Land of Opportunities
Get to know the post-high school hockey league landscape
Want to play hockey after high school?
There are many paths to take, but the different leagues, divisions and affiliations can be a little confusing. Which road is best for you?
Get to know the landscape, both locally and beyond, from juniors to college and even the pros.
After enjoying your youth and high school career in Minnesota, where might hockey take you?
Junior Hockey in the U.S.
Tier I Junior Hockey
*USHL: The United States Hockey League is the only Tier I junior league in the country and is sanctioned by USA Hockey. Many Minnesotans continue to develop their game in the USHL after high school to prepare them for Division I college hockey.
Tier II Junior Hockey
*NAHL:The North American Hockey League, often called “The NA,” is the only Tier II junior hockey league in the country and is sanctioned by USA Hockey. Many Minnesotans play in the NAHL after high school to continue their development as a stepping-stone to the USHL, Division I and/or Division III college hockey.
Tier III Junior Hockey
*NA3HL: There are two USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier III junior hockey leagues. One of them is the North American 3Hockey League (NA3HL), often referred to as the “The NA3”, which is run by the NAHL. A handful of Minnesota teams compete in the NA3.
*EHL:The Eastern Hockey League operates entirely out of the east coast with two divisions.
*USPHL:The U.S. Premier Hockey League is an independent junior hockey league containing several different divisions throughout the country. The USPHL is not affiliated with USA Hockey but includes some teams locally.
JUNIOR HOCKEY IN CANADA
Major Juniors
Otherwise known as the CHL, or CanadianHockey League, which houses the three top-tier junior hockey leagues in Canada, including the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Once a kid plays one game of Major Juniors, their NCAA eligibility will be voided, which means they can no longer play college hockey.
Junior A
The Canadian Junior Hockey League over-sees 10 different leagues. These are not Major Juniors, meaning players maintain NCAA eligibility. A few of these leagues have teams in the U.S., but not many.
The 10 Junior A leagues are:
AJHL: Alberta Junior Hockey League
BCHL: British Columbia Hockey League
CCHL: Central Canada Hockey League
MJHL: Manitoba Junior Hockey League
MHL: Maritime Junior A Hockey League
NOJHL: Northern Ontario JuniorHockey League
OJHL: Ontario Junior Hockey League
QJHL: Quebec Junior Hockey League
SJHL: Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League
SIJHL: Superior International Junior Hockey League
College Hockey
NCAA Division I: The cream of the college crop. The number of in-state programs will soon grow to six, with St. Thomas joining Minnesota, UMD, St. Cloud State, Bemidji State and Minnesota State at the Division I level next season. Conferences include the Big Ten, NCHC, WCHA, Hockey East, ECAC and Atlantic Hockey.
NCAA Division III: For those who cannot or choose not to play Division I hockey, Division III is an excellent choice to continue playing and developing at a high level while pursuing a degree. Minnesota boasts some of the top Division III conferences in the nation in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), which includes college hockey programs at top-notch schools such as Hamline, Gustavus, Bethel, St. Olaf, Concordia, Saint Mary’s and more.The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is also very strong, along with conferences throughout the country.
ACHA Club Hockey: It may be called club hockey, but don’t be fooled: college club hockey is the real deal. The American Collegiate Hockey Association, affiliated with USA Hockey, does not offer scholarships, but it is home to some of the best hockey in the country. There are now more than 461 teams competing in five different divisions of men’s and women’s ACHA hockey, many of them in front of packed crowds. Powerhouse programs include big universities like Iowa State, Arizona, Illinois and so many smaller schools like Adrian, Minot State and more.
PRO HOCKEY
The NHL: The National Hockey League is the best league in the world.
The NWHL: The National Women’s Hockey League is the first professional women’s hockey league in North America and has now grown to six teams, including the beloved Minnesota Whitecaps.
The AHL: The American Hockey League features team sone step below the NHL. Most NHL teams have an agreement with AHL team(s) in which they share players over the course of the season. It’s common for most players to spend time in the AHL before reaching the NHL.
The ECHL: The East Coast Hockey League is another minor professional league that serves as a farm system for AHL and NHL franchises. Most teams consist of former NCAA and Major Junior players who are trying to progress to the higher leagues.
Europe: There are numerous leagues in Europe where many Minnesotans have forged successful pro hockey careers while traveling the world. The three most well-known professional leagues are the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, Swedish Elite League (SEL) in Sweden, and SM-liiga in Finland. The National League in Switzerland, Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany are also considered very popular. Austria, Norway, Denmark, Czech and other countries have their own professional leagues. There are women’s pro hockey leagues in Sweden, Germany and Switzerland as well.