USA Midget Hockey Continues to Mature
As we prepare for the 2010-11 season, USA Midget hockey continues to mature. The Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) has made some minor tweaks, the NAPHL has made some modest changes and the National Junior Prospects Hockey League (NJPHL) has been formed to organize a number of the clubs are not members of the T1EHL or the NAPHL.
The T1EHL did not add or remove a single program showing some stability as it enters it's third season as a super league. Last year, however, it only contained 20 (not 25) 16U teams. It has announced in April on its website that all 25 clubs will be fielding 16U teams this season. That means the Ohio Blue Jackets, Buffalo Regals, Philadelphia Flyers, Team Comcast and Boston Advantage will all be fielding full-season 16U teams in the league this year.
On April 17th, the NAPHL announced a number of changes to its membership as it enters its second season. The new clubs include the Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U, 16U, 14U), Team Rocky Mountain (18U, 16U, 14U), DC Capitals (18U) and the Wenatchee Wild (18U). A number of teams are looking to field 16U teams that did not this past season and the league has added a 14U division as well. The NAPHL has also dropped Carolina Jr Hurricanes, Chadders (UT), Florida Jr Panthers, Marquette Electricians, Phantom Fireworks, S2 (MI), and Team Maryland.
In May, Paul Clifford, Executive Director of the National Junior Prospects Hockey League, announced the formation of a third national showcase league. The NJHPL will host five showcase events in its inaugural season and currently consists of teams from the Atlanta Fire, Dallas Alliance Bulldogs, Dallas Ice Jets, Fort Wayne Komets, Lake Erie Warriors (Cleveland), Motor City Chiefs (Detroit), Nashville Southern Flyers, Phoenix Firebirds, Queen City Steam (Cincinnati), Utah Regulators and the West Michigan Hounds. They will field both a 18U and 16U division for the 2010-11 season.
The T1EHL did not add or remove a single program showing some stability as it enters it's third season as a super league. Last year, however, it only contained 20 (not 25) 16U teams. It has announced in April on its website that all 25 clubs will be fielding 16U teams this season. That means the Ohio Blue Jackets, Buffalo Regals, Philadelphia Flyers, Team Comcast and Boston Advantage will all be fielding full-season 16U teams in the league this year.
On April 17th, the NAPHL announced a number of changes to its membership as it enters its second season. The new clubs include the Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U, 16U, 14U), Team Rocky Mountain (18U, 16U, 14U), DC Capitals (18U) and the Wenatchee Wild (18U). A number of teams are looking to field 16U teams that did not this past season and the league has added a 14U division as well. The NAPHL has also dropped Carolina Jr Hurricanes, Chadders (UT), Florida Jr Panthers, Marquette Electricians, Phantom Fireworks, S2 (MI), and Team Maryland.
In May, Paul Clifford, Executive Director of the National Junior Prospects Hockey League, announced the formation of a third national showcase league. The NJHPL will host five showcase events in its inaugural season and currently consists of teams from the Atlanta Fire, Dallas Alliance Bulldogs, Dallas Ice Jets, Fort Wayne Komets, Lake Erie Warriors (Cleveland), Motor City Chiefs (Detroit), Nashville Southern Flyers, Phoenix Firebirds, Queen City Steam (Cincinnati), Utah Regulators and the West Michigan Hounds. They will field both a 18U and 16U division for the 2010-11 season.
