Sheldon Graber
Elite Male Hockey Model (AAA)
The AAA Hockey Model provides guidance and direction so that players have opportunity and movement options available to meet their needs as well as that of the teams involved. The most significant principle of the model is the agreement that, at all times, everyone will act in the best interest of the athlete and work to provide them with the ability to play at the highest level they can attain. The AAA Hockey Model further recognizes and supports the fact that each athlete has the right to consider all options.
Elite Male Hockey (AAA) Regulations >
ADDITION OF U13 AAA
Hockey Alberta is announcing that the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) will be increasing the number of Elite Hockey Opportunities for U13 players, establishing a development pyramid for players to progress into U15. A new Province-wide U13 AAA program will be established for the 2025-26 season, incorporating this new level into the ‘AAA’ Hockey Model.
Hockey Alberta has been piloting U13 AAA with eleven (11) teams in Alberta’s Capital and Northern regions throughout the 2024-2025 season. A workgroup, comprised of Member Minor Hockey Associations (MHAs), and led by Hockey Alberta’s Elite Hockey Commissioner, Aaron Rawlake, has reviewed the pilot over the course of the last five months. The workgroup determined that the U13 AAA Pilot has been a valued addition to Hockey Alberta’s levels of hockey, providing an additional opportunity for players.
The workgroup segmented the province using the current U18 AAA Draw Zones and determined that the new U13 AAA model would have two teams within each of those areas. The establishment of U13 AAA across the entire Province will see 32 teams hosted by 22 MHAs in the 2025-26 season. This number of teams was established to ensure an enhanced level of competition, while keeping travel distances reasonable for 11- and 12-year-old players. This new level of hockey will house approximately the top 7% of Hockey Alberta’s U13 aged athletes.
The U13 AAA division of the AEHL will be operated in two conferences with 16 teams in the northern conference and 16 teams in the southern conference. Below is a listing of the Host MHAs for U13 AAA.
NORTH |
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Grande Prairie MHA (1 team) |
TBD (1 team) |
St. Albert MHA (1 team) |
Lloydminster MHA (1 team) |
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Bonnyville MHA (1 team) |
Spruce Grove MHA (1 team) |
Sherwood Park MHA (1 team) |
Strathcona MHA (1 team) |
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Fort Saskatchewan MHA (1 team) |
Fort McMurray MHA (1 team) |
Leduc MHA (1 team) |
Camrose MHA (1 team) |
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Hockey Edmonton (4 teams) |
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SOUTH |
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Red Deer MHA (1 team) |
Sylvan Lake MHA (1 team) |
Airdrie MHA (1 team) |
Cochrane MHA (1 team) |
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Okotoks MHA (1 team) |
Strathmore MHA (1 team) |
Hockey Calgary (8 teams) |
Medicine Hat MHA (1 team) |
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Lethbridge MHA (1 team) |
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ACCESS FOR TRYOUTS/ID CAMPS
Players who were last registered with an association that hosts a U13 AAA team must tryout in that association or apply for Elite Hockey Player Movement. (ie: a player registered with Bonnyville must tryout for Bonnyville at U13 AAA).
Players whose last registered association does not host a U13 AAA team, they may tryout for a team within close proximity that will accept them. (ie: a player registered with Taber can with a neighboring Association that will accept them for U13 AAA)
IMPACTS TO AA
Alongside the creation of U13AAA, the workgroup was tasked with evaluating the impact on the AA system to provide an aligned feeder system into AAA.
The creation of a two-tiered development model at U13 will provide a development progression for athletes as they move into U15 and U18 Elite Hockey. Again, using the current U18 AAA Draw Zones, the workgroup strategically worked to place 2-3 AA teams in those regions to feed into the new AAA programs. Operating both AAA and AA at the U13 level, the opportunity for players to access elite hockey has grown from 10% provincially to 16% of players being able to play elite hockey.
Below is a listing of the Host MHAs for U13 AA.
NORTH RURAL |
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Grande Prairie MHA (1 team) |
Peace River MHA (1 team) |
Sturgeon MHA (1 team) |
Fort Saskatchewan MHA (1 team) |
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Fort McMurray MHA (1 team) |
Bonnyville MHA (1 team) |
Lloydminster MHA (1 team) |
Wainwright MHA (1 team) |
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Beaumont MHA (1 team) |
TBD (1 team) |
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NORTH METRO |
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St. Albert MHA (2 teams) |
Spruce Grove MHA (1 team) |
Sherwood Park MHA (1 team) |
Strathcona MHA (1 team) |
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Leduc MHA (1 team) |
Hockey Edmonton (4 teams) |
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SOUTH |
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Lacombe MHA (1 team) |
Red Deer MHA (1 team) |
Sylvan MHA (1 team) |
Olds MHA (1 team) |
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Airdrie MHA (1 team) |
Cochrane MHA (1 team) |
Strathmore MHA (1 team) |
Foothills MHA (1 team) |
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Lethbridge MHA (1 team) |
Taber MHA (1 team) |
Medicine Hat (1 team) |
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Hockey Calgary (11 teams) |
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For more information about specific programs, please contact the Host Association for more details.
The Elite Male Operating Model is based on four principles to create a system that better meet the needs of the athlete as he progresses through the system of development.
- Hockey Alberta establishes an outlined system of development that starts at U15 AAA and concludes at Major Junior (U15 AAA, U16 AAA, U18 AAA, Junior A, and Major Junior). All Elite Leagues and Local Minor Hockey Associations are to focus on moving players through the system to the next level.
- A mechanism is developed to encourage communication between Elite Level Leagues on matters related to the Development Model.
- The Elite Male Hockey Model includes criteria to determine an appropriate number of Teams within each League and the terms and conditions under which these teams will operate. Elite Level Teams will provide elite level opportunities for the top players within their defined geographical area.
- Establish an Affiliation structure that accommodates athlete development under the model. Leagues and Teams within the development system shall be known as the “Elite Stream” of hockey.
