RED DEER - As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the Alberta Female Hockey League is taking additional measures to protect our staff and the hockey community. Moving forward through this together, there are a couple of key items important to note for those athletes looking to play for U18 AAA AFHL Programs:

Spring Camps: Spring Camps for ALL (U15 AA, U18 AA, and U18 AAA) AFHL levels and divisions will be effectively cancelled for 2020. Athletes will have the opportunity to gather information about programs during this time, however no formal evaluations will occur until tryouts for the 2020-2021 season can begin.

Recruitment Period: 

• Coaches of U18 AAA Programs may begin conversations with prospective players about the 2020-2021 season on/after April 1.
• Prospective players include any female Alberta resident whose birth years are 2003, 2004 or 2005.
• Any 2006 born athlete is required to complete the “Player Acceleration Process” prior to July 1.
• Any 2003 or 2004 born athlete who competed at the U18 (Midget) AAA level during the 2019-2020 must have completed the Elite Waiver Form from their last registered AAA team prior to engaging in conversations with other AAA programs.
• U15 AA and U18 AA programs are still bound by recruitment areas that dictate an athlete’s first tryout. If there are extenuating circumstances that require families to request a change to their first tryout, they must complete the Elite Player Movement Application by July 1. For more information on “extenuating circumstances” and the process, please visit the Application Page.
• In-person contact is not advised at this time and social distancing is highly encouraged. All individuals (coaches, players and parents) should follow government and federal instructions around COVID-19 pandemic protocols.
• AFHL Programs are encouraged to use brochures, websites, and even teleconferencing to showcase and promote their programs. 

 Signing Period: 

• The Early Signing Period for U18 AAA programs begins on June 15 and is open until August 15.
• In order for a Player Agreement to be considered valid, all signatures must be present on the document and it must be submitted by the Association to Hockey Alberta directly.
• Players eligible to sign player agreements are 2003, 2004 and 2005 born athletes.
• Players 2003 and 2004 born players who competed at the U18 AAA level during the 2019-2020 season remain with that U18 AAA Club for the 2020-2021 season unless they have a completed Elite Waiver from their last registered team.
• Should a 2003 or 2004 born player who competed at the U18 AAA level during the 2019-2020 wish to play for an opposing club for the 2020-2021 season, they need to have completed an Elite Waiver Form prior to having conversations with other coaches.

Please take all precautions to stay safe. Follow the directions of local, provincial and federal health and government authorities, as we work together with fellow Albertans, and citizens across the country, to help resolve this situation. More information about Government of Alberta protocols and recommendations can be found here.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we continue to work through these uncharted waters.

RED DEER - While there is some uncertainty regarding the 2020-21 season, the AFHL is remaining optimistic that the hockey season will begin as scheduled, and is working to stay as prepared as possible for when a decision is made by Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors, in conjunction with public health officials. Check out our FAQs to ensure that you are prepared for a return to hockey:

What is the AFHL/Alberta Female Hockey League?

The Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) is home to 30 teams at the U18 AAA, U18 AA, and U15 AA levels, providing a competitive platform for young aspiring female athletes to enhance their skills. A collection of 12 host associations around the province are committed to the growth and development of AAA and AA female hockey. The member associations include: Airdrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Grande Prairie, Leduc, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, Okotoks, Olds, and Red Deer. Through dedicated staff and volunteers, the AFHL offers opportunities for female athletes to receive mentorship, off-ice education sessions, female specific coaching, post-secondary exposure opportunities, academic & billet programs, and a competitive skill development atmosphere.

Since its inception in the 2016-17 season, the winner of the Esso Cup (Canada’s female U18 AAA national championship) has come out of the AFHL, as the St. Albert Slash have become champions over the past three seasons consecutively. 

If you have questions about Alberta Female Hockey League operations, please check out our resources page or contact your local minor hockey association.

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What does the League Schedule look like?

The U18 AAA Division teams play a 30-game regular season schedule that consists of playing each opponent six times throughout the season; three home and three away.

The U18 and U15 AA Division teams play a 26-game regular season schedule. Each AA Division has been separated into two conferences based on geographical location: North and South. Each team will play their Conference opponents four times, two home and two away, resulting in 20 conference games. Additionally, the remaining six games will be out of conference play with each team playing each other once. Teams in the “AA” Division will participate in “Crossover Weekends” throughout the season to help ease travel for the out of conference games.

How do I know what Draw Zone/Recruitment Area I am in?

While U18 AAA operates without boundaries or draw zones, players interested in playing U18 AA or U15 AA are expected to access their first tryout with their Recruitment Area Team. The Recruitment Area team that a player is eligible for depends on your Resident Minor Hockey Association (not the one the player was last registered with). The breakdown of Recruitment Area Teams can be found below:

Recruitment Areas >

Can a player access a U18 or U15 AA try out elsewhere?

U18 AA and U15 AA players are expected to access their first try out within the area that has been identified by the Female Elite Hockey Model for their Resident LMHA. However, if extenuating circumstances warrant a move, a player may use the Elite Player Movement Application process to move to access a program outside of their identified area. Elite Player Movement Forms must be completed and submitted by July 1^st.                      

Elite Player Movement Application >

Who can sign a Player Agreement Form?

A Player Agreement Form is for players selected to play for a U18 AAA, U18 AA, or U15 AA Team within the AFHL. All “AAA” and “AA” players must sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the regular season. Underage players are not eligible to sign a Player Agreement Form without gaining approval through the Player Acceleration Process.

By signing this document, the player is agreeing to register and play for that specific Member Club for the upcoming season. This document is viewed as binding and it is the expectation of both parties, the player, and the Member Club, to uphold their portion of the agreement.

Can I sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the season? 

Each “AAA” Member Club can formally sign up to six players (five skaters and one goaltender) to early Player Agreements between June 15 to August 15^th. This is done through the completion of the Player Agreement Form, signed by both parties. “Commitments” made without a written agreement are considered “verbal” and can be viewed as non-binding by either party. Players who have not signed a Player Agreement prior to the beginning of the season are encouraged to attend multiple tryout camps to keep all their options open.

If I played AAA last year but would like to play for a different AAA team this upcoming season, is there something I need to do before I change teams?

If a player signed a Player Agreement and was registered with a AAA team for the 2019/2020 season and would like to play for another AAA team for the 2020/2021 season, the family will need to request an Elite Waiver from the Previous Registered Team. The signed waiver, complete with rationale must be submitted to the Female Elite Hockey Committee prior to the start of tryouts.

What is an elite waiver?

An Elite Waiver is used for two different purposes in the Female Elite Hockey Model;

• Players who played “AAA” last season and would like to tryout/sign with another AAA club are required to have a completed Elite Wavier prior to the start of Tryouts.
• A player who is cut from a U18 AAA, U18 AA or U15 AA team and wishes to pursue the opportunity to try out with a second team. The player would need a completed Elite Waiver from the association that released them from the tryout process. A family would appeal to the Female Elite Hockey Committee by providing the Committee with a competed “Notification of Tryout Form” and Elite Waiver Form. The Female Elite Hockey Committee will review the application and provide the family with their second tryout option.

Elite Waiver Form >

Do I have a choice of a second tryout?

At the “AAA” level, yes. The family and the player may choose a second team to try out for. This information needs to be submitted, alongside the Elite Waiver to the Female Elite Hockey Committee prior to moving onto your second tryout.

At the AA Level, no. The Female Elite Hockey Committee works with all the Member Teams during tryouts to understand if there is a need at a certain position (not enough defense at tryouts, no goaltender) amongst the teams. While travel is a consideration in the decision, the Female Elite Hockey Committee will offer a second tryout option that would give the player the best opportunity to make a team. To be placed for your second tryout, please contact the appropriate Division Director with a completed Notification of Tryout and Elite Waiver from your first tryout.

When do tryouts begin?

The actual start date for tryouts may differ across associations, please ensure you are connecting with that association/team to find the proper dates.

Due to COVID-19, tryout dates will be posted when the Hockey Canada Board of Directors, in conjunction with public health officials, deems it safe to resume sanctioned activities.

Do I need any paperwork to attend a tryout?

All players trying out for a “AAA” or “AA” team that is outside their Resident Minor Hockey Association needs to have a completed Notification of Tryout Form signed by their Resident MHA.

NOTIFICATION OF TRYOUT FORM >

Is there a deadline to hand in my Notification of Tryout Form?

Notification of Tryout Forms need to be handed into the association players are accessing their first tryout with prior to the start of tryouts. “AAA” Players who prefer their second tryout can state their second tryout directly onto the NTO form.

Do I have to find a billet if I move away from home?

Each Female Elite Hockey Member Association has a billet program in place. They can assist you in finding a billet home while you play hockey. Fees may differ across associations and should be discussed with the Member MHA.

How much does this cost a year?

Each program is different (amount of ice, travel, team apparel etc). The association you would be able to give your family a more accurate breakdown of the financial obligations.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

CALGARY - Three current AFHL athletes, along with three alumna are among the 109 female athletes invited to the BFL Canada National Women’s Development Team and National Women’s Under-18 team summer camps.

Hockey Canada has announced a pool of 109 of the country’s top young players invited to participate in a pair of virtual camps with Canada’s National Women’s Program.

Goaltender Sophie Lajeunesse (Calgary Fire Midget AAA), blueliner Dayle Ross (St. Albert Slash Midget AAA), and forward Kyle Perry (Red Deer Midget AAA Sutter Fund Chiefs) will attend the BFL National Women’s Under-18 Team Summer Camp. Ross was part of St. Albert’s Esso Cup-winning team in 2019.

Sarah Wozniewicz, who played for the Olds U15 AA Grizzlys in 2016-17 will also take part in the U18 Summer Camp. Wozniewicz is one of three players who won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2020 IIHF U18 Women’s Championship.

As the virtual meetings progress through the summer, the athletes will cover topics that include at-home strength and conditioning plans, mental performance plans and check-ins, nutrition, dry-land skills, skating simulations, team-building activities, short-term international competition preparation and meetings with coaches.

The online sessions will take place up to twice weekly, with critical information being communicated to athletes to allow them to continue to evolve as high-performance athletes in this new environment, and will utilize the strengths and experience of Canada’s National Women’s Program leadership to help connect one-on-one, athlete-to-athlete.

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) has unveiled a new logo that will be used for the 2020-21 season and beyond.

"We are incredibly proud of the direction  that the AFHL has taken elite female hockey in Alberta over the last four seasons," said Kendall Newell, Manager of Female Hockey. "Our new logo represents the bright future that we envision for our league and players."

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League is proud to present the expanding list of over 40 athletes who will be suiting up for post-secondary teams next season.

The list includes:

• 8 players from the Midget Elite Division
• 23 players heading to U Sports
• 16 players heading to ACAC

AFHL players have committed to the following post-secondary institutions for the 2020-21 season:

RED DEER – The Alberta Female Hockey League is pleased to announce the 2019-20 league award and scholarship winners.

Four awards are handed out in each league: Most Valuable Player, Top Goaltender, Top Rookie, and Coach of the Year. One award is also given for the AFHL Administrator of the Year.

Bantam Elite

Most Valuable Player: Chloe Goofers, North Central Impact
Top Goaltender: Jorja Fisher, Calgary Fire Red
Top Rookie: Chloe Goofers, North Central Impact 
Coach of the Year: Annette Jensen, Sherwood Park Royals

Midget Elite

Most Valuable Player: Kendal Pierson, Southern Express
Top Goaltender: Cienna Kinghorn, Calgary Fire White
Top Rookie: Kendal Pierson, Southern Express
Coach of the Year: James King, Southern Express

Midget AAA

Most Valuable Player: Kaia Borbandy, Rocky Mountain Raiders
Top Goaltender: Elise Hugens, Edmonton Pandas
Top Rookie: Cassidy Rhodes, St. Albert Slash
Coach of the Year: Dustin Borbandy, Rocky Mountain Raiders

Administrator of the Year

AFHL Administrator of the Year: Dan Basterash, Edmonton Female Athletic Club

AFHL Scholarship Winners

Midget Elite: Alex Walsh, Sherwood Park Fury

Alex was born in Fort Saskatchewan, and has grown into a graduating player from the SPKAC Midget Elite Fury. After playing with the Fury for the past three seasons, her plan is to play hockey at the post secondary level. Alex has been offered two scholarships but is still yet to commit. She credits her coaches, among others, who have supported her throughout her hockey journey.

Midget AAA: Alesha Santos, Rocky Mountain Raiders 

Alesha Santos is a graduating defenseman from the Midget AAA Rocky Mountain Raiders, and currently lives in Calgary. Other than playing Ice Hockey, Alesha also plays Field Hockey for her High School team. Some of her most notable achievements include being a two time Ice Hockey Provincial Champion (2016-2017 Bantam Elite Fire White, 2017-2018 Midget Elite Fire White), receiving two MVP Awards for Field Hockey (2018 season, 2019 season), and being a consistent Honour Roll student. Playing hockey has also given her many volunteer opportunities which included volunteering at Tudor Manor Seniors Home, and mentoring young female hockey players. When she’s not playing sports, Alesha enjoys spending time with her family and friends. In the Fall, Alesha will be playing for the Red Deer College Queens Hockey team while pursuing a Nursing Degree.

PAST AWARD WINNERS >

RED DEER - The AFHL would like to recognize and congratulate the graduating Midget players from the 2019-20 season.

Airdrie Lightning Midget Elite

Calgary Fire Midget AAA

Calgary Fire Red Midget Elite

Calgary Fire White Midget Elite

Edmonton Pandas Midget AAA

Edmonton Pandas Midget Elite

Lloydminster Steelers Midget AAA

Lloydminster Midget Elite Steelers

North Central Impact Midget Elite

Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs Midget AAA

Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs Midget Elite

Rocky Mountain Raiders Midget AAA

Rocky Mountain Raiders Midget Elite

Sherwood Park Fury

Southern Express Midget Elite

St. Albert Slash Midget AAA

St. Albert Sharks Midget Elite

The following is a statement on behalf of Hockey Canada from Tom Renney, chief executive officer, and Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer, on the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Without question, this an unprecedented period of difficulty for the sports world. The health and safety of all participants in sport, including players, coaches, staff, officials, fans, family, volunteers and the general public, is of the utmost importance to Hockey Canada.

After much consultation with the Hockey Canada membership, our chief medical officer and public health officials, the Hockey Canada Board of Directors has made the decision to cancel all Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities*, including our national championships, until further notice, effective Friday, March 13, 2020.

We recognize the tremendous effort that has been put forth all year by individuals across the country as they participate in Canada’s game. Although it is difficult to process the hockey season ending abruptly, we feel this is the best course of action in order to do our part in keeping our country safe.”

*Hockey Canada-sanctioned activities include all Hockey Alberta-sanctioned activities. This means that all Hockey Alberta league games, playoffs, practices, camps and Provincial, Regional and National Championships are cancelled at the Minor, Female, Junior, Senior and Sledge levels.

The Midget Elite regular season has concluded and the road to the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships is set to begin this weekend. Here is a look at the playoff matchups:

SCHEDULE >

Midget AAA

Heading into February, the Midget AAA standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (55 pts)
2) Rocky Mountain Raiders (39 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas (35 pts) 
4) Calgary Fire (35 pts) 
5) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (26 pts)
6) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (8 pts)

Rocky Mountain Raiders forward Sydney Benko and her teammate Kaia Borbandy are tied atop the points list with 20 each. St. Albert’s Jenna Goodwin leads the league in goals with 12. Borbandy also leads in the assists category with 13.

The Slash tandem of Holly Borrett and Mabel Maltais are both sporting a 0.99 GAA to lead all goaltenders, while Maltais is also leading in both wins (11) and shutouts (5).

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

Heading into February, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Sharks (37 pts) 
2) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (31 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas (28 pts)
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (23 pts)
5) North Central Impact (21 pts) 
6) Sherwood Park Fury (19 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire Red (45 pts) 
2) Calgary Fire White (42 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (31 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (30 pts)
5) Southern Express (30 pts)
6) Airdrie Lightning (17 pts)

Sherwood Park Fury forward Tayler Premak still holds the top spot in the points and assists categories with 29 and 14 respectively. Calgary Fire Red’s Teah Workman is tied with Premak with 14 assists. Kendal Pierson (Southern Express) has surged up the goal scoring list, and now leads the league with 18.

Calgary Fire White’s Cienna Kinghorn has put up a stellar 0.61 GAA and 6 shutouts to lead in both categories. Calgary Fire Red netminder Kalynah Fong Martin has put up 14 wins and sits one shutout behind Kinghorn with 4.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

Heading into February, the Bantam Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Royals (58 pts)
2) North Central Impact (39 pts)
3) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (30 pts)
4) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (26 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas (24 pts) 
6) St. Albert Chargers (8 pts) 

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (56 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (49 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (43 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (34 pts)
5) Southern Express (10 pts)
6) Olds Grizzlys (7 pts)

Chloe Goofers of the North Central Impact has taken a seven point lead in the points race, and also leads the way with 24 assists. Sherwood Park’s Haley Trudeau is leading the way in goals scored with 21.

Jorja Fisher (Calgary Fire Red) is continuing a great season, logging a 1.10 GAA. Calgary Fire White goalie Hadley Stevens has taken the top spot in both wins (11) and shutouts (4).

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

The Bantam Elite division will be on display in Red Deer this coming weekend for the Bantam Elite Showcase. All twelve teams will be in action at the Gary W. Harris Cenre over the course of the weekend, with games beginning on Friday, February 7 at 8am.

RED DEER - Do you have a coach that has made a significant impact on your team this season? Nominate her for the BFL Coach of the Year award!

The BFL Female Coach of the Year Awards recognize and honor coaches who exemplify the positive values of hockey and sport, for their successful and outstanding achievements in player development and the leadership of their players and teams.

The BFL Female Coach of the Year Awards will honor one female community coach and one female high-performance coach in each province who have made outstanding contributions over an extended period of time coaching hockey programs within Hockey Canada female and/or minor hockey programs.

In addition, BFL Female Coach of the Year Award provincial winners will be considered in the selection of the national BFL Female Coach of the Year Awards for community coach and high-performance coach.

Criteria

• Leads by example in demonstrating fair play and sportsmanship,
• Places the emotional and physical well-being ahead of a personal desire to win,
• Places an emphasis on equitable participation of all players registered on the team,
• Demonstrates a commitment to the development of every player and staff member,
• Treats each player as an individual and understands the range of emotional and physical development,
• Does her best to provide a safe playing situation for all players,
• Uses the coaching techniques that are appropriate for all of the age and skill level of her players,
• Must be actively coaching at the female hockey, minor hockey or high-performance levels within the province the nomination originates from,
• Must be trained and/or certified in the Hockey Canada National Coach Certification Program,
• Must have completed all elements required to be an active coach,
• Must be a member in good standing within the Province the nomination originates from.

How to Nominate

Any individual may nominate a coach for the provincial coach awards. The nomination must clearly state whether the award nomination is for the community coach and high-performance coach category. The individual submitting the nomination should complete the online nomination form and should also include a covering letter of support (not to exceed 300 words). As well, the supporting materials will include testimonials as to why the individual should be considered.

NOMINATION FORM >

RED DEER - Wrapping up the 2019 portion of the schedule, The St. Albert Slash (Midget AAA), Calgary Fire White and Red(Midget Elite), and Sherwood Park Royals (Bantam Elite) all lead their respective divisions.

Midget AAA

Heading into 2020, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (44 pts)
2) Edmonton Pandas (31 pts)
3) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (20 pts)
4) Rocky Mountain Raiders (25 pts)
5) Calgary Fire (23 pts)
6) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (7 pts)

Rocky Mountain Raiders forward Sydney Benko has a one point lead over St. Albert’s Jenna Goodwin with a total of 17, and the two are tied for the lead in goals with 11 each. Benko’s teammate Kaia Borbandy still leads the way in assists with 12 and sits tied with Goodwin at 16 points.

Elise Hugens is continuing her spectacular season for the Edmonton Pandas by leading the league with a 0.75 GAA. Slash goaltender Mabel Maltais still has a perfect record this season, pushing it to 9-0, including four shutouts, which is also leading the league.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

Heading into 2020, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (27 pts)
2) St. Albert Sharks (25 pts) 
3) Edmonton Pandas (23 pts)
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (15 pts)
5) North Central Impact (12 pts) 
6) Sherwood Park Fury (10 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (29 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (29 pts) 
3) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (22 pts)
4) Rocky Mountain Raiders (22 pts)
5) Southern Express (15 pts)
6) Airdrie Lightning (14 pts)

Sherwood Park Fury forward Tayler Premak has the top spot in the points and assists categories with 20 and 12 respectively. She also sits one goal behind leader Paige Dodd of Red Deer, who has set the pace with nine goals. 

Calgary Fire White’s Cienna Kinghorn carries the top GAA with 0.95, while Calgary Fire Red netminder Kalynah Fong Martin currently leads in wins (8) and shutouts (4).

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

Heading into 2020, the Bantam Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Royals (37 pts)
2) North Central Impact (21 pts)
3) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (18 pts)
4) Edmonton Pandas (16 pts)
5) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (14 pts)
6) St. Albert Chargers (8 pts) 

South Division:
1) Rocky Mountain Raiders (28 pts)
2) Calgary Fire White (27 pts)
3) Calgary Fire Red (26 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (17 pts)
5) Southern Express (9 pts)
6) Olds Grizzlys (4 pts)

Hanna Perrier of Calgary Fire Red continues to lead Bantam Elite in points (19) and is still tied for the lead with her teammate Makenna Schafer with nine assists. Peace Country’s Kamryn Aebly has taken sole spot as the goals leader with eleven.

Jorja Fisher (Calgary Fire Red) has been great this season, logging a 0.84 GAA. Sherwood Park’s Grace Mackenzie and Teegan Fedoruk, have each recored six wins, and are tied for the lead with Hadley Stevens of Calgary Fire White. Four goaltenders share the league lead in shutouts two, including Fisher and Stevens, along with Caitlin Nichols (Red Deer) and Avery Johnson (Peace Country).

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta has announced the female rosters for the 2020 Alberta Winter Games, which include 106 players from the Alberta Female Hockey League.

Six teams will take to the ice in Airdrie on February 14-17, with 120 total female players (born in 2005 and 2006) ready to take the first step in the Team Alberta program.

2020 Alberta Winter Games Female Rosters >

Twenty players comprise each roster, along with volunteers serving as head coach, assistant coach, apprentice coach, coach mentor, trainer, and director of operations. Rosters were selected based on performances at regional camps held November 29 - December 1 in Innisfail and Wetaskiwin.

The Alberta Winter Games is a multi-sport event for developing athletes, aged 11-17 years old. The Winter Games were first hosted in 1976 in Banff, and occur each even-numbered year. The athletes are selected to represent the eight zones in Alberta in 20 sports such as hockey, badminton, gymnastics, skiing and skating. Hockey Alberta coordinates the ice hockey portion of the Winter Games, as a core segment of its Development Program.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta and the Alberta Female Hockey League are pleased to announce the host sites for the 2020 Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

The Calgary Fire, Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs, and Lloydminster Jr. Steelers will host the Midget AAA, Midget Elite and Bantam Elite provincial championships, respectively.

The Bantam Female Elite and Midget AAA tournaments will run on the March 19-22 weekend and the Midget Elite provincial championship is set for March 26-29.

ATB Financial will once again headline as the presenting sponsor of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, continuing a long-standing relationship with Hockey Alberta.

2019 Provincial Host Sites >

A total of 40 Provincial Championships will be hosted across the province, at locations ranging from Grimshaw in the north and west, Claresholm in the south, and Lloydminster in the east.

RED DEER - Continuing into the month of December, The St. Albert Slash (Midget AAA), Calgary Fire White (Midget Elite), and Calgary Fire Red (Bantam Elite) all lead their respective divisions at the end of the second month of action.

Midget AAA

Through November, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (41 pts)
2) Edmonton Pandas (27 pts)
3) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (20 pts)
4) Rocky Mountain Raiders (20 pts)
5) Calgary Fire (20 pts)
6) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (4 pts)

St. Albert forward Jenna Goodwin has taken over the lead in points (14) and goals (9), while Kaia Borbandy leads the way in assists (10) and points (12).

Slash goaltender Mabel Maltais has been perfect this season with an 8-0 record, including three shutouts, which is tied for the league lead with her teammate Holly Borrett. Elise Hugens has been rock solid for the Edmonton Pandas this season, leading the league with a 0.67 GAA.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

Through November, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (21 pts)
2) Edmonton Pandas  (20 pts)
3) St. Albert Sharks (20 pts) 
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (14 pts)
5) North Central Impact (9 pts) 
6) Sherwood Park Fury (4 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (22 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (18 pts) 
3) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (17 pts)
4) Southern Express (14 pts)
5) Rocky Mountain Raiders (13 pts)
6) Airdrie Lightning (8 pts)

Sherwood Park Fury forward Tayler Premak holds top spot in the points category with 13, and is tied for the lead in assists with teammate Alex Walsh (7 each). Peace Country’s Arilyn Toews has scored the most goals in Midget Elite with eight.

Southern Express’ Hayley Whelen’s 1.18 GAA is still the top mark in Midget Elite, while St. Albert’s Layla Hood sets the pace with five wins and two shutouts, which is tied for the league lead with four others - Kalynah Fong Martin (Calgary Fire Red), Cienna Kinghorn (Calgary Fire White), Kamden Rochford (Lloydminster), and Tiana Stafford (Lloydminster).

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

Through November, the Bantam Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Royals (25 pts)
2) North Central Impact (18 pts)
3) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (12 pts)
4) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (11 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas (10 pts)
6) St. Albert Chargers (5 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire Red (26 pts)
2) Rocky Mountain Raiders (19 pts)
3) Calgary Fire White (15 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (14 pts)
5) Southern Express (6 pts)
6) Olds Grizzlys (1 pts)

Hanna Perrier of Calgary Fire Red has taken over the lead in points (16) and is tied with her teammate Makenna Schafer with eight assists. North Central Impact’s Chloe Goofers and Peace Country’s Kamryn Aebly both lead the way in the goals with nine.

Jorja Fisher (Calgary Fire Red) has been spectacular this season, recording five wins and two shutouts in five games played, while logging a 0.60 GAA, all which lead the league. Caitlin Nichols (Red Deer) and Hadley Stevens (Calgary Fire White) have also recorded two shutouts each so far this season.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

RED DEER - The AFHL has begun a new season and we now enter full swing as the month of October comes to an end. The St. Albert Slash (Midget AAA), Calgary Fire White (Midget Elite), and Sherwood Park Royals (Bantam Elite) have gotten off to hot starts and lead their respective divisions at the end of the first month.

Midget AAA

Through October, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (25 pts)
2) Edmonton Pandas (15 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (12 pts)
4) Calgary Fire (11 pts)
5) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (9 pts)
6) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (3 pts)

Raiders forward Kaia Borbandy leads the way in assists (9) and points (12), while Lloydminster’s Jadynn Morden and St. Albert’s Jenna Goodwin set the pace for goals with six each. 

Slash goaltender Holly Borrett has been red-hot to start the season, as she leads the league in wins (5), and is tied for the lead in GAA with Edmonton’s Elise Hugens (1.00 GAA) and shutouts, which she shares with her teammate Mabel Maltais (2 each). 

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Congratulations to 14 AFHL players, as they will represent Alberta at the 2019 National Women’s U18 Championships in Morden & Winkler, MB: Goaltenders Holly Borrett (St. Albert), and Elise Hugens (Edmonton), blueliners Aryn Chambers (Red Deer), Sierra LaPlante (Calgary), Dayle Ross (St. Albert) and Alexandria Spence (Lloydminster), and forwards Jaden Bogden (St. Albert), Hayleigh Craig (Lloydminster), Sarah Gaiser (Calgary), Natalie Kieser (St. Albert), Jadynn Morden (Lloydminster), McKinley Nelson (Calgary), Kylie Perry (Red Deer), and Brooklyn Schroeder (St. Albert).

Midget Elite

Through October, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (11 pts)
2) St. Albert Sharks (11 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas  (10 pts)
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (6 pts)
5) North Central Impact (6 pts) 
6) Sherwood Park Fury (1 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (15 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (13 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (10 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (9 pts)
5) Southern Express (7 pts)
6) Airdrie Lightning (3 pts)

Calgary Fire Red defender Teah Workman is off to a great start as she leads the league in assists (5) and points (8). Mackenzie Stafford (Lloydminster) and Sierra Whillans (St. Albert) have both scored five goals to lead in that department.

Southern Express’ Hayley Whelen’s 0.98 GAA is the top mark in Midget Elite, while Calgary Fire White’s Madison Shenfield sets the pace with four wins, and Kamden Rochford (Lloydminster) leads the league in shutouts (2).

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

Through October, the Bantam Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Royals (18 pts)
2) North Central Impact (12 pts)
3) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (7 pts)
4) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (6 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas (4 pts)
6) St. Albert Chargers (1 pts)

South Division:
1) Rocky Mountain Raiders (13 pts)
2) Calgary Fire White (12 pts) 
3) Calgary Fire Red (11 pts)
4) Southern Express (6 pts)
5) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (3 pts)
6) Olds Grizzlys (0 pts)

North Centreal Impact forward Chloe Goofers had lead the way in the goals (6) and points (11) categories, while Makenna Schafer (Calgary Fire Red) has the top mark with 6 assists. Her teammate, Hanna Perrier is tied for the league lead in goals with six, and sits just two points behind Goofers with 9 points.

Caitlin Nichols (Red Deer) and Chloe Marshall (Calgary Fire White) have each produced a shutout in their one appearance this season, while Olivia Davidson (North Central Impact) leads the league with two shutouts in her four games played. A group of four goaltenders each share the lead with three wins a piece: Davidson, Teegan Fedoruk (Sherwood Park), her teammate Grace Mackenzie, and Hadley Stevens (Calgary Fire White).

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

LETHBRIDGE - Hockey Alberta will be hosting the second ever Female Hockey Day in Lethbridge on January 25, 2020.

Female Hockey Day is an all-day event to celebrate "Why We Play" and the growth of the female game. The day will feature different on-ice and off-ice sessions focusing on players, officials, parents, and coaches.

The day will culminate with a U SPORTS match-up featuring the Mount Royal Cougars taking on the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns.

Last year in Red Deer, over 160 athletes took part in activities throughout the day, which included on-ice sessions for players and officials of all levels, and off-ice sessions, such as dryland training, parent education sessions, and sport ambassador sessions. The day was capped off by a CWHL game between the Calgary Inferno and Toronto Furies, which served as the exclamation point for Female Hockey Day, and drew a crowd of over 600 fans to the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

“We are excited to build on the success of the first ever Female Hockey Day in Red Deer,” said Kendall Newell, Hockey Alberta’s Manager, Female Hockey. “Now we have the chance to take the event to a new community and influence a new group of female athletes."

2018 Female Hockey Day Photo Gallery >

RED DEER - Fourteen Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) players have been included on the Team Alberta U18 Female roster that will represent the province at the 2019 National Women’s U18 Championships in Morden and Winkler, MB.

Team Alberta U18 Female Roster >

"We saw a lot of talent and determination throughout Summer and Fall Camp, which made the selection of this roster challenging," said Head Coach Craig Perrett. "Now that we have the team selected, our staff is looking forward to working with these players as we move towards competition at the 2019 U18 Nationals.”

Sixty-eight players were originally invited to the U18 Summer Camp in Red Deer in July, where a shortlist roster was established. The shortlisted players moved on to participate in Fall Camp held in Edmonton on September 27-29.

Team staff that have AFHL ties this season include: Brett Wold (assistant coach) - Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs, and Shanya Shwetz (video coach) - Edmonton Pandas.

Four AFHL Midget AAA teams will be represented on the roster: Calgary Fire, Edmonton Pandas, Lloydminster PWM Steelers, and St. Albert Slash.

Among the 14 AFHL players, five will be returning from the U18 team that won a gold medal at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer earlier this year: Jaden Bogden (St. Albert), Hayleigh Craig (Lloydminster), Sierra LaPlante (Calgary), Brooklyn Schroeder (St. Albert), and Alexandria Spence (Lloydminster).

The 2019 U18 Nationals will feature the top-rated female players in the under-18 age category from different provinces across Canada, and the tournament is the first step on the road to Canada’s National Women’s Team.

Team Alberta opens the tournament against Team Saskatchewan on November 5 in Winkler.

Full Schedule >

EDMONTON - Nineteen AFHL players will take to the ice this weekend looking to earn a spot on the Team Alberta U18 Female team.

Hockey Alberta will be hosting their Team Alberta Female U18 Fall Selection Camp at Clare Drake Arena beginning Friday, September 27. A shortlist of 28 players was announced in July after 68 athletes had competed at a Summer Evaluation Camp held in Red Deer. The shortlist includes three goaltenders, nine defencemen, and 16 forwards. The final roster of 20 players will compete at the 2019 U18 National Championship tournament in Morden and Winkler, MB.

TEAM ALBERTA U18 FEMALE SHORTLIST ROSTER >

Of the 19 AFHL players hoping to make the team this fall, five already have experience at the provincial level, as Jaden Bogden, Hayleigh Craig, Sierra Laplante, Brooklyn Schroeder, and Alexandria Spence won a gold medal at the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.

Bogden and Schroeder were also part of the 2019 Esso Cup Champion St. Albert Slash along with Holly Borrett, Dayle Ross, Bronwyn Boucher, Natalie Kieser, and Allison Reich.

Four of the short listed players have made their way through the AFHL’s Midget Elite stream as 15 year olds, including two who played with Calgary Fire White last season in Sarah Gaiser and Sophie Lajuenesse.

Players were selected to the shortlist based on their overall play throughout the Team Alberta scouting process, past Team Alberta programs, and at the U18 Summer Camp in Red Deer, July 9-14. The 2019 U18 National Championship Tournament will be running November 3-9 in Morden and Winkler, MB.

U18 Fall Camp Game Schedule

The 2019-20 season is right around the corner, and some AFHL teams have already begun their tryouts! Check out all of our FAQs to ensure that your tryout process runs smoothly:

FAQs

How do I know what Draw Zone/Recruitment Area I am in?

While Midget AAA operates without boundaries or draw zones, players interested in playing Midget Elite or Bantam Elite are expected to access their first tryout with their Recruitment Area Team. The Recruitment Area team that a player is eligible for depends on your Resident Minor Hockey Association (not the one the player was last registered with). The breakdown of Recruitment Area Teams can be found below:

Recruitment Areas >

Can a player access a Midget or Bantam Elite try out elsewhere?

Midget Elite and Bantam Elite players are expected to access their first try out within the area that has been identified by the ADM for their Resident LMHA. However, if extenuating circumstances warrant a move, a player may use the Elite Player Movement Application process to move to access a program outside of their identified area. Elite Player Movement Forms must be completed and submitted by July 1^st.                      

Elite Player Movement Application >

Who can sign a Player Agreement Form?

A Player Agreement Form is for players selected to play for a Midget AAA, Midget Elite or Bantam Elite Team within the ADM. All “AAA” and Elite players must sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the regular season. Underage players are not eligible to sign a Player Agreement Form without gaining approval through the Player Acceleration Process.

By signing this document, the player is agreeing to register and play for that specific Member Club for the upcoming season. This document is viewed as binding and it is the expectation of both parties, the player and the Member Club, to uphold their portion of the agreement.

Can I sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the season? 

Each “AAA” Member Club can formally sign up to six players (five skaters and one goaltender) to early Player Agreements between June 15 to August 15^th. This is done through the completion of the Player Agreement Form, signed by both parties. “Commitments” made without a written agreement are considered “verbal” and can be viewed as non-binding by either party. Players who have not signed a Player Agreement prior to the beginning of the season are encouraged to attend multiple tryout camps in order to keep all of their options open.

If I played AAA last year but would like to play for a different AAA team this upcoming season, is there something I need to do before I change teams?

If a player signed a Player Agreement and was registered with a AAA team for the 2018/2019 season and would like to play for another AAA team for the 2019/2020 season, the family will need to request an Elite Waiver from the Previous Registered Team. The signed waiver, complete with rationale must be submitted to the Female ADM Committee prior to the start of tryouts.

What is an elite waiver?

An Elite Waiver is used for two different purposes in the Female ADM;

• Players who played “AAA” last season and would like to tryout/sign with another AAA club are required to have a completed Elite Wavier prior to the start of Tryouts.
• A player who is cut from a Midget AAA, Midget Elite or Bantam Elite team and wishes to pursue the opportunity to try out with a second team. The player would need a completed Elite Waiver from the association that released them from the tryout process. A family would appeal to the Female ADM Committee by providing the Committee with a competed “Notification of Tryout Form” and Elite Waiver Form. The Female ADM Committee will review the application and provide the family with their second tryout option.

Do I have a choice of a second tryout?

At the “AAA” level, yes. The family and the player have the option of where they would like to go. This information needs to be submitted, alongside the Elite Waiver to the Female ADM Committee prior to moving onto your second tryout.

At the Elite Level, no. The Female ADM Committee works with all of the Member Teams during tryouts to understand if there is a need at a certain position (not enough defense at tryouts, no goaltender) amongst the teams. While travel is a consideration in the decision, the Female ADM will offer a second tryout option that would give the player the best opportunity to make a team. To be placed for your second tryout, please contact the appropriate Division Director with a completed Notification of Tryout and Elite Waiver from your first tryout.

Bantam Elite Director – afhlbantamelite@hockeyalberta.ca

Midget Elite Director – afhlmidgetelite@hockeyalberta.ca

When do tryouts begin?

The actual start date for tryouts may differ across associations, please ensure you are connecting with that association/team to find the proper dates.

Tryouts for AAA begin on/after August 23

Tryouts for Midget and Bantam Elite begin on/after September 6

Do I need any paperwork to attend a tryout?

All players trying out for a “AAA” or Elite team that is outside their Resident Minor Hockey Association needs to have a completed Notification of Tryout Form signed by their Resident MHA.

NOTIFICATION OF TRYOUT FORM >

Is there a deadline to hand in my Notification of Tryout Form?

Notification of Tryout Forms need to be handed into the association players are accessing their first tryout with prior to the start of tryouts. “AAA” Players who have a preference for their second tryout can state their second tryout directly onto the NTO form.

Do I have to find a billet if I move away from home?

Each Female ADM Member Association has a billet program in place. They can assist you in finding a billet home while you play hockey. Fees may differ across associations and should be discussed with the Member MHA.

How much does this cost a year?

Each program is different (amount of ice, travel, team apparel etc). The association you would be able to give your family a more accurate breakdown of the financial obligations.

LLOYDMINSTER – The Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship, is headed back to Alberta in 2021 when the Lloydminster Steelers host the 13th edition of the event, April 18-24.

The 2021 Esso Cup represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, the Lloydminster Steelers and the local host organizing committee, which made the announcement Thursday in the Border City.

The host Steelers will face off against five regional champions – Atlantic, Ontario, Pacific Quebec and West – in their quest to capture a national championship at the 1,700-seat Centennial Civic Centre. The Steelers will look to become the first host team to win the Esso Cup and third host to earn a medal at Canada’s National Female Midget Championship.

“Hosting an event of this scale will provide our community an exciting opportunity to showcase our commitment to volunteerism and sport,” said Gerald Aalbers, mayor of the City of Lloydminster. “The Lloydminster Steelers play a pivotal role in the growth and development of female athletes within Alberta and it will be our shared privilege to stand with them in welcoming the nation’s top-performing female hockey players as they look to achieve personal goals and compete for the 2021 Esso Cup right here in our city.”

Although the Steelers have yet to appear in the Esso Cup, Pacific Region teams have won nine medals since the event’s inception, including three-consecutive national championships from 2017-19, two silver medals and four bronze.

Alberta has hosted Canada’s National Female Midget Championship three times in the event’s 11-year history, with Calgary (2009), St. Albert (2011) and Red Deer (2015) all welcoming the tournament.

“The City of Lloydminster is ecstatic to be selected as the host city for the 2021 Esso Cup, as our community has a proven record of hosting national events in the past and we look forward to once again showcasing hockey in the Border City,” said Ryan Sklapsky, co-chair of the local host organizing committee. “Lloydminster’s support for elite female hockey is widely recognized and we are excited for the athletes that will make up the Lloydminster Steelers roster for the 2020-21 hockey season as they will have the chance to compete for a national championship. Since the inception of the Midget program in 2004, the Steelers have been a premier organization on and off the ice, and the program continues to develop elite players that move on to the ACAC, U SPORTS and NCAA programs."

The 2021 Esso Cup marks the second Hockey Canada event held in Lloydminster, which also hosted the 2016 National Junior A Championship. As with all of Hockey Canada’s national championships, net proceeds from all ticket sales, sponsorship and grants at the event will stay within the host community to help support the growth and development of the game at the grassroots level. Recent editions of the Esso Cup have also resulted in an economic boost of up to $1.5 million to the host regions over the seven-day event.

The official tournament schedule and ticket information for the 2021 Esso Cup will be announced at a later date.

“The Esso brand takes great pride in its support of the Esso Cup,” said Susan Di Giorgio, fuels sponsorship manager for Imperial. “As a premier sponsor of Hockey Canada through the years and in partnership on programs such as Esso Medals of Achievement and Esso Fun Days, the Esso brand is committed to supporting the development of grassroots hockey across Canada.”

For more information on the 2021 Esso Cup, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/EssoCup, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) today announced a new agreement with HeadCheck Health, Inc. (HeadCheck) to supply all teams with mobile and web-based technology to follow the league’s concussion protocol and record and share vital information on suspected concussions with medical professionals.

“We’re very pleased to be teaming up with HeadCheck to help solve some of our biggest challenges in concussion safety,” said Kendall Newell, Manager of the AFHL. “Their tech simplifies what’s normally a complicated process and provides our medical professionals with the information they want to make the most informed decisions possible on the welfare of our players.”

“It shows an incredible commitment to player safety on the part of the AFHL to kick off this agreement by bringing all three levels of play onto HeadCheck,” said Harrison Brown, CEO of HeadCheck Health, Inc. “This is just the first step in providing the league with unparalleled visibility into exactly where they can best allocate resources for concussion safety.”

As part of the agreement, all Bantam Elite, Midget Elite, and Midget AAA teams will be able to use HeadCheck beginning with the upcoming season. Team trainers, athletic therapists, and safety personnel can use HeadCheck’s mobile app to document suspected concussions, perform concussion assessments per what is appropriate for their qualifications and transfer the information collected to medical professionals and partner clinics to safely return players to the ice. The platform allows a player’s concussion history to transfer with them from team-to-team or level-to-level for more informed care.

Additionally, HeadCheck is customized to the league’s concussion protocol and provides administrators governance tools and the ability to monitor compliance in real-time. Where needed, HeadCheck will supply teams within the league with contracted athletic therapists to support team staff. HeadCheck is a secure system that meets all top line health privacy standards in Canada and the United States.

About HeadCheck Health, Inc.
HeadCheck is an innovative mobile and web-based platform that gives medical and non-medical personnel the appropriate tools to follow any concussion protocol, integrates all individuals involved in concussion care, and allows the data collected to be analyzed for health and safety improvements. Hundreds of teams across the world from minor through professional sports have adopted the HeadCheck platform including: the CFL, CJHL, BC Hockey, Trek Factory Racing, Volleyball Canada, UBC Athletics, BC Rugby, Eastern Washington University, Rugby Ontario, Western Lacrosse Association, Rugby Quebec, and more. For more information visit http://www.headcheckhealth.com

Media Contacts

Kari Kylo - kari@somaworks.com 
604.889.8057

Looking toward the 2019-20 season, here are the tryout dates for teams in the Alberta Female Hockey League:

Bantam Elite:

Midget Elite:

Midget AAA:

N/A

RED DEER - A total of 114 female athletes from across Alberta are about to take the next step in Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta program.

68 players will attend the Team Alberta U18 Female Summer Camp beginning on Tuesday in Red Deer, which is the next step in the selection process for the 2019 U18 Nationals in Morden & Winkler, MB. 46 players have also been invited to the Team Alberta U16 Female Summer Camp, which runs in conjunction with the U18 camp starting on Thursday.

The AFHL will be represented with 85 players between the two camps, 39 with the U16 group, and 46 with U18.

U16 Female Summer Camp Invites >

U18 Female Summer Camp Invites >

The U16 camp list includes six goalies, 16 defence, and 24 forwards, while the U18 camp will host eight goalies, 24 defence, and 36 forwards. The selection process is based on the Team Alberta scouting process throughout the 2018-19 season, as well as the 2019 U16 Alberta Challenge in Leduc in May. From the Summer Camp, a shortlist will be established, with those players scouted with their club teams and 25-27 players continuing on to Fall Camp where the 20 players who will comprise the roster for Team Alberta are named.

LEDUC - North Yellow defeated North Blue 5-2 to win the 2019 Alberta Challenge Cup.

North Yellow got on the board just under four minutes into the game on a goal by Sadie Makokis. They then rattled off three goals in the final three minutes of the second period to take a 4-0 lead into the final frame, where they would add one more. 

Emerson Jarvis led the way for North Yellow with two goals, while Paige Ring added a goal and an assist, and Ainsley Mccoy-Birk scored a goal of her own. Mackenzie Dojahn and Erika Lind stopped a total of 23 shots in the victory. Maya Serdachny and Andie Hammel scored the goals for North Blue.

Earlier in the day, North Grey defeated South Green 1-0 in the B Final. South White won the C Final over South Black 5-1.

STANDINGS > | LEADERS > | SCHEDULE > | DAY ONE RECAP > | DAY TWO RECAP > | DAY THREE RECAP >

C Final

South White 5 - South Black 1

Players of the Game: Alberta White: #18 Ayah Salem | South Black: #4 Ryann Holbein

Boxscore >

B Final

North Grey 1 - South Green 0

Players of the Game: North Grey: #7 Raine Murdoch | South Green: #18 Leighanna Rizarri

Boxscore >

Championship Final

North Yellow 5 - North Blue 2

Players of the Game: North Yellow: #17 Sophie McKinley | North Blue: #3 Shaelyn Hopkins

Boxscore >

Alberta Built Player of the Day

The Alberta Built player of the day is the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of an "Alberta Built" player. Alberta Built is defined as:

1 - Good person - Know who you are.
2 - Character player - Believe in yourself.
3 - Grit player - Thrive on adversity
4 - Leadership - Treat yourself & people right
5 - Standard of performance - Focused approach on process - ALWAYS COMPETE - EVERY-DAYERS

LEDUC – Many of the AFHL’s top Bantam Elite players will converge on Leduc this weekend for several days of competition that will mark a significant milestone in their young hockey careers.

These athletes, born in 2004-05, have been named to the rosters of the six teams that will compete in Hockey Alberta’s 2019 Alberta Challenge, May 2-5 at the Leduc Recreation Centre.

The Alberta Challenge is held alternating years opposite of the Alberta Winter Games, with three teams selected to represent the North, and three to represent the South. The players were selected from approximately 300 who attended regional camps held April 5-7 in Cochrane and Fort Saskatchewan. Twenty athletes comprise each roster, along with volunteers serving as head coach, assistant coaches, coach mentor, trainer, and director of operations. The Challenge is also part of the development process for female on-ice officials across the province.

Rosters >

In addition to pursuing the Challenge, the athletes are also vying for a spot at the U16 Female Summer Camp, held July 11-14 in Red Deer, and is one of the stages in the identification and selection process for the Team Alberta U18 program.

“Leduc will play host to some of the top young female athletes in the province, and spectators will definitely be impressed by their talent,” said Taryn Baumgardt, Hockey Alberta’s Coordinator of Female Hockey. “For the players, the Alberta Challenge is a great opportunity to measure themselves against others in the province, as well as receive instruction from elite caliber coaches.”

The teams play a modified round-robin competition. Preliminary round action gets underway on Thursday at 4 pm, with three games. There will be six games on Friday, starting at 8:30 am. On Saturday, preliminary action finishes, with three games, starting at 10 am. The tournament concludes on Sunday with the championship game set for 2:30 pm. 

Full Schedule >

For more information, or to check the game results during the Alberta Challenge, go to hockeyalberta.ca or abchallenge.ca. You can also follow along with the action on Facebook and Twitter.

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League is proud to present the list of players who will be suiting up for post-secondary teams this fall.

AFHL players have committed to the following post-secondary institutions for the 2019-20 season:

SUDBURY, ON. – A year after becoming the first team to repeat as Esso Cup champions, the St. Albert Slash have made history again, by becoming the first team to win Canada’s National Female Midget Championship three straight years after a 4-1 victory over the host Sudbury Lady Wolves.

“Unbelievable. Surreal.” St. Albert Slash head coach Dan Auchenberg said of his team after the game. “They don’t even know what they just did, three straight Esso Cups. That’s unheard of.”

The Slash finished the preliminary round with a 2-0-1-2 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record before Madison Willan scored the overtime winner to defeat the Saskatoon Stars 2-1 in their semifinal. 

Down by a goal after 20 minutes Saturday, goals from Taylor Anker (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and Mackenzie Kordic (Edmonton, Alta.) put St. Albert up heading to the third period. Kordic added a second goal on the power play, and Dayle Ross (Spirit River, Alta.) sealed the deal with an empty-netter with 40 seconds left. Slash goalie Brianna Sank made 33 saves in the victory.

Jaden Bogden, Isabelle Lajoie, and Brooklyn Schroeder cap off their terrific season by adding this Esso Cup championship to the gold medal they each won as a member of Team Alberta U18 Female at the Canada Winter Games, held in Red Deer in February.  

Anker, Lajoie, Sank, Makenna Schuttler, and Willan have been on the team for all three Esso Cup Championships.

RED DEER - The journey for a three-peat is about to begin for the St. Albert Slash, as the 2019 Esso Cup gets underway on Sunday in Sudbury, ON.

The Slash are representing the Pacific region at the tournament for the third straight year, and are the two-time reigning Esso Cup champions.

The Slash kick off their tournament Sunday afternoon at 1:30pm MST against the As de Quebec.

Schedule > | Stats > | Standings >

RED DEER - A third trip to the Esso Cup Championship is on the line for the St. Albert Slash as they kick off the Pacific Regional Championships on Friday night.

For the third straight year, the St. Albert Slash of the Alberta Female Hockey League will battle the Greater Vancouver Comets for a spot in the Esso Cup. The Slash defeated the Comets in the previous two Pacific Regional Championships en route to back-to-back Esso Cup championships.

Games one and two are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm, with game three set for Sunday at 12:45pm, if necessary. All three games take place at the Akinsdale Arena in St. Albert.

The 2018 Esso Cup runs April 21-27 in Sudbury, Ontario.

RED DEER - The Female ADM Committee have chosen the annual award winners for the 2018-19 season in each division.

Bantam Elite

Most Valuable Player - Jorja Nystrom, North Central Impact

Top Goaltender - Asia Kachuk, Sherwood Park Royals

Top Rookie - Lana Duriez, Lloydminster Jr. Steelers

Coach of the Year - David Fleming, North Central Impact

Midget Elite

Most Valuable Player - Madison Porter, Sherwood Park Fury

Top Goaltender - Cassidy Brown, Calgary Fire Red

Top Rookie - Arilyn Toews, Peace Country Storm

Coach of the Year - David Addison, Calgary Fire Red

Midget AAA

Most Valuable Player - Madison Willan, St. Albert Slash

Top Goaltender - Bella McKee, Lloydminster Steelers

Top Rookie - Jenna Goodwin, St. Albert Slash

Coach of the Year - Terry Johnson, Calgary Fire

AFHL Administrator of the Year - Denise Broadbent, North Central Impact

AFHL Scholarship Recipients

Official: Mikala Brown (Northern Lakes College, Paramedic)

Mikala is 21 years old and grew up in Lloydminster, but currently resides in Cold Lake. She began officiating hockey when she was 12 years old, and became a level three official as well as a instructor when she was 18. Mikala currently works all levels of minor hockey, as well as male Junior B and men’s Senior AA. She graduated from her primary care paramedic program in 2017 and currently works for Cold Lake Ambulance. In the fall of 2019 Mikala will be attending the Advanced Care Paramedic program at Northern Lakes College. 

Coach: Morgan Casson (Grant MacEwan University, Nursing)

Morgan is a fourth year centre for the MacEwan Griffins and a three time ACAC champion. She is in her second year of a Bachelor of science in Nursing degree. Morgan has been a coach for three years, as well as been the program coordinator and founder of the Jr. Griffins female spring hockey program. 

Midget Elite: MaKenna Zanewich, Lethbridge Cyclones (University of Lethbridge, Nursing)

Makenna was born and raised in Lethbridge, and started playing hockey at the age of nine. She has played with the Lethbridge Midget Elite Cyclones for the past three years, and was name Captian this past season. Makenna will graduate from the French Immersion Program at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in June. She has received an early admission offer to the University of Lethbridge in the Bachelor of Nursing Program, and will begin her studies in September 2019.

Midget AAA: Darcee Hall, Red Deer Chiefs (University of Windsor, General Studies)

Darcee was born and raised in Delia, AB. She has played with the Midget AAA Sutter Fund Chiefs for the past two seasons. Her time competing in the AFHL has allowed her to accomplish her educational and physical goals as she will be attending the University of Windsor in the fall where she will be playing hockey and studying psychology. Aside from hockey, Darcee has been a member of Team Alberta Baseball for the past six years. She prides herself in being a multi-sport student athlete who has found success in sport and the classroom and she hopes to continue this through post secondary.

RED DEER - The AFHL crowned another champion over the weekend, as the Midget Elite Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, were hosted in Grande Prairie.

Calgary Fire Red defeated the St. Albert Sharks 5-1 to win the title. Hannah Suto netted a goal and an assist in the win that featured five different goal scorers for the champions.

It was the Sherwood Park Fury who took home the bronze after a 6-4 victory over Calgary Fire White.

FULL STATS AND STANDINGS >

RED DEER – After Calgary Fire Red and the St. Albert Slash were crowned as AFHL Champions this past weekend in Bantam Elite and Midget AAA, the Midget Elite division gets set to take centre stage at the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

The Midget Elite Provincial Championships in Grande Prairie will feature five teams: The Peace Country Storm, Calgary Fire Red, Calgary Fire White, Sherwood Park Fury, and St. Albert Sharks. The tournament is set to begin at 11:15AM on Thursday, with the gold medal game taking place at 11:45AM on Sunday at the Coca-Cola Centre North Arena. FULL SCHEDULE >

You can keep track of all this weekend’s tournaments at haprovincials.ca, by following along with the score ticker at hockeyalberta.ca, on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Instagram (username: hockey.alberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and share it on Snapchat, as well as other social media platforms.

RED DEER - The Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, continued this past weekend with two AFHL divisions crowning their champions.

The Midget AAA Provincial Championships were hosted in St. Albert, where the host St. Albert Slash defeated the Calgary Fire 5-1 to win the title for the third year in a row. Madison Willan continued her terrific season by netting two goals and three assists, while Brianna Sank made 26 saves to backstop her team to the victory.

It was the Lloydminster Steelers who took home the bronze after a 2-1 victory over the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs.

ALL SCORES/STATS >

Red Deer played host to the Bantam Elite championships, where Calgary Fire Red defeated the North Central Impact 6-2 on Sunday to win the championship. Jennifer Shaw led the way for Calgary with two goals, while Kalynah Fong Martin posted 30 saves in the win.

Calgary Fire White won the bronze medal with a 3-1 victory over the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs.

ALL SCORES/STATS >

The AFHL Provincial Championships continue this coming weekend, where Grande Prairie will host the Midget Elite tournament featuring the Peace Country Storm, Calgary Fire White, Calgary Fire Red, Sherwood Park Fury, and St. Albert Sharks.

SCHEDULE >

RED DEER – Two AFHL champions will be crowned this weekend in Red Deer and St. Albert for the Bantam Elite and Midget AAA divisions at the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

The Bantam Elite Provincial Championships in Red Deer will feature five teams: The Red Deer Chiefs, Calgary Fire Red, Calgary Fire White, North Central Impact, and Lloydminster Steelers. The tournament is set to begin at 10:00AM on Thursday, with the gold medal game taking place at 11:45AM on Sunday at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. FULL SCHEDULE >

The Midget AAA Provincial Championships in St. Albert will feature four teams: The St. Albert Slash, Red Deer Chiefs, Lloydminster Steelers, and Calgary Fire. The tournament will begin at 9:00AM on Friday with Calgary facing off against Lloydminster. The gold medal game will take place on Sunday at 1:00PM at the Go Auto Arena in Servus Credit Union Place. FULL SCHEDULE >

You can keep track of all this weekend’s tournaments at haprovincials.ca, by following along with the score ticker at hockeyalberta.ca, on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Instagram (username: hockey.alberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and share it on Snapchat, as well as other social media platforms.

The Peace Country Storm, Edmonton Pandas, Red Deer Chiefs, and Rocky Mountain Raiders have all advanced to the next round. Awaiting them after a bye week are the St. Albert Sharks, Sherwood Park Fury, Calgary Fire White, and Calgary Fire Red.

Check the schedule for game times and locations.

An updated look at the Midget Elite playoff picture:

RED DEER - As the regular season draws to a close, the St. Albert Slash (Midget AAA), Calgary Fire White (Midget Elite), and Calgary Fire Red (Bantam Elite) all head into the playoffs as the top seed in their respective leagues.

Midget AAA

As the playoffs are set to begin, the final Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (76 pts)
2) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (65 pts)
3) Calgary Fire (56 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (30 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas (20 pts)
6) Rocky Mountain Raiders(20 pts)

Slash forward Madison Willan had a terrific year as she lead the league in goals (24), assists (26), and points (50).

St. Albert’s goaltending tandem of Holly Borrett and Brianna Sank were red-hot this season. Borrett paced the league with a 0.86 GAA, and 13 wins, while adding six shutouts. Sank is right behind with a 0.86 GAA, 12 wins and lead the league with eight shutouts.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Congratulations to seven AFHL players, as they won a gold medal in the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer playing with Team Alberta U18 Female: Goaltender Bella McKee (Lloydminster), blueliner Sierra LaPlante (Calgary), and forwards Hayleigh Craig (Lloydminster), Isabelle Lajoie (St. Albert), Payton Laumbach (Lloydminster), Jaden Bogden (St. Albert), and Brooklyn Schroeder (St. Albert).

The first round of playoffs are set to get underway this weekend, with Calgary hosting the Rocky Mountain Raiders, and Red Deer hosting Edmonton.St. Albert and Lloydminster have earned first round byes.

Midget Elite

After the completion of the regular season, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Sharks (50 pts)
2) Sherwood Park Fury (44 pts)
3) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (40 pts)
4) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (35 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas  (26 pts)
6) North Central Impact (23 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (61 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (61 pts)
3) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (50 pts)
4) Airdrie Lightning (44 pts)
5) Rocky Mountain Raiders (16 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (16 pts)

Calgary Fire Red forward Kelly Stanford took over the lead in total points with 36, while Sherwood Park’s Madison Porter ended the season as the top goal scorer with 24. Her teammate, Reagan Korber, lead the way with 16 assists. 

Calgary Fire Red’s Cassidy Brown’s 0.90 GAA and five shutouts were both the top mark in Midget Elite, while her teammate Rebecca Boswell, Airdrie’s Jocelyn Pearce, and Calgary Fire White’s Cienna Kinghorn lead the league with 11 wins.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

With playoff games set to be played this weekend, the North division will feature Edmonton vs. Lloydminster and North Central vs. Peace Country. The South will feature Lethbridge vs. Red Deer and Rocky Mountain vs. Airdrie. Calgary Fire White, Calgary Fire Red, Sherwood Park, and St. Albert have all earned first round byes.

Bantam Elite

The Bantam Elite standings for the regular season have been finalized:

North Division:
1) North Central Impact (56 pts)
2) Lloydminster Junior Steelers(54 pts)
3) Sherwood Park Royals (54 pts)
4) Edmonton Pandas (46 pts)
5) St. Albert Raiders (19 pts)
6) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (11 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire Red (58 pts)
2) Calgary Fire White (52 pts) 
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (39 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs  (39 pts)
5) Olds Grizzlys (35 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (5 pts) 

Edmonton’s Sage Taylor lead the Bantam Elite regular season with 38 points, while Sherwood Park’s Emerson Jarvis took the goal scoring title with 24. North Central’s Jorja Nystrom lead the way with 17 assists.

Jorja Fisher sat atop the league with a 1.24 GAA, while North Central’s Rory Gidosh took top spot with 12 wins. Edmonton’s tandem of Katherine Holan and Teegan Fedoruk were the league leaders with five shutouts each.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

After the first weekend of the playoffs, there are eight teams remaining. Sherwood Park defeated Peace Country Bonnet’s Storm in two games, while Edmonton did the same versus the St. Albert Raiders in the North division. Sherwood Park will move on to play Lloydminster and Edmonton will face the North Central Impact. In the South it was the Rocky Mountain Raiders defeating Lethbridge, and Red Deer getting past Olds. Red Deer will now face Calgary Fire Red, while the Raiders take on Calgary Fire White. All second round playoff games will take place this weekend (March 8,9,10).

RED DEER - Dates have been set for the 2018/2019 AFHL Playoffs and Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial. 

Bantam Elite Playoff Dates:

March 1-3 – First round of playoffs
March 8-10 – Second round of playoffs
March 21-24 – Provincial Tournament, Red Deer

Midget Elite Playoff Dates:

March 8-10 – First round of playoffs
March 15-17 – Second round of playoffs
March 28-31 – Provincial Tournament, Grande Prairie

Midget AAA Playoff Dates: 

March 8-10 – Playoffs 
March 22-24, 2019 - Provincial Tournament, St. Albert

For more information on the AFHL playoffs and provincial tournament formats, see the ‘Playoff Formats’ tab.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta and the Alberta Female Hockey League are pleased to announce the host sites for the 2019 Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial.

The St. Albert Slash, Peace Country PCFAC Storm, and Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs will host the Midget AAA, Midget Elite and Bantam Elite provincial championships, respectively.

The Bantam Female Elite tournament will run March 21-24, with Midget AAA running the same weekend, from March 22-24. The Midget Elite provincial championship is set for March 28-31.

The month-long “March to a title” features provincial championship tournament action during four weekends in March and April, along with four champions crowned through league playoff series. Organizations interested in hosting a provincial championship tournament completed a detailed bid process, with a bid committee evaluating the submissions.

2019 Provincial Host Sites >

A total of 39 Provincial Championships will be hosted across the province, at locations ranging from Grande Prairie in the north and west, Fort Macleod in the south, and Cold Lake in the east.

RED DEER - The second month of the 2018-19 Alberta Female Hockey League is now in the books, with the Lloydminster PWM Steelers (Midget AAA), Calgary Fire White (Midget Elite), and Sherwood Park Royals (Bantam Elite) sitting atop the standings in their respective leagues.

Midget AAA

Heading into December, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (41 pts)
2) St. Albert Slash (40 pts)
3) Calgary Fire (31 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (21 pts)
5) Edmonton Pandas (14 pts)
6) Rocky Mountain Raiders (12 pts)

Slash forward Madison Willan leads the league across the board, with 15 goals and 14 assists for 29 points.

St. Albert’s goaltending tandem of Holly Borrett and Brianna Sank are off to red-hot starts to the season. Borrett leads the league with a 0.71 GAA and a 7-0-0 record, and sits second with three shutouts, while Sank is right behind with a 0.75 GAA and six wins, and leads all Midget AAA goaltenders with four shutouts.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

After two months of play, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Fury (25 pts)
2) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (22 pts)
3) St. Albert Sharks (21 pts)
4) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (12 pts)
5) North Central Impact (7 pts)
6) Edmonton Pandas (5 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (30 pts)
2) Airdrie Lightning (28 pts)
3) Calgary Fire Red (18 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (17 pts)
5) Rocky Mountain Raiders (6 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (4 pts)

Sherwood Park forward Madison Porter leads all Midget Elite skaters in goals (13) and points (16). Meanwhile, Calgary Fire White’s Sarah Gaiser sits atop the assist leaderboard with 10.

With a 4-0 record with the Calgary Fire Red, Rebecca Boswell’s minuscule 0.50 GAA leads the league, while Airdrie’s Jocelynn Pearce sits atop the leaderboard with seven wins, and is tied with Calgary Fire White netminder Cienna Kinghorn with three shutouts.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

In the Bantam Elite division, it has been exciting first two months of league play. The Bantam Elite standings heading into December are:

North Division:
1) Sherwood Park Royals (29 pts)
2) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (29 pts) 
3) North Central Impact (27 pts)
4) Edmonton Pandas (18 pts)
5) St. Albert Raiders (12 pts)
6) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (5 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (24 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (17 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (17 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (15 pts)
5) Olds Grizzlys (14 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (3 pts) 

With 12 goals and 19 points, Lloydminster’s Lana Duriez leads the league in both categories, while North Central’s Jorja Nystrom leads all Bantam Elite skaters with 10 assists.

Asia Kachuk sits atop the league with a 0.71 GAA, while her Sherwood Park teammate Teegan Fedoruk leads the league with four shutouts. Lloydminster’s Tiana Stafford is tops in Bantam Elite with six wins.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

RED DEER - The 2018-19 Alberta Female Hockey League hits full stride this weekend, as the Midget Elite and Bantam Elite seasons kick off Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Friday night features a pair of Midget Elite games, with the Rocky Mountain Raiders taking on the Sherwood Park Fury, and Airdrie Lightning visiting the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs. Saturday sees five more games, with four more set for Sunday in a busy opening weekend.

On the Bantam Elite side, 10 of 12 teams kick their seasons off on Saturday, while the Calgary Fire Red and Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs will wait until the following weekend for their seasons to begin.

You can keep track of all the action on each league’s website, or by following the AFHL on Twitter.

Midget AAA Schedule > | Midget Elite Schedule > | Bantam Elite Schedule >

RED DEER - The 2018-19 Alberta Female Hockey League season officially gets underway tonight (Friday), with the inaugural Midget AAA Showcase Weekend in Edmonton.

The Edmonton Pandas and Rocky Mountain Raiders kick things off at 6:15, with the Lloydminster PWM Steelers and Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs to follow at 8:45. The St. Albert Slash and Calgary Fire both kick off their seasons Saturday at 11:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., respectively. All games are at the Clare Drake arena.

The Midget Elite season begins on Friday, October 19, while Bantam Elite season kicks off the following day.

You can keep track of all the action on each league’s website, or by following the AFHL on Twitter.

Midget AAA Schedule > | Midget Elite Schedule > | Bantam Elite Schedule >

RED DEER - The inaugural Midget AAA Showcase Weekend highlights the 2018-19 Alberta Female Hockey League schedule, which is set to kick off on Friday, October 5.

The 2018-19 AFHL schedule features a total of 400 games - 90 in Midget AAA, and 155 each in the Midget Elite and Bantam Elite leagues.

As the AFHL enters its third season, the Midget AAA league will kick off the year with a regular season tournament for the first time.

All six Midget AAA teams will take part in the Showcase Weekend in Edmonton on October 5-7 at the Clare Drake Arena.

The Midget Elite league will also take part in a Showcase Weekend in Leduc, February 2-3, featuring all 12 teams.

While the Midget AAA season kicks off on October 5, the Midget Elite season gets underway on October 19, with the Bantam Elite season beginning on October 20.

Midget AAA Schedule > | Midget Elite Schedule > | Bantam Elite Schedule >

How do I know what Draw Zone/Recruitment Area I am in?

While Midget AAA operates without boundaries or draw zones, players interested in playing Midget Elite or Bantam Elite are expected to access their first tryout with their Recruitment Area Team. The Recruitment Area team that a player is eligible for depends on your Resident Minor Hockey Association (not the one the player was last registered with). The breakdown of Recruitment Area Teams can be found below:

Recruitment Areas >

Can a player access a Midget or Bantam Elite try out elsewhere?

Midget Elite and Bantam Elite players are expected to access their first try out within the area that has been identified by the ADM for their Resident LMHA. However, if extenuating circumstances warrant a move, a player may use the Elite Player Movement Application process to move to access a program outside of their identified area. Elite Player Movement Forms must be completed and submitted by July 1^st.                      

Elite Player Movement Application >

Who can sign a Player Agreement Form?

A Player Agreement Form is for players selected to play for a Midget AAA, Midget Elite or Bantam Elite Team within the ADM. All “AAA” and Elite players must sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the regular season. Underage players are not eligible to sign a Player Agreement Form without gaining approval through the Player Acceleration Process.

By signing this document, the player is agreeing to register and play for that specific Member Club for the upcoming season. This document is viewed as binding and it is the expectation of both parties, the player and the Member Club, to uphold their portion of the agreement.

Can I sign a Player Agreement Form prior to the start of the season? 

Each “AAA” Member Club can formally sign up to six players (five skaters and one goaltender) to early Player Agreements between June 15 to August 15^th. This is done through the completion of the Player Agreement Form, signed by both parties. “Commitments” made without a written agreement are considered “verbal” and can be viewed as non-binding by either party. Players who have not signed a Player Agreement prior to the beginning of the season are encouraged to attend multiple tryout camps in order to keep all of their options open.

If I played AAA last year but would like to play for a different AAA team this upcoming season, is there something I need to do before I change teams?

If a player signed a Player Agreement and was registered with a AAA team for the 2017/2018 season and would like to play for another AAA team for the 2018/2019 season, the family will need to request an Elite Waiver from the Previous Registered Team. The signed waiver, complete with rationale must be submitted to the Female ADM Committee prior to the start of tryouts.

What is an elite waiver?

An Elite Waiver is used for two different purposes in the Female ADM;

• Players who played “AAA” last season and would like to tryout/sign with another AAA club are required to have a completed Elite Wavier prior to the start of Tryouts.
• A player who is cut from a Midget AAA, Midget Elite or Bantam Elite team and wishes to pursue the opportunity to try out with a second team. The player would need a completed Elite Waiver from the association that released them from the tryout process. A family would appeal to the Female ADM Committee by providing the Committee with a competed “Notification of Tryout Form” and Elite Waiver Form. The Female ADM Committee will review the application and provide the family with their second tryout option.

Do I have a choice of a second tryout?

At the “AAA” level, yes. The family and the player have the option of where they would like to go. This information needs to be submitted, alongside the Elite Waiver to the Female ADM Committee prior to moving onto your second tryout.

At the Elite Level, no. The Female ADM Committee works with all of the Member Teams during tryouts to understand if there is a need at a certain position (not enough defense at tryouts, no goaltender) amongst the teams. While travel is a consideration in the decision, the Female ADM will offer a second tryout option that would give the player the best opportunity to make a team.

When do tryouts begin?

The actual start date for tryouts may differ across associations, please ensure you are connecting with that association/team to find the proper dates.

Tryouts for AAA begin on/after August 24

Tryouts for Midget and Bantam Elite begin on/after September 7

Do I need any paperwork to attend a tryout?

All players trying out for a “AAA” or Elite team that is outside their Resident Minor Hockey Association needs to have a completed Notification of Tryout Form signed by their Resident MHA.

Notification of Tryout Form >

Is there a deadline to hand in my Notification of Tryout Form?

Notification of Tryout Forms need to be handed into the association players are accessing their first tryout with prior to the start of tryouts. “AAA” Players who have a preference for their second tryout can state their second tryout directly onto the NTO form.

Do I have to find a billet if I move away from home?

Each Female ADM Member Association has a billet program in place. They can assist you in finding a billet home while you play hockey. Fees may differ across associations and should be discussed with the Member MHA.

How much does this cost a year?

Each program is different (amount of ice, travel, team apparel etc). The association you would be able to give your family a more accurate breakdown of the financial obligations. 

RED DEER - Close to 50 graduating Midget players from the Alberta Female Hockey League will be suiting up for post-secondary teams this fall.

In the AFHL’s second season, the number of graduating players has nearly doubled, after more than 20 graduating players were committed to post-secondary heading into the 2017-18 season.

The Alberta Female Hockey League is please to announce the following commitments for the 2018-19 season:

BRIDGEWATER, N.S. – The St. Albert Slash became the first team in Esso Cup history to repeat as back-to-back champions, defeating the Saskatoon Stars 2-1 to win gold at Canada’s National Female Midget Championship.

“It was pretty amazing, nothing can beat it,” St. Albert Slash captain Tyra Meropoulis, of Edson, said of her feelings after the game. “Winning two in a row is unbelievable. It is such an amazing feeling.”

After suffering a 4-1 loss to the Stars in the preliminary round, the Slash rebounded in the championship game by opening the scoring with just under three minutes remaining in the first period. Late-period goals were the key to the team’s success, as St. Albert took a 2-0 lead with less than one minute remaining in the second period. The Stars cut the deficit in half 47 seconds into the third period, but could not find the back of net as time expired.

“[St. Albert] did a great job. An absolutely great job,” said Greg Slobodzian, head coach of the Saskatoon Stars. “We haven’t been pressured like that in a long time. Our girls didn’t know how to handle it at the beginning, but I thought we answered really well in the third period. It could have went either way."

Meropoulis led the Slash with one goal and one assist in the final, while veteran Madison Willan of Edmonton recorded the game-winning goal in the second period. Jayme Doyle of Calahoo also registered one assist in the game.

Goaltender Camryn Drever of Edmonton made 14 saves on her way to securing the win, while Mackenzie Butz of Sherwood Park earned player of the game honours for St. Albert.

RED DEER – The Alberta Female Hockey League is pleased to announce the 2017-18 league award and scholarship winners.

Four awards are handed out in each league: Most Valuable Player, Top Goaltender, Top Rookie, and Coach of the Year. One award is also given for the AFHL Administrator of the Year.

Bantam Elite

Most Valuable Player: Jenna Goodwin, Sherwood Park Royals
Top Goaltender: Ali Kieren, Calgary Fire White
Top Rookie: Jayde Cadieux, Lloydminster Jr. Steelers
Coach of the Year: Kath Surbey, Calgary Fire White

Midget Elite

Most Valuable Player: Sydney Benko, Calgary Fire Red
Top Goaltender: Holly Borrett, St. Albert Sharks
Top Rookie: Hayleigh Craig, Lethbridge Cyclones
Coach of the Year: Tom Molloy, Calgary Fire White

Midget AAA

Most Valuable Player: Bella McKee, Lloydminster PWM Steelers
Top Goaltender: Camryn Drever, St. Albert Slash
Top Rookie: Josie McLeod, Rocky Mountain Raiders
Coach of the Year: Paul Pozzi, Rocky Mountain Raiders

Administrator of the Year

AFHL Administrator of the Year: Steve Hughes, Lloydminster Minor Hockey

AFHL Scholarship Winners

The Alberta Female Hockey League annually presents four scholarships; two to graduating players from the AFHL as well as two to young women currently attending post secondary and who are giving back to the game through coaching or officiating. All of these scholarships will be awarded to help off-set the costs of pursuing a post secondary degree at the institution of their choice.

The AFHL received an overwhelming response to the scholarship fund and recipients were chosen from an extremely deep pool of applicants. Finalists were chosen based on their strong academics, positive contribution to their team as well as their involvement with their community.

Offical: Emily Hill, Olds College
Coach: Tricia Van Vaerenberg, University of Lethbridge
Midget Elite: Alexis Pfeffer, North Central Impact
Midget AAA: Mackenzie Butz, St. Albert Slash

Congratulations to all AFHL Award winners and scholarship recipients!

RED DEER - The title defence for the St. Albert Slash is about to begin, as the 2018 Esso Cup gets underway on Sunday in Bridgewater, N.S.

The Slash are representing the Pacific region at the tournament for the second straight year, and are the reigning Esso Cup champions.

The Slash kick off their tournament Sunday afternoon at 12:30 against the Pionnières de Lanaudière.

Schedule > | Stats > | Standings >

RED DEER - The ’Road to the Esso Cup’ is complete for the St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash, who will defend their 2017 Esso Cup title after defeating the Greater Vancouver Comets in the Pacific Regional Championship.

The St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash and Lethbridge Midget AAA Hurricanes both won the Pacific Regional Championship to advance to the Esso Cup and Telus Cup, respectively.

The Slash defeated the Greater Vancouver Comets for the second straight year, winning the three-game series two games to one.

St. Albert took game one 4-2 and lost game two 4-2, before edging the Comets 1-0 to claim the Pacific Regional banner for the second straight year.

The 2018 Esso Cup runs April 22-28 in Bridgwater, Nova Scotia.

RED DEER - The Road to the Esso Cup continues for the reigning champion St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash this weekend, as they head to Richmond for a re-match of last year’s Pacific Regional Championships with the Greater Vancouver Comets.

The Slash defeated the Comets in last year’s Pacific Regional Championships en route to an Esso Cup championship.

Games one and two are scheduled for Friday at 5:45 p.m. and Saturday at 12 noon, with game three set for Sunday at 1 p.m., if necessary. The 2018 Esso Cup runs April 22-28 in Bridgwater, Nova Scotia.

RED DEER - The 2017-18 Alberta Female Hockey League season officially came to a close on Sunday, as the Calgary Fire White skated away with the Midget Elite provincial banner.

As the host team of the 2018 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, the Fire skated to a 2-0 win over the St. Albert Sharks to win gold in front of their home crowd.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Fire Red claimed the bronze medal with a 4-1 win over the Sherwood Park Fury.

The Midget Elite Provincial Championships marked the end of the AFHL season, with the St. Albert Slash and Calgary Fire White winning the Midget AAA and Bantam Elite titles, respectively, the weekend prior.

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League season officially comes to a close this weekend, as the last weekend of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, get underway on Thursday.

With the Midget AAA and Bantam Elite Provincials complete, the Midget Elite Provincials will take place in Calgary March 29 - April 1, hosted by the Calgary Fire White.

The first game of the tournament goes Thursday at 10:30 a.m. between the Calgary Fire Red and Airdrie Lightning. The St. Albert Sharks and Sherwood Park Fury round out the five-team tournament pool.

All scores, schedules and stats can be found on the Hockey Alberta Midget Elite Provincials site. The scores will also be displayed on a ticker at the top of hockeyalberta.ca and afhl.ca.

You can also follow along on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincial and #ATBProvincials), or on Snapchat (username: hockeyalberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a brand new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and send a photo to Hockey Alberta on Snapchat for a chance to win a gift card prize pack from Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial.

RED DEER - The Midget AAA and Bantam Elite Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, saw a pair of repeat champions this weekend, as the St. Albert Slash and Calgary Fire White skated away with their respective league banners.

The St. Albert Slash won its second-straight Provincial title in dramatic fashion, defeating the Rocky Mountain Raiders 3-2 in overtime. Trailing 2-1 with time winding down, Madison Willan scored for the Slash with 7 seconds remaining to force overtime. After killing a full two minute five-on-three Raiders powerplay, the Slash got a powerplay of their own, and Mckenzie Hewett scored to seal the win for her team.

Photo credit: Rob Wallator

The Slash will now headed for a Pacific Regional rematch with the Greater Vancouver Comets, who they defeated last year en route to an Esso Cup championship.

The Midget AAA bronze medal game also required extra time, as the host Red Deer Sutter Fund Cheifs only needed 57 seconds of overtime to defeated the Lloydminster PWM Steelers 4-3.

It was a close game in the Bantam Elite Championship Final as well, with the Calgary Fire White edging the North Central Impact 2-0 to claim its second-straight Provincial title. Calgary got goals from Ashlynn Stitt and Payten Evans in the first and second periods, and goaltender Alexandra Kieren shut the door to clinch the title.

Photo credit: Ron Potts Photography

Close games were the story of the weekend, as the host Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm held on for a 1-0 win over the St. Albert Raiders to win the Bantam Elite bronze medal.

The Alberta Female Hockey League season officially comes to a close this weekend as the Midget Elite Provincials take place in Calgary on March 29 - April 1.

RED DEER - The battle for province-wide supremecy is on in the Alberta Female Hockey League, as the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB Financial, begin on Thursday in the Midget AAA and Bantam Elite divisions.

The Bantam Elite Provincials kick off Thursday morning at 11:15 as the St. Albert Raiders take on the North Central Impact. The Calgary Fire White, Rocky Mountain Raiders, and host Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm round out the Bantam Elite provincial pool.

Meanwhile, the Midget AAA action doesn’t get going until 9:00 a.m. Friday as the Lloydminster PWM Steelers battle the Rocky Mountain Raiders. Also taking part in the Midget AAA Provincials are the reigning Esso Cup champion St. Albert Slash, and the host Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs.

All scores, schedules and stats can be found on each league’s respective Hockey Alberta Provincials site, which can be found below. The scores will also be displayed on a ticker at the top of hockeyalberta.ca and afhl.ca.

Midget AAA > | Bantam Elite >

You can also follow along

on Facebook, Twitter (using the hashtags #HAProvincials or #ATBProvincials), or on Snapchat (username: hockeyalberta).

Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial are also proud to unveil a brand new Snapchat filter, available at all Provincial rinks across the province. Players and fans are encouraged to use the Provincials filter, and send a photo to Hockey Alberta on Snapchat for a chance to win a gift card prize pack from Hockey Alberta and ATB Financial.

RED DEER - Two outstanding young Albertans are on their way to take part in the 2018 International Ice Hockey Federation’s Global Girls Hockey Game in Toronto.

Kamyrn Oddan of Clandonald and Emilie Morin of Enoch were selected out of more than 25 applicants to attend the international event. Two female hockey players from each province are headed to the Global Game, which will see 37 IIHF member organizations hold events across the globe this weekend.

Oddan is a 15 year-old forward with the Vermilion Female Bantam B Tigers.

"I am so honoured and excited to have the awesome opportunity to play in the 2018 Global Game," she said. "It’s so great to have the chance to meet girls from all across Canada who have the passion as I do. My favourite thing about hockey is the fun I have playing with my teammates. I always try to improve and grow, and I think the Global Game is an awesome experience to learn from, while having fun along the way!"

In addition to hockey, Oddan also plays volleyball and badminton, and is involved in her local 4-H club.

Morin is a 13 year-old defender, who currently plays for the Edmonton Bantam A Sabres.

"Hockey is my passion," she said. "I am so honoured to be representing Alberta, female hockey and Indigenous Canadians at the Global Game!"

Outside of female hockey, Morin also takes part in her school’s Hockey Academy, and plays 3-on-3 hockey in the summer, along with softball.

Participants spend the weekend in Toronto participating in skills clinics, listening to guest speakers, visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame, as well as participating in the main event, the Global Game on Sunday afternoon.

About the Global Game

The Ontario Women’s Hockey Association, in partnership with Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Federation, is hosting the Global Game March 10-11 in Toronto. The Global Game embodies the spirit of enjoyment, teamwork, and collaborating with those from diverse backgrounds. This unique game starts on Saturday and will be played in 28 different countries before being handed off to Canada to play the final segment of the game. A cumulative score is kept across all 28 countries between Team White and Team Blue with a winner being declared after the Canadian portion of the game. The goal this game is to unite all females currently playing hockey as one global family.

RED DEER - As the 2017-18 Alberta Female Hockey League regular season comes to a close, the Rocky Mountain Raiders (Midget AAA), St. Albert Sharks (Midget Elite), and Calgary Fire White (Bantam Elite) lead their respective leagues. This weekend marks the final weekend of regular season action for Midget AAA and Midget Elite, while the Bantam Elite playoffs kick off on Friday.

Midget AAA

Heading into February, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) Rocky Mountain Raiders (68 pts)
2) St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash (58 pts)
3) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (49 pts)
4) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (44 pts)
5) Calgary Fire (26 pts)
6) Edmonton Pandas (10 pts)

Rocky Mountain Raiders forward Nicole Fry heads into the final weekend of play atop the Midget AAA leaderboard with 40 points, while teammates Breanne Trotter and Chloe Puddifant lead the league in goals and assists, with 22 goals and 23 assists, respectively.

St. Albert goaltender Camryn Drever carries the league’s best goals against average, heading into March with a 1.36 GAA, and is tied with teammate Brianna Sank with a .940 save percentage, while Rocky Mountain Raiders goalie Stephanie Gross leads all Midget AAA goalies with 12 wins.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

After four months of play, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Sharks (58 pts)
2) Sherwood Park Fury (53 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas (29 pts)
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (29 pts)
5) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (26 pts)
6) North Central Impact (14 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (53 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (53 pts)
3) Airdrie Lightning (49 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (29 pts)
5) Lethbridge Cyclones (26 pts)
6) Rocky Mountain Raiders (19 pts)

Calgary Fire Red forward Sydney Benko leads the league in goals (30) and points (37), while Peace Country’s Karsyn May and St. Albert’s Annika Neset both lead the way with 14 assists.

St. Albert’s Holly Borrett leads all Midget Elite goaltenders with a 0.92 goals against average, and .950 save percentage, while Airdrie’s Cianna Weir leads the league with with 13 wins.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

In the Bantam Elite division, it has been exciting first few weeks of league play. The Bantam Elite standings heading into November are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Raiders (51 pts)
2) North Central Impact (44 pts)
3) Sherwood Park Royals (43 pts)
4) Edmonton Pandas (39 pts)
5) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (36 pts)
6) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (28 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (63 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (49 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (40 pts)
4) Olds Grizzlys (35 pts)
5) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (21 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (19 pts)

Sherwood Park’s Jenna Goodwin ended the Bantam Elite season on a strong note, sitting atop the league in goals (24) and points (34), with North Central’s Jacquelyn Fleming leading the way in assists, with 16.

Alexandra Kieren wrapped up her outstanding season with Calgary White, leading the way with a 0.92 GAA, a .950 save percentage, while North Central’s Laney Pasemko is the regular season leader in wins with 15.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

The 2018 Bantam Elite playoffs officially kick off on Friday, as the Olds Grizzlys (4) battle the Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs. The other South Division series between the Rocky Mountain Raiders (3) and Lethbridge Cyclones (6) begins on Saturday, as do the North Division series between Sherwood Park (3) and Lloydminster (6), and Edmonton (4) and Peace Country (5). The St. Albert Raiders (1 North), North Central Impact (2 North), Calgary Fire White (1 South) and Calgary Fire Red (2 South) all earned first-round byes.

Bantam Elite Playoff Schedule >

EDMONTON - The 2018 Alberta Female Hockey League Prospects Games were a huge success, with the Midget Elite North and Bantam Elite South teams coming out on top in their respective games.

Both games took place at the NAIT Arena in Edmonton, complete with on-ice goalie and skills sessions, team-building activities, and a fitting booth with one of the day’s sponsors, CCM, giving players the chance to try out various pieces of equipment throughout the day.

In the Midget Elite All-Star game, the North team edged the South 3-2, with goals from Reagan Korber, Madison Porter and Brooklyn Schroeder. Madison Black and Brooke Palin scored for the South.

Midget Elite Prospects Rosters >

It was a tight match-up in the Bantam Elite Prospects Game as well, with the South coming out on top 4-3. Claire Hobbs, Megan Yakiwchuk, Hailey Wiltshire, and Sarah Gaiser scored for the South team, while North got goals from Ardyn Hawryshko (2) and Jenna Goodwin.

Bantam Elite Prospects Rosters >

Two forwards and one defence from each AFHL team were selected to their respective rosters by AFHL coaches, while goaltenders were selected based on their statistical ranking as of January 10. The coaches chosen to represent the North and South teams in each league are from the first and second place teams within each division.

Photos >

The Alberta Female Hockey League would like to thank all the parents, players and coaches for making the AFHL Prospects games such a success. The AFHL would also like to thank all of the event sponsors: Gatorade Canada, CCM, Two Point Photography and Skate to Excel.

RED DEER - With the first month of 2018 in the books, the Rocky Mountain Raiders (Midget AAA), St. Albert Sharks (Midget Elite), and Calgary Fire White (Bantam Elite) lead their respective leagues.

Midget AAA

Heading into February, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) Rocky Mountain Raiders (53 pts)
2) St. Albert Ron Hodgson Slash (46 pts)
3) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (42 pts)
4) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (40 pts)
5) Calgary Fire (20 pts)
6) Edmonton Pandas (6 pts)

It’s a four-way tie atop the Midget AAA leaderboard between Rocky Mountain Raiders forwards Chloe Puddifant, Breanne Trotter, and Nicole Fry, along with Red Deer’s Cassidy Maplethorpe, all with 24 points through four months of play. Trotter and Fry lead the way with 16 goals and 15 assists, respectively.

St. Albert goaltender Brianna Sank is still tops the league with a 1.32 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage, and is tied for the league lead in shutouts (two) with teammate Camryn Drever, Lloydminster’s Molly Mitchell and Red Deer’s Chantelle Sandquist. Rocky Mountain Raiders goalie Stephanie Gross leads all Midget AAA goalies with 10 wins.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Midget Elite

After four months of play, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Sharks (47 pts)
2) Sherwood Park Fury (39 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas (24 pts)
4) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (22 pts)
5) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (21 pts)
6) North Central Impact (9 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire Red (40 pts)
2) Calgary Fire White (39 pts)
3) Airdrie Lightning (39 pts)
4) Lethbridge Cyclones (23 pts)
5) Rocky Mountain Raiders (17 pts)
6) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (16 pts)

Calgary Fire Red forward Sydney Benko leads the league in goals (19) and points (24), while Peace Country’s Karsyn May leads the way with 12 assists.

St. Albert’s Holly Borrett leads all Midget Elite goaltenders with a 1.02 goals against average, while Edmonton’s Josie-Leah Cardinal remains atop the leaderboard with a .960 save percentage. Airdrie’s Cianna Weir continues to lead the way with 12 wins, while Cardinal and Calgary Fire White netminder Cassidy Brown are tied with four shutouts each.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

In the Bantam Elite division, it has been exciting first few weeks of league play. The Bantam Elite standings heading into November are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Raiders (44 pts)
2) Sherwood Park Royals (38 pts)
3) Edmonton Pandas (37 pts)
4) North Central Impact (33 pts)
5) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (31 pts)
6) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (25 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (60 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (38 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (31 pts)
4) Olds Grizzlys (29 pts)
5) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (21 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (15 pts)

Sherwood Park’s Jenna Goodwin ended January on a strong note, sitting atop the league in goals (20) and points (29), with North Central’s Jacquelyn Fleming leading the way in assists, with 12.

Alexandra Kieren continues her standout season with Calgary White, leading the way with a 0.81 GAA, a .950 save percentage, while St. Albert’s Layla Hood is tied for the league lead in wins (12) with Sherwood Park’s Asia Kachuk. Hood and Kieren both lead the league in shutouts, with 5 apiece.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

AFHL action will be on hold for the first weekend of February, as the AFHL Prospects Games take place on February 3 in Edmonton.

Midget Elite Prospects Rosters > | Bantam Elite Prospects Rosters >

Two forwards and one defence from each AFHL team were selected to their respective rosters by AFHL coaches, while goaltenders were selected based on their statistical ranking as of January 10. The coaches chosen to represent the North and South teams in each league are from the first and second place teams within each division.

Both AFHL Prospects games are set for February 3 at the NAIT Arena in Edmonton. The Bantam Elite Prospects Game goes at 2:30 p.m., with the Midget Elite Prospects Game to follow at 5:00 p.m.

Prior to each Prospects games, participating players will take part in on-ice goalie and skills sessions, as well as a team-building activity. CCM will also be on site to allow players the chance to try out various pieces of equipment throughout the day.

RED DEER – The Alberta Female Hockey League is pleased to announce the rosters for the 2018 Midget Elite and Bantam Elite AFHL Prospects games.

Midget Elite Prospects Rosters > | Bantam Elite Prospects Rosters >

Two forwards and one defence from each AFHL team were selected to their respective rosters by AFHL coaches, while goaltenders were selected based on their statistical ranking as of January 10. The coaches chosen to represent the North and South teams in each league are from the first and second place teams within each division.

Both AFHL Prospects games are set for February 3 at the NAIT Arena in Edmonton. The Bantam Elite Prospects Game goes at 2:30 p.m., with the Midget Elite Prospects Game to follow at 5:00 p.m.

Prior to each Prospects games, participating players will take part in on-ice goalie and skills sessions, as well as a team-building activity. CCM will also be on site to allow players the chance to try out various pieces of equipment throughout the day.

Alberta’s hockey community is always at its best during the holiday season, and we’ve asked Minor Hockey Associations and teams from across Alberta to share their stories of giving back to the community with us. Here are a few of the stories from AFHL teams:

Airdrie Midget Elite

The Airdrie Midget Elite team teamed up with the Airdrie Atom Female team to purchase turkeys to donate to the local food bank. They raised enough money to purchase 236 turkeys, well beyond their goal of 150.

The team also collected 150 jackets and hoodies to donate to those in need in their communities.

Edmonton Bantam Elite Pandas

The Edmonton Bantam Elite Pandas of the Alberta Female Hockey League volunteered as porters at the Santas Anonymous depot, spending several hours bring bags of toys to the drivers.

Lloydminster PWM Steelers

The Lloydminster PWM Midget AAA Steelers of the Alberta Female Hockey League provided a major boost to a local initiative called Project PJ, helping to collect new pajamas to donate to the Stollery Children’s Hospital in Edmonton.

Full Story >

North Central Impact Midget Elite 

The North Central Impact decided to play Santa’s helpers for a young girl in Thorsby. They secretly took her Christmas wish-list and purchased many of the items for her. She thought she was coming to watch her first every hockey game but was surprised when the team sang her Christmas carols and presented her with gifts from every player.

Olds Bantam Elite Grizzlys

The Olds Bantam Elite Grizzlys of the Alberta Female Hockey League joined in on the Sherwood Park Royals’ "Fill the Net" fundraiser for the local food bank.

Red Deer Sutter Fund Midget AAA Chiefs

The Red Deer Sutter Fund Midget AAA Chiefs of the Alberta Female Hockey League hosted a "Fill the Net" food drive for the Red Deer Food Bank during a home game on December 2.

Sherwood Park Midget Elite Fury

The Sherwood Park Midget Elite Fury of the Alberta Female Hockey League, along with other Sherwood Park Kings Athletic Club teams, collected dozens of bags and hundreds of pounds of food with their "Fill the Net" initiative at the annual "Kings Day" on December 2.

"Since Steve Mancini started coaching the (Fury), his players and he have “given back”, especially with three years of a weakened economy in Alberta," said Manager Jeff Markowski. "Despite the Strathcona County area being relatively stable, many families are overcome by unemployment, abuse, and medical/health issues that disable their lives in unseen ways. Our local Bureaus and helping agencies are seeing fewer donors and funds come there way with each passing season."

"This season, as in past, the Fury players and staff spent an evening at the local Christmas Bureau, finding and wrapping gifts and collecting food for those that would go without," said Markowski. "Just over 30 families this year will be able to enjoy the their upcoming Holidays with a bit less stress on their minds, a few gifts of kindness, and food in their stomachs. Great giving Fury, and thanks for being the terrific young people you are!"

RED DEER - The Alberta Female Hockey League will be well-represented in Fort McMurray in February.

Of the 120 players selected to play in the 2018 Alberta Winter Games, 102 currently play in the AFHL’s Bantam Elite division.

2018 Alberta Winter Games Female Rosters >

Six teams will take to the ice in Fort McMurray on February 16-19, with 120 female players (born 2003 and 2004) ready to take the first step in the Team Alberta program.

Twenty players comprise each roster, along with volunteers serving as head coach, assistant coach, coach mentor, and director of operations. Rosters were selected based on performances at regional camps held December 8-10 in Morinville and Innisfail.

The 2018 Alberta Winter Games run February 16-19 in Fort McMurray.

The Alberta Winter Games is a multi-sport event for developing athletes, aged 11-17 years old. The Winter Games were first hosted in 1976 in Banff, and occur each even-numbered year. The athletes are selected to represent the eight zones in Alberta in 20 sports such as hockey, badminton, gymnastics, skiing

LLOYDMINSTER - What started out as a local initiative for the Lloydmister PWM Steelers, quickly turned into a league and province-wide success story this holiday season.

Project PJ was started by 12 year-old Olivia Brockhoff in 2015, after a friend of her sister, who was going through cancer treatment at the Stollery Children’s Hospital, complained about the pajamas provided to her by the hospital. Now, every year, Olivia collects donations of pajamas to give to the hospital.

Tanya Plamondon, whose daughter plays for the Steelers, brought the idea to the Midget AAA team, and it snowballed from there.

"I’ve known Olivia and her parents for a long time, and I’ve been donating pajamas since she started (Project PJ)," said Tanya. "I wanted our team to do something big this season, so I mentioned it to (Head Coach) Randy (Laumbach), and we went from there. It worked out awesome since we had six home games to collect the pajamas in November, and we collected 89 pairs our first game through all us and our fans. The following weekend, we had the Calgary Fire and Edmonton Pandas accept our challenge to them, which was all in good fun, and the response was great. We also had the Rocky Mountain Raiders accept our challenge."

The Fire, Pandas and Raiders collected a combined 140 pairs of pajamas. The captain of last year’s Steelers team, Tessa Mitchell, also challenged her current team, the MacEwan Griffins, to join the cause, adding another 125 pairs of pajamas to the team’s total, which were presented to the team on November 25, with Mitchell conducting the ceremonial faceoff.

After an incredibly successful campaign for Project PJ, the Steelers managed to collect an astounding 513 pairs of pajamas, which were presented to Olivia during the team’s game on November 26.

As of December 1, Olivia has collected over 1000 pairs of Pajamas through Project PJ, all of which will be donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital.

Hockey Gives Back - We want to hear from you!

Hockey Alberta would like to showcase all of the hockey teams across Alberta who give back to their community this holiday season. Send your team’s story, along with photos, to info@hockeyalberta.ca to be featured on Hockey Alberta’s website.

RED DEER - The first month of the 2017-18 Alberta Female Hockey League is now in the books, with the St. Albert Slash (Midget AAA), St. Alberta Sharks (Midget Elite), and Calgary Fire White (Bantam Elite) sitting atop the standings in their respective leagues.

Midget AAA

After the first month of play, the Midget AAA Female standings are:

1) St. Albert Slash (17 pts)
2) Lloydminster PWM Steelers (16 pts)
3) Rocky Mountain Raiders (15 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (11 pts)
5) Calgary Fire (6pts)
6) Edmonton Pandas (1 pt)

Rocky Mountain Raiders forward Chloe Puddifant leads all skaters in points (12) through the first month of play, while Lloydminster forward Kelsey Hall (five goales) and Calgary forward Mackenzie Loupelle (five assists) lead the league in their respective categories.

Goaltender Bella McKee was strong in net for Lloydminster in October, with a league-leading four wins. McKee’s 1.20 goals against average puts her second in the league, behind teammate Molly Mitchell, who currently holds a 1.00 GAA, while both goalies are tied for the league lead with a .960 save percentage.

Midget AAA Leaderboard >

Outside of league play, eight AFHL players were named to Team Alberta’s U18 roster in October, and are currently competing at the 2017 National Women’s Under-18 Championship in Quebec.

Midget Elite

Heading into November, the Midget Elite standings are:

North Division:
1) St. Albert Sharks (12 pts)
2) Peace Country PCFAC Storm (10 pts)
3) Lloydminster Elite Steelers (7 pts)
4) Edmonton Pandas (6 pts)
5) Sherwood Park Fury (6 pts)
6) North Central Impact (2 pts)

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (9 pts)
2) Calgary Fire Red (9 pts)
3) Airdrie Lightning (9 pts)
4) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (6 pts)
5) Lethbridge Cyclones (6 pts)
6) Rocky Mountain Raiders (5 pts)

Peace Country’s Shauna Johnson sits atop the leaderboard in goals (six), and is tied with Lethbridge’s Hayleigh Craig for the lead league in points (eight), while Johnson’s teammate, Karsyn May, holds the lead in assists (six).

Airdrie’s Cianna Weir and Peace Country’s Madison Doucette both set the pace for goaltenders in October with three wins each. Edmonton’s Josie-Leah Cardinal recorded two shutouts in four appearances (with two wins), while seven goaltenders sit tied for second with one shutout in October, including St. Alberta’s Cecelia Michelutti, who leads the league with a 0.50 GAA and a .970 save percentage in two starts.

Midget Elite Leaderboard >

Bantam Elite

In the Bantam Elite division, it has been exciting first few weeks of league play. The Bantam Elite standings heading into November are:

North Division:
1) Edmonton Pandas (13 pts)
2) Peace Country Bonnett’s Storm (13 pts)
3) Sherwood Park Royals (10 pts)
4) North Central Impact (6 pts)
5) St. Albert Raiders (6 pts)
6) Lloydminster Junior Steelers (5 pts) 

South Division:
1) Calgary Fire White (18 pts)
2) Rocky Mountain Raiders (8 pts)
3) Calgary Fire Red (7 pts)
4) Olds Grizzlys (7 pts)
5) Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs (5 pts)
6) Lethbridge Cyclones (1 pt) 

Peace Country’s Charlieze Sallis set the pace for skaters in October with 10 points. Sherwood Park’s Jenna Goodwin leads the way with six goals, while Edmonton’s Sydney Dutertre is the league leader in assists, with five.

Through three games, Alexandra Kieren has been a wall in net for Calgary White, with a stingy 0.32 GAA and .980 save percentage in two wins and a shootout loss, along with two shutouts. Kieren’s counterpart, Kalynah Fong Martin, and Sherwood Park’s Asia Kachuk are tied for the league lead with four wins each.

Bantam Elite Leaderboard >

RED DEER - The 2017/18 Alberta Female Hockey League season is officially in full-swing, as the Midget Elite and Bantam Elite seasons get underway on Saturday.

The AFHL season began on October 1 for the Midget AAA division, two weeks ahead of the Midget and Bantam Elite seasons.

Eight of 12 teams on both Midget and Bantam Elite sides begin their season on Saturday, while the remaining four get their 2017/18 season underway on Sunday.

You can keep track of all the action on each league’s website, or by following the AFHL on Twitter.

RED DEER - Eight Midget AAA players from the Alberta Female Hockey League have been selected to suit up for Team Alberta’s U18 Female squad for the 2017 National Women’s Under-18 Championship in November.

Goaltender Camryn Drever (St. Albert Slash), and forwards McKenzie Hewett (St. Albert Slash) and Chloé Puddifant (Rocky Mountain Raiders) will all represent Team Alberta once again, having played in last year’s U18 National Championships.

Defenders Mackenzie Butz (St. Albert Slash) and Isabella Pozzi (Rocky Mountain Raiders), and forwards Brooke Dennett (Calgary Fire), Breanne Trotter (Rocky Mountain Raiders) will represent their province for the first time, while and Nicole Fry (Rocky Mountain Raiders) will join Team Alberta for the second time, having played in the 2015 U18 National Championships.

The AFHL will also have representation on Team Alberta’s coaching staff, as Red Deer Head Coach Bob Rutz will serve as as Assistant Coach.

Team Alberta U18 Female Roster >

The 2017 National Women’s U18 Championship runs November 1-5 in Quebec City.

The National Championship event brings together the top U18 female players from across Canada in an eight-team tournament, featuring teams from British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario (Red and Blue), Quebec and Atlantic.

For schedule and ticket information for the National Women’s U18 Championships, click here.