HOCKEY CANADA LAUNCHES DEVELOPMENT HUB MODEL

Pilot program to begin in March in partnership with BC Hockey and Victoria Royals

VICTORIA, British Columbia – Hockey Canada has announced the first Hockey Canada Development Hub, a new and innovative player development program that will be piloted this spring in partnership with BC Hockey and the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL).

Designed for competitive boys and girls in the U9, U11 and U13 age categories, as well as emerging high-performance U15 and U18 men’s athletes, the development hub will offer standardized, on- and off-ice programming twice a week from March 31-May 28, led by the Royals coaching staff with support from Hockey Canada Certified Skills Coaches.

Additional programming in the summer will expand to also include boys and girls in U7, as well as men’s junior/U20 athletes, beginning on August 10.

“The development hub model has the potential to completely re-imagine how we deliver consistent and streamlined player development experiences for young athletes across Canada as they learn from certified, experienced coaches who are trained to develop players - and people - on and off the ice,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations for Hockey Canada. “Pending the results of this pilot, we envision operating hubs in the future in multiple Canadian communities in partnership with the CHL and its Member Leagues, which will provide more opportunities for Canadian athletes to learn, develop and grow through programming that has been approved by Hockey Canada to ensure it is age- and skill-appropriate.

“This initiative aligns with the ongoing work that Hockey Canada is leading to reimagine the Canadian Development Model and offer consistent player pathways across the country, and we are looking forward to the hubs enhancing the development of Canadian athletes.”

As part of the new model, Hockey Canada will design the program curriculum and provide training, certification, resources and tools for the coaches who will be leading the delivery of the development hubs.

“The Victoria Royals are proud to partner with Hockey Canada, the Western Hockey League, and BC Hockey on this innovative development model,” said Joey Poljanowski, vice-president of hockey operations for the Royals. “This program is designed to deliver consistent, industry-leading development for young athletes in our community and reflects our shared commitment to providing best-in-class and accessible opportunities for minor hockey players across Vancouver Island.”

Registration for each age group will be initially restricted to 25 players to ensure the participating athletes are receiving sufficient individual instruction and engagement with the certified instructors.

“The WHL is pleased to have the Victoria Royals participating in Hockey Canada’s first development hub,” said Dan Near, commissioner of the WHL. “With WHL Clubs deeply connected to their local minor hockey associations, and youth players and their families seeking credible off-season training and development, this partnership with Hockey Canada is a natural fit and will have a meaningful impact for aspiring WHL players.”

Registration is now open on the Hockey Canada Registry.

After evaluating the results from the pilot, it is anticipated that additional Hockey Canada Development Hubs could be created as early as 2027, with the potential to expand the current program offerings.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikT

For more information or to be removed from the media contact list, please contact:

Jeremy Knight

Chief of Staff

Hockey Canada

(416) 451-3343

jknight@hockeycanada.ca