After several seasons of struggling financially, the Calgary Mustangs of the AJHL commenced negotiations to relocate its franchise to Strathmore.

[3] After the relocation deal fell through, the team requested a leave of absence from the AJHL for the 2019–20 season.

[4] A few months later, the AJHL approved the purchase of the Mustangs by Doug Quinn, a businessman from Red Deer, and the relocation of the franchise to Blackfalds to begin to play in the 2021–22 season.

[6] The AJHL responded to the announcement by cancelling most of the five teams' remaining scheduled matches except those between each other.

It was then decided that the five Alberta-based teams would play out the rest of the 2023-24 season as a separate division under the aegis of the BCHL.