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New division lineups create competitive changes in Central League. Teams welcome the new Prince Rupert Rampage

With the addition of the Prince Rupert Rampage to the West Division of the Central Interior Senior Men's AA Hockey League, there will be some new and interesting rivalries created. In the West Division, the new Rampage team will start its season on the road against perennial CIHL champions, the Kitimat Ice Demons. Their division also includes the Terrace River Kings and the third year Hazelton Wolverines. Meanwhile, much of the Bulkley Valley rivalry between the Smithers Steelheads and the Houston Luckies, will switch divisions to the East Division, where the Omenica Ice and the Williams Lake will provide the remainder of the opposition. The 100 Mile House Bears have withdrawn from competition, to be replaced by Prince Rupert - but the change resulted in a second realignment in the divisions in two years. West Division Hazelton Wolverines, Kitimat Ice Demons, Terrace River Kings, Prince Rupert Rampage. East Division Houston Luckies, Omineca Ice (Vanderhoof), Smithers Steelheads, Williams Lake Stampeders. Each team will see two teams from the other division during the season, but not necessarily home and home, as the league had scheduled an 18 game season. Referees are expected to be in short supply and each team has agreed to ensure officials are available for all home games. All teams will make the playoffs, eliminating the bye for the league division winners, which created a lengthy hole in the schedule. League has a new sponsor - Rio Tinto Alcan The Central Interior Hockey League has a new sponsor, Rio Tinto Alcan. The multi-national metals firm has agreed to a new three-year sponsorship. A new contract is scheduled to be signed in the next week or two. It's wait and see for the Coy Cup in Terrace Although the Coy Cup Provincial Men's AA championship was scheduled to be held in Terrace at the end of last season, the late withdrawal of the defending champions, the Rossland Warriors, resulted in the tournament being cancelled at the last minute, when a fourth team could not be found to complete the four team schedule. The Cup was awarded to the winner of the CIHL playoffs, the Kitimat Ice Demons. However, according to Ray Hallock, general manager of the Terrace River Kings, the community of Terrace is still anxious to host a provincial championship in its new and improved two-ice sheet facility. "We entered into correspondence with Bob James, BCAHA's director of senior hockey. He felt that of there were no new teams elsewhere in the province seeking to compete for the Coy Cup, it would likely again be awarded to the CIHL champion. However, he said, if the CIHL felt that a new playoff for the provincial championship was called for, and an acceptable format presented, the BCAHA would be amenable to the competition being held in Terrace, subject to no alternate applications being received to host the Coy Cup. "Indications are that there will be no new AA senior teams outside the CIHL, so it will be a matter for further discussion as the season progresses," said Hallock.

Welcome to the Central Interior Hockey League CIHL remains splits into two for new 2008-09 season. The inclusion of a new team, the Prince Rupert Rampage, adds geographic depth, but requires a re-alignment of the east and west divisions. The new 2008-09 Central Interior Senior Men’s AA Hockey League will introduce the new east-west alignment for the league. The Rampage will join the Kitimat Ice Demons, the Terrace River Kings, and the Hazelton Wolverines in the new western division. The Omineca Ice, and the Williams Lake Stampeders will continue to anchor the East Division, joined again this season, by the Houston Luckies, which switched to the East last season, and the Smithers Steelheads, will switch to the East this season to fill out the four team membership. The 100 Mile House Bears have withdrawn from the league, for this season at least. While the season schedule is still being tweaked by individual teams, but the schedule that appears elsewhere on this website is expected to be essentially firm for the season. All teams in each division will make it to the playoffs, with the first place team playing sourth place and the two middle teams also meeting. The playoff travel formula will remain, with the team with the highest number points traveling for the first game of a three game series, and having two games at home, if needed. While the addition of the new team in Prince Rupert will likely place some strain on the available talent in the Hazelton, Terrace and Kitimat areas region. Kitimat and Terrace will both lose Prince Rupert players from their rosters. Both Hazelton and Omineca, which have been in the league for two years, are expected to compete more strongly this season. All teams will be working on player tryouts this coming month. The Central Interior Hockey League wishes all teams the best for the new season and is looking forward to an exciting, but different look to CIHL play.