PJHL CONFIRMS SEASON START DATE AND ANNOUNCES COHORTS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2020-21 SEASON
After many months of planning, the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) is set to return to the ice to begin regular game play for the 2020-21 season on October 15, 2020.
Previously, the PJHL announced a soft start date of October 15, that would allow teams to participate in regular season games beginning on that date. Teams will still have the ability to delay their start until November 1 should they choose or need more time to plan with their facility.
The 2020-21 PJHL Season will consist of a 36-game schedule to be played with teams participating within 4 cohorts. Teams will only be allowed to play games against the other teams within their cohort for the first half of the season. In December, the league will break for the required 14-day quarantine period, then the cohorts will be shuffled for the remainder of the season.
“The PJHL takes great pride in our return-to-play plan. It has been a collaborated effort involving our governing bodies, municipalities, facilities, other user groups, and our players and staff,” said Commissioner Trevor Alto.
PJHL Cohorts:
Cohort 1 – Grandview Steelers, Port Moody Panthers, Richmond Sockeyes
Cohort 2 – Abbotsford Pilots, Chilliwack Jets, Mission City Outlaws
Cohort 3 – Delta Ice Hawks, Langley Trappers, North Vancouver Wolf Pack
Cohort 4 – Aldergrove Kodiaks, Ridge Meadows Flames, Surrey Knights, White Rock Whalers
Schedules for each cohort will be announced on www.pjhl.net, as they become available.
Fans are not permitted to attend PJHL games at this time, due to current COVID-19 building restrictions. In the meantime, the PJHL is looking into various broadcast options so the games can be made available online until building restrictions are amended to allow for fans.
“Our teams have put in a lot of work getting us to this point, and we are very excited that we are able to get the season underway,” said Alto. “We understand that in returning to regular season play, we have a big responsibility of ensuring every one of our games is operated in a manner in line with our return-to-play protocol. We are very excited to get the 2020-21 season underway and look forward to giving our athletes the best development experience possible.”
