As we get deeper into the fall portion of the 2024-25 North American hockey season and the end of split-season hockey in New England and Minnesota rapidly approaches, youth tournaments and showcases around North America flourish every year.

The trend continues for the weekend of Oct. 24-28, with hundreds of teams flocking to ice rinks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts for two of the largest fall Tier 1 Boys events, and one of the top Tier 1 Boys leagues in the United States holding its opening 18U showcase weekend in Illinois.

This is the weekend for one of the oldest and most popular showcase tournaments in the Northeast, the Beantown Fall Classic. More than 150 USA Boys Tier 1 teams in the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age groups will flock to three Massachusetts facilities for the annual event. Across those age levels a total of 29 teams ranked among the top 50 in their respective age groups will be competing. Beantown games started Thursday, Oct. 24, and run through Sunday, Oct. 27.

A newer Tier 1 Boys event, now in its seventh year, is taking place not far from the Beantown for all age groups between 11U and 16U. The East Coast Exposure Cup is being held Oct. 25-27 at rinks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.  In the age groups we cover, 11U through 16U, there are a total of 104 competing teams from the United States and Canada. The 12U Elite Division features the top-ranked Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers and second-ranked New Jersey Rockets, who could possibly meet in the playoff round.

Finally, the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL), one of the top USA Boys Tier 1 showcase leagues, is holding its season-opening 18U event at Arctic Ice Arena in Orland Park, Illinois. The T1EHL includes more than 20 organizations from around the U.S. It provides teams with significant visibility, top-level competition and elite coaching and has proven to be one of the most successful Tier 1 leagues in terms of moving its players on to the top levels of junior and college hockey. T1EHL showcase tournaments and games are attended by scouts from the United States Hockey League (USHL), North American Hockey League (NAHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and NCAA.

Running from Friday, Oct. 25, through Monday, Oct. 28, the 18U T1EHL weekend features 11 of the nation’s top 50 and three of the top 25 18U Boys teams.

 

Beantown Fall Classic

The Beantown Classic got underway on Thursday, Oct. 24, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 27, with more than 150 teams playing better than 300 games at three Massachusetts rinks. The majority of the games will be played at the massive New England Sports Center, with any games there played on Rinks 1 through 8 likely streamed by LiveBarn. Games played at other venues should be streamed there as well.

 

Beantown Classic 15O Division

The 15O Division features 30 teams, eight that are ranked among the top 50. Four are ranked among the top 40 and two are in the top 20.

 

Top 50 15O Participating Teams

#9 Boston Jr. Eagles

#20 Neponset Valley River Rats

#33 South Shore Kings

#39 Providence Capitals

#41 Cape Cod Whalers

#43 Connecticut Jr. Rangers

#47 East Coast Militia

#50 Boston Hockey Academy

 

Beantown Classic 16U Division

The 16U Division features 51 teams, nine that are ranked among the top 50. Eight are ranked among the top 40 and six are in the top 22.

 

Top 50 16U Participating Teams

#3 Seacoast Performance Academy

#9 Mount St. Charles Academy

#13 Boston Jr. Eagles

#21 (overall) Boston Hockey Academy

#21 Neponset Valley River Rats

#22 East Coast Militia

#35 Nor’easter Storm

#36 Connecticut Jr. Rangers

#49 Cape Cod Whalers

 

Beantown Classic 18U Division

The 18U Division features 66 teams, 11 that are ranked among the top 50 and six that are in the top 20.

 

Top 50 18U Participating Teams

#8 Nor’easter Storm

#10 Cape Cod Whalers

#11 Holy Name Bears

#12 Boston Little Bruins

#15 Islanders Hockey Club West

#18 Neponset Valley River Rats

#24 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Raiders

#26 Seacoast Performance Academy

#28 Springfield Jr. Thunderbirds

#45 95 Giants

#47 East Coast Militia

 

CLICK HERE for the Beantown Classic scores, schedules, standings & stats

 

 

The Eastern Exposure Cup

The Eastern Exposure Cup began play Friday, Oct. 25, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 27. There are 104 teams competing in the 11U, 12U, 13O, 14U, 15O and 16U age groups at rinks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Most of the games should be available on @LiveBarn. The tournament includes Boys teams from the U.S. and Ontario.

 

Eastern Exposure Cup 11U Division

There are four teams competing in the 11U Division, two that are ranked among the top 28.

 

Top Participating 11U Teams

#22 South Shore Kings

#28 Minuteman Flames

 

Eastern Exposure Cup 12U Division

A total of 18 teams are competing at the 12U age level, 10 that are in the Elite pools. Of those 10, five are ranked among the U.S. top 21 and six are in the top 31.

 

Top Participating 12U Teams

#1 Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers

#2 New Jersey Rockets

#11 Worcester Jr. Railers

#14 New Jersey Colonials

#21 Islanders Hockey Club

#31 Connecticut Jr. Rangers

 

Eastern Exposure Cup 13U Division

A total of 24 teams are competing at the 13U age level, 12 that are in the Elite pools. Of those 12, 11 are ranked among the USA’s top 30 and the other is No. 13 in Ottawa.

 

Top Participating 13O Teams

#7 Dallas Stars Elite

#8 South Shore Kings

#13 Ottawa Jr. 67s (Ontario)

#15 Boston Jr. Terriers

#16 Long Island Gulls

#21 Palmyra Black Knights

#23 Top Gun

#24 Seacoast Performance Academy

#27 North Jersey Avalanche

#29 Boston Advantage

#30 New Jersey Colonials

#33 Woodbridge Wolfpack

 

Eastern Exposure Cup 14U Division

A total of 22 teams are competing at the 14U age level, 12 that are in the Elite pools. Of those 12, four are ranked among the USA’s top 15 and six are among the top 30. Ontario’s Nos. 9, 18 and 24 teams also are competing.

 

Top Participating 14U Teams

#5 Neponset Valley River Rats

#8 Mount St. Charles Academy

#9 Hill Academy (Ontario)

#13 Dallas Stars Elite

#15 Long Island Gulls

#18 Ottawa Jr. 67s (Ontario)

#24 Ottawa Valley Titans (Ontario)

#30 Seacoast Performance Academy

 

Eastern Exposure Cup 15O Division

There are 18 teams competing in the 15O age group, 14 that are in the Elite pools. Of those 14, four are ranked among the USA’s top 15 and six are among the top 30. Ontario’s Nos. 7, 17, 24 and 26 teams also are competing.

 

Top Participating 15O Teams

#1 Boston Jr. Eagles

#7 Ottawa Valley Titans (Ontario)

#10 Wilkes Barre/Scranton Jr. Knights

#11 Seacoast Performance Academy

#13 Long Island Gulls

#17 Eastern Ontario Wild (Ontario)

#24 Florida Alliance North

#24 Upper Canada Cyclones (Ontario)

#26 Team Illinois

#26 Ottawa Jr. 67s (Ontario)

 

CLICK HERE for links to Eastern Exposure Cup schedules, results, standings & stats

 

 

Tier 1 Elite Hockey League 18U Illinois Showcase

The puck dropped on the T1EHL’s first 18U Showcase at Artic Ice Arena in Orland Park, Illinois on Friday, Oct. 25, and the event runs through Monday, Oct. 28. The T1EHL 18U Division includes 11 teams ranked among the nation’s top 50, eight that are in the top 40 and three among the top 25. Most of the games should be available on @LiveBarn.

 

T1EHL 18U Teams Ranked Among the Top 50

#19 Ohio Blue Jackets

#20 St. Louis AAA Blues

#23 Victory Honda

#33 Chicago Fury

#35 Fox Motors

#37 North Jersey Avalanche

#39 Cleveland Barons

#40 Philadelphia Jr. Flyers

#42 Phoenix Jr. Coyotes

#46 Florida Alliance

#50 Washington Little Caps

 

CLICK HERE for the complete T1EHL 18U Showcase Schedule