In 2025-26 the NCDC will sit at a new league high 31 teams. Here is the league footprint and divisional breakdown for each team- NCDC Footprint • USPHL – United States Premier Hockey League
This comes on the heels of the league announcement on June 2nd of adding 3 new teams to their Premier and Elite divisions and the same ownership group taking over their established league partner, the Dells Ducks franchise. Here is the Press Release- USPHL Announces Four New Teams For 2025-26 • USPHL – United States Premier Hockey League
According to their league footprint the USPHL Premier division will sit at just around 80 teams for the 2025-26 season.
Both leagues have been impacted by the CHL/ NCAA ruling allowing players from leagues such as the WHL, OHL and QMJHL to matriculate onto NCAA rosters. This seismic shift has affected all leagues and all levels.
Here is the NCDC 2024-25 commitments (College Commitments • NCDC • USPHL – United States Premier Hockey League ) North of 95% of current season (non Alumni) commitments are to DII and DIII schools. There is nothing wrong in anyway about having a lot of NCAA DII and DIII commitments, but for a league which positioned themselves as a Division I “Tier II” league upon their formation, this is certainly a shift in how they are operating.
Moreover, for the first time they are announcing USports (Canadian College) commitments.
For the USPHL Premier, they are at a similar ratio with their NCAA/ ACHA Commitments, with the bulk of their advancements going to various ACHA and AAU levels- USPHL Premier 2024-25 Commitments • USPHL – United States Premier Hockey League
Additionally, for the first time in memory they are including an international school, Poland’s University of Opole as an advancement.
With continued expansion gathering diminishing results (in terms of placement into NCAA hockey) one has to wonder where the value lies and what is the long term outlook for these leagues.
What are the standards of operation and oversight for these teams and franchises as their footprint stretches coast to coast and into Canada?
At what point do franchise values plummet with the market so saturated in Junior Hockey teams?
What is the true level of play?
BY Andrew Trimble
To Purchase Andrew’s new book, The Hockey Planner, follow this link here – The Hockey Planner: A Year by Year Plan to Assist You on Your Hockey Coaching Journey: From Learn to Play to Junior Hockey: Trimble, Andrew: 9781963743388: Amazon.com: Books
