Attention U8/U9 Families,
Hockey Canada and the OHF have announced updates to the
U9 Pilot Program for the
2025-2026 season. These changes mainly affect
U9 MD teams and are designed to support player development while collecting feedback on how kids transition to full-ice hockey.
Here’s what you need to know:
Who This Affects
- The pilot applies only to U9 MD teams.
- It does not apply to U9 Select or Local League teams within the OMHA.
- Important: If an MD team has a mix of U8 and U9 players, that team will stay on half-ice until January 10, 2026.
- Only MD teams made up entirely of U9 players will be allowed to move to full-ice on November 1, 2025.
Key Dates
- September 2, 2025 – Start of a 60-day development phase for U9 MD teams using Hockey Canada-approved practice plans.
- November 1, 2025 – Full-ice play begins for U9 MD teams with only U9 players.
- January 10, 2026 – All other U9 teams, including mixed U8/U9 MD teams, transition to full-ice play.
U9 MD Teams for 2025-26
Based on this pilot program, the Ausable Valley Hockey Association will now be hosting U9 MD1 and U9 MD2teams for the upcoming season.
As a result, Ilderton Minor Hockey will not be running a U9 MD team for 2025-26.
We encourage all interested U9 players to attend the Ausable Valley U9 MD tryouts.
- Details on tryout dates and prep skates are currently being finalized.
- We’ll share full schedules and registration information as soon as they’re ready.
- Full refunds for any Ilderton U9 tryout fees will be issued in the coming weeks.
- Ausable Valley is currently exploring options on whether the U9 MD2 team will be:
- A mix of U8 and U9 players, or
- Exclusively U9 players.
- They will be consulting with other associations and the Shamrock League to determine the consensus approach for all associations.
Exceptional Status for U8 Players
- If your U8 child is interested in applying for Exceptional Status to be eligible for the MD1 tryout, please contact Paul Walkom, OMHA Director, Ausable Valley Hockey Association.
- Exceptional Status is only available for the MD1 team.
Other Program Details
- Practice Plans: Coaches will follow standardized U9 plans provided by Hockey Canada.
- Practice-to-Game Ratio: Teams must maintain at least a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio (including festivals and tournaments).
- Games: No power plays or penalty kills — penalties will be recorded, but play will continue 5-on-5 to focus on development.
- Player Evaluations: Coaches will evaluate players at the start of the season, Nov 1, Jan 10, and at the end of the season.
Why This Is Happening
The goal of the pilot is to:
- See if earlier full-ice play benefits U9 players’ development and confidence.
- Test if associations can manage different transition timelines.
- Gather feedback from parents and coaches about how the timing impacts kids and programming.
- Ensure that the main focus stays on skill development, not game systems or special teams.
We’ll share more information, tryout dates, and FAQs as soon as they’re available from the OHF, OMHA, and Ausable Valley.
Thanks,
Andy Marshall
President – Ilderton Minor Hockey