The BJHL board would like to take the opportunity to address the Devils and Vikings leaving the SCHL. 

We find it unfortunate that these organizations decided to leave playing hockey in Rhode Island.  We also feel that the landscape of hockey has continued to change.  Years ago, elite hockey was a single team per age group in the state, and you had to be invited to try out.  The number of “elite” teams has continued to water down most of these, which just become more expensive and time-consuming A-level hockey.  We feel strongly that we should not join the exodus of kids leaving the state to play the majority of their games.  Hockey is a sport that demands a lot of time and effort from families.  Asking parents to travel long distances for half their games just makes it harder.  We understand that we have teams from Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket in the SCHL.  As a league, we set the schedule such that games on the island are doubleheaders.  That means that each team makes one trip per season to each island.  This is a long day, for sure, but one day a season on a boat to an island seems better to us than having to travel over the bridge to the Cape for 5 different teams.  Add in teams in Plymouth, Hanover, Marshfield, Duxbury, Pembroke, Hingham, Weymouth, and Quincy, and that is a lot of away games with over an hour of travel.  We feel that is too much to ask of our families.  We are committed to keeping hockey affordable and accessible for as many families as possible in northern Rhode Island. 

BJHL would like to offer an opportunity to any families or teams that feel they tried out for one thing and are being offered another.  We would like you to stay in the SCHL.  Our teams get a minimum of two weeknight practices per week, extra ice time on weekends, and an additional 8 professional skills sessions early in the season.  We will be holding an ID skate for any kids that are interested this Saturday, May 3rd, at the Smithfield Municipal Ice Rink at 11AM.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to Mark Palmer, BJHL President, at bjhlpresident@gmail.com

Championship Sunday was good to BJHL with all three of our teams who made it to the championship games bringing home banners with them to Burrillville.  The U10-B team started the day, defeating the Central Rhode Island Knights 5-3.  The U12-C1 team followed suit by taking down the Martha's Vineyard Mariners 5-1.  In the very next game, the U12-B team finished the day with a 6-1 win over the Providence Junior Bears.  The three banners were added to the U18-B teams win from the half-season championship in November making four banners for Burrillville Junior Hockey this season!  Can't wait to see what we can do next season!