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PJHL pulls the plug on remainder of 2020-'21 season

For the second year in a row there will be no champion of the Pacific Junior Hockey League
Wolf Pack
The North Van Wolf Pack battle the Grandview Steelers in a game during the 2019-2020 season. For the second season in a row the PJHL will end play without declaring a champion.

For the second year in a row there will be no champion of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.

The board of governors of the Junior B league based in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley held a meeting Monday where they decided to officially end the 2020-'21 season. A handful of games were played last fall before provincial health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic ended all game play in early November. No games have been played since then, and there currently is no timetable for the return of game play for youth and minor sports in British Columbia.

“The 2020-'21 season has been very difficult on everyone, including our players and their parents, coaches, team staff and volunteers, officials, and fans,” the league stated in a release. “The PJHL would like to offer thanks to all those whose efforts helped put on the games, practices, and training for our teams this season, and made what little of the 2020-'21 season we were able to have possible. Ending the season now allows for teams to look ahead to 2021-'22 and plan for what we hope will be a full season this fall. We are ready to move forward from a disappointing and challenging 2020, and are looking forward to a fresh start.”

The move means the North Van Wolf Pack will spend at least one more year as the PJHL's reigning champs. The Wolf Pack won the championship title for the 2018-'19 season and were the favourites heading into last year’s playoffs following a record-setting 40-win season. They didn’t get a chance to finish off their dream season, however, as pandemic restrictions ended the 2019-'20 season just as the PJHL championship final was set to begin.