Volume 12 Issue 7 | July 2024

USA Hockey Requiring Neck Laceration Protection Starting August 1

Starting August 1, players competing in youth, girls, high school or junior hockey within USA Hockey are required to wear neck laceration protectors (NLPs) for all games and practices. In addition, on-ice officials under the age of 18 as well as players in all six disciplines within USA Hockey’s disabled hockey program are also required to wear NLPs.

While players in the adult age classification are excluded from the requirement, USA Hockey continues to recommend neck laceration protectors for those playing adult hockey and remains steadfast in encouraging the use of cut-resistant socks, sleeves or undergarments for all players and on-ice officials.

For more information from USA Hockey, click here.

Tier II Youth Substitute Choice Application Process for 2024-25 Season

The Tier II Youth substitute choice application process, 10U through 16U/18U began on July 15, 2024. All applications will be submitted online. The deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 4, 2024. The Tier II Committee will have (3) three in-person appeal hearings for those denied a substitute choice on 8/6 8/20 and 9/3. Hearing must be requested in order to attend. Click Here for Tier II Substitute Choice Application

Questions? Please email Keri Zschach, AHAI Tier II Chairman, at keri.zschach@ahai2.org.

Chicago Flames Player Movement

For the 2024/25 fall season, the following rules will be used for any player that was rostered on a fall/ regular season Chicago Flames, Tier II team during the 2023/24 season. Review the player movement and choice rules here.

Summer has gone by way too fast & the new hockey season is upon us.

Girls’ Tier II tryouts are right around the corner.

Tryouts begin August 15th with many organizations conducting conditioning clinics to get players ready.

A few things to remember prior to and during tryouts:

• Make sure your equipment still fits correctly, especially your skates.
• Make sure you are aware and have obtained a proper neck laceration protector.
• Familiarize yourself with Article 17- Girls on the AHAI website under Rules & Regulations.
• The 2-choice rule for Girls no longer exists but the Player Movement Rule is now more restrictive (Article 17 Section 17.16).
• Do what’s right for YOU.
• Do YOUR best.
• HAVE FUN!!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

Let’s all look forward to a great 2024-2025 hockey season.

Anita Lichterman

AHAI Girls Director & AHAI Player Safety Director

girls@ahai2.org

Congratulations to the 5 Illinoisans Selected during the 2024 NHL Entry Draft!

The 2024 NHL Draft was held in Las Vegas at The Sphere on June 28th - 29th. 40 American players were selected in the draft, including five players from Illinois. Check out the Complete Draft Results here.

Congratulations to the Illinois Players Selected to Advance to Women's National Festival!

The 2024 USA Hockey BioSteel Girls Under-18 Select Player Development Camp will take place August 4-9 at the Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York.

Congratulations to the following players selected:

Rachel Gorbatenko, South Barrington

Sydney Lamb, Lombard

Kylie Amelkovich, Glen Ellyn

Ella Pukala, Arlington Heights

Laine Rettell, Lincolnwood

READ MORE>>>

3 Illinois Players Selected for the 2024 U.S. Under-17 Men's Select Team

The 2024 U.S. Under-17 Men's Select Team will compete at the Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Piešťany, Slovakia, from August 14-18.

Congratulations to the following players on being selected:

Schaeffer Gordon-Carroll, Oswego

Jack Hextall, Rolling Meadows

Kalder Varga, Geneva

READ MORE>>>

Evanston Senior Ilija Marich On The Road To Another All-Star Season

By: Ross Forman

Ilija Marich, a senior this fall at Evanston Township High School, took one giant step, er, ride on July 9^th in preparation for his final season skating for the Wildkits, a defenseman in jersey No. 73.

That Tuesday, he rode his bicycle from Evanston to Kenosha, Wisconsin. It was a 90-mile ride that took him seven hours to complete, with a one-hour break for lunch.

“I wanted to use this experience to find my physical limits in order to push past them in hopes of developing my physical abilities,” said Marich, 17. “My off-ice improvements help give me a platform to pull from on the ice. Being able to pull strength from your body on the ice is important if you need it to skate faster, shoot harder, hit harder, etc.

“My work ethic (comes) from my desire to win and my love for the game. I won’t say it’s always easy and off-ice workouts aren’t always the most fun thing to do, but knowing that it will better me and bring me closer to the game I love is always something that has kept me going in times where I wanted to stop or turn around.”

Marich skated for Evanston Youth Hockey before joining the Wildkits as a freshman on JV, when he was named the Defensive MVP and an IHSHL North-Central Division JV All-Star. He was a league all-star as a junior on the varsity, too. READ MORE<<<

Chicago Executive Annie Camins Reflects On PWHL Inaugural Season

Camins treasures PWHL memories, including Kendall Coyne Schofield hoisting The Walter Cup

By Ross Forman

Annie Camins has a rink full of memories from the inaugural season of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), where she is the vice president hockey operations.

The journey started on opening day this past January 1 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto where the visitors, New York, skated away with a 4-0 victory. The game was a “powerful and emotional culmination of 125 days of hard work,” said Camins, a Chicago resident who spent 14 years working for the Blackhawks as the senior director, youth and amateur hockey. He joined the PWHL last July.

Camins witnessed the sold-out game at Bell Centre in Montreal, with the crowd’s incredible response to Marie-Philip Poulin’s introduction, she said.

One of her final memories from the 2024 PWHL season was pure Chicago, as Kendall Coyne Schofield lifted the Walter Cup after Minnesota captured the championship, which was “a full-circle moment as she helped build the league and now got to celebrate its success,” Camins said.

Camins also had her daughter, Amelia, 12, with her at many PWHL moments, which made them even more meaningful, she said. READ MORE>>>

Registration for Officials is Open

Level 1**Different levels fees vary slightly - below is what level 1 will cost***

1.Register as a Referee with USA Hockey after June 3^rd, 2024 ($55.00 Fee Required)– This is different from the player registration, and both are required if you plan to play & officiate.

a. USA Hockey Registration

b. Once Registered for USA Hockey you can search for our seminar through their portal

and secure your spot in the seminar before it fills up – you must select register for this

seminar on their site to secure your spot.

c. You can select any level 1 seminar but would strongly encourage you to attend one

being led by IHOA (Northern Illinois) 

d. All IHOA Level 1 seminars will be held on ZOOM and take place over (2) separate

nights within the same week. YOU MUST ATTEND BOTH ZOOM SESSIONS TO

RECEIVE CREDIT.

i. The seminars will be paired together and cannot be substituted for separate weeks,

you must attend both sections of the seminar you select in order to complete your

seminar requirement

2.Register with IHOA and pay the IHOA Fee ($40.00 Fee Required)

a. IHOA Registration

b. If this is your first year registering with IHOA, you will need to wait at least 24 hours

AFTER you register with USA Hockey for your information to be transferred over to our

system.

c. You will select the Level 1 option for all IHOA Level 1 officials

i. **IGNORE THE SEMINAR DATE ON THE CONFIRMATION THAT YOU RECEIVE**

ii. Your actual seminar date is dictated by the session you register for on the USA

Hockey website

3.OPTIONAL BUT STRONGLY SUGGESTED

a. Attend IHOA on Ice Instruction

i. Locations, Schedule, & Registration details are available on our

website, www.ihoa.com

ii. Attending an on ice session will allow you to practice the basic functions of an on ice

official. 

4.If born in 2007 or earlier, complete Safesport training through USA Hockey’s website.

5.If born in 2007 or earlier, complete background screening through USA Hockey’s website.

6.Once all requirements are complete USA Hockey will send you your Card & Crest for the year and you can start requesting games.

7.Please note that if under 18, Per USA Hockey, all officials are required to wear neck protection while officiating games.

Thank you to all member Clubs for your tireless efforts to schedule the Fall 2024/25 league games. We are looking forward to seeing you at our Scheduling Meeting:

August 11, 9:00AM

Hyatt Regency

1100 East Golf Road, Schaumburg

We are pleased to announce that we have officially transitioned our website to the Crossbar platform. Be sure to visit us to experience our new look: csdhl.org

The CSDHL season officially begins on September 13th. We cannot wait for the exciting competition from our premier teams this season!

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