The Wenatchee Wild’s quest to join the British Columbia Hockey League is nearly a done deal.

USA Hockey, the country’s governing body of ice hockey, approved the franchise’s request Saturday to join the BCHL starting with the 2013-14 season, Wild head coach Bliss Littler said.

The BCHL has also approved the Wild to join the league, he said, leaving Hockey Canada, Canada’s governing body of ice hockey, the only organization left needed to sign off on the change. Littler said Hockey Canada will make its decision in February.

“We’re just in the process of dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s,” Littler said. “The real big hurdles have been crossed.”

Littler and Wild president and managing partner Bill Stewart attended USA Hockey’s Winter Meeting in Orlando this week, and Stewart presented his case to the organization Saturday.

“We had to find a reason why it makes sense to play in a Canadian league, so we made the case that (geographically) we fit the footprint of that league very well,” Littler said. “Now it just goes through Hockey Canada, and I feel we have their support. ... The BCHL is arguably the best league in Canada, so it will help recruiting kids in that league.”

The Wild have played in the North American Hockey League since their inaugural season of 2008-09, but have pursued a move to the BCHL in recent years because it would require less travel. The team’s closest opponent in the NAHL is the Fresno (Calif.) Monsters, who are a 920-mile bus ride away, while all 16 BCHL teams are within 635 miles of Wenatchee.

“I have to tell you, I don’t enjoy hopping on the bus for those 18-hour rides,” Littler said. “With all the hours of school our kids miss, (moving to the BCHL) just makes sense. ... It will definitely help recruiting, and it allows hockey to be in Wenatchee long-term. I can already picture the first fan bus to go to Penticton (British Columbia).

“The North American Hockey League is a very good hockey league, but it just doesn’t fit our footprint.”

The Wild would become the BCHL’s 17th team, and its first American franchise since the Bellingham Ice Hawks, who were a BCHL team from 1990 to 1995.