4- Europeans in the top one hundred of BCHL scoring. So, the idea of bringing HIGH IMPACT Europeans to raise the level of play in the BCHL would not appear to have occurred in this first season of UNSANCTIONED play outside Hockey Canada regulation. For goalies, Europe is well known for producing ELITE goalies yet currently there is only 1 – European goalie (Gleb Artsatbanov – Ukraine) in the BCHL Top 10 for Save %. Further, there are only 3 – BC born goalies in the Top 10 Save % and the remainder are from other provinces outside BC and /or from the USA.

So even though it is admittedly early in the process for the BCHL making and playing under their own rules, it does appear that many of their desired outcomes will materialize in the 2023-24 season.

Now back to the current situation and lively topic of the 5 – AJHL teams that collaborated and struck a deal with the BCHL to join their loop in 2024-25 without sharing those talks or that intent with the AJHL, CJHL & Hockey Canada.

Our view at TrailBlazer Hockey is that allowing ALL teams to have freedom of choice is absolutely their right and privilege. We also strongly support open competition as we feel that ultimately drives innovation and efficiencies.

With that all said, we also feel it is also important to be open and honest in one’s communication with their current league and associations they belong to – and operate under. Without that you have zero trust and everyone will be continually be looking over their shoulders. Not and ideal operating
environment as I am sure you might agree.

That brings us to the AJHL’s decision to then suspend games involving these 5 – teams and any other AJHL team not leaving. Lots of people are debating whether that is the right thing to do – or not. There are lots of good arguments supporting both sides of that decision, but ultimately governance and
leadership is put in place to make those decisions for the better of all players and organizations. And we are entrusting they are doing that given the tough situation they have been presented with. It can’t be an easy job and one we don’t envy.

Related, we also feel it important to note that in parallel to above there are some fairly strong rumours that some of the existing BCHL franchises are not happy with the new UNSANCTIONED environment and may be looking to return to the newly created Junior A leagues still operating under BC Hockey, the CJHL and Hockey Canada. This could create even more turmoil and churn over the coming off-season or two.

In summary, our observations and recommendations to our clients are the following:

• Stand pat, do NOT panic nor let these events bother you overly much at this time
• Though it is very tumultuous at this time, and there will be some short-term pain for the players involved, we are confident things will get worked out by all parties involved so that the 2024-25 season should proceed reasonably normally
• We do NOT see the AJHL ever going away, it will always exist in some format for the foreseeable future
• We also do NOT see the BCHL going away, it will always exist in some form
• Spring Tryout Camps will proceed as normal, so we will be planning same as we always do for our players – and you can do the same
• Any players who were planning to specifically attend Spring Camps for any of the 5 – AJHL teams will want to just review and consider if playing non-sanction hockey in the BCHL is what you want or if you would rather remain in the existing AJHL under CJHL and Hockey Canada. The decision is 100% up to each individual but we are happy to help you assess and decide
• Any players currently rostered or LOI’d for 2024-25 to any of the 5 – AJHL teams leaving for the BCHL, we will be working one on one with them to develop a plan unique to those individuals

We hope you find this update insightful and helpful for the interim. You can entrust that as your Advisors we will be closely monitoring the discussions and decisions that will be happening over the coming days, weeks and months and keeping you informed as best we can. But should you have any
worries or questions for us at any time please do reach out to your TrailBlazer Hockey Family Advisor at any time. We are here to support you!