Tryouts are an exciting and stressful time for any minor hockey player and their parents. The following is intended to help parents navigate the changing landscape of youth hockey.
Registration
- All registration will occur starting May 20th
- Boys trying out for higher level hockey do NOT need to register with Lucan
- Girls DO need to get ‘Permission to Tryout (PTT)’ if trying out for another centre
U9
LMH made the decision months ago that all U9 evaluations will take place in the fall. The primary drivers for this decision include insufficient ice to host in the spring and the point that players of this age can improve significantly over the summer. While some other centres will be completing their evaluations in the spring, we are confident that we will retain a significant majority of our players.
Goalies
Following extremely positive feedback in the fall of 2024, LMH will be operating evaluations focused and designed for goalies. These two mandatory evaluations will provide heavier weighted results towards the overall tryout process.
Girls/OWHA
There are no material changes to the regulations related to girls tryouts. We’ve scheduled our tryouts to align with the dates we believe will follow AA/A tryouts. All girls trying out must sign-up and pay the fee ($80) through RAMP prior to the first tryout skate. The link to register for tryouts will be posted in April.
All LMH players will be offered 2 ‘development’ skates prior to the tryouts. If a player is attending tryouts at another centre they must request a ‘Permission to Tryout (PTT)’ at least 1 day in advance by emailing [email protected]. Notification must be sent to [email protected] in the event a player will miss a tryout (All details for absence will be considered when determining impact on the tryout results).
We’ve added an additional skate this year which means we’ll offer 3 internal skates and are attempting to conduct 2 exhibition games. Cuts may occur after the 3 skates and/or after each game.
Composition (i.e. roster size) of a tier 1 team is determined based on the number of players trying out and the expected registration numbers. Team rating (i.e. A, BB, B, C, HL) will be determined in the fall following exhibition games. The Executive retains final decision authority for all team rating. Similarly, the Executive will review registration results to determine if any “hybrid” teams will be considered for the 25/26 season. For those unaware, this involves merging players across 2 centres on two teams (e.g. C, HL) in order to offer the appropriate level of development for all players.
Boys/OMHA
There is change related to the paperwork due to the open boundaries in addition to the introduction of Ausable Valley (AVHA) for all competitive programming. As we’ve previously announced, all competitive teams will be operated by AVHA which includes an ‘A’ team at each age group (e.g. U10A, U11A) and a second entry team which is similar to the competitive teams previously offered by Lucan (e.g. U11B). Registration for tryouts will be available on the AVHA in early April.
If a player isn’t offered a position on an AVHA team they will then register with LMH for a LMLL (i.e. local league) team. We will be balancing the teams in fall following evaluations and coaches will be selected in June.
All players U14+ are required to attend an instructional checking clinic prior to participating in tryouts (A or B). AVHA is offering a session ($20) on May 3rd that players are encouraged to attend. Sign-up registration is expected to be posted on the AVHA by early April (LMH will also share on our website). In addition, it is strongly recommended to attend an additional session offered by a third party such a TPH or a AAA centre. Sign-up for Elgin Canucks is available on their website HERE
Evaluations - General
LMH has built a structured approach to tryouts that is designed to give all players a fair opportunity for making a tier 1 team. This is different from some other centres whereby the coach is responsible for selecting their players (e.g. Devilettes). Evaluators are vetted/approved with a focus to ensure minimal conflicts of interest – while still recognizing most are from the community. More information on our tryout processes is available HERE
Coaching Selections - UPDATE
Lucan Minor Hockey has already named our Girls/OWHA Tier 1 coaches through the first round of coaching application process. A second application process is currently open and will have a deadline of May 31. Our approach is to ensure an opportunity for potential coaches (e.g. parents) to see the results of the Lucan Girls and Ausable Valley Boys tryouts. Our goal is to name U5, U7, all LMLL, and girls tier 2 coaches by June.