TINLEY PARK, Ill. (AP) — The United States Hockey League on Tuesday unveiled a standard player development agreement that introduces benefits, including support for travel and secondary education and reimbursements for training and career-ending injuries.
The move comes as the USHL adapts to the sport’s changing landscape, which now allows junior players from the Canadian Hockey League to compete at the NCAA level.
The agreement enhances academic support, strength and performance resources, host family housing, mental wellness services and coaching already in place, and the U.S.-based Tier I junior league says it ensures players receive consistent development across all 16 teams.
“The standard player development agreement reinforces that structure by creating clarity and consistency for players and families while supporting the environment that continues to produce more NCAA Division I players and NHL draft selections than any single league in the world," USHL President and Commissioner Glenn Hefferan said. "This is about strengthening a pathway that already works.”
The USHL has partnerships with USA Hockey and the NHL. It says the agreement reaffirms the league's longstanding player-first approach to help athletes pursue participating in Division I college hockey and beyond.
That approach requires a 2-1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends. U.S. Olympic gold medal-winners Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor and Jeremy Swayman are among the USHL products who reached the NHL.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
Music speaks to us beyond words; its vibrations reach our core and allow us to connect with … Read moreDiscover the Joy of Piano - Free Piano Lesson for those 50+ years old! (LIMITED SPOTS LEFT)
“Side-splittingly funny and brilliantly chaotic” Read moreThe Play That Goes Wrong
Rick Bonilla said:
This is the second time you have hit the nail one the head in as many days! Thank you
Dirk van Ulden said:
Dirk van Ulden said:
sophialayne said:
Agree 100%!
Dirk van Ulden said:
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.