Eight former members of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) have announced that they will create their own independent league starting in 2026-27, called the Western International Junior Hockey League (WIJHL), and will no longer be affiliated with the KIJHL, Hockey Canada or BC Hockey, following the end of the 2025-26 season.
The eight Founding Members of the WIJHL are the 100 Mile House Wranglers, Castlegar Rebels, Chase Heat, Creston Valley Thunder, Golden Rockets, Kelowna Chiefs, Sicamous Eagles and Spokane Braves. This decision was made by each individual team to enhance the development opportunities for their players and families and to give their organizations greater autonomy over their future path.
The benefits of this move include greater development opportunities for players through affiliation agreements with higher levels of hockey, the ability to make decisions that are in the best interest of their organizations, an increased player pool that will raise the level of play in the league and much more.
In the coming weeks, the WIJHL’s Founding Members will provide more information about the structure of the league, future partnerships, and the next steps as we prepare for the inaugural 2026/2027 season.
