The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League has released more details of the upcoming season, including the placing of the teams who have opted to play into five cohorts.
READ MORE: KIJHL delays season to Nov. 13; three teams opt out
The cohorts — two of four teams and three of three teams, will be shuffled at the Christmas break, so that teams who are in four team cohorts will then be in three team cohorts, in order to keep everything equitable.
The Kimberley Dynamiters have been placed in a four team cohort with the Columbia Valley Rockies, Creston Valley Thundercats and Fernie Ghostriders. The Dynamiters will only play against those three teams in phase one.
Phase 1 will begin on Friday, November 13th and run for a total of six weeks, concluding Saturday, December 19th. All teams will play a total of 12 games during Phase 1.
Along with the Dynamiter cohort, the others are
Castlegar Rebels, Grand Forks Border Bruins, Nelson Leafs and Osoyoos Coyotes.
Three cohort teams:
Kelowna Chiefs, Princeton Posse and Summerland Steam.
Golden Rockets, Revelstoke Grizzlies and Sicamous Eagles.
Chase Heat, Kamloops Storm and North Okanagan Knights.
On Saturday, January 2nd, Phase 2 will begin following a 14-day Christmas break and the teams in each cohort will shift. For clubs in four-team cohorts, Phase 2 will run through the remainder of the regular season and include a total of 18 games (six against each opponent).
For the three-team cohorts, Phase 2 will last a total of four weeks through January 23rd and include eight regular season games (four against each opponent).
Clubs in three-team cohorts will see the season conclude with eight additional games as part of Phase 3 following an additional 14-day break. Beginning February 5th, the composition of the three-team cohorts will change again for another four week period that includes eight games (four against each opponent).
Clubs in three-team cohorts will also play two additional games against a regional opponent in order to complete a 30-game regular season schedule.
The KIJHL will announce its playoff structure at a later date, as guidelines concerning Phase 3 competition and cohorts may change before March 2021.
On September 4 the KIJHL held a dispersal draft, allowing the 17 active teams to choose players from the three teams who have opted out of the upcoming season, the 100 Mile House Wranglers, Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Spokane Braves.
Canadian players who completed the previous season with 100 Mile House, Beaver Valley or Spokane and have remaining junior hockey eligibility were available for selection.
The Dynamiters selected Jared Stocks and Jarred Macasso from the Beaver Valley Nitehawks.
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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