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Revision as of 18:42, 19 November 2009 by FJM (talk | contribs) (→Junior and Major Junior Hockey)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The United States ice hockey structure is arguably the most complicated sporting structure in the world. It includes elements from traditional American scholastic high school and college athletics, affiliated and independent minor leagues, academy teams of professional senior teams, and the unique "Major Junior" leagues.
Minor Hockey
Main article: Minor ice hockeyMinor hockey in the United States is played below the junior age level (16 years old). Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class. Unlike most American sports, athletes participate as part of clubs as opposed to schools.
Junior and Major Junior Hockey
Main article: Junior ice hockeyJunior hockey is played by athletes between 16 and 20 years old. The leagues are normally organized on a franchise system, and can play many more games than are normally played at the high school or college level. Major Junior hockey is organized into three leagues run by the Canadian Hockey League with most teams in Canada, but with teams in the states of Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington. Two "Junior A" leagues based in the United States, USHL and NAHL, are run in a similar fashion to the Major Junior teams except that the teams keep NCAA eligibility for their players. The majority of current NHL players played Major Junior hockey.
High School Hockey
High schools in some states compete in sanctioned ice hockey leagues, with the Minnesota league most often cited as competition with Junior hockey. There are also leagues in Delaware, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania (with teams in West Virginia), and Wisconsin. These competitions are usually outside of the State High School Association, with Minnesota and New Jersey being notable exceptions. Other states are sanctioned directly by USA Hockey. Also, unlike most sports in North America, some high school ice hockey organizations promote and relegate based on athletic performance.