The Minnesota Hockey Board of Directors has passed a resolution to adopt a framework and definition of Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota. Beginning with the 2015-16 season, Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota will be administered by Minnesota Hockey, and teams will be organized and run by Minnesota Hockey as an extension of the Minnesota Hockey High Performance programs.  

Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota will be limited to the following age classifications for which USA Hockey conducts National Championships: 14U Youth/Girls, 16U Youth/Girls, 18U Youth and 19U Girls. The framework allows for eight teams made up entirely of Minnesota players and/or students with the teams being formed based on geography. The teams will compete in late summer and fall, prior to the start of the Minnesota Hockey and Minnesota State High School League seasons, after which the players would return to their associations or high school teams. The top team to come out of playdowns in the fall will come together in the spring to compete to play for a USA Hockey National Championship.

“The opportunity for Minnesota players to tryout out for and potentially compete for a USA Hockey National Championship is exciting” said Dave Margenau, President of Minnesota Hockey. “The Tier 1 structure that was approved compliments and enhances our highly successful community based model”

Minnesota Hockey’s Tier 1 proposal was presented at USA Hockey’s winter meeting on Saturday, January 17. The USA Hockey Youth Council voted unanimously to support the Tier 1 framework in Minnesota.

“This new Tier 1 resolution adopted by Minnesota Hockey is great news for hockey in the United States,” said USA Hockey Youth Council chair, Dave Klasnick. “Many of the country’s best youth and girls hockey players reside in the State of Hockey, and this framework will allow for some of those players to be showcased at our National Championships. We are fully supportive of this initiative taken by Minnesota Hockey and thrilled that it will allow all players the opportunity to compete.”

In September of 2014, Minnesota Hockey designated a committee to explore and define Tier 1 hockey in Minnesota. The findings and recommendation of the committee were voted on and approved by the Minnesota Hockey board on Sunday, January 25, 2015.

As part of the proposal, provisions will be made for in-season Tier 1 hockey to be allowed for Minnesota’s established legacy programs: Shattuck St. Mary’s and Thoroughbreds girls’ hockey.

Further details regarding teams, scheduling and oversight will be announced at a later date.