Category: Tournaments

Categories
Hockey Hotels Tournaments

Travelsports Newsletter – Fifth Edition

Read the latest from Travelsports

Travelsports Newsletter – Fifth Edition!

 

Happy Holidays from Travelsports


Seasons greetings from your friends at Travelsports and best wishes for a happy, healthy, and joyous holiday season!  



P.S. Be sure to share this newsletter with friends and encourage them to sign up to Travelsports! 

 
Travelsports Marketplace

Travelsports has just launched our online sports marketplace focusing on helping consumers find and buy sports related gifts and swag from small businesses who are makers of unique and creative products. Add your store by 1/31/23, to receive up to 6 months of a free listing on Travelsports. 

Did You Know? 

Did you know that Travelsports has a Champions page for hockey? Is your club a recent champion? 

Here’s a list of hockey clubs with the most championships this season.


Make sure to upload your club’s recent championships to your team’s Travelsports page!

 

The Ross K. MacNeill Foundation 
The Ross K. MacNeill Foundation, named in memory of Ross K. MacNeill, raises money for pediatric brain cancer research since 2014. Ross lost his life in 2013 to brain cancer at 11 years old. He played hockey for the Admirals in Glen Ellyn, IL and loved everything about it. Since the beginning, the foundation started with a 3v3 hockey tournament. Since 2014, the foundation has hosted annual tournaments. 
 
The Foundation (R33M) devotes 100% of its efforts towards raising awareness and inspiring donations to invest in innovative research that will develop new treatments to fight and ultimately end pediatric brain cancer. The foundation is hosting three tournaments next year and 100% of donations from the tournaments going to the foundation and its mission to end pediatric brain cancer. 
 
This is still time to sign up! Registration links provided below. 
 
Adult Pond Hockey Tough Tournament – January 28th – Wheaton, IL 
 
Youth 3v3 Tough Tournament – March 11th – St. Louis, MO 
 
Youth 3v3 Tough Tournament – August 5th – Chicago, IL 
 
Looking to highlight a cause-based event in one of our newsletters? Please email to info@travelsports and include a brief description of the event, the cause the money is being raised for, an image and website link.
 
 
Interested in upcoming clinics, showcases and tournaments for baseball, lacrosse or hockey? Check out our list of trending upcoming tournaments and showcases below
 
 

 
 

 

YOUTH HOCKEY SEASON – Goalie Helmets

Happy Holidays! Looking for a last minute gift? 

The 2022 youth hockey season is well underway. Being a goaltender is a challenging task and is the most difficult position to excel in. Goalies save plays for teammates, accelerate plays and increase chances of winning. 

Having the right helmet is important for a goalie. If you’re looking for a new goalie helmet, check out Pure Hockey’s selection below.  

If you purchase a product linked from this email, we may receive a commission.

 
Bauer Profile 940 Certified Goalie Mask – Senior 
 
The Bauer 940 Goal Mask from Pure Hockey features 
 
  • Higher end shell equipped with new elite level fiber 
  • Better fit design and small sizing to fit all goalies properly 
  • More comfort and performance upgrades including a new stretch spandex chin cup with new vision wire and backplate 

 

Hotel Reservations 

Traveling for an upcoming tournament or showcase? Looking to book a large group or entire team? Click below to book hotel room(s) through our partner Lucid Travel. 

 

Advertising 

Interested in advertising on our newsletter? Send us a note to info@travelsports.com 

Categories
Hockey Hotels Programs Tournaments

Travelsports Weekly Newsletter – Third Edition

Hi Travelsporters! 

For our newest issue, we are rolling a new section dedicated to cause-based sports events. At Travelsports, we want to highlight those events that are dedicated to raising awareness and donations for non-profit causes. Whether they are important to your local community or are global in nature, highlighting these events will become a part of what we do. Please see our Events for Cause section to learn more about how we can highlight your event. 

Chris
Founder, Travelsports

P.S. Be sure to share this newsletter with friends and encourage them to sign up to Travelsports! 

 

Fitness 

When a young athlete takes an interest in a sport, parents are eager to rapidly build up their development. According to Memorial Hermann, strength and conditioning is important to help improve agility, motor control and overall ability to perform. It’s important for young athletes to receive proper instruction from those who understand technique and proper form. It’s important for coaches and training staff to create proper training regimens to prevent any burnout or injury. Here are some important exercises to help increase muscle mass. 
  • Push-ups
  • Suspension training – pull-ups with TRX
  • Step ups  
  • Lunges and squats – with or without weights
Interested in reading more? Click the title
 
 

DID YOU KNOW?

Whether you have an early morning game and don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn to drive to …. or your tournament’s hotels are booked, Travelsports has you covered with a list of hotels focused on sports teams. If you are looking for a specific date or location, Travelsports has partnered with Lucid Travel to help you and your team find the best spot.
 

YOUTH HOCKEY SEASON – Helmets

The 2022 youth hockey season is well underway. Whether it’s a helmet with or without a face shield… it can be difficult to find the right helmet for comfort, fit and protection. When purchasing a helmet, it’s important to find a helmet with the right padding. 

Helmets are important for the safety of players to prevent head or face injuries, contact with the boards, collisions, falls and flying pucks. If you’re looking for new helmets, check out Pure Hockey’s selection below.  

If you purchase a product linked from this email, we may receive a commission.

 

Bauer 5100 Hockey Helmet Combo II 

 
The Bauer 5100 Hockey Helmet Combo II from Pure Hockey is designed for a comfortable interior feel. The 5100 fits wider than the Bauer 4500 and is equipped with the same sub-shell as the 9900. The 5100 is equipped with HX-sorb/Comfort Foam internal padding and a triple-density liner material. The 5100 is also equipped quick clip adjustments to find the right fit.
 

Hockey Players Turning to Figure Skating Training 

There is more to hockey then having the ability to score from the hashmarks like Auston Matthews or go to one-on-five like Connor McDavid. Possessing advanced skating techniques is a big advantage when it come to playing hockey. 

Now, teams and players from house league all the way up to NHL are building these skills through figure skating techniques taught by former figure skaters. 

CLICK TO READ MORE ON ELITELEVELHOCKEY.COM!

 

Keep Calm and LAX On 
Interested in upcoming lacrosse clinics and showcases? Check out the list below. 


Chicago Box Lacrosse Challenge – US LAX Events – Naperville, IL – December 3-4, 2022

Badgerland Box Invitational – Bearpaw Lacrosse Events – Milwaukee, WI – December 10-11, 2022 

Club World Championships – My Lacrosse Tournaments – Austin, TX – Dec 30, 2022 – Jan 1, 2023 

Battle at the Barn Box Lacrosse Tournament – Bearpaw Lacrosse Events – Fort Wayne, IN – Jan 7-8, 2023 

All Elite Lacrosse Tournament – Achieve Lacrosse – Marlborough, MA – Jan 15th, 2023 
 
 
Events for Cause 

Looking to highlight a cause based event in one of our newsletters? Please email to info@travelsports and include a brief description of the event and the cause the money is being raised for, an image and website link. 
 
Sled Hockey Charity Event – New Trier vs. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab Blackhawks

Chicago-Area New Trier High School Hockey hosted a fundraising event to benefit the 4 time NHL Sled Hockey Champions, the AbilityLab Blackhawks, and beloved New Trier senior Clay Scherb, brother of Cole, a New Trier hockey player. 

Clay experienced a life-changing spinal cord injury in August, which necessitates intense rehabilitation. His care is being provided by the amazing team at Shirley Ryan. His condition is requiring extraordinary expenses for medical care, equipment, home modifications and lifestyle changes.

All proceeds from the game went to the Scherb family during this extremely difficult time and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Adaptive Sports Program, which offers over 20 different sports and fitness programs to youth and adults with physical disabilities. All equipment, facilities and coaching are donation based so there is no cost to the athlete.

They are still accepting donations! Click the image below to make a donation. 


Looking to highlight a cause-based event in one of our newsletters? Please email to info@travelsports and include a brief description of the event, the cause the money is being raised for, an image and website link. 
 
 
Play Ball 
Now the 2022 MLB season is over, it’s time to look ahead to 2023. Check out the list of upcoming baseball tournaments! 

ADVERTISING

Interested in advertising on our newsletter? Send us a note to info@travelsports.com

Categories
Hockey Hotels Tournaments

Welcome to Travelsports

Welcome to our first Travelsports newsletter!

We’re looking forward to keeping you informed on topics related to youth & adult sports across North America and beyond!

Our plan is to provide you with some interesting articles about sports currently listed on our site: Hockey, Figure Skating, Lacrosse and now Baseball. We’ll also pop in some cool content only found on our website such as Champions, what to do during tournaments, share with you some unique Travelsports-related insights .. and more!

Of course, you’ll always be able to use Travelsports to search for upcoming tournaments, find directions to a facility, check out local camps/clinics, discover a coach, book a hotel, look for a sports shop, etc.

We hope you find this newsletter informative and not something you just delete or mark for spam!

Chris
Founder, Travelsports

P.S. Be sure to share this newsletter with friends and encourage them to sign up to Travelsports!

DROP THE PUCK!

A new NHL season has started and hockey is upon us.

A handful of rookies will make their lifelong dream come true and skate alongside their idols in an NHL game.

Many young players want to be the next Patrick Kane, Alex Ovechkin or Connor McDavid and fans often ask, “What is your secret to being successful”.

Sometimes, simple things like showing up to practice on time, working out, maintaining a healthy regimen, being a leader on and off the ice while forming relationships with your coaches and teammates builds character and can help take you to the next level.

According to the American Development Model by USA Hockey, here are some helpful tips for players and parents on encouraging players at a young age:

  • Win or lose, remind them to love the game, and the game will love you back

  • Blaming teammates, blaming the ref, blaming anything is out. This goes for parents and players. Set a good example.

  • Play hockey with them, where they want and when they want to.

  • They will respect teammates, the opposition, the refs, the other team’s coaches. If you don’t teach them this, the coach will have to do it.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

With almost 150 hockey tournaments, the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend has the second most tournaments in the year. Do you know which weekend has the most?

Find the answer at the bottom of this newsletter!

 

YOUTH HOCKEY SEASON 

The 2022 youth hockey season has begun. It’s never fun to have to constantly buy new skates because your player’s feet keep growing. It can be difficult to find the right fit and comfortability.

Skates are the most important piece of equipment for the sport and vary based on material and technology. If you’re looking to upgrade to a high performing skate, then check out the skates below.

If you purchase a product linked from this email, we may receive a commission.

Bauer Supreme M5 Pro Ice Hockey Skates – Junior 

The Bauer Supreme M5 from PureHockey is perfect for experienced skaters who skate 3-4 times a week to help increase power and explosiveness. The Bauer Supreme M5 is equipped with asymmetrical toe clip for better overall fit and reflex tendon guard for better range of motion. New for the Bauer Supreme M5 is the ability to choose your own runner for your skate. Available in sizes 1.0 to 3.5. Note: Runners will arrive separately and require installation.

Bauer Supreme M4 Ice Hockey Skates – Junior

The Bauer Vapor Supreme M4 Ice Hockey Skates from Pure Hockey are great for first time skaters who skate 2-3 times a week. Built with advanced technology, Bauer has streamlined this skate for good balance of fit, performance and comfort. The Bauer Supreme M4 skate is equipped with Form Fit+ footbed with memory foam, 3D Lasted Flex Composite Quarter Package for support and 48oz felt tongue with exposed metatarsal guard to provide comfort in foot. Available in sizes 1.0 to 3.5.

Bauer Supreme M3 Ice Hockey Skates – Senior  

The Bauer Supreme M3 Ice Hockey Skates from Pure Hockey are great for the experienced weekly player. Designed with advanced technology, Bauer has streamlined this skate to be comfortable and increase mobility. The Supreme M3 is built with a Digi Composite Quarter Package designed for support and thermoforming functions, lightweight memory foam ankle padding and a 40oz Felt Tongue with mesh metatarsal guard to give you quality comfort. Available in sizes 7.0 to 11.5. 

 

MEET OUR FRIENDS AT ELITE LEVEL HOCKEY!

We have questions. The same questions heard around the hallways of rinks everywhere. Questions about development paths, about tournaments, about skills training, about expectations. Questions from moms and dads, from players and coaches.

Questions from hockey families.

Questions about minor hockey.

We want to answer these questions through creative storytelling and by sharing the experiences of players, parents, coaches, scouts and former pros in the hopes that their stories will inspire, enlighten and educate about the game we love.

From house league to the highest levels of minor hockey, we want to be part of the hockey journey because we believe EVERYONE plays Hockey on an Elite Level …

CLICK TO READ MORE ON ELITELEVELHOCKEY.COM!

LAX To The MAX 

Our Travelsports Lacrosse page is live!

We officially launched lacrosse in June and have added hundreds of lacrosse tournaments and showcases across the US and Canada. We’ve added college and adult (men’s/women’s) lacrosse clubs and will be adding thousands of youth and high school clubs by soon.

On our site, you will be able to find local clinics, regional and national tournaments & showcases, which we continually add/update, rankings and more! You’ll be able to book hotel rooms and explore extracurricular activities on our tournament and showcase pages.

ANSWER

With over 200 tournaments, the U.S. MLK Holiday Weekend has the most hockey tournaments in North America.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 24-May 31

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

Twin Ports Elite Prospects Showcase

Twin Ports Elite Prospects Showcase takes place over the U.S. Memorial Day weekend in the twin ports of Duluth MN/Superior WI. The Twin Ports AAA Female Elite Prospects tournament is a showcase event for those players serious about becoming college student-athletes.

Coaches from over a dozen NCAA women’s hockey programs attend each year, along with more and more ACHA Division 1 and 2 programs. Teams will also be given recruiting forms to provide info about their players that will be passed along to all college programs that attend the tournament.

The tournament is built for elite/AAA players in the U16-U19 divisions.

View schedules and standings

The Boston Showdown

The Boston Showdown is an Elite level spring hockey tournament hosted by the Junior Bruins over Memorial Day Weekend at the New England Sports Center (NESC) in Marlboro, MA., for 2010-2014 aged players. The tournament will host teams from Florida, Illinois, Minnesota as well as from Boston and the rest of New England.

View Schedules and Standings

SC Memorial Cup

SC Memorial Cup takes place in North Charleston, SC and is part of the TCS Hockey
Tournament Cup Series. Featuring boys divisions from U8 – U18 and Girls U12 – U16, the tournament offers a variety of skill divisions including AAA, AA, A, Tier 1, Tier 2. All teams will be guaranteed 4 games, with most being held at the Carolina Ice Palace.

Learn More About The Tournament

Greater Michigan Prospects Showcase
Detroit, MI
Ages: 2002 – 2006
Divisions: High School

Warrior Boston Spring Invite
Foxborough, MA
Ages: 2001, 2003, 2005 – 2014
Divisions: Tier 1

Bad to the Bone
Chicago, IL
Ages: U12 Peewees
Divisions: AA

New England States Rivalry Challenge
Exeter, NH
Ages: U16 Midgets, 2006 – 2010
Divisions: Elite, Invitational Only

Triple Crown of Hockey
Nashville, TN
Ages: 2007
Divisions: AAA

TCS Boston Memorial Cup
Brighton, MA
Ages: U8 – U18, Girls U12 – U16, 2007 – 2013, U15 Midgets
Divisions: AAA, AA, A, Tier 1, Tier 2

Memorial Day Tournament
Aston, PA
Ages: U6 – U18
Divisions: AAA, AA, A, B, C

Glacier Invitational
Vernon Hills, IL
Ages: U6 – U12
Divisions: AA, A, B

Oakland Grizzlies AAA Spring Invite
Fraser, MI
Ages: U16 – U18, Girls U14 – U19, 2006 – 2012, U15 Midgets
Divisions: AAA

Niagara Falls Memorial Day Cup
Amherst, NY
Ages: U8 – U18
Divisions: AAA, AA, A, B, C

Battle in the Desert
Mesa, AZ
Ages: U16 – U18
Divisions: AA, A, B

Connecticut Rush
Northford, CT
Ages: U12 – U18, Girls U12 – U19
Divisions: Tier 2

2021 Memorial Day Tournament
Wesley Chapel, FL
Ages: U10 – U16
Divisions: AA, A

Philadelphia Shootout
West Chester, PA
Ages: U8 – U18, U15 Midgets
Divisions: AAA, AA

NOTE: Some tournaments may be cancelled or rescheduled.

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 24-May 31 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 17-May 23

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

Summer Series Madison

CAN/AM Hockey’s Madison tournament is part of their new Summer Series and features both Elite (AAA and AA) and Travel (A/B players and their teams) Divisions.

The tournament for boys aged 2007-2012, will be held in Madison, Wisconsin at the Capitol Ice Arena, which hosted the girls Summer Series tournament last weekend. Games will be played Friday through Sunday.

View more Tournament Information

The Last Dance

The Last Dance tournament — which has been operating for over a decade — in Detroit Michigan features boys teams from U-10 to U18 age groups at the AA, A, A2, B levels. Featuring a four-game minimum, the tournament will feature teams from Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin and New York.

View More Tournament Information

Blue Chip Invite MASS

The CCM Blue Chip Invite MASS is a spring youth ice hockey tournament for elite level boys in the 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, Midget 15’s & 16U and groups. The tournament is in its eighth year and will be played out of rinks in Foxborough and Walpole. This is one of the biggest spring tournaments for elite players in the northeastern part of the U.S.

View More Tournament Information

Other Tournaments

Dragon’s Lair
Romeoville, IL
Ages: U10 – U18
Divisions: AA, A, B

Battle on the Border
Gurnee, IL
Ages: U16 – U18
Divisions: AA, A

New Jersey Spring Classic
Randolph, NJ
Ages: U8 Mites
Divisions: A, B

Independent Classic AAA
St. Louis Park, MN
Ages: U16 – U18, Girls U8 – U19, 2006 – 2013
Divisions: AAA

Cherry Blossom Showdown
Columbia, MD
Ages: U10 – U18
Divisions: AA, A, A2, B

AAU Spring Grinder Tournament
Hazel Park, MI
Ages: U8 Mites
Divisions: AA, A, B

Doritos Spring Challenge
Ages: U10 – U12
Divisions: AA, A

Mayhem in the Mitten
Canton, MI
Ages: U8 Mites
Divisions: Red, White, Blue

Glacier Invitational
Vernon Hills, IL
Ages: U10 – U14
Divisions: A, B

Spring Grinder Tournament
Dearborn, MI
Ages: U10 – U18
Divisions: AAA, AA, A

Spring Shootout
Bridgewater, NJ
Ages: U8 – U18
Divisions: AA, A, B

Lake Michigan Invitational
Carol Stream, IL
Ages: U8 – U12
Divisions: AA

NOTE: Some tournaments may be cancelled or rescheduled.

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 17-May 23 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 10-May 16

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

Madison Girls CAN AM Hockey

The Madison Girls takes place in Middleton, Wisconsin from May 14-16, 2021. This tournament is home to defending champions Wisconsin Badger Women’s Hockey Team of 2019. Games will be played Friday through Sunday to determine the 2021 champions.

There will be a three-game guarantee, where four teams in each division will compete. Divisions include Tier 1 Elite teams and Tier 2 Travel teams. 12U, 14U, 16U, and 19U are part of both tiered tournaments. Games will consist of three 14-minute stop time periods. 

View more on the Madison Girls tournament

New Jersey Spring Classic

The New Jersey Spring Classic takes place in Randolph, New Jersey from May 14-16, 2021. 

The format of the tournament is a Round Robin with playoff games, with three games guaranteed. Divisions playing are AA U16 Midgets and A U18 Midgets. Games will be played through Friday evening to Sunday evening. 

There are five U16 teams playing: Devil Dogs, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Metro Moose, NJ Spitfires, Savages, and Wolverines. 

There are four U18 teams playing: Metro Moose, Mid-Atlantic Black Knights, NJ Spitfires, and Wolverines. 

These teams will compete in each division to see who takes the first, second, and third place rewards.

View game schedule and results

The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet hockey tournament presented by Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League (LCAHL) will take place between May 14-16, 2021.

The annual tournament will feature teams from the Midget, Bantam, Pee Wee and Squirt divisions of the LCAHL, with 2003 to 2012 birth years. 

The registered teams are scattered all across Michigan, with a few coming from Ohio to compete in the tournament. Games will take place at select arenas with a few taking place at the BELFOR Training Facility (Official practice facility of the Detroit Red Wings). 

Teams are guaranteed four games with the possibility of tournament results being used in 2021 fall division placement.

View more information about the tournament.

Cowgirl Shootout

The Cowgirl Shootout will take place between May 13 – 16, 2021 in Nashville, TN. 

The all girl’s tournament is part of the Rose series, which is an offspring of the widely popular Brick series tournaments. 

The elite girl’s hockey event will feature teams from across North America in the 2008 and 2009 division.

 Teams will play on both rinks of the Ford Ice Center, Bellevue and Antioch, where the Nashville Predators often practice. 

View schedules and more tournament information.

More tournaments to watch out for this week (some tournaments may be cancelled due to the pandemic):

  • Preview Challenge Tournament
  • Madison Girls
  • TCS Iron City Cup
  • BLPA Bash Laurel
  • Battle on the Border
  • TCS Showdown in Coral Springs
  • OneHockey Boston May Parity Warmup
  • Hockey Fights Cancer
  • Windy City Spring Classic
  • Top Tier USA
  • Doritos Spring Challenge
  • DRAFTDAY Prospects 05 Spotlight
  • New Jersey Spring Classic
  • Chicago Quest for the Cup
  • Pittsburgh Spring Challenge
  • Rush Spring Showcase
  • The Right 7
  • Detroit Showdown AAA
  • Milwaukee Summer Ice Cup
  • Pikes Peak Spring Classic

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 10-May 16 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 3-May 9

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

Stars and Stripes

The Stars and Stripes AAA hockey tournament will take place in Edina, Minnesota from May 6 – 9, 2021. The five-game guaranteed tournament is open to boys and girls in the 2006 to 2014 age levels. 

Body checking will begin at the 2008 level with USA hockey certified officiating.  Team trophies will go to first, second, and third place finishers, with two stars of the game awarded in each game. Due to COVID-19 the regular 20-minute stop time periods will be cut to 17 minutes to allow for disinfecting. 

Past winners of the tournament include Machine Force, Jr Islanders, and the Southside Warriors.

View more on the tournament.

Warrior Boston Girls Invite

The Warrior Boston Girls Invite will run between May 7-9, 2021 and is the first tournament in the Warrior Invite Tournament Series. 

The tournament will include Elite, and Tier 1 level hockey programs at the Girls 2006 to 2011 age groups, as well as HS Girls, and Girls U19, U17, and U16. 

The youth divisions offer a four-game guarantee while the other divisions will consist of a three-game round robin before playoffs. 

Over 250 teams competed in last years events, with individual, team and MVP awards going to tournament champions. 

All games of the tournament will be streamed live on https://livebarn.com/

View more on the tournament.

CCM Showdown

The CCM Showdown place in Woodbridge, VA. from May 7-9, 2021. This tournament includes AA, A, and B divisions for U16, U14, and U12 age groups for boys. In the series of games, the 1st and 2nd periods will be 12 minutes, with a 15-minute third period. 

The CCM Showdown will follow the USA Hockey rules. 

View more on the CCM Showdown.

Finnesota Cup

The Finnesota Cup takes place in Eden Prairie, MN. from May 6-8, 2021. This tournament is a girl only invitational for U19, U16, and U14 age groups. Each team will battle in a 4-game guarantee with the championship games being livestream.

The Finnesota Cup will have three 15-minute periods. There will be no tie games. The championship game will have 4-on-4 overtime with 5-minute intervals. If the game is still tied, there will be a standard 3 shooter format shootout. 

View more on the Finnesota Cup.

Other tournaments to watch out for this week: (Note: some tournaments may be cancelled or postponed due to the pandemic)

  • Finnesota Cup
  • Walleye Chop
  • Doritos Spring Challenge
  • Weekend Hockey – Niagara Falls
  • Stars & Stripes
  • Battle on the Border
  • Warrior Boston Girls Invite
  • St. Louis Ultimate Hockey Tournament
  • Showdown in Chi-Town
  • Park City Mountain Cup
  • OneHockey Syracuse May
  • New Jersey Spring Classic
  • Boys Harrow Invite
  • Colorado Select ‘She Persisted’ Tournament
  • Ring of Fire
  • Spring Stampede
  • Chicago May Madness
  • Battle of Detroit
  • CCM Showdown

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: May 3-May 9 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: April 26-May 2

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

Windy City Rumble

The Windy City Rumble features Boys and Girls from Elite AAA, AAA, and AA teams and runs from April 30 – May 2, 2021.

The Chicago based tournament already has over 90 teams scheduled to play in 19 different divisions, ranging from U8 – U18.  Games will take place in several different arenas located in the surrounding downtown area of Illinois. 

Teams are coming from across the United States, from places like Ohio, Iowa, and of course, Illinois. 

View tournament stats, results and schedules. 

New Jersey Spring Classic

The New Jersey Spring Classic takes place in Randolph, NJ. From April 20 – May 2, 2021. This hockey tournament includes divisions boys U10, U12, and U14 from the A level. Tournament format is a Round Robin with playoffs, 4 game minimum.  Teams from all around New Jersey will put their skills to the test in each division bracket.

View game schedule and results. 

Falling Water

The Falling Water hockey tournament takes place in Oregon and Middleton, Wisconsin from April 30 – May 2, 2021. Divisions include U10, U12, U14, U16 HSJV and U18 HSV. 

Teams from Illinois, Michigan, New York and more, will be competing and are guaranteed a 4-game minimum.  Teams that are a part of the Bloomington Thunder, Jr. Tradesman, and Vipers Hockey programs, as well as others, will be competing in multiple divisions in the tournament. 

View tournament stats, results and schedules.

Finnesota Cup 

Finnesota Cup is girls only invitations that takes place in Eden Prairie, MN. from April 30 – May 2, 2021. This hockey tournament includes girls U8-U12 divisions that will battle in a 4-game guarantee with a possible bonus game. 

Championship games will be livestreamed and will have a 5 minute 4-on-4 OT if necessary. 

View tournament stats, results and schedules.

Other tournaments to watch out for this week:

  • TFH Summer 3v3
  • PIC Keg Cup
  • Chicago Ultimate Hockey Tournaments
  • Austin Showdown
  • Mountain Dew Blast (Multiple tournaments)
  • Alex Ice Breaker
  • Motown Cup Tournament Series
  • Windy City Rumble
  • Las Vegas Draft Experience
  • Doritos Spring Challenge
  • 2021 Hockey Fights MS Massachusetts Benefit Games
  • Shock Doctor AAA Shootout
  • BC Spring Showdown
  • Puckmasters
  • Falling Water
  • NAHC Early Bird
  • Bad to the Bone
  • AAU Spring Grinder Tournament
  • New Jersey Spring Classic
  • CCM Showdown
  • 2021 USA Hockey-Chipotle Youth National Championships
  • Play Hockey Invitational

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: April 26-May 2 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

What is … The Brick Tournament?

Traditionally it is THE tournament for some of the best U10 players in North America.

The Brick Invitational is a week-long tournament for U10 division hockey players that takes place at the West Edmonton Mall in Alta., and runs between the last week of June and first week of July every summer. 

“If you’ve never seen it, it is so much fun to watch,” said Andy Wigston, executive director of the Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament.

The tournament began in 1990 when Bill Comrie, founder of the Brick Furniture store, was discussing with Wigston and other executives the fact there were a bunch of great tournaments for young hockey players — like the Quebec International Pee-Wee tournament — but there was nothing specifically for 10-year-olds.

Comrie’s son Mike, who would go on to play 11 seasons in the NHL, was just a talented, 10-year-old kid in 1990 without a meaningful tournament at his age division. Bill wanted to change that.

Having opened a Brick store in the West Edmonton Mall, Comrie and company knew there was a rink already in place.

With permission, they made the skating rink inside the mall into a hockey rink, complete with penalty boxes, player’s benches and even dressing rooms. 

“When you came to the Brick store you had an experience, everything you did at the Brick you had an experience. We wanted to make this an experience,” Wigston said.

In its inaugural year the tournament lasted only three days and consisted of eight teams. 

“The first three or four years was absolutely one of the most fun things I’ve ever done. I mean without question,” Wigston said.

Thirty years later, the tournament is now capped at 14 teams.

Part of “spring” hockey,  teams come from six different Canadian provinces and seven American states, including one team made up of kids from all across the western part of the United States. They are NOT traditional “winter” hockey teams, but rather elite teams built from players across various “winter” teams and leagues.

Every three years, Wigston sits down with committee members to evaluate the organizations fielding teams and determine if they are still meeting the level of competition required to remain in the tournament. 

Should an organization fail to meet these standards, they will be replaced. Teams looking to join the tournament must adhere to a strict set of rules before being placed on a waitlist. 

Some factors include how long they’ve been in business, quality of coaching and staff and the ability to make a three-year commitment to bring a competitive team to the tournament. 

Wigston said he already has a handful of teams from both Canada and America on the waitlist, patiently awaiting their turn. 

However, for those teams and players currently involved in the tournament it is a once in a lifetime experience. 

“You should see their faces when they come out for the first time, it’s like they’re bewildered,” said Wigston describing the players stepping on the ice in Edmonton.

Wigston said parents love it too because they’re not stuck in a cold rink, there is a Starbucks and a Tim Hortons, they can shop, and the West Edmonton Mall gives every player a day pass for the waterpark and amusement park. 

Not only is the venue something to behold but the level of talent is like none other. 

“It’s pretty amazing how good these 10-year-olds are, they are the best 10-year-olds in North America,” said Wigston.

Over 200 of those 10-year-olds have gone on to play in the NHL. 

Steven Stamkos, P.K. Subban, and Auston Matthews are just a few who once stepped on the ice at the Brick Invitational. 

Many more have gone on to play in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and various American and Canadian colleges and universities. 

Wigston said the tournament leaves a lasting impression on the players.

Former Brick Invitational player and current Edmonton Oiler, Tyler Ennis, often comes back to visit and has even helped out during trophy presentations.

Instead of using bantam level referees, which is often the case at novice level tournaments, this tournament uses Alberta Junior referees, college level referees and even NHL referees. 

Wigston said sometimes referees have to make difficult calls, and because the parents, coaches, and players are investing so much time and money into attending the tournament, they didn’t want a team to potentially lose the game because a 14-year-old kid couldn’t make the call. 

Wigston said the tournament is run by roughly 45 volunteers, whom he calls a family.

Each team is designated a volunteer team representative, some of which have been helping for 20 years.

From officiating to staff and venue, Wigston and committee at the Brick have strived to make the Brick Invitational an experience for the kids and families involved.

“We wanted to do something that was unique. We wanted something that was just different, but we wanted it to be an experience,” said Wigston. 

This year the Brick Invitational is scheduled for Aug. 2-8, due to restrictions from COVID-19. 

A final decision on the tournaments ability to proceed this year will be made before April 30, 2021. 

The post What is … The Brick Tournament? appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.

Categories
Hockey Tournaments

Minor Hockey Tournaments: April 19-25

Every week, Elite Level Hockey will be previewing some of the best minor hockey tournaments in North America during the spring hockey and winter seasons. Tournaments are not ranked in any way and are selected to help promote boy’s and girl’s minor hockey at all levels and age groups.

The Big One

The Big One (Girls Festival) takes place in Prior Lake, MN. from April 23-25, 2021. This hockey tournament is invitational only for girls’ divisions U14, U12, and U10. Players on the Hawks, Bolts, Bees, Habs, and Pens will showcase their skills and battle to place in the championship game at Bloomington Ice Garden.

The finals will consist of a livestreamed game including an announcer.

View game schedule and results

NAHC Early Bird

The North America Hockey Classic (NAHC) Early Bird takes place in Winnipeg, MB. from April 29 – May 2, 2021. Players in the AAA division with age groups ranging from 2007-2014 will battle in a 5-game guarantee. WIHL Scouts will have three 20-minute periods to watch players and teams showcase their talent on the ice. 

This tournament will have a real time online player and team stat tracker available online.

View Schedule and Results 

Mountain Dew Blast

The Mountain Dew Blast tournament for AAA level hockey programs in Minnesota continues this weekend.

Players in the 2008-2010 age bracket from the St. Cloud Division will face-off at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center and the MAC (Municipal Athletic Complex). 

This will be the tenth consecutive year the two venues have played host to the Boys Open St. Cloud Division.

Last weekend saw four teams take home championship trophies. For the 2011 age group, the SDP Premier and Pokegama Factory Hockey teams took first place in their divisions. While the Fargo Grinders and the St. Cloud Grizzly’s took first place at the 2012/2013 age group.

Read more on the tournament

Music City Invitational

The Music City Invitational is part of a series of tournaments put on by the popular furniture and appliance store the Brick.

The Music City Invitational which runs Apr. 22 – 25 in Nashville, Tenn., typically sees teams from all across North America in the 2009 elite, and 2010 AA Boy’s division.

Games will take place at the Nashville Predators run Ford Ice Centre facilities in Antioch and Bellevue.

This tournament stems from the widely popular Brick tournament that began in Edmonton, Alta. in 1990. The original Brick tournament has seen players like Steven Stamkos, Auston Matthews, and P.K Subban. 

Past winners of the Music City Invitational include Toronto Pro Hockey (2016), Team Pacific (2017 and 2018), and Chicago Elite AAA (2020).

View Schedule and Results

Other Minor Hockey Tournaments This Week

  • 2021 CCM Boston Spring Invite
  • Sopel Shootout Showcase
  • Music City Invitational
  • Spring Showdown
  • Spring Thaw
  • FT Lauderdale
  • Mountain Dew Blast
  • Battle in the Desert
  • Battle on the Border
  • Louisville Puck Drop
  • ThunderBird
  • St. Louis Ultimate Hockey Tournament
  • Chicago Spring Classic
  • Boston CAN AM Hockey
  • Seattle CAN AM Hockey
  • Irish South Bend Cup Tournament Series
  • The Big One
  • Ontario Women’s Independent Provincial Championship 
  • Alberta Champions Cup
  • Rock’N Roll Tournament Series
  • NAHC Early Bird
  • North American Spring Championships
  • Minnesota Meltdown AAA
  • Play Hockey Invitational

The post Minor Hockey Tournaments: April 19-25 appeared first on Elite Level Hockey.