The USHL an Introduction

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What Is the USHL?

The USHL is the United States Hockey League, the only Tier 1 Junior A league in the United States. Sixteen teams, split into an East and a West division and spread across the midwest, build their rosters from players aged 16 to 20.

Players keep their amateur status, which is what makes the USHL the most direct junior route into NCAA Division 1 hockey. Some people argue the sixteen team league is harder to get into than the roughly sixty NCAA D1 programs it feeds.

The USHL at a glance
Full name	United States Hockey League
Tier	Tier 1 Junior A, the top junior level in the United States
Teams	16, in an East division and a West division
Player ages	16 to 20
Roster rules	At least 3 players under 18, no more than 5 who are 20
Import spots	6 per team, and 2 Canadian born players do not count against that
Draft	May, run in two phases
Camps	Main camp in June or July, training camp in September

The rest of this article is what those facts look like from the inside, after three years coaching in the league.

5 Things You Should Know About the USHL

From the perspective of someone who has been inside the machine of the USHL or what

the kids call the “u-show” (because of the known pipeline between youth and NHL) there are delicate nuances that a player, parent and youth hockey coach (never having coached at that level) should consider. How does one break into this mysterious league? It is important to note the general structure of the league itself. The USHL stands for United States Hockey League (Tier 1 Jr A). Some claim the 16-team-USHL is more difficult to get into than a 60-team-NCAA D1 college. The league scatters across the midwest and is divided into two separate divisions, east and west. Each team has 45 player spots reserved for affiliate players ranging from 16-20 of age.

There are things I will mention throughout this article that will save you time and resources, mainly because I have seen this process play out time again and again. Let me teach you from my mistakes as both a player and as a coach. I spent three years coaching in the the USHL, won an Anderson Cup for best team in the Regular Season and tried to claw my way in as a player, but never succeeded.

Before we get to the trends I have been observing for young prospective players - In order for a USHL roster to be eligible, each team is allowed at least 3 spots reserved for players who are under the age of 18 years old. In addition, teams are allowed no more than 5 spots reserved for players who are 20 years old.

As far as import spots, each team is able to reserve no more than 6 import player spots. However, if you are a Canadian born player, your team will be allowed 2 Canadian import spots that will not count as imports.

What type of player makes it into the USHL?

Problems are complex, solutions are simple. The players I have gotten the opportunity to work with and to be around have taught me some valuable lessons. It concreted the idea that, the person makes the player. Meaning that the hockey player has a person under all that gear, that person has to make decisions every day that shape how one develops their game. In hockey, the mental side of it is the separator between good and great. Players in the USHL have been consistently at the top of their birth year and sometimes getting in the best league means you were the top of the top and now you may struggle with that consistency and feedback loop. What I am trying to get to is that these kids were already at the very top of their birth year before they put on the USHL jersey. The reason they have made it past the tryout camps and pre-season is because they have an understanding of how to battle adversity. Coach sat your shift, come back next shift and do your best. Coach scratched you for the weekend, come back and be the first one on the ice, last one off, making sure to identify whatever your challenge is, then attacking it head on. This is just how these young athletes operate, they do it with a high level of purposeful intention, intensity and dedication. It takes a lot of discipline and maturity to do it the right way.

Where are the players coming from?

Players will be scouted during their fall season by USHL scouting staff or players can be suggested by a family advisor or agent to the coaching staff or managers. Teams are allowed to tender two players a year, tenders are players who are guaranteed to play in 55% of games throughout the regular season. These tenders count as teams #1 and #2 respective draft picks.

The USHL Draft happens in May and is broken up into two parts. The first is Phase 1of the draft, teams are only allowed to select rookie players based on birth year. This phase of the draft is focused on future players a year or two out, rarely does the draft picks of phase 1 play immediately for their USHL team the following fall season. The next day after Phase 1 is the Phase 2 Draft, which is more of an entry draft where players get their “rights to play” taken. What this means is: players will try out for the team during the summer main camp in June or July. If you get drafted you are guaranteed a spot to tryout and earn your spot into training camp in September. The returning players, the draft picks, the import players (who sometimes have a difficult time making it main camp for visa issues) will all be in training camp. You may be wondering, what if I don’t get drafted? Teams will usually hold some form of open camp where other invited players can get their opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the USHL coaches and managers.

What players make up the USHL?

Assuming you are familiar with the hockey structure in America, domestically speaking, players come out of the tier 1 youth AAA programs or some very reputable hockey prep schools while others are getting drafted out of tier 2 US junior programs like the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

It is not uncommon to hear of coaches and advisors who will explain over and over again how the NCDC, the self proclaimed “tier 2 league” is the same as the NAHL. Nope, no it is not. I wrote an article covering this topic that you can find.

Critical Dates:

September 1: team must be narrowed down to a 30 man roster. Team travels to annual USHL showcase in Pittsburgh where there will be an NHL scouting staff from every team waiting to watch future prospects.

September 20: team must be narrowed down to a 25 man roster.

USHL Questions Players and Parents Ask Most

What is the USHL age limit?

The league is for players aged 16 to 20. The roster rules push in both directions: every team must carry at least three players under 18, and no team may carry more than five who are 20. That is why a strong 17 year old often has a clearer path onto a roster than a 20 year old with better current numbers.

How many teams are in the USHL?

Sixteen, split into an East division and a West division, concentrated across the midwest.

How do players actually get into the USHL?

There are four ways in.

• The draft. Held in May. Phase I is for future birth years, Phase II hands out rights to play now.

• A tender. Each team can offer two a year. A tendered player is guaranteed 55% of regular season games, and the tender uses up that team's first two draft picks.

• An import spot. Six per team, though two Canadian born players do not count against the limit.

• An open camp. Undrafted players can still earn a look, and most teams run some form of open camp.

Do USHL players pay to play?

No. Players keep amateur status and pay no tuition, which is the whole point: it protects NCAA eligibility. That is one of the real separators between Tier 1 and the pay to play leagues below it.

Is the USHL the same as the NAHL?

No. The USHL is Tier 1 and the NAHL is Tier 2, and it is common for players to be drafted into the USHL straight off an NAHL roster. Both are legitimate routes to NCAA hockey. They are simply not the same level, and neither is the NCDC.

When does the USHL season start?

The draft is in May, main camp runs in June or July, and training camp opens in September. Rosters must be down to 30 players by September 1 and down to 25 by September 20.

Want to understand where high-level player development is heading?

Read our core article: The Future of Hockey Development: Remote Coaching: https://www.goldenstickhockey.com/post/the-future-of-hockey-development-remote-coaching

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