The 2025–26 KIJHL season is the 59th season of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The regular season began on September 19, 2025 and ran until February 28th 2026. The only rematch of the 2025 Teck Cup Final was played, January 24th in Revelstoke with Grand Forks winning 4-3 in Overtime
League changes
Following the annual general meeting in June 2025, the league announced a change to the playoff qualification criteria affecting teams in the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference. Recognizing that there are six clubs in the Bill Ohlhausen division while each of the other divisions have five clubs, the league introduced a wild card provision whereby the fifth place team in the Bill Ohlhausen division will qualify for the fourth playoff position in the Doug Birks division in the event that they have a superior record to the fourth place Doug Birks division club.
Prestige Hotels & Resorts was named the official hotel partner of the KIJHL on November 6, after becoming a sponsor of the KIJHL the previous season, as part of this partnership the KIJHL's presidents trophy awarded to the team with the best regular season record would be renamed to the Prestige Cup
In late January the league discreetly rebranded the playoffs and championship to the KIJHL playoffs, removing Teck as a sponsor as the contract had not been renewed
On February 3rd the Creston Valley Thundercats announced a branding change as part of the Tier 1/Tier 2 split, the club has not yet officially announced the, logo or colors. A poll was released to fans with the names to be voted on being the Creston Valley Thunder, Creston Valley Colts, Creston Valley Avalanche, and Creston Valley Cavalry, however a blank option was also provided, resulting in suggestions such as Creston Valley Chaos, Creston Valley Clippers, and Kootenay Colts, among others. The Creston Valley Thunder moniker was announced on March 8th after receiving nearly 60% of the over 600 votes cast, colors are presumed to be a return to green and gold, although black, blue and bronze are continuing to be used in the interim.
On February 12th the KIJHL announced that a new team in Summerland would begin play in the 2026-27 season, this team will operate as a Tier 2 franchise bringing the number of teams to 9, 22 in total, the team would later be announced as the Summerland Jets, in alignment with minor hockey
Regular season The regular season runs from 19 September 2025 through 28 February 2026. Each of the teams play a 44-game regular season schedule, including 33 or 34 against teams in the same conference, and one against each team in the other conference.
Schedule Matrix Each team's schedule can be broken down as follows:
Neil Murdoch Division 1 game against each Doug Birks team (5 total: 5 home) 1 game against each Bill Ohlhausen team (6 total: 6 away) 2 games against all-but-one Eddie Mountain team (9 total: 4 away, 5 home) 6 games against the other Neil Murdoch teams (24 total: 12 away, 12 home) Eddie Mountain Division 1 game against each Doug Birks team (5 total: 5 away) 1 game against each Bill Ohlhausen team (6 total: 6 home) 2 games against all-but-one Neil Murdoch team (9 total: 5 away, 4 home) 6 games against the other Eddie Mountain teams (24 total: 12 away, 12 home) Doug Birks Division 1 game against each Neil Murdoch team (5 total: 5 away) 1 game against each Eddie Mountain team (5 total: 5 home) 2 games against each Bill Ohlhausen team (12 total: 6 away, 6 home) 5 or 6 games against the other Doug Birks division teams (22 total: 11 away, 11 home) Bill Ohlhausen Division 1 game against each Neil Murdoch team (5 total: 5 home) 1 game against each Eddie Mountain team (5 total: 5 away) 2 games against each Doug Birks team (10 total: 5 away, 5 home) 4-5 games against the other Bill Ohlhausen teams (24 total:12 away, 12 home)
Home openers +Home and Season OpenersTEAMHome OpenerSeason OpenerEddie MountainGolden RocketsSep 20th VS RevelstokeSep 19th @ Columbia ValleyColumbia Valley RockiesSep 19th VS GoldenKimberley DynamitersSep 26th VS Columbia ValleySep 19th @ NelsonFernie GhostridersSep 19th VS CrestonCreston ThundercatsSep 20th VS Columbia ValleySep 19th @ FernieNeil MurdochNelson LeafsSep 19th VS KimberleyCastlegar RebelsOct 3rd VS CrestonSep 20th @ Grand ForksBeaver Valley NitehawksSep 19th VS SpokaneGrand Forks Border BruinsSep 20th VS CastlegarSpokane BravesSep 26th VS QuesnelSep 19th @ Beaver ValleyBill OhlhausenOsoyoos CoyotesSep 19th VS 100 MilePrinceton PosseSep 27th VS CastlegarSep 19th @ KelownaMerritt CentenialsSep 26th VS CastlegarSep 19th @ QuesnelKelowna ChiefsSep 19th VS PrincetonRevelstoke GrizzliesOct 18th VS Beaver ValleySep 19th @ SicamousSicamous EaglesSep 19th VS RevelstokeDoug BirksChase HeatSep 20th VS KamloopsSep 19th @ KamloopsKamloops StormSep 19th VS Chase100 Mile House WranglersOct 4th VS MerrittSep 19th @ OsoyoosWilliams Lake MustangsSep 20th VS MerrittQuesnel River RushSep 19th VS Merritt
Standings +2025-2026 KIJHL Regular Season StandingsTeam31922662011218024153253133118 1523183049152172 -2019223041146167 -2115261233136159 -233311006620812583291401591911335820204044135151 -1615253134130181 -5110294125100202 -1023381269191108 833011036319313657261233581841592525152254183156 2713292028110188 -7812282228133205 -72321011662011336826132357177151 26221741491721531914291029122219 -9710265328118179 -61 x-Clinched Playoffs c-Clinched the playoffs by crossing over into another division y-Clinched Division z-Clinched Conference p-Clinched best regular season record e-Eliminated from playoff contention +Weekly Division LeadersWeekEddie MountainNeil MurdochBill OhlhausenDoug BirksTeamPointsTeamPointsTeamPointsTeamPoints1GOL, KIM, CRE4GFB, BVN2KEL,REV3Kamloops42KIM, GOL6Grand Forks6Princeton6Kamloops63KIM,CRE,GOL8Beaver Valley8PRI, MER10Kamloops94Creston11Beaver Valley12Kelowna13Kamloops115Kimberley14Beaver Valley14KEL, PRI15Kamloops156Kimberley16Beaver Valley16KEL, PRI19Kamloops177Kimberley20Beaver Valley18Princeton21Kamloops218Kimberley24Grand Forks21Princeton27Kamloops259Kimberley26Grand Forks25Princeton28Kamloops2910Kimberley28Beaver Valley30Princeton30Kamloops3311Kimberley32Beaver Valley34Kelowna33Kamloops3712Kimberley35Beaver Valley36Kelowna37Kamloops4013Kimberley41Beaver Valley36Kelowna39Kamloops4214Kimberley43Beaver Valley40KEL, PRI40Kamloops4415Kimberley45Beaver Valley46PRI, REV42Kamloops4616Kimberley47Beaver Valley46PRI, REV46Kamloops4817Kimberley49Beaver Valley50Revelstoke50Kamloops5218Kimberley53Beaver Valley52Revelstoke55Kamloops5619Kimberley56Beaver Valley56Revelstoke57Kamloops5820Kimberley60Beaver Valley 58Revelstoke59Kamloops6021Kimberley64Beaver Valley60Revelstoke63Kamloops6222Kimberley66Beaver Valley64Revelstoke65Kamloops6423Kimberley66Beaver Valley66Revelstoke69Kamloops66
Clinching timeline
January 10th, 2026 The Beaver Valley Nitehawks became the first team to clinch the 2026 Playoffs by virtue of Spokane's 3-2 overtime loss to Princeton.
January 16th, 2026 The Kimberley Dynamiters became the second team to clinch the 2026 Playoffs thanks to their 7-3 win at Golden.
The Kamloops Storm became the third team to clinch the 2026 Playoffs by defeating 100 Mile House 6-3
The Revelstoke Grizzlies became the fourth team to clinch the 2026 Playoffs by virtue of their 5-0 win against Osoyoos
The Princeton Posse became the fifth team to clinch the 2026 Playoffs by winning 4-2 against Kelowna
January 20th, 2026 By virtue of Spokane's loss the Grand Forks Border Bruins became the sixth team to clinch a playoff berth
January 23rd, 2026 The Kelowna Chiefs became the seventh team, and the third from the Bill Ohlhausen division to clinch the playoffs by defeating Castlegar
January 24th, 2026 The Quesnel River Rush, clinched the playoffs by virtue of their win over Chase, the eighth team to secure their playoff spot
January 25th, 2026 The Williams Lake Mustangs joined their Cariboo rivals in the playoffs by defeating Kelowna, the 9th team to make the playoffs.
January 30th, 2026 The Beaver Valley Nitehawks became the first team to clinch home-ice-advantage in the first round of the playoffs by virtue of their win over Osoyoos and Castlegar's loss to Fernie
The Merritt Centennials became the 7th team from the Okanagan/Shuswap conference to make the playoffs by defeating Sicamous and getting help from Beaver Valley
The Kamloops Storm became the second team to be guaranteed home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs by virtue of their home win against Revelstoke
February 6th, 2026 The Kimberley Dynamiters became the third team to be guaranteed home-ice-advantage, and the first to win their division by defeating Creston
The Castlegar Rebels became the third team from the Neil Murdoch Division, and the 11th overall to clinch a playoff berth
The Grand Forks Border Bruins, secured home-ice-advantage, making the Neil Murdoch Division, the first division with both home-ice-advantages decided
February 7th, 2026 The Fernie Ghostriders joined their division rival in the playoffs by defeating Columbia Valley
The Kamloops Storm became the second team to clinch a divisional title, by defeating Merritt on home ice, in front of their largest crowd to date.
The Williams Lake Mustangs and Quesnel River Rush became the first division semi-finals matchup to be confirmed, with home ice advantage to be decided in the coming weeks
February 10th, 2026 The Golden Rockets became the third team to clinch the playoffs
February 13th, 2026 The Fernie Ghostriders and Golden Rockets became the second division semi-finals matchup to be confirmed, home ice advantage will be determined in the following weeks
February 14th, 2026 The Spokane Braves clinched the playoffs for the first time since 2019/20 and are the fourth team from the Neil Murdoch to do so
The Nelson Leafs were eliminated from playoff contention for the first time in nearly forty years, in a season the saw Head Coach Barry Wolf fired, and General Manager Dale Hladun let go
The Revelstoke Grizzlies clinched home ice advantage, becoming the first team in the Bill Ohlhausen to do so.
February 17th, 2026 The Revelstoke Grizzlies defeated Sicamous to clinch the Bill Ohlhausen Division for the first time in franchise history
February 20th, 2026 The Merritt Centennials and the Revelstoke Grizzlies first round matchup was confirmed with Revelstoke owning home-ice advantage as the Division Champs
The Princeton Posse and Kelowna Chiefs secured their first round matchup with home ice advantage to be determined in the following week
February 21st, 2026 The Columbia Valley Rockies became the fourth team to clinch the Eddie Mountain playoffs, eliminating the Creston Valley Thundercats and confirming a first round matchup against Kimberley
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks clinched the Neil Murdoch Division, and a first round matchup against the Spokane Braves. This result also guaranteed a Grand Forks-Castlegar first round series, with Grand Forks having home-ice advantage
The Williams Lake Mustangs clinched home-ice advantage in their first round series against Quesnel
February 27th, 2026 The Fernie Ghostriders clinched home-ice advantage in their first round series against Golden.
The Princeton Posse became the 8th team to secure home-ice advantage in the first round.
The Revelstoke Grizzlies clinched both the Okanagan Conference and the Prestige trophy for the league's best record
February 28th, 2026 The Chase Heat rounded out the playoff field becoming the 16th and final team to clinch a playoff berth securing a first round matchup against Kamloops, while simultaneously eliminating 100 Mile House, Osoyoos and Sicamous
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks clinched the Kootenay Conference title