BCHL Silverbacks New Ownership

The BCHL Board of Governors has approved the sale of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks franchise to Forge Sports Group Ltd., a company dedicated to long-term investment in junior sports.

Forge Sports Group President Dale Unruh was part of the Silverbacks previous ownership group and will ensure continuity, stability and community alignment.

The team also announced the hiring of former National Hockey League goaltender Jamie Storr as the President of Hockey Operations, while key members of the current team staff will remain in place, including Head Coach and General Manager Tyler Shattock and Director of Business Operations Alexandra Miege.

“Salmon Arm has an incredible hockey culture and community,” said Unruh. “Our focus is long-term — to build on the great foundation that Tyler, the players, and the previous ownership created, and to keep investing in this program for years to come.”

“The opportunity in Salmon Arm is to build something special over the long term,” said Storr. “My focus is on developing players the right way — raising standards, creating a high-performance environment, and building a program that consistently competes for championships, while preparing players for the next level.”

The BCHL Board of Governors approved the franchise sale at January’s Semi-Annual Governors Meeting in Spruce Grove, Alta.

“The BCHL is pleased to welcome Forge Sports Group into our league,” said Rich Murphy, Chairman of the Board of Governors. “The commitment of a new ownership group, along with the stability brought by current team staff, ensures the Silverbacks are set up for success both in the short and long term.”

About the BCHL:

The BCHL has long established itself as a leader in the development of young student athletes. In 2025-26 alone, 422 BCHL players are playing NCAA Division I hockey, which makes up 24 per cent of all athletes at that level. 

The BCHL is also a leader in player safety, with a full-time Department of Player Safety, as well as a league-wide independent Safe Sport Officer and an individual Athlete Advocate assigned to all 20 teams.

Thanks to Jesse Adamson, Director of Communications, BCHL for the press release