The 28th edition of the Chilliwack Bantam Tourney starts this Friday with all of the top teams in BC, plus at least two of the top Alberta clubs, in contention for top honors.
The tourney will feature four pools with a top seed in each pool. Most games will be played at the original Twin Rinks facility, at 5725 Tyson Road with a couple of games set to go in the new Prospera rink on Saturday.
The tournament was won last year by North Shore Winter Club in a final vs the Okanagan Hockey Academy. North Shore went on to win the BC title after a tough season-long battle with Burnaby Winter Club for top spot.
North Shore is the favorite going in. The Winterhawks will ice 6 returning players from last year’s squad: 3 F, 2D, and 1G. Top offensive prospects Jordy Bellerive, Justin Alameida and Brett Stapley are expected to lead the team’s offense, while Nolan Kneen and Connor McDonald will anchor the backend along with returning goaltender Dorrin Luding.
BWC is bringing a squad that includes nine new to the club players, including many of the top 99s from around the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. The team will be bigger than last year’s squad and is expected to be a physical as well as an offensive force. The team will be looking to regain it’s former spot at the top of the BC hockey pyramid.
Penticton-based OHA along with Kelowna-based Pursuit of Excellence were generally considered the two other teams that rounded out the BC top 4 last year; but as Academy teams, were ineligible for play in the BC championships. They are expected to be among the top teams at the tourney again this year.
Calgary Bisons and Calgary Flames were both top Alberta teams last year, with the Bisons in the running as top Alberta team alongside Edmonton’s South Side Athletic Club all season.
SSAC won the April Westerns last year in the final vs NSWC; after losing to the Winterhawks in the final of the showcase St. Albert tourney last January, but again this year, will not be making the trip to BC for this tournament.
Edge Mountaineers is the third Alberta team, also out of Calgary, an Academy team like PoE and OHA. The team is a bit of an unknown coming in, as they did not compete in any of the top AAA tourneys last year.
Kamloops, Kelowna, Langley, Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Vancouver, Prince George and Chilliwack will ice teams representing most of the largest Minor Hockey Associations in BC and will be looking to prove they can compete with the high dollar club and academy teams. Juan de Fuca will be the sole representative from Vancouver Island.
Dozens of WHL scouts will be out in full force, getting their first good look at next spring’s top draftees – so get there early if you like to stand at the glass.
Here is the round robin schedule for this year, with seeding in brackets. Playoff games will start Sunday, finals Monday.
Pool A
North Shore Winter Club (1)
Juan De Fuca Grizzlies (14)
Edge Mountaineers (10)
Prince George Cougars (15)
Pool B
Burnaby Winter Club (2)
Calgary Bisons (3)
Kamloops Jardine Blazers (7)
Langley Eagles (9)
Pool C
Pursuit of Excellence (4)
Vancouver Thunderbirds (11)
Abbotsford Hawks (13)
Calgary Flames (6)
Pool D
Okanagan HockeyAcademy (5)
Kelowna Jr. Rockets (8)
Chilliwack Bruins (16)
Coquitlam Chiefs (12)
Tournament Schedule
| Chilliwack Bantam AAA 2013, Tournament Schedule | ||||
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 1 | 12:00 – 2:00 pm | Langley | BWC |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 2 | 12:30-2:30 pm | PoE | Vancouver T-Birds |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 1 | 2:15 – 4:15 pm | Calgary Bisons | Kamloops |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 2 | 2:45 – 4:45 pm | Kelowna | OHA |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 1 | 4:45 – 6:45 pm | NSWC | Juan de Fuca |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 2 | 5:15 – 7:15 pm | Chilliwack | Coquitlam |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 1 | 7:00 – 9:00 pm | Calary Edge | Prince George |
| Fri, Oct 11 | Twin Rinks 2 | 7:30 – 9:30 pm | Abbotsford | Calgary Flames |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Prospera Red | 7:30 – 9:30 am | Kamloops | Langley |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 8:30 – 10:30 am | Juan de Fuca | Calgary Edge |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 8:00 – 10:00 am | BWC | Calgary Bisons |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Prospera Red | 9:45- 11:45 am | Kelowna | Chilliwack |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 10:45 – 12:45pm | Calgary Flames | PoE |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 10:15 – 12:15pm | Prince George | NSWC |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 1:15 – 3:15pm | OHA | Coquitlam |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 12:45 – 2:45 pm | Vancouver Tbirds | Abbotsford |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Prospera Red | 1:45 – 3:45 pm | BWC | Kamloops |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 3:30 – 5:00 pm | Langley | Calgary Bisons |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 3:00 – 5:00 pm | NSWC | Calgary Edge |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Prospera Red | 4:00 – 6:00 pm | Juan de Fuca | Prince George |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm | Coquitlam | Kelowna |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm | Calgary Flames | Vancouver T-Birds |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 1 | 8:15 – 10:15 pm | OHA | Chilliwack |
| Sat, Oct 12 | Twin Rinks 2 | 7:45 -9:45 pm | Abbotsford | PoE |
