Inside the Dressing Room: Three Seasons as Team Chiropractor for the Victoria Grizzlies

For the past three seasons, Dr. Mike Hadbavny — lead chiropractor at Saanichton Chiropractic Group and Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences of Canada (FRCCSS(C)) — has served as team chiropractor for the Victoria Grizzlies, Victoria's Canadian Premier Junior Hockey team competing in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). From opening training camp in September through the final buzzer of the playoffs, Dr. Hadbavny has been embedded with the team — working alongside the athletic therapist, coaches, and hockey operations staff to keep players healthy, performing, and developing.

The 2024-25 season was the best of those three years: a 30th anniversary celebration, a roster that fired on all cylinders, and the club's deepest playoff run since 2019 — all the way to the Coastal Conference Finals. This post takes a look at what the team chiropractor role actually involves in elite junior hockey, what the 2024-25 season delivered, and what that experience means for hockey players and active patients across Greater Victoria.

The BCHL: Elite Junior Hockey and Why It Matters

The British Columbia Hockey League is one of the premier Tier II Junior A hockey leagues in Canada and is consistently ranked among the top development leagues in North American junior hockey. BCHL players are typically between 16 and 21 years old, many of them billets living away from home for the first time, balancing the demands of elite hockey with academic commitments and personal development. A significant proportion go on to NCAA Division I scholarships and professional careers — the BCHL has produced hundreds of NHL players over its history, including Grizzlies alumni like Alex Newhook (now with the Montreal Canadiens).

The physical demands of the BCHL season are substantial. Players compete in a 54-game regular season, with practices, weight training, and video sessions filling the days in between. Road trips across BC and Alberta mean disrupted sleep, long bus rides, and compressed recovery windows. The physical intensity — full-contact hockey at high speed, night after night — creates an injury environment that demands attentive, proactive medical support. For a young athlete still physically developing, the quality of the medical care they receive during their junior hockey years shapes not just their current season but their long-term physical health.

The Victoria Grizzlies were founded in 1994 as the Victoria Salsa, and rebranded as the Grizzlies in 2006. In 2024-25 — their 30th anniversary season — the club celebrated their history with special Victoria Salsa-inspired alternate jerseys, achieved their deepest playoff run in six years, and welcomed new ownership under Keycorp Sports & Entertainment led by Jim Hartshorne and David Michaud. It was a year of genuine momentum for the franchise.

What a Team Chiropractor Does in a Junior Hockey Club

The team chiropractor role in a junior hockey environment is different from both single-event coverage and private clinical practice. It is ongoing, embedded, and deeply collaborative. Here is what the work actually looks like across a full BCHL season.

Pre-Season Assessment and Camp

Training camp is one of the most critical periods for the medical team. New players arrive from different programs with varying injury histories, physical condition levels, and movement patterns. Pre-season chiropractic screening identifies players carrying restrictions — a hip that doesn't fully extend for proper skating mechanics, thoracic stiffness from a previous shoulder injury, a lumbar pattern that will likely become symptomatic once game-intensity skating loads begin. Catching and addressing these issues before the season starts reduces early-season injury rates and sets a baseline for each player that guides treatment decisions throughout the year.

In-Season Maintenance and Match-Day Treatment

During the regular season, players receive chiropractic treatment on a scheduled basis — typically before or after practices — with additional treatment before home game days for players managing active conditions. The pre-game window is carefully managed in coordination with the athletic therapist: the goal is to optimize joint mobility and reduce excess muscular tension without leaving a player feeling over-treated. Post-game, players who took significant hits, blocked shots, or tweaked something during the match get assessed and treated before the next practice. Managing the cumulative load across a 54-game season requires consistent, attentive care — not just responding to crises.

Injury Assessment and Return-to-Play

When a player goes down during a game or practice, the chiropractor is part of the team assessing the nature and severity of the injury. Differentiating a simple joint sprain that can be managed conservatively from something that requires imaging or specialist referral is a core clinical skill in this environment. Determining appropriate return-to-play timelines — realistic ones that protect the player's long-term health rather than rushing them back for the team's benefit — requires both clinical knowledge and the professional courage to stand behind those recommendations within a highly competitive environment where pressure to play through injury is constant.

Player Development and Education

Junior hockey players are young men at the beginning of their athletic careers. The habits they develop now — how they manage their bodies, how they communicate about pain and injury, how they approach recovery — will follow them for decades. Part of the team chiropractor's role is education: helping players understand their bodies, recognize early warning signs of overuse, and develop the kind of proactive relationship with their own physical health that serves them whether they go on to professional hockey or not. This is one of the most genuinely meaningful aspects of working at the junior level.

The Injuries That Define Hockey

Ice hockey's combination of high-speed skating, full-contact physical play, stick handling, explosive direction changes, and the repeated absorption of impact through boards and ice creates a distinctive and well-studied injury landscape. The following are the presentations Dr. Hadbavny manages most consistently across a BCHL season.

Hip Flexor and Groin Strains

Hip flexor and adductor injuries are the most prevalent soft tissue presentations in hockey at every level, from junior to the NHL. The skating stride demands repeated explosive hip extension followed by rapid recovery — a movement pattern that places continuous eccentric and concentric loading on the iliopsoas, rectus femoris, and adductor complex. Players who develop tightness or strain in these structures compensate with altered skating mechanics, which loads the lumbar spine, knee, and opposite hip asymmetrically. Chiropractic management of hip flexor and groin strains involves restoring lumbar and sacroiliac joint mobility — restrictions here directly drive hip flexor overload — alongside soft tissue work on the affected structures.

Shoulder Injuries from Contact

Body checking, falls into the boards, and awkward puck-battles create a consistent stream of shoulder presentations: acromioclavicular (AC) joint sprains, glenohumeral joint sprains, rotator cuff strains, and clavicle injuries. The AC joint is particularly vulnerable in hockey — it is the part of the shoulder that most directly absorbs the force of a collision with the boards or another player. Chiropractic assessment and mobilization of the AC and glenohumeral joints, combined with soft tissue work on the surrounding musculature, accelerates recovery and restores the full range of motion players need for shooting, passing, and defensive play. For chronic shoulder overuse in players with high shot volumes (particularly goalies), the combination of chiropractic and shockwave therapy is often highly effective.

Lumbar Spine Strain

The forward-flexed skating posture combined with the rotational demands of shooting, passing, and physical battles along the boards creates significant and cumulative lumbar loading across a long season. Players who skate hundreds of hours per year in a flexed-forward trunk posture develop predictable patterns of lumbar erector tightness, facet joint irritation, and reduced thoracic mobility that limit both performance and injury resilience. Regular thoracic and lumbar maintenance treatment is one of the highest-value interventions a team chiropractor provides across a full season — it directly affects skating power, shot velocity, and the player's ability to sustain compete level deep into a game and late in the season.

Cervical Spine Injuries

Neck injuries in hockey range from simple muscular strain from an awkward hit to more significant cervical joint injuries from high-impact collisions. Whiplash-pattern cervical strain following a significant body check, "stingers" (transient brachial plexus neuropathy from a neck-and-shoulder impact), and cumulative cervical stiffness from repeated lower-level contact are all common presentations in the BCHL. Careful cervical assessment after any significant contact injury is essential — ruling out serious pathology before initiating treatment, and then providing graduated joint mobilization and soft tissue work to restore full mobility and reduce the risk of the chronic headaches and upper trapezius tension that often follow inadequately managed cervical strain.

Knee Injuries and IT Band Syndrome

The skating stride creates high valgus (inward) loading forces on the medial compartment of the knee — a pattern that predisposes hockey players to medial collateral ligament (MCL) strain, medial meniscus irritation, and patellofemoral pain. IT band syndrome, driven by the repeated hip abduction mechanics of the skating stride, is another extremely common chronic presentation. In contact situations, acute MCL and ACL injuries from collisions and awkward falls are a constant concern. Chiropractic assessment of the hip and lumbar spine mechanics that drive knee loading — particularly hip internal rotation restriction and SIJ dysfunction — is an important component of both knee injury treatment and prevention in this population.

Wrist, Hand, and Upper Extremity Injuries

Blocked shots, stick impacts, falls on outstretched hands, and the repeated vibration of puck impact through the stick all contribute to wrist and hand injuries in hockey players. TFCC (triangular fibrocartilage complex) injuries, hamate fractures from stick vibration, and wrist sprains are among the presentations unique to hockey athletes. Chiropractic joint mobilization of the wrist, hand, and elbow complements the athletic therapist's strapping and splinting approach, and keeping the forearm musculature properly treated reduces the transmission of vibration forces through the kinetic chain to the wrist and elbow.

The 2024-25 Season: A Year to Remember

The Victoria Grizzlies' 2024-25 season was their most successful in six years. In the club's 30th anniversary season, a balanced and deep roster — nine players with 20+ points, nine with 10+ goals — carried the Grizzlies through a strong regular season and into the playoffs, where they advanced to the Coastal Conference Finals for the first time since 2019, ultimately falling to the Chilliwack Chiefs in a competitive series.

Chase Pirtle led the team with 25 goals and 39 assists in 54 games. Reegan Hiscock added 27 goals and 25 assists. Tom Molson contributed 31 assists, and goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton closed out a three-season tenure by committing to Northern Michigan University. Under the interim and then permanent leadership of head coach and general manager Geoff Grimwood — supported by associate head coach Suneil Karod and director of player development Matt Irwin (461 NHL games) — the club showed exactly the kind of depth and compete level that defines a legitimate playoff contender.

For Dr. Hadbavny and the medical staff, keeping a roster of that depth healthy enough to perform through a full regular season and a deep playoff run is the real measure of success. A team that makes the Conference Finals does so in large part because more players stayed available and performed at their physical best for longer.

What Three Seasons with the Grizzlies Brings to Patients in Saanichton

Working with a junior hockey club over multiple seasons builds a very specific depth of pattern recognition. The recurring hip flexor presentation that starts in week three of the regular season. The lumbar strain that follows a long road trip. The groin that slowly tightens across the second half of the season as cumulative fatigue sets in. The player who responds brilliantly to a particular technique and the one who needs a different approach entirely.

That accumulated clinical experience — season after season, player after player — is directly available to every patient who comes through the door at Saanichton Chiropractic Group. If you are a hockey player at any level — youth hockey, adult recreational leagues, competitive bantam or midget — you are dealing with the same fundamental patterns that BCHL players face, scaled to your training load. The sports-specific assessment and treatment approach developed through three seasons with a professional junior hockey program is exactly the clinical standard you deserve.

Dr. Mike Hadbavny, DC — Sports Chiropractor, Saanichton BC

FRCCSS(C) ICSC DC — CMCC BPE — Brock University

Dr. Hadbavny is the founder and sports chiropractor at Saanichton Chiropractic Group. He holds a Fellowship from the Royal College of Chiropractic Sports Sciences of Canada (FRCCSS(C)) and the International Certificate in Sports Chiropractic (ICSC). He currently serves as team chiropractor for the Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) and Pacific FC (Canadian Premier League), and has served at the 2023 Canada Winter Games (PEI), the 2025 World Games (Chengdu, China), and the 2025 Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler. His clinical experience spans elite hockey, professional football, international multi-sport competition, and adaptive sport. For a full overview of his sports chiropractic background, see our sports chiropractic article.

Hockey Player Care at Saanichton Chiropractic Group

Our integrated team provides the full range of services used with the Victoria Grizzlies and every other team and event Dr. Hadbavny has supported — now available to hockey players and active adults across the Saanich Peninsula and Greater Victoria.

• Chiropractic care — hip, lumbar, thoracic, cervical, and extremity assessment and treatment; joint manipulation and mobilization

• Registered Massage Therapy — deep tissue work for hip flexor and groin recovery, sports massage for pre- and post-game preparation, myofascial release for cumulative seasonal strain patterns

• Shockwave therapy — for chronic tendinopathies including shoulder overuse, patellar tendinopathy, and Achilles tendinopathy common in hockey players

• Acupuncture — pain management, inflammation support, and nervous system recovery

• Osteopathic manual therapy — for complex presentations and athletes with multi-region injury histories

ICBC coverage is available for injuries from motor vehicle accidents — see our MVA treatment page. WorkSafeBC claims are also supported — see our WorkSafeBC page. Most extended health benefit plans include chiropractic coverage — see our fees and policy page for direct billing details.

Play More. Hurt Less. Recover Faster.

Whether you're a competitive hockey player, a recreational skater, or simply dealing with a nagging injury that's keeping you off the ice, Dr. Hadbavny and the team at Saanichton Chiropractic Group are here to help.

Book Your Sports Chiropractic Appointment →

Read patient reviews  |  What to expect at your first visit

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the BCHL and how competitive is it?

The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is a Tier II Junior A hockey league widely regarded as one of the top development leagues in North American junior hockey. BCHL players are typically 16–21 years old and compete at an intensity level that regularly produces NCAA Division I scholarship athletes and professional hockey players. Notable Victoria Grizzlies alumni include Alex Newhook, who played in the NHL. The BCHL season runs from September through April or May for playoff teams, with 54 regular season games and a full playoff structure.

What are the most common hockey injuries you treat at Saanichton Chiropractic?

The most common presentations from hockey players at our clinic mirror what we see with the Grizzlies: hip flexor and groin strains, lumbar spine strain from the skating posture and shooting mechanics, AC joint and shoulder injuries from contact, cervical strain from hits, IT band syndrome and knee pain from the skating stride, and wrist injuries from blocked shots and falls. See our sports injury page for our full approach to these conditions.

Do you treat youth and minor hockey players?

Yes — youth hockey players from atom through midget and junior levels are welcome at Saanichton Chiropractic Group. Growing athletes have specific considerations, including growth plate sensitivity at apophyseal sites like the tibial tubercle (Osgood-Schlatter) and the hip, that an experienced sports chiropractor will assess and account for in treatment. Working with young athletes is also an opportunity to build sound injury prevention and recovery habits that will serve them throughout their careers. Contact us to discuss your athlete's specific situation.

How does chiropractic care help with hip flexor and groin injuries in hockey players?

Hip flexor and groin strains in hockey players are rarely isolated soft tissue problems — they almost always have a joint mechanics component driving the overload. Restrictions in lumbar mobility, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and limited hip internal rotation all force the hip flexor and adductor muscles to work harder than they should, increasing strain injury risk. Chiropractic assessment identifies these mechanical drivers and addresses them directly with joint manipulation or mobilization, which takes load off the strained tissues and allows them to heal properly. Combined with massage therapy for the soft tissue component, this approach typically produces faster and more durable recovery than soft tissue work alone.

Can chiropractic help with hockey-related concussion recovery?

Chiropractic care does not treat concussion directly, but it plays an important supportive role in post-concussion recovery. Cervical spine dysfunction — which almost always accompanies a concussion mechanism in hockey — contributes significantly to post-concussion symptoms including headaches, neck pain, dizziness, and visual disturbance. Carefully graduated cervical mobilization and soft tissue treatment, coordinated with the physician overseeing the concussion protocol, can meaningfully reduce these cervical-mediated symptoms and support the athlete's return-to-play timeline. Our team works collaboratively with the player's physician and athletic therapist in these cases. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Written by Dr. Mike Hadbavny, FRCCSS(C), ICSC, DC— sports chiropractor and founder of Saanichton Chiropractic Group, Saanichton BC. Dr. Hadbavny has served as team chiropractor for the Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) for three seasons and for Pacific FC (Canadian Premier League) since their founding season in 2019. He has also served at the 2023 Canada Winter Games, the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, and the 2025 Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler. For appointments, visit our contact page or call 250-223-0200.