Here it is. The 2007-08 MYHockey season has begun. Currently there are over 2600 teams in the system. Most still have a 0-0-0 record but a few already have game scores recorded and a record. As I indicated in my last column, the 2007-08 season on MYHockey will see a number of improvements, starting with the month of September. This September, you will be able to see how others are doing early in the season. No ratings, they can't be computed with anything resembling accuracy before October, but all known competitive teams are in the system and volunteers have already begun to enter game scores. The system will be updated almost daily during September to give you the latest information.

The start of the season is probably viewed differently depending upon where you are from. Many east coast teams play before Labor Day and almost all AAA east coast teams begin the season on Labor Day. The Midwest has traditionally been slower to start, but that is changing. Illinois still requires that Tier II teams (there are only 4 Tier I organizations in the state) cannot tryout until September so they start later than most. Most of Michigan is Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League (LCAHL) country and they won't finalize their divisions (typically 60 or so teams are broken into 7 different birth year specific divisions) until next week. And the bane of US youth hockey, Minnesota, doesn't usually start until sometime in October. Regardless of where you are from, Labor Day tournaments have become common and for all intents and purposes marks the beginning of hockey season outside of Minnesota.

As is the case every off-season, there has been a fair amount of change going on out there. Eastern Ontario, one of the last areas of the MYHockey "viewing area" that didn't have AAA hockey, made some changes at the Bantam and Midget level consolidating talent ultimately into five AAA programs. The Eastern Elite Amateur Hockey League (EEAHL) and the Great Lakes Hockey League (GLHL) below midgets, have stopped operating. Some teams and clubs have made minor changes like the Wexford Raiders of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) have become the Toronto Titans. Raleigh Team Pepsi has become the Carolina Jr Hurricanes and officially launched a AAA program in the home of the 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. In the coming weeks, I'll point out some of the additional changes that will help you keep up with what's new in youth hockey.

If you pause from your hectic schedule to think about it, we are all very fortunate to have out kids play the great sport of hockey. It is a blessing. It is also very easy to take for granted. A plant closing, outsourcing deal, stock market correction or serious health situation could change things very quickly for 90% of our families. Hockey often does create great family time. Enjoy the season!