RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is announcing that the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) will be increasing the number of Elite Opportunities for U13 players, establishing an elite progression pyramid for players to progress into U15. A new Province-wide U13 AAA program will be established for the 2025-26 season, incorporating this new level into the ‘AAA’ Hockey Model.
Hockey Alberta has been piloting U13 AAA with eleven (11) teams in Alberta’s Capital and Northern regions throughout the 2024-2025 season while a workgroup, comprised of Member Minor Hockey Associations (MHAs), and led by Hockey Alberta’s Elite Hockey Commissioner, Aaron Rawlake, has reviewed the pilot over the course of the last five months. The workgroup determined that the U13 AAA Pilot has been a valued addition to Hockey Alberta’s system, providing a new opportunity for U13 players to pursue higher caliber of competition.
To build the provincial U13 AAA U13 AAA level, the workgroup segmented the province using the current U18 AAA Draw Zones and determined that the new U13 AAA model would have two teams within each of those areas. The establishment of U13 AAA across the entire Province will see 32 teams hosted by 22 MHAs in the 2025-26 season. This number of teams was established to ensure an enhanced level of competition, while keeping travel distances reasonable for 11- and 12-year-old players. This new level of hockey will house approximately the top 7% of Hockey Alberta’s U13 aged athletes.
The U13 AAA division of the AEHL will be operated in two conferences with 16 teams in the North Conference and 16 teams in the South Conference. Below is a listing of the Host MHAs for U13 AAA.
NORTH
Bonnyville MHA (1 team)
Camrose MHA (1 team)
Fort McMurray (1 team)
Fort Saskatchewan MHA (1 team)
Grande Prairie MHA (1 team)
Leduc MHA (1 team)
Lloydminster MHA (1 team)
Spruce Grove MHA (1 team)
Sherwood Park MHA (1 team)
St. Albert MHA (1 team)
Strathcona MHA (1 team)
TBD (1 team)
Hockey Edmonton (4 teams)
SOUTH
Airdrie MHA (1 team)
Cochrane MHA (1 team)
Lethbridge MHA (1 team)
Medicine Hat MHA (1 team)
Okotoks MHA (1 team)
Red Deer MHA (1 team)
Strathmore (Wheatland) MHA (1 team)
Sylvan Lake MHA (1 team)
Hockey Calgary (8 Teams)
Hockey Alberta and the AEHL are excited about the development opportunities that the new U13 Elite Model will offer to membership. Hockey Alberta will continue to evaluate all divisions within the AEHL and AFHL to enhance development and competition for athletes.
More information about the new U13 AAA Model and the structure of U13 AA is available on Hockey Alberta’s website.
