Good afternoon Chiefs fans,
First, we would like to thank you all for supporting us through this incredible journey this past season. From beginning the year 2-10, to rounding into form during the winter months, to our exciting run to the Coastal Conference Finals, we couldn’t have done it without your help. Your support night in and night out was heard by not just our players but by our entire organization, and we’re honoured to be the hardworking team you pay to see every night here at the Chilliwack Coliseum.
Through the ups and downs of the season, your continued dedication and ongoing support to Chiefs hockey was not lost on us. You all continued to show up and cheer on our young team, which helped our boys turn it around as the year continued.
There’s a lot we are proud of from this season. With your help, we broke the BCHL’s single-game attendance record on January 7, 2023. It was a night that will stick with every member of our organization for many years.
We were pleased to be able to create several new community-focused game night initiatives for the city of Chilliwack. These included our first-ever Canucks Autism Network Night, the return of Indigenous Night, and our first-ever Star Wars Night which supported BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. You also continued to support our Teddy Bear & Toque Toss, our Winter Beach Party in support of the Food Bank, our First Responders Night which saw us hand out our annual Matthew Hutchinson Awards, our Warm Clothing Drive, Minor Hockey Night, and many more.
A moment that will be a highlight for our organization for many years to come was watching NHL legend Trevor Linden present our captain and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Abram Wiebe with the BCHL Top Defenceman of the Year award.
In the end, these events wouldn’t be possible without the support from our entire Chiefs family, which helped bring these nights to life.
Beyond just their play on the ice, we’re proud of our boys for their commitment to the community of Chilliwack off it. We were in the community for over 1100-man hours, which included volunteering with Special Olympics Chilliwack, delivering meals for Chilliwack Community Services Meals on Wheels program, countless Read with The Chiefs at schools, guest coaching with minor hockey, and much more.
As an organization, the goal for us is to develop these players not just as athletes but as people, which culminates in them graduating from our program and moving to post-secondary institutions across North America. This year’s team included 14 NCAA Division 1 and 1 U-Sports committed players. As our players move on to the next level, being a Chilliwack Chief will always be an influential aspect in their lives, and you all are a big reason why.
Thank you all so much, and we can’t wait to see you back at the Chilliwack Coliseum next season!
Sincerely,
Chilliwack Chiefs Hockey Club