USA Hockey endorses Elite League

USA Hockey announced the launch of the USA Hockey Development League today and also announced 29 programs throughout the country to host 15U and 17U teams.

The USA Hockey Development League is a national framework of high-performance youth hockey programs, each fielding one 15U team and one 17U team. DL programs identify, train and develop players from across the country to advance to junior hockey, including the USHL and the NAHL, as well as USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, college hockey and the NHL.

USA Hockey’s Assistant Executive Director of Player Development Bob Mancini suggested there was less of a need for DL programs in states with strong development paths already in place, such as Minnesota.

“In parts of the United States where high school hockey (and) prep schools dominate the landscape, that path is very, very clear and it’s been very successful,” he said.