Port Coquitlam Trailblazers

{{Infobox ice hockey team

| team = Port Coquitlam Trailblazers

| colour = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#572D83 5px solid; border-bottom:#FEC513 5px solid

| colour text = #000000

| logo = Poco_trailblazers_logo_2023.jpg

| logosize =

| city = Port Coquitlam

| league = PJHL

| conference = Tom Shaw

| division =

| founded = {{Start date|2023|01|26}}

| operated =

| folded =

| arena = Port Coquitlam Community Centre

| colours = Purple, gold & white
{{color box|#572D83}} {{color box|#FEC513}} {{color box|white}}

| owner = Rob Toor

| GM = Ryan Ross

| coach = Greg Ross

| captain =

| affiliates =

| parentclub =

| farmclub =

| website = {{url|pocohockey.ca}}

}}

The Port Coquitlam Trailblazers are a Junior ice hockey team in the Pacific Junior Hockey League based in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. The team plays its home games at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre (PCCC), which opened in 2019.{{cite news |last1=Bartel |first1=Mario |title=Port Coquitlam's new junior hockey team now has a name |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-sports/port-coquitlams-new-junior-hockey-team-now-has-a-name-6594993 |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=TriCity News |publisher=Glacier Media Group |date=22 February 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Cleugh |first1=Janis |title=New PoCo Community Centre opens Tuesday with party, free skate |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-news/new-poco-community-centre-opens-tuesday-with-party-free-skate-3105653 |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=TriCity News |publisher=Glacier Media Group |date=21 August 2019}}

Team identity

The team said that the name 'Trailblazers' reflects the City of Port Coquitlam's Coast Salish roots, its breathtaking landscape, and its residents, "including the late Terry Fox, who grew up in Port Coquitlam." Its official colours are purple, gold and white, which harken back to the Port Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association that was founded in 1974, and the original branding of the Los Angeles Kings. The team’s logo features the Golden Ears peaks in the background and the Pitt River Bridge in the foreground. It is meant to symbolize "the untamed path we set forth upon and the bridge the Trailblazers hope to build between the organization and the community."{{cite news |last1=Bartel |first1=Mario |title=Port Coquitlam Trailblazers look back and forward with colours, logo |url=https://www.tricitynews.com/local-sports/port-coquitlam-trailblazers-look-back-and-forward-with-colours-logo-6605902 |access-date=25 July 2024 |work=TriCity News |publisher=Glacier Media Group |date=24 February 2023}}

History

The team finished its inaugural season in last place overall, thus failing to qualify for the playoffs, with 7 wins and 41 losses in the regular season. While the Aldergrove Kodiaks finished the season with only 6 wins and 42 losses, they ranked slightly higher than the Trailblazers because they received partial points for 3 games that it lost during overtime.{{cite web |title=PJHL team stats 2023–24 regular season |url=https://www.pjhl.net/stats/standings?standingstype=division&context=overall&specialteams=false&season=40&sortkey=points&league=1 |website=pjhl.net |publisher=Pacific Junior Hockey League |access-date=25 July 2024}}

{{alternating rows table|class=wikitable sortable sticky-header}}

|+ style="background:#00000000; border-top:#572D83 5px solid; border-bottom:#FEC513 5px solid"|{{font colour|#000000|Season-by-season record}}

! style=width:4em | Season

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|GP|Games Played}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|W|Wins}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|L|Losses}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|T|Ties}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|OTL|Overtime Losses}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|GF|Goals For}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|GA|Goals Against}}

! style=width:2.2em | {{Abbr|Pts|Points}}

! style=width:10em | Finish

! style=width:18em | Playoffs

|- align="right"

| align="left"|2023–24 || 48 || 7 || 41 || 0 || 0 || 113 || 289 || 14 || align=left| 7th in conference
14th overall || align=left| Did not qualify

|- align=right

| align="left"|2024–25 || 48 || 27 || 19 || 2 || 0 || 224 || 190 || 26 || align=left| 6th of 8 Shaw Conf
8th of 15 PJHL || align=left| Lost in first round 2-4 (Delta Ice Hawks)

The team was founded at a time of significant flux for Junior ice hockey in British Columbia. In 2023, governing body BC Hockey announced plans to restructure its junior hockey framework following the decision of its only Junior A league, the BCHL, to become an independent league.{{cite web |title=BC Hockey announces new Junior A pathway|url=https://www.bchockey.net/news-listing/bc-hockey-announces-new-junior-a-pathway |website=bchockey.net |publisher=British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association |access-date=25 July 2024}} The three Junior B leagues (PJHL, KIJHL and VIJHL) were summarily designated as "Junior A Tier 2", with plans to conduct an independent evaluation of those teams seeking to be promoted to "Junior A Tier 1". It was expected that those teams promoted to Tier 1 would eventually apply for membership in the CJHL.{{cite web |title=BC Hockey Junior A pathway update|url=https://www.bchockey.net/news-listing/bc-hockey-junior-a-pathway-update |website=bchockey.net |publisher=British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association |access-date=25 July 2024}} In April 2024, the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League announced that it would withdraw from the Hockey Canada framework and become an independent farm league for the BCHL in the 2024–25 season.{{cite news |last1=Ewen |first1=Steve |title=Vancouver Island Junior B loop cuts ties with Hockey Canada, joins forces with BCHL |url=https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/junior-hockey/vancouver-island-junior-b-loop-cuts-ties-with-hockey-canada-joins-forces-with-bchl|access-date=25 July 2024|work=The Province |publisher=Postmedia |date=30 April 2024}} The league expected the evaluations to be completed during the 2024–25 season.{{cite web |title=B.C. Junior A leagues partner with Blackfin Sports Group|url=https://www.bchockey.net/news-listing/bc-junior-a-leagues-partner-with-blackfin-sports-group |website=bchockey.net |publisher=British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association |access-date=25 July 2024}}

In the 2024–25 season, Hockey Canada and its four western affiliates – BC Hockey, Hockey Alberta, Hockey Saskatchewan and Hockey Manitoba – will pilot the Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM). Under the WCDM, junior leagues will adopt most of the Western Hockey League rulebook, excluding some sections, and restrictions on 15-year-old affiliate players in the Western Hockey League will be loosened. Players that will be 18-years of age or older in the calendar year will be allowed to choose whether to use full-face protection or half-face protection, whilst younger players will be required to use full-face protection.{{cite news |last1=Ewen |first1=Steve |title=Feud for thought: Rivals Hockey Canada and BCHL provide duelling announcements |url=https://theprovince.com/sports/hockey/junior-hockey/rivals-hockey-canada-bchl-duelling-announcements |access-date=25 July 2024|work=The Province |publisher=Postmedia |date=12 July 2024}}

Beginning in the 2025–26 season, the league will be divided into two tiers.{{cite press release |title=KIJHL league structure to change for 2026-27 season |url=https://www.kijhl.ca/kijhl-league-structure-to-change-for-2026-27-season |website=kijhl.ca |publisher=Kootenay International Junior Hockey League |access-date=31 March 2025 |date=18 March 2025}} Seven of the league's 15 clubs will be promoted to tier 1, including the Chilliwack Jets, Coastal Tsunami, Delta Ice Hawks, Grandview Steelers, Langley Trappers, Richmond Sockeyes and Ridge Meadows Flames.{{cite news |last1=Zillich |first1=Tom |title=PJHL move to 2 tiers will divide 15 junior hockey teams next season |url=https://www.mapleridgenews.com/local-sports/pjhl-move-to-2-tiers-will-divide-15-junior-hockey-teams-next-season-7889968 |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News |publisher=Black Press Media |date=18 March 2025 |language=en}} Tier 2 will include the Abbotsford Pilots, Aldergrove Kodiaks, Mission City Outlaws, North Vancouver Wolf Pack, Port Coquitlam Trailblazers, Port Moody Panthers, Surrey Knights and White Rock Whalers.{{cite news |last1=Lypka |first1=Ben |title=Fraser Valley teams split by PJHL alignment set for next season |url=https://www.theprogress.com/home/fraser-valley-teams-split-by-pjhl-alignment-set-for-next-season-7889390 |access-date=31 March 2025 |work=The Chilliwack Progress |publisher=Black Press Media |date=18 March 2025 |language=en}}

References

External links

[https://www.pocohockey.ca/ Port Coquitlam Trailblazers official website]

[https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/ City of Port Coquitlam]

[https://www.pjhl.net/ Pacific Junior Hockey League]

Category:Pacific Junior Hockey League teams

Category:Ice hockey teams in British Columbia

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2023

Port Coquitlam Trailblazers

Team identity

History

References

See also

Further reading

External links