UPDATE (9/30): We just heard back from the EFHL – SPMHA will be icing six Checking and three Non-Checking teams this season.

This will make our team/tier makeup as follows to start the season.

Tier 1 BC – 2 teams

Tier 2 BC – 2 teams

Tier 3 BC  – 2 teams

Tier 1 NBC – 1 team

Tier 2 NBC – 1 team

Tier 3 NBC – 1 team

As always, we play a six game “tiering round” where any team that falls outside of a certain threshold of goals for and against can be moved up or down according to the rules they have set in place to maintain competitiveness throughout the league. More details on the EFHL’s tiering policy and rules can be found on the EFHL website.

For the 2025–26 season, the EFHL League that SPMHA participates in has introduced significant changes to its tiering structure. The EFHL operates under the Hockey Alberta One Standardized Tiering Model, which sets limits on how many teams each Minor Hockey Association (MHA) can enter into the Community hockey streams (Checking or Non-Checking). While the EFHL had previously allowed some flexibility in applying these rules, it has now been required to return to a stricter format.

Based on early registration numbers for SPMHA U18, along with players from SPKAC U18 who may move into Community after being released from the AA stream, we are anticipating—for the first time—that SPMHA will register nine U18 teams this season. Under Hockey Alberta’s tiering model, this means we must allocate four teams to Checking and four to Non-Checking, with the ninth team eligible to be placed in either stream. Given that most SPMHA registrants have requested the option to play body-checking hockey, the ninth team will be entered into the Checking stream.

Additionally, the EFHL has introduced a Tiering Supplement for U15 and U18, allowing Associations to petition the league for exceptions to the standard Hockey Alberta tiering grid, subject to review and approval by the EFHL Tiering Committee. SPMHA has already submitted a request to enter six Checking teams and three Non-Checking teams at U18, and we are hopeful this application will be approved.

If approved, the EFHL Tiering Supplement dictates the number of teams we must place into each Tier. We will either end up with 6 BC + 3 NBC teams, or 5 BC + 4 NBC teams. In either case, I can share what the structure of the tiering placement will look like:

We should receive the results of our request closer to the final formation of teams. I wanted to share this information in advance, as it will directly impact the makeup of our rosters and the number of players able to participate in Checking versus Non-Checking hockey. Each season, there are players who register with the intent of playing Body Checking hockey but are unable to do so due to team structures and tiering requirements. This will remain the case for the 2025–26 season. Please keep in mind that while your player may register for Checking, placement on a Checking team cannot be guaranteed.

Complete information on the AB Standardized Tiering Model, the EFHL Tiering Policy, and the EFHL U15-U18 Tiering Supplement can be found on the EFHL website.

 

If there are any questions about Tiering Policies, the EFHL structure or anything else that is not answered after review of these documents on the EFHL website, please email me at U18.director@spmha.ab.ca.

Posted in U18 Posts

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