Use the drop-down menus below to enter your gender, the grade you will be entering in the Fall of 2027, and what state you live in to determine which event you are eligible for. But the easiest way to figure out what event you should play in is by contacting us at 978-682-2425.
We offer separate boys and girls events
Select the grade your player will be entering
Helps us suggest the closest regional festival
Not sure which event is right? Call or email the HNIB Office.
978-682-2425 | info@playhnib.com
Quality summer hockey exposure for over 50 years and counting.
Hockey Night in Boston was founded in 1972, making us the longest-running summer hockey showcase in the United States with over 50 years of continuous operation. Most competing events have been around for 5 to 15 years.
HNIB’s media coverage is second to none in summer hockey, and it is all included in your registration fee.
Most other showcases charge extra for video or do not offer it at all. At HNIB, comprehensive media coverage is part of the experience, because exposure is the whole point.
For families interested in quality summer hockey exposure, HNIB is a no-brainer. We’ve been doing this longer than anyone, we do it well, and the people who matter (the scouts, the coaches, the recruiters) know it.
This is one of the most important things for families to understand. HNIB and team-entry tournaments are fundamentally different models.
HNIB is an individual-player showcase. Your player registers on their own, and HNIB staff build balanced teams from those registrations. Every registration is reviewed for age and level of play, and if we can’t place a registered player because of level of play or event capacity, we refund the registration in full. The entire event is built around evaluating and promoting individual talent. Every registrant gets full media coverage and access to the Free HNIB Player Profile (early registrants get the beta now, and all registrants will have access before the 2027 events begin).
Team-entry tournaments (Beantown Classic, Chowder Cup, NE Beach Bash, NE Pro-Am, etc.) work differently. An existing club or travel team registers as a unit and plays with their regular linemates. The focus is on team competition, not individual scouting. There are usually no individual player profiles or digital recruiting exposure, no professional videography or photography included, limited or no dedicated scouting infrastructure, and no Prep School Info Day or recruiting fair on site.
Both types of events have their place in a player’s summer. But if the goal is individual exposure and advancement, HNIB is purpose-built for exactly that.
You’re right. The path to college hockey has never been more complicated. In the past two years, NIL and direct revenue sharing have changed how college programs build rosters, the NCAA approved a new five-year eligibility clock, Canadian major junior (CHL) players entered the NCAA pipeline, USA Hockey named the first 29 programs in its new Development League (four of them in New England), and at least one U.S. junior league now pays players NIL money based on performance. Families are facing a fragmented landscape with more options and more confusion than ever. (See “The Changing Hockey Landscape” section below for a full breakdown of each change.)
There is no single “right” path to college hockey, and that’s something HNIB understands better than anyone.
HNIB sits at the intersection of all of these pathways. Scouts from every level attend our events. Talent is talent, regardless of which pathway your player is currently on.
Everything about signing up for HNIB summer tournaments.
Registration is done online through our website at playhnib.com. Each player registers individually. Simply select the tournament event your player is eligible for, fill out the player information form, and complete payment.
You’ll receive an automatic confirmation email from info@playhnib.com. If you need to make any changes, email info@playhnib.com or call (978) 682-2425.
Registration opens in the fall for the following summer’s events. We accept registrations on a rolling basis until each event reaches capacity.
There is no hard registration deadline, however events do fill up. Once an event is full, additional players are placed on a waitlist. We strongly encourage registering early.
Yes. If an event reaches capacity, we maintain a waitlist. Players are added in the order they signed up if a spot opens due to a cancellation or withdrawal. You are not charged until you are officially moved off the waitlist and into the tournament.
Check your spam/junk folder first. Confirmation emails come from info@playhnib.com and sometimes get filtered. If you still can’t find it, email info@playhnib.com or call (978) 682-2425 and we’ll verify your registration and resend the confirmation.
Yes. Simply email the changes to info@playhnib.com or call (978) 682-2425. Common changes include updated stats, school information, position changes, or contact info corrections.
It depends on the tournaments and the player’s eligibility. Some events run concurrently at the same venue, so playing in two at once isn’t possible. However, if tournaments are on different weekends, a player may be able to participate in more than one. Contact us to discuss your specific situation.
Age requirements, grade levels, and who can participate.
Eligibility is based on the grade you are entering in the fall, not your current grade.
Eligibility is primarily based on school grade (the grade you will be entering in the fall), not birth year. If you have questions about a specific player’s eligibility due to reclassification, PG year, or an unusual situation, please contact us directly.
HNIB tournaments welcome players of varying skill levels, but they are competitive events with scouts in attendance. Our Showcase events tend to attract higher-level players being evaluated by college programs, while our Festival events are more inclusive and development-oriented. If you’re unsure which event is right for your player, feel free to call us.
Absolutely. HNIB tournaments attract talent from all over the United States, parts of Canada, and Europe. Our events are open to any eligible player regardless of geographic location.
Yes. HNIB runs dedicated girls events, separate from the boys events, with their own rosters, schedules, scouts, and media coverage. For 2027, that includes the Girls Major Showcase and three regional Girls Festivals (Central/West, Southeast MA/RI, and Mass/New England).
For the Boys/Girls Major Showcase, yes. U20 players entering a PG year at a Prep school or a Junior hockey program are eligible. For other events, please contact us to discuss your player’s specific situation.
Costs, payment methods, and what's included in the price.
The Boys and Girls Major Showcases are invite-only. Invited players register at the $479 rate.
If paying by credit/debit card, a small processing fee (approximately $13 to $17) is added. Paying by check avoids this fee.
You can also call (978) 682-2425 to pay by phone with a credit card after registering.
We don’t currently offer a standard payment plan through the online system. However, if you need to discuss alternative payment arrangements, please call the HNIB office directly at (978) 682-2425.
Discount availability may vary by year and event. Contact us at info@playhnib.com to inquire about any current promotions, sibling discounts, or group rates. If a coach provided you with a Coach’s Code, be sure to enter it during registration.
The credit card processing fee is approximately 3.5% of the registration amount, roughly $13.27 for a $379 event and $16.77 for a $479 event. To avoid this fee, you may choose to pay by check or money order.
Withdrawal policies and getting your money back.
The refund deadline for 2027 events is May 15, 2027.
If you have an extenuating circumstance (injury, family emergency, etc.), please contact us as soon as possible and we’ll work with you on a case-by-case basis.
Email info@playhnib.com with the player’s name and the event they’re registered for, or call (978) 682-2425. We’ll process the cancellation and issue a refund if you’re within the refund window.
We understand injuries happen. Contact us as soon as possible at info@playhnib.com. While we can’t guarantee a refund after the deadline, we handle injury situations on a case-by-case basis and will do our best to work with your family.
Since our tournaments are held in indoor ice arenas, weather cancellations are extremely rare. In the unlikely event of a facility issue or other disruption, HNIB will communicate directly with registered families and work to reschedule affected games. We’ve been running these tournaments for 50+ years and pride ourselves on delivering every guaranteed game.
Partial refunds are not available for missed individual games. The registration fee covers the full tournament experience including all 4 guaranteed games, your jersey, program inclusion, and scout exposure. If you know in advance that your player will miss a game, please let us know so we can plan roster adjustments accordingly.
Understanding the different HNIB events.
About the Major Showcases: The Boys and Girls Major Showcases are invite-only events. There are two ways to earn an invitation:
Not sure which event fits? Call us at (978) 682-2425 and we’re happy to talk through the best path for your player.
HNIBnews.org is HNIB’s in-season media site. From November to March it covers New England high school and prep hockey, including high school hockey across Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and prep school hockey with weekly polls, tips, and tournament coverage.
Its coverage runs during the school season rather than at the summer events, and it ties in HNIB players on a site that coaches and scouts already follow. At the summer events themselves, rosters, live scoring, and stats run through the HNIB App, and games stream on LiveBarn (with an active LiveBarn account).
When, where, and how games are played.
HNIB summer events run from mid-June through early August. The 2027 schedule:
*Depending on the total number of teams, some Jr. High and Sophomore playoff games may extend to July 3.
Specific game times for your player are released closer to the event. Registration links for every event are at playhnib.com.
Every 2027 HNIB event is held in Massachusetts at one of three venues: the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center in Worcester, the Essex Sports Center, and The Bog in Kingston. Each event is played entirely in one building, so scouts can see every team without driving between rinks.
The venue for each event is listed on its registration page and confirmed in pre-event communications.
Every player is guaranteed 4 games in round-robin play. Teams that advance to the playoffs will play additional games beyond the guaranteed four.
Games consist of two 23-minute stop-time periods with full officiating: offsides, icings, penalties, the works. Live scoring runs through the HNIB App, and games are available to stream on LiveBarn. This format allows scouts to see players in a real-game setting with proper stoppages, faceoffs, and special teams situations.
After the 4-game round-robin, teams are ranked by record and tiebreakers. The top teams in each division advance to single-elimination playoff games. Standings and brackets are communicated through the HNIB App and at the venue.
Detailed game schedules are typically released 1 to 2 weeks before the tournament via the HNIB App, email to registered families, and at check-in. Game times can range from early morning to evening, so plan to be flexible.
How teams are built and who you'll play with.
Players register individually and are assigned to teams by HNIB staff based on position, skill level, geography, and balance. Every registration is reviewed for age and level of play, so each team is balanced and competitive. Our goal is to create competitive, well-rounded teams that give every player a chance to showcase their abilities.
If a coach recruited you using a Coach’s Code or referral link, you’ll be placed on that coach’s team.
We do our best to accommodate reasonable requests, but we can’t guarantee specific teammate pairings. If you have a request, email info@playhnib.com before rosters are finalized and we’ll take it into consideration.
A typical team roster includes approximately 12 forwards, 6 defensemen, and 2 goaltenders (20 total). We require every team to have at least 2 goaltenders and 15 skaters.
The Private Team option allows a coach to bring their own group of players to compete as a team. Each player registers and pays individually through a custom registration link, so the coach doesn’t handle any money. You can bring a full squad or a partial group, and HNIB will fill remaining spots with top at-large talent. Every team needs at least 2 goaltenders and 15 skaters.
Coaches interested in the Private Team option should email jamie@playhnib.com.
We instruct coaches to distribute playing time as evenly as possible throughout the tournament. Every player should expect meaningful ice time across all 4 guaranteed games. The purpose of the tournament is exposure, so it’s in everyone’s best interest for all players to be seen.
What to bring, what's provided, and uniform details.
Yes. Every registered player receives a custom HNIB game jersey included in their registration fee. Players keep the jersey after the tournament. Jerseys are distributed at check-in or at the venue before your first game.
Players should bring their full hockey equipment, everything except the jersey (which HNIB provides). This includes:
Jersey sizes are generally assigned based on the height/weight information you provide during registration. If there’s a fit issue, visit the HNIB staff table at the venue and we’ll do our best to accommodate an exchange based on available inventory.
How HNIB helps players get seen by schools and programs.
HNIB events are scouted by a wide range of programs including NCAA Division I, Division III, club hockey programs (ACHA), prep schools, and junior hockey teams. Over 50 years, HNIB has built strong relationships with college coaches nationwide. Thousands of HNIB alumni have gone on to play NCAA hockey since 1972, and more than 300 have gone on to play in the NHL, PWHL, AHL, and the Olympics.
The Prep School Info Day Fair is held during the Jr. High Festival and Sophomore All-Star Showcase and features 25+ prep schools with representatives on site. Players and families can visit booths, ask questions, pick up materials, and make initial connections with prep school admissions and coaching staff.
Absolutely, and we encourage it. Having your player’s “Prep Schools and/or Colleges Interested In” field filled in on the registration form helps scouts identify interested players. After the tournament, players and families are welcome to email coaches referencing their HNIB participation.
NIL and revenue sharing, NCAA eligibility, the USA Hockey Development League, CHL eligibility, and what it all means for your player.
The path from youth hockey to college hockey has changed more in the past two years than in the previous twenty. NIL and direct revenue sharing have changed how college programs build rosters, a new NCAA eligibility clock is in place, Canadian major junior players are now in the NCAA pipeline, and USA Hockey has named the first programs in its new Development League. Here is where everything stands, in plain language, updated as of October 2026.
Yes. On June 23, 2026, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved a new age-based eligibility model. Every D-I athlete now gets five years of eligibility, and the clock starts when a player first enrolls full-time in college or at the beginning of the academic year after their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
The original proposal would have started the clock at high school graduation, which would have devastated hockey’s junior pathway. After unified pushback from the entire hockey community, including a unanimous vote against it by all 63 D-I men’s coaches plus lobbying from the NHL, USA Hockey, and the junior leagues, the NCAA changed the trigger.
Timing matters: Players enrolling in fall 2026 get whichever system (old or new) is more favorable to them. The new rule becomes mandatory for players who first enroll in fall 2027 or later, which means today’s high school players fall squarely under it.
Yes, but the math has changed. Under the new rule:
The traditional one-to-two-year junior path is intact. The old “long road” of three years in juniors before college now costs real eligibility.
The rule also effectively eliminates traditional medical redshirts. Extra seasons are only granted for military service, religious missions, or pregnancy.
The Development League is USA Hockey’s new top tier of youth hockey, often called the NDL (National Development League). On October 5, 2026, USA Hockey invited 29 programs from more than 80 applicants, and all 29 accepted. Play begins in fall 2027.
The selection committee has said more programs could be added in future seasons.
USA Hockey has said that in regions where high school and prep school hockey dominate, like New England, the path to college hockey was already clear, and the selections reflect that. Only four New England programs were invited, and the Boston Jr. Eagles are the only Massachusetts program. Well-known academies that applied, including Lovell Academy and Masters Academy, were not selected.
What families should expect:
Since August 2025, Canadian major junior (CHL) players have been eligible for NCAA Division I, and Division III programs began opening to them in fall 2026. CHL players made up roughly 38 percent of all D-I commitments in the first year and a half after the rule change (as of April 2026).
At the same time, D-I programs that opted into the House settlement now carry a hard 26-player roster limit, down from the 28 or 29 players many teams used to carry (some current players are grandfathered for a few more seasons). Fewer roster spots, plus older and more game-ready competition, means a tighter funnel for every American player. The 5-for-5 eligibility rule adds another wrinkle: players choosing between the CHL and USHL routes now have to weigh eligibility math that did not exist two years ago.
NIL stands for name, image, and likeness. Since 2021, college athletes have been allowed to earn money from endorsements, appearances, social media, and similar deals. Since July 2025, there have been two separate ways a college hockey player can be paid:
Schools that opt in also trade the old 18-scholarship limit in hockey for a 26-player roster limit, and they may offer scholarship money to all 26 players. Programs across the Big Ten, Hockey East, and the NCHC have opted in. Schools that do not opt in stay at 18 scholarships. Division III programs do not offer athletic scholarships, and revenue sharing applies only to Division I.
The rules may still change. In late September 2026 the U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, a federal NIL bill, and the House has not yet voted on it.
High school: Yes, within limits. Massachusetts high school athletes have been allowed to sign NIL deals since 2022 under MIAA rules, and Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island also allow high school NIL with restrictions. In Massachusetts, deals cannot use the school’s name, nickname, or logo or the MIAA’s marks, cannot be promoted during team or tournament activities, cannot involve banned categories like alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, or gambling, and must be shared with the school.
Prep school: NEPSAC schools follow similar principles. Players cannot be paid simply for being athletes, cannot use school branding, and must report payments to the school. Policies can vary by school, so check with your athletic director.
Junior hockey: NIL has reached the junior level. In January 2026, the USPHL launched a league-wide, performance-based NIL program capped at $250,000 per season, paid out for championships and weekly individual awards.
Real NIL opportunities for high school and junior players are still uncommon and usually small. Before signing anything, read your state association’s rules and your school’s policy, and ask the compliance office at any college recruiting your player.
NIL has changed how college players get paid, but it has not changed how they get recruited. Coaches still have to find players, see them play, and trust what they saw. That is what HNIB events are built for:
More than ever. The ACHA now includes over 560 college teams across 48 states with roughly 16,000 players, and ACHA Men’s Division I will have 83 teams in 27 states for 2026-27, up from 77 a year earlier.
Schools like North Carolina, NC State, Louisville, and locally Sacred Heart (which will field an ACHA M1 team alongside its NCAA D-I program) are investing in club hockey. The ACHA also runs its own recruiting pipeline, including a national Prospect Showcase Series where ACHA coaches run practices, coach the benches, and recruit players directly from the events. ACHA and NCAA coaches alike attend HNIB events.
As the NCAA funnel tightens, ACHA M1 hockey lets strong players start college on time, keep competing at a high level, and skip the cost of extra junior seasons.
Honest answer: it is contracting, but it is not dying, and there is real momentum right now.
In Massachusetts, 78 cities and towns have dropped boys’ hockey since 2001-02 and co-op programs continue to grow, driven mostly by rink costs and competition from clubs, prep schools, and junior programs. Maine has seen a similar two-decade decline.
But the biggest high school hockey news in years landed this May: the MIAA approved the return of the Super 8 (Division 1A) tournament for the 2027-28 season, and for the first time ever there will be a girls’ Super 8 too. The top eight teams by power ranking, regardless of division, will battle through pool play to championships at TD Garden, and schools cannot opt out.
High school hockey remains a real development path, especially when paired with summer exposure events where school players skate against AAA and junior-bound competition.
Earlier than the last generation did. The DL narrows the elite youth funnel starting in 2027-28. The 5-for-5 rule caps how long a player can develop in juniors. CHL imports have raised the age and readiness bar for D-I rosters.
The pathway is compressing from both ends, which means the evaluation window has moved into the sophomore and junior years of high school. That is exactly the window HNIB events serve: our festivals and showcases put high school, prep, and AAA players on the same ice in front of college, junior, and prep evaluators, so your player knows where they actually stand while there is still time to act on it.
Getting to the tournament and where to stay.
Hotel information for the 2027 events is to be announced. Once it is set, details about recommended hotels, rates and booking will be shared before the events, including in pre-event communications. If you need hotel info sooner, email info@playhnib.com.
Most families drive to the venue. For those flying in, Boston Logan Airport (BOS) is the closest major airport. Worcester and other venues are typically a 60 to 90 minute drive depending on traffic. Providence (PVD) and Manchester (MHT) airports are also options. Specific venue addresses and directions are included in pre-tournament materials.
