The Prince George Spruce Kings’ General Manager and Head Coach will both be sticking around the team for a while.
The team has announced GM Mike Hawes and Head Coach Alex Evin have each signed contract extensions.
Hawes signed a three-year extension.
“As a person who grew up in Prince George, I take a lot of pride in how the Spruce Kings represent our community,” Hawes said in a news release.
“It has taken a lot of work by a lot of people and I am very proud of how far the organization has come and how well respected we are throughout the BCHL and throughout the hockey world.”
Evin signed a two-year extension with the club.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to continue working for a great BCHL organization,” Evin said.
“I enjoy working alongside Mike Hawes and the rest of the team, and look forward to continuing to build on the solid foundation we have here in Prince George.”
We have extended contracts to GM Mike Hawes and HC Alex Evin.
DETAILS: https://t.co/IUatdmXEIM pic.twitter.com/0PlH0Vvcix
— Prince George Spruce Kings (@SpruceKings) May 1, 2023
In addition to today’s (Monday) announcement, the BCHL announced the league will become an independent league.
The league’s Board of Governors has voted to not renew their agreement with Hockey Canada, meaning its 18 franchises will operate outside of Hockey Canada’s system as of June 1st.
“The BCHL sends more players to NCAA Division I teams than all other junior hockey leagues in Canada combined,” said BCHL Chairman Graham Fraser.
“During the past season, there were 411 BCHL alumni on NCAA rosters, making up nearly a quarter of all Division I college hockey. That is exciting, but we aspire to do more for players and to provide a higher level of hockey for our fans.”
In a release, the league noted some of the challenges of the current system revolve around eligibility both before and after junior hockey.
They said the “new era” of BCHL hockey will include:
- More NCAA and U Sports scholarships: With a higher level of hockey, the BCHL anticipates more players will earn scholarships to Division I schools in the NCAA and U Sports while playing in the league.
- Exciting new Events:Â The BCHL will continue to enhance its series of events, including the potential of a post-playoff tournament that celebrates the skill level of its players.
- Larger player pool:Â The BCHL will now be able to recruit U18 players from other provinces, as well as from the USA and outside of North America.
- Higher Standards:Â The BCHL will continue to use its new scorecard system with the goal of making improvements that will ultimately benefit all teams and the league as a whole.
- League Office Reorganization. Â