North American Hockey League (NAHL)
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top Tier II junior hockey leagues in the United States and serves as a major development pathway for players pursuing NCAA college hockey and professional careers.
Founded in 1975, the NAHL operates under USA Hockey governance and is widely recognized for developing players who go on to NCAA Division I programs.
Overview of the NAHL
League Type: Tier II Junior Hockey
Governing Body: USA Hockey
Founded: 1975
Typical Player Age: 16–20
Teams: Approximately 32 teams across the United States
Season Length: ~60 regular-season games
Players in the NAHL are typically 16–20 years old, with many athletes using the league as a developmental step before NCAA hockey.
Off-Season Strength and Conditioning for Hockey Players
Celebrating its 51st season in 2025-26, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 34 teams teams in 19 states from across North America.
The NAHL is part of the USA Hockey National Junior Development Model, which includes the USHL and the US National Team Development Program. The NAHL works closely with NCAA College Hockey, the NHL, the USHL, and USA Hockey’s National Development Program in order best serve as an imperative piece in the development system for collegiate and professional hockey.
During the 2025-26 season, the NAHL has had over 212 NCAA-committed players (as of March 16, 2026), with 78% of those being NCAA Division I commitments. Additionally, 37% of all NCAA Division I freshmen played hockey in the NAHL. Over the course of the last eight seasons, 2,190+ NAHL players have made NCAA commitments and 36 have been drafted into the NHL.
All NAHL hockey teams are privately owned and operated as a business similar in structure and business operations as those involving professional hockey teams. Such operations include ticket sales, corporate sales, broadcasting, and community-based initiatives and outreach programs. NAHL athletes are provided the opportunity to develop, learn, train, grow and succeed, while playing for free.
The NAHL’s dedication to player development is demonstrated by the league’s high-profile annual exposure events like the NAHL Showcase in September, the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, and the NAHL Robertson Cup Championship, which have all evolved into hockey’s most prominent and popular of its kind and are a must-see for NCAA programs and NHL teams alike.
The NAHL is unique in the fact that a vast majority of players begin their NAHL careers without an NCAA opportunity and earn one through the course of their development in the league.
https://nahl.com/player-advancement/college/index.cfm?season=2025