Alberta's Hockey Super League gains momentum from players looking for elite stream

A growing number of hockey parents in Alberta are making the move from minor hockey to an unsanctioned, privately run hockey league.

It's called the Hockey Super League and is partly owned by former NHL player Ryan Smyth.

The league is designed for highly skilled players looking for an alternative to the traditional program offered by Hockey Canada. The HSL says it models itself after a European-style of development by offering a higher practice to game ratio.

It's grown from nine teams in two different divisions in its inaugural 2017/2018 season, to 32 teams across six divisions in 2018/2019, to more than 60 teams in ten divisions for the upcoming 2019/2020 season.

"If the other minor hockey groups are doing such a great job then I don't think that there would be a need for something like this. But obviously we're offering something that's unique in the market," said Marc Kronewitt, co-founder of the Hockey Super League.

"So, absolutely it's growing faster than we can keep up so we've got to look at different ways for us to acquire ice right now," added Kronewitt.

Super league

Kronewitt hesitates to use the word elite, even though the organization's website does use it. He says HSL offers different divisions for different skill levels.

"Unfortunately we wish we could have many more teams and more levels but unfortunately with the shortage of ice you know this is what we're limited to," said Kronewitt.

And as interest grows, Kronewitt says it may expand to allow more skill levels.

Unlike minor hockey where players are expected to play in the communities where they live, the HSL is borderless.

Families can try out for teams across the city and their child is put in the appropriate category based on their skill, not necessarily their age.

The focus is on skill development and teams practice anywhere from 80 to 100 hours per season, and play a maximum of 40 games.

The fees to play in the HSL range from $3,500 to $5,500 per year depending on the franchise, and how many games played.

The fees cover paid coaching, ice rentals, dry land training and some equipment.

Some supporters of the HSL say while that's more expensive than community hockey, it's a flat fee with no additional fundraising requirements, cash calls or tournament fees required.

But some parents who have made the leap say one of the biggest draws is the fixed schedule that's handed out at the beginning of the year, with games being played only one or two weekends per month.

"That's been fantastic for us, because we have three kids our family is very busy, and having a set schedule he's been able to play basketball this winter, which before with community he could have practice Monday, Friday, Saturday, and now having a set schedule makes things a lot easier," said Jason Crellin, whose 10-year-old son plays in the HSL with Havoc Hockey, based out of Calgary.

Minor hockey drain

Several families from northwest Calgary including Kathryn Mark and her 11-year-old son Amadeus jumped ship at the beginning of the season to join the HSL, leaving a small hole in their Atom 1 minor hockey team.

Mark said she loved her community hockey team but decided to leave with the four other families because the kids, who'd played together since they were in Timbits, wanted to stay together and take advantage of the opportunities provided by HSL which includes a full-ice practice.

"It is definitely a big commitment financially, and I think for us its 'what do we want to invest our money in,' do we want to invest it in half-ice practices for development or if our kids really really really love being on the ice, just like any dancer or soccer player we are going to put our money into development and whatever that looks like for the children for us I think it was worth the sacrifice," said Mark.

And her son hopes to stay on to fulfil his dream.

"I want to make it to the NHL but I guess that's too big, so maybe like Juniors or something,"said Amadeus, who plays centre. His team Havoc Hockey is ranked number one for his division in the HSL.

And according to Sean McCarry, who has applied to the HSL to start a franchise in Calgary called the Alternative Youth League, says he believes the HSL will continue to draw elite players away from minor hockey unless Hockey Canada recognizes it's not meeting their needs.

"So now what are you left with, you are left with less players and maybe a bigger skill gap so that's another problem that they are going to have to deal with, in my opinion, if and when more of those players leave to go to a different league of any kind," said McCarry.

McCarry says as a hockey parent and a former minor hockey coach he heard the call for an elite stream more than five years ago, but Hockey Calgary or Hockey Canada didn't respond.

"What a lot of families wanted was 'I want an elite stream' kind of like 'I want a private school for my six-year-old' and there was no possibility of having that option.

What a lot of families wanted was 'I want an elite stream' kind of like 'I want a private school for my six-year-old' and there was no possibility of having that option.-  Sean McCarry, owner of Alternative Youth League,

"Had these governing bodies organized or offered that service I think we'd be in a different position today," said McCarry who also built a rink and runs a hockey development centre in Calgary called HDC.

But McCarry says that growth will be limited by ice time and money, because not everyone with skill will be able to fork out the higher fees.

Minor Hockey responds

Hockey Canada says it's aware of some of the issues being raised by parents such as not being allowed to play outside of the community they live in, or not having a fixed schedule at the start of the season, or the fact that playing hockey consumes most weekends during the season.

And the organization is trying to respond to some of these concerns — but says there's only so much they can do.

"I think we need to try and move with the times and I think we need to make some adjustments and understand that our customers are parents and players at the end of the day and if there's a desire to have changes made that fit into their  lifestyle better than we should be taking a look at those seriously," Glen McCurdie, senior vice president insurance and risk management for Hockey Canada, said.

McCurdie says the popularity of this unsanctioned league forces Hockey Canada to try to better itself.

And it accepts that the HSL is filling a niche catering to a small population.

But Hockey Canada's current policy prevents minor hockey players from playing in another, unsanctioned league. In some cases they've been suspended from playing minor hockey because they've played on a super league team.

"Now you are dealing with young kids and telling them they can't play on two teams. It's not necessarily where some of our members thought they would be in implementing this policy," said McCurdie.

McCurdie says Hockey Canada is reviewing this policy following complaints by different associations.

Currently 65,000 kids play minor hockey in the province.