The North Delta Devils have played their last game in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL).
An application to relocate the Devils to Langley has been approved by the PJHL and the team will play out of the George Preston Recreation Centre next season under a new management group.
John Craighead, head coach of the Devils for the past two seasons, is part of the new ownership group in Langley, along with the (Don and Christa) McCarthy and (Amar and Sare) Gill families.
“It’s been in the works for a year,” said Craighead, who played professionally in North America and Europe. “Being from Langley and seeing four Junior A teams go through the George Preston arena, I’m excited to bring hockey back to the Brookswood area.”
The Devils missed the PJHL playoffs this past season for the first time in its history, posting a franchise-worst 10-31-1-2 (won-loss-overtime loss-tied) record.
The Junior B team had played on Saturday nights in the Sungod Arena for the past 12 seasons, after the Queen’s Park Pirates moved from New Westminster to become the North Delta Flyers for the 2002-03 season.
The team was renamed the North Delta Devils prior to the 2005-06 season, and were one of two teams in the municipality. The Delta Ice Hawks are based in Ladner.
“It just hasn’t worked in Delta,” said Craighead. “Delta can support only one team. And it was the Ice Hawks on Delta cable every week.”
The new Langley team will be called the Knights, and play on Tuesday or Thursday evenings to avoid competing for the entertainment dollar with Junior A hockey.
