At the Massachusetts Hockey Board of Directors meeting on February 8, 2022, the following update was proposed and accepted by the Board of Directors in an effort to allow non-National Bound teams to hold their tryouts in a timely manner as well as recognizing the differences between the traditional birth-year based youth teams and the age-group based girls/women’s teams. For any team/program that does not intend to enter a National Bound tournament, the tryout requirements remain unchanged and unaffected by this update. The update is in force and effective immediately.

For teams covered by Sections B(1)(a) & (b) below the tryout start date is March 14, 2022.

For National Bound teams covered by Section B(1)(c) or Girls/Women’s Associations covered by Section B(2) the Tryout start date is April 6, 2022.

Annual Guide Page 29. Article II Teams, Tryouts, & Rosters

B. Tryout Requirements.

1. Tryouts for all Massachusetts Hockey Associations (Hometown, Girls/Women’s, and Club Programs) shall not be held before the following dates:

a. 4:00 pm on the Monday following the second full weekend of March for all 6U, 8U, 10U and 12U teams.

b. 4:00 pm on the Monday following the second full weekend of March for all 14U, 16U, 18U & 19U youth and Girls/Women’s Non-National Bound teams, subject to the restrictions on Girls/Women’s Associations in Section B(2) below.

c. 48 Hours after the conclusion of the USA Hockey National Tournament for youth and Girls/Women’s teams intending to enter team(s) into a National Bound level in an age classification.

2. Notwithstanding Sections B(1)(a) (b) & (c) above, if a Girls/Women’s Association enters or intends to enter a team into a National Bound age classification, it must hold all tryouts for that age classification no earlier than 48 hours after the conclusion of USA Hockey Nationals.

For the purpose of clarification, and as an example, a Girls/Women’s Association cannot hold a tryout for its 14U “Non-National Bound” teams, earlier than 48 hours after the conclusion of USA Hockey Nationals if it intends to enter a 14U National Bound team. The same restriction applies to all Girls/Women’s National Bound levels, 14U, 16U and 19U.

3. No contracts can be offered to players prior to the dates specified above. Any Association or team that recruits a player from a Non-National Bound tryout held prior to the permitted date for a National Bound tryout set forth in Section B(1)(c) above, shall subject to penalties listed in Section B(6) below. Any player that signs a contract with a Non-National Bound team as a result of a Non-National Bound tryout held prior to the date for a National Bound tryout, shall be ineligible to be rostered on a National Bound team in the same Association, unless the USA Hockey Registrar reviews and approves a roster change based upon injuries or other extenuating circumstances.

Please direct any questions to tryouts@mahockey.org. Thank you!