The BC Hockey League introduces new initiatives it believes will improve player safety

Photo: Contributed

The BC Hockey League announced several initiatives Tuesday, including a few it believes will "strengthen player safety."

Following the league's annual general meeting last month, a number of initiatives were approved.

The league's Department of Player Safety will now have the ability to add instigator or aggressor penalties stemming from a fight after reviewing video of the incident.

Prior to this, while fights were reviewed by the league, they relied on the on-ice officials when it came to determining further penalties for aggression or instigator.

The new procedure follows rules put in place a year ago which added an automatic suspension to any player engaging in his second fight in a season. Those suspensions will increase upon subsequent fights.

"With these rules in place, the BCHL now has the stiffest rules against fighting in North American junior hockey," the league says in a news release.

The league is also making it easier to get all scoring plays right in a more timely manner. each team will appoint a live-scoring staffer to double check all scoring plays on BCHL TV and make any pertinent changes immediately.

The league office will review all changes to ensure accuracy.

The BCHL has also agreed to extend the contracts of commissioner Chris Hebb, executive director of business development Dave Cannon and director of officiating and player safety Brad Lazarowich.

The executive committee was also extended, with Rich Murphy of Trail added as a vice-chair.