COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – With the backdrop of continued growth of hockey in the United States, leaders of USA Hockey from across the country gathered in Nashville, Tenn., last week for the organization’s Winter Meeting to not only celebrate success, but discuss plans to continue momentum in ensuring a fun and safe, player-centric environment for families in all corners of the country.

“We’ve confirmed through our member surveys that parents appreciate the emphasis we continue to place on age-appropriate development and the well-being of kids both on and off the ice,” said Mike Trimboli, president of USA Hockey. “That is at the core of what makes USA Hockey so special. We’re proud of our American Development Model, and so thankful to the volunteers in communities throughout the nation who implement our world-leading program.”

The Congress and Board received an update on participation numbers during the four-day meeting, which reflected increased numbers of players, coaches and officials.

“It’s great to see more families enjoying our great game of hockey,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “Through the efforts of our volunteers and staff, and so many others that are invested in helping us grow the game, including the NHL, NHLPA and member clubs, we’ve had continued success in attracting more participants to our game all across the nation.

KEY MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

• As happens every four years, the Congress considered changes to the playing rules that will take effect starting with the 20025-26 season, and be in place through the 2028-29 campaign. The most notable changes approved include:
  • Allows teams to play with delayed/tag-up offside in the Youth 15 and Only and above, and Girls 16U and above, age classifications.
  • Allows teams to ice the puck while shorthanded in the Youth 15 and Only and above, and Girls 16U and above, age classifications.

A summary of the full list of modifications for playing rules is available here.

All submitted proposals for changes to the playing rules go through a rigorous and extensive review process, led by the Playing Rules Committee, and also includes feedback from Athlete Directors, Safety and Protective Equipment Committee, Youth Council, Girls Council, Junior Council, Adult Council, Coaches Section, Officials Section, Risk Managers, Affiliate Presidents and Registrars Section.

• The Congress approved and the Board of Directors ratified the membership fee structure for the 2025-26 season that was recommended by the Fee Structure Committee and endorsed by the Finance Committee. An overview can be found here.

• The concept of a Tier I National Development League was introduced to attendees as part of USA Hockey’s high-performance efforts. It was repeatedly noted to attendees that the concept is an idea “under construction.” The NDL is envisioned to include two, two-year age groups -- 15U (14 & 15) and 17U (16 & 17) -- and be for full-season youth teams. A working group, appointed by USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli, will begin discussions with the many constituent groups on the topic, with the goal of formalizing the concept over the next several months. It was emphasized that the NDL would not replace Tier I, and noted that the Tier I Commission previously appointed by Trimboli will continue its work and be included in discussions with the NDL working group.

• Attendees learned of USA Hockey's new Learning Management System, which is expected to be in place for the 2025-26 season. The LMS will streamline the experience for coaches and officials, creating an individual portal that will serve as a dashboard for their experience and include -- in one place -- required modules, clinics and training as well as customizable resources to help them in their coaching or officiating journey.

• Team USA's medal success in the first two world championships of the 2024-25 season was celebrated, including the gold-medal performance by the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Ontario, and the silver-medal effort by the U.S. Under-18 Women’s National Team at the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship in Vantaa, Finland.

• The Congress unanimously voted Kaye Pinkowski as Representative Emeritus.

• USA Hockey president Mike Trimboli presented President’s Awards to USA Hockey staff members Lauren Tesler and Steve Thompson.