The 2019 Annual Meeting of the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois, Inc. (AHAI) will take place on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. at the Woodfield Hyatt Hotel located at 1800 East Golf Road in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Any individual who wishes to submit their name as a candidate for the position as a Board of Director of AHAI must submit their name, in writing, to the Chairperson of the Nominating Committee, Ken Michel ( kmichel@ahai2.org) no later than Wednesday, April 17, 2019. A short biography stating the individual's background, hockey experience, etc. should be included. The Nominating Committee will then send to each team a list of all the candidates and their biographies prior to the AHAI Annual Meeting in accordance with the By-Laws, Rules and Regulations. Any individual who wishes to submit a new By-Law proposal or change to an existing By-Law must submit their proposal(s), in writing, to the President of AHAI, Mike Barrett ( president@ahai2.org), no later than Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Thank you, in advance, for all of you help and cooperation in the furtherance of youth hockey in Illinois. -  AHAI Board of Directors

By Tom Layberger - Chicago Blackhawks coach Derek Daniels knew that if his team ( click here for roster) keyed on the Gaylord Wolfpack's Declan Farmer and Jack Wallace, his team stood a very good chance of winning the USA Hockey Sled Hockey National Championship on Sunday. In containing the two Paralympic gold medalists, that is exactly what happened. READ MORE>>

Congratulations to the players who have been selected to participate in USA Hockey's Central District High Performance Youth 15, 16 & 17 Player Development Festivals held May 10-12 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin and the 2019 USA Hockey Central District High Performance Youth 14 Player Development Camp held June 16-21 at Ames, Iowa. VIEW LISTS>>

The Tier II substitute choice application process, Squirt 10U through Midget 16U/18U will begin on July 19, 2019. All applications will be submitted online. The Tier II Committee will only have (3) three appeal hearings this year for those denied a substitute choice.  The dates for the appeals are August 8, August 28, and September 10, 2019 at 6:30pm at the North Shore Ice Arena. If denied, please email Gregg Chudacoff, AHAI Tier II Chairman, at  gregg.chudacoff@ahai2.org with your preferred appeal hearing date. The deadline for applying for a substitute choice will be September 15, 2019.

You will find helpful articles regarding the Two Choice Rule, Choice Substitutions and what you should consider before making that second choice as well as information regarding the Midget Third Choice in the articles below.

By Don Allord, AHAI Foundation Golf Chairman - The AHAI Foundation Golf Committee is excited to announce that the 2019 golf outing will be held on Friday, August 9, 2019, at the Schaumburg Golf Club. Mark your calendar and get a group together. We will only take 144 golfers. Click HERE to make  your reservation today...spots fill up fast! Click HERE for complete details. See you on the links!

The Amateur Hockey Association Illinois, Inc. is proud to present the 2019 AHAI Adult State Championship Tournament hosted by the AHAI Adult Committee and The Edge Ice Arena. The Adult State Tournament will take place April 25 - April 28, 2019 with all Championship Games taking place on Sunday, April 28, 2019 at The Edge.  Click HERE for more information and/or registration, or contact Robert Fiorio, Tournament Director at rfiorio4@yahoo.com. Click HERE  to download/print flyer and registration form.

Kevin was raised on the West Side of Chicago, the oldest of six children. During the 50's and 60s, there were no ice rinks or ponds in the area. Hockey was a dream and a sport that was played on the streets, alleys or sometimes in the playground if they froze it. Hockey sticks were often shared and rare to come by. They had one puck which was also shared. That was the extent of the equipment. 

Hockey was always Kevin's favorite sport and the Blackhawks his favorite team. He followed them whenever they were televised and occasionally went to the Stadium to watch his hero Stan Mikita light it up. READ MORE>>

Question:  At the 10U Girls level, is checking in the back a 5 minute major with game ejection? ANSWER>>

Question: Can the referee disallow a goal after awarding and then noticing the net dislodged? We have had two instances of a referee awarding, pointing at the net, blowing their whistle, and then disallowing the goal after noticing the net was dislodged. ANSWER>>

AHAI wishes safe travels and good luck to our Boys and Girls America's Showcase Teams! The Boys ( view roster) are looking to recapture the championship title after a 2nd place finish in 2018, while a stronger than ever Girls' team ( view roster) hopes to bring home a championship to Illinois for the first time. Both teams will play their games April 11-15, 2019, at the St, Peters Rec-Plex in St. Louis, Missouri. Don't miss a second of the action; watch live on HockeyTV!

USA Hockey has announced the thirteen forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders that have been selected to join USA Hockey's National Team Development Program and will compete as the U.S. National Under-17 Team in 2019-20. The roster includes Illinois Sean Behrens (Barrington) and Jack Devine (Glencoe). READ MORE>>

The Chicago Blackhawks and BMO Harris Bank are proud to honor members of the hockey community. Each month during the regular season they recognize the excellence of a youth hockey player, coach and volunteer. AHAI congratulates March's Award Winners: Jim Clare, AHAI and Sabre Hockey Association (Volunteer); Chris Ward, Geneva Cyclones (Coach); and Liam Dullum, Glen Ellyn Admirals (Player). 

The Chicago Blackhawks youth hockey camps are summer programs for youth and girls hockey players using qualified coaches and former Blackhawks players. The camps provide both on- and off-ice instruction for hockey players of all skill levels. Click HERE for complete details and registration. See you this summer!

The Chicago Blackhawks and MB Ice Arena are excited to launch Golden Coynes, an all-girls development hockey program created in partnership with 2018 Olympic Gold Medalist, Kendall Coyne Schofield. Golden Coynes aims to create a fun and exciting environment for girls ages 6-12 who have prior experience with a learn to play program and want to continue to grow as a female hockey player. Led by an all-female staff, Golden Coynes will progress through a 3-phase program focusing on skating, stickhandling, shooting, positional concepts, and small area games. Questions? Please email Mary DeBartolo at mdebartolo@chicagoblackhawks.com or call 312-455-7607. REGISTER NOW>>

The Chicago Blackhawks have announced the team will host HockeyFest - Game On!, the world's largest street hockey tournament, on United Center campus parking lots from June 22-23, 2019. This marks the first time ever that this traveling event will be held in the United States. With more than 30 divisions ranging across age, gender and skill level, hockey players of all ages, including adults, are invited to participate. Click HERE for complete details and registration information.

MB Ice Arena is proud to host a showcase highlighting local and regional talent for juniors and seniors in high school and current junior hockey players.  The goal for this event is to educate and create an opportunity for players to showcase their interest and talents in front of top ACHA Programs. With 10 of the top ACHA schools already committed, and more to come, this event will be unlike any other event in the area.  Players will have multiple opportunities to showcase their skills to various programs on and off the ice. Questions? Please contact Joe Caprio at: jcaprio@chicagoblackhawks.com.   REGISTER NOW>>