The 2020–21 KIJHL season was the 54th in league history but was temporarily suspended on November 26, 2020, just two weeks into the shortened season. Originally, the league planned to resume play on December 7 but the season was officially cancelled on February 6, 2021, due to the ongoing pandemic.
Regular season Due to COVID-19 restrictions the regular season was originally scheduled into two phases with teams restricted to cohorts due to the pandemic. The league would proceed with just seventeen teams as the Spokane Braves were unable to play due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Beaver Valley Nitehawks and 100 Mile House Wranglers both opted to pass on the season due to financial concerns
Cohort structure
Phase 1 (12 games)
Cohort 1-Eddie Mountain
Columbia Valley Rockies Fernie Ghostriders Kimberley Dynamiters Creston Valley Thundercats
Cohort 2-Neil Murdoch
Nelson Leafs Castlegar Rebels Grand Forks Border Bruins Osoyoos Coyotes
Cohort 3-Shushwap
Golden Rockets Sicamous Eagles Revelstoke Grizzlies
Cohort 4-Doug Birks
Chase Heat Kamloops Storm North Okanagan Knights
Cohort 5-Bill Ohlhausen
Kelowna Chiefs Princeton Posse Summerland Steam
Phase 2a (18 games)
Cohort 1-Eddie Mountain
Golden Rockets Columbia Valley Rockies Fernie Ghostriders Kimberley Dynamiters
Cohort 2-Neil Murdoch
Creston Valley Thundercats Nelson Leafs Castlegar Rebels Grand Forks Border Bruins
Phase 2b (8 games)
Cohort 1-Doug Birks
Revelstoke Grizzlies Kamloops Storm Chase Heat
Cohort 2-Okanagan
Kelowna Chiefs North Okanagan Knights Sicamous Eagles
Cohort 3-Bill Ohlhausen
Osoyoos Coyotes Princeton Posse Summerland Steam
Phase 2c (8 games)
Cohort 1-Doug Birks
Revelstoke Grizzlies Sicamous Eagles Kamloops Storm
Cohort 2-Okanagan
Summerland Steam Chase Heat North Okanagan Knights
Cohort 3-Bill Ohlhausen
Kelowna Chiefs Princeton Posse Osoyoos Coyotes
Phase 2d (2 games) Teams playing in phases 2b and 2c were to play 2 games against regional opponent(s) to complete a thirty-game schedule, these games were unscheduled when the original schedule was released and as such when the season was cancelled the games were not scheduled. Phase 2a was to be played at the same time as phases 2b,2c, and 2d.
Standings The Osoyoos Coyotes would move from the Bill Ohlhausen Division to the Neil Murdoch Division to balance the number of teams in each division. TeamColumbia Valley Rockies3006166Fernie Ghostriders21041013Kimberley Dynamiters1113139Golden Rockets0200411Creston Valley Thunder Cats0300516 TeamNelson Leafs3006247Castlegar Rebels21041416Osoyoos Coyotes11131011Grand Forks Border Bruins03031011 TeamSummerland Steam210498Kelowna Chiefs22041111Princeton Posse120267North Okanagan Knights02111017 TeamChase Heat20151611Kamloops Storm200464Revelstoke Grizzlies20041510Sicamous Eagles1102710
References