The Vernon Vipers will begin the 2024-25 B.C. Hockey League regular season with a three-game road trip.
The Snakes will play opening night Friday, Sept. 20, in Trail against the Smoke Eaters, and continue on to Cranbrook to visit the Bucks Saturday, Sept. 21.
The following Friday, Sept. 27, Vernon will be in West Kelowna to play the Warriors in the front-end of a home-and-home series between the Interior West Division rivals. The Warriors will be the guests for Vernon's home opener the next night, Saturday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. at Kal Tire Place.
The two rivals will clash three times in Vernon's first seven games.
With the integration of the five former Alberta Junior League teams into this year’s schedule, the 21 teams will play 54 games each. The BCHL lost its longest consecutive running franchise, the Merritt Centennials, to the Kootenay International Junior A Hockey League.
The 2024-25 schedule includes 91 per cent prime night games on Fridays, Saturdays or team-preferred holiday dates.
“2024-25 is set to be a monumental season for the BCHL, in more ways than one,” said commissioner Steven Cocker. “The full integration of our five new members, soon-to-be-announced event alliances and an elite group of incoming athletes are going to set the stage for an incredible year.”
The current schedule does not include exhibition games, BCHL Showcase games or Road Show event games, all of which will be announced in the coming weeks, along with their locations.
As previously announced in the BCHL’s Annual General Meeting recap, the league will have a new configuration this year with the addition of the Alberta teams.
The Blackfalds Bulldogs, Brooks Bandits, Okotoks Oilers, Sherwood Park Crusaders and Spruce Grove Saints will join the Bucks in the Interior Conference's East Division.The Interior West includes the Vipers, Warriors, Smoke Eaters, Salmon Arm Silverbacks, and Penticton Vees.
The Prince George Spruce Kings have been moved to the Coastal Conference's East Division, joining the Chilliwack Chiefs, Coquitam Express, Langley Rivermen, and reigning league champion Surrey Eagles.
The Coastal West Division features the four Vancouver Island squads – Alberni Valley Bulldogs, Nanaimo Clippers, Cowichan Valley Capitals, and Victoria Grizzlies – and the Powell River Kings.
The Interior West will play four games against each of the Interior East teams, two at home, two on the road.
First Alberta team to visit Vernon will be Sherwood Park Saturday, Nov. 9, for a 6 p.m. start. The Snakes' first foray to Alberta will be a jaunt to Okotoks Sunday, Oct. 20. The game is slated to start at 3:20 p.m. Pacific time.
Vernon will play 26 home games with all but four being on Friday (7 p.m. starts) and Saturday (6 p.m.). The Vipers' lone mid-week game is a 7 p.m. start Wednesday, Oct. 30, against the Grizzlies. There will be three Sunday afternoon games, each beginning at 2 p.m. Pacific, against Salmon Arm Nov. 24, Brooks Feb. 2, and Spruce Grove March 16.
The BCHL will continue with its existing playoff structure with the first seed in each conference playing the eighth seed in the first round, the second playing the seventh seed, and so on. Five teams will not make the playoffs – two from the Coastal and three from the Interior.
The BCHL Showcase is slated for Oct. 13-17; the all-star weekend is set for Jan. 17-18, and the BCHL Road Show will go Feb. 15-16.
