The Columbia Valley Rockies, Fernie Ghostriders and Kimberley Dynamiters are preparing to begin a new era of Junior A hockey as the British Columbia Hockey Conference opens its inaugural 2026-27 season.
The BCHC has released its regular-season schedule, divisional alignment and playoff format for the league’s first season, which features 22 member clubs competing in a 50-game schedule.
The three East Kootenay clubs will compete in the six-team Kootenay Division alongside the Beaver Valley Nitehawks, Grand Forks Border Bruins and Nelson Leafs. The top four teams in the division will advance to the 2027 BCHC playoffs.
Kimberley will be the first of the East Kootenay teams to hit the ice, hitting the road to take on the Nelson Leafs on Friday, Sept. 18, at the Nelson Community Complex. That same evening, the Columbia Valley Rockies visit the Kamloops Storm at McArthur Park Arena, while the Fernie Ghostriders travel to Grand Forks to face the Border Bruins at Jack Goddard Memorial Arena.
Fernie returns to action the following night with a visit to the Beaver Valley Nitehawks before travelling to Nelson on Sunday, Sept. 20, to take on the Leafs.
Kimberley also remains on the road on Saturday, Sept. 19, with a game against the Border Bruins in Grand Forks, while Columbia Valley visits the Merritt Centennials that same night.
The BCHC’s inaugural regular season begins Thursday, Sept. 10, when the Delta Ice Hawks visit the Richmond Sockeyes. Each team will play 25 home games and 25 road games, with 550 games scheduled across B.C.
Teams will remain within their divisions through the first two rounds of the playoffs. The Kootenay Division champion will then face the Interior Division champion in the league semifinals, with the winners advancing to the 2027 Mowat Cup final.
The playoff schedule opens with the division semifinals on Friday, March 5, followed by the division finals on March 19, the league semifinals on April 2 and the Mowat Cup final on April 16.
Opening games for East Kootenay teams
- Friday, Sept. 18: Columbia Valley Rockies at Kamloops Storm, 7 p.m. PDT
- Friday, Sept. 18: Fernie Ghostriders at Grand Forks Border Bruins, 7 p.m. PDT
- Friday, Sept. 18: Kimberley Dynamiters at Nelson Leafs, 7 p.m. PDT
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Columbia Valley Rockies at Merritt Centennials, 7 p.m. PDT
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Fernie Ghostriders at Beaver Valley Nitehawks, 7 p.m. PDT
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Kimberley Dynamiters at Grand Forks Border Bruins, 7 p.m. PDT
- Sunday, Sept. 20: Fernie Ghostriders at Nelson Leafs, 2 p.m. PDT
