On a personal level I have been involved with the PJHL, formerly the WCJHL dating back to 1978 and have seen various changes over time with the championship won by the Richmond Rebels in the 78-79 season.
All of which have been for the better in a manner in which to grow not just the game, but also develop players, coaches as well as some officials who have advanced to the pro level of the game.
Years back the league had a team called the Northwest Americans who were coached by Don Chipka who ran a remarkable program that saw the league under the guidance of Tom Shaw.
Since then the league has undergone various changes all working under exceptional individuals, many of whom have since passed away.
All have left a legacy that has seen the league grow, develop and has also seen the league have a name change from the West Coast Junior Hockey League to the present day Pacific Junior Hockey League.
In the 71-72 season the WCJHL operated eight clubs, namely Chilliwack Jets, Coquitlam Comets, Maple Ridge Monarchs, Nor-Wes Caps, Surrey Stampeders, Vancouver Junior Canucks and the White Rock Rangers.
The early years saw the Nor-Wes Caps win four championship in the first seven seasons, but the 70ties saw some teams become members of the Junior A league called BCJHL
The first seven seasons in the 1980s saw North Shore Flames and the Northwest Americans win seven league titles between both clubs.
The Delta Ice Hawks won their first title in the 2000-01 season after defeating the Po Coq Buckaroos in the five game series but lost to the Abbotsford Pilots in four games.
The only year that Abby failed to make the final saw the Aldergrove Kodiaks win their first title defeating the Delta Ice Hawks.
The Richmond Sockeyes won their second title in three years in 2012-13 defeating Aldergrove in four games but the following season saw the Kodiaks defeat the Sockeyes claiming their second overall title, in seven games.
As championship seasons continue to grow we are pleased to mention that the Delta Ice Hawks will be hosting the 2022 Cyclone Taylor Cup at the Ladner Leisure Centre April 7-10, 2022 that has the clubs compete in a six game round-robin series.
Depending on final stats up to Saturday evening, Sunday has two final games, with the first being the Bronze game followed by the Gold Medal final.
The tournament consists of four teams, three from the other Junior B Leagues plus the host club Delta Ice Hawks in addition to the Kootenay Junior Hockey League (KJHL), Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) and the PJHL as the host league.
In a recent conversation with Eduard Epshtein Owner/President of the Delta Ice Hawks he mentioned “The Delta Ice Hawks are pleased to host the 2022 Cyclone Taylor Cup and welcome the teams, families and officials to the City of Delta.”
He continued “We look forward to making the provincial championship tournament a memory to last a lifetime for players and fans, while showcasing the great facilities, accommodations, and businesses that Delta has to offer.”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Delta Ice Hawks were selected to host the 2021 Cyclone Taylor Cup.
Once the event was cancelled, the team immediately indicated their interest in hosting the event in the future. After consultation with BC Hockey and the three leagues involved in the tournament, the 2022 Cyclone Taylor Cup was again awarded to the Ice Hawks.
PJHL Commissioner Trevor Alto mentioned “Hockey everywhere was affected by the pandemic and we had two seasons cut short and lost two Cyclone Taylor Cups. It was disappointing for everyone, but particularly for the Ice Hawks. However, this did not deter their organization or their desire to host this tournament. They were unwavering in their willingness to pick up where they left off and to host a first-class event in our new environment.”
Delta Mayor George Harvie mentioned “We are extremely pleased to see the Delta Ice Hawks selected to host the 2022 Cyclone Taylor Cup at the Ladner Leisure Centre.”
He continued “This is a great opportunity to showcase the Ice Hawks, our local hockey community, and this vibrant city. We look forward to welcoming visitors, players, coaches, and officials to Delta – I’ll be cheering for the Ice Hawks from the stands!”
This championship was last held in 2019 played at the Rod Brind’amour Arena in Campbell River hosted by the Campbell River Storm.
Make plans and book your tickets early so as not to be disappointed for an event you won’t want to miss.
We’ll keep you posted on the date when they will go on sale.
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