Tournaments

WYHA/Cyclones Hockey Club teams registered with USA Hockey may only participate in USA Hockey-sanctioned tournaments. All USA Hockey-sanctioned tournaments will have an official USA Hockey Sanction ID, which can be requested from the Tournament Director or is typically advertised as part of the tournament information.

Cyclones Hockey Club AAU Full Ice teams are registered with AAU and may only participate in AAU-sanctioned tournaments and events. Please verify the tournament's AAU sanction with the Tournament Director before registering.

Submit your completed travel permit to registrar@wyha.com

Other Helpful Resources

• MYHockey Rankings – Rankings, schedules, tournament listings, and team information.

• USA Hockey – Official USA Hockey website with sanctioned tournament information, rules, player safety resources, and membership information.

• WNYAHL (Western New York Amateur Hockey League) – League schedules, standings, rules, and other resources for Western New York youth hockey.

• EventConnect – Tournament registration, hotel reservations, and travel management for many youth hockey tournaments.

Below are several trusted resources to help Team Managers and coaches identify tournaments and jamborees throughout the season. Always verify that the tournament is appropriately sanctioned for your team's registration (USA Hockey or AAU) before registering.

Tournament Search Websites

• MYHockey Tournaments
• Search tournaments by age level, classification, location, and date.
• CAN/AM Hockey Tournaments
• Destination tournaments throughout the United States and Canada.
• Play Hockey Tournaments
• Youth hockey tournaments, showcases, and events across North America.
• OneHockey
• Competitive tournaments throughout the U.S. and Canada.
• Big Bear Tournaments
• Youth hockey tournaments across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
• 200x85 Hockey
• Competitive youth tournaments and hockey experiences.
• HockeyTime Productions
• New York and Northeast youth hockey tournaments.
• Pepsi Tournaments
• The event brings together House League through AAA teams from the United States and Canada. Celebrating the heart of amateur hockey, this tournament is about sportsmanship & teamwork, where the love of the game takes center stage.
• Griffins Guardians Hockey Tournament
• Annual Central New York youth hockey tournament supporting a pediatric cancer charity. Tournament proceeds help provide financial assistance and support to local families facing childhood cancer.
• Miracle Holiday Classic
• A destination tournament held at the historic Lake Placid Olympic Center, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. Open to 10U, 12U, and 14U Tier II & III teams, with a four-game guarantee and the opportunity to compete on Olympic ice.

In addition to the companies above, here are some Popular Northeast Mite Jamborees

• Camillus Mite Snowdown (NY) – Red/White/Blue divisions 
• Skaneateles Mite Fest (NY) – Half-ice Red/White/Blue tournament 
• Oneida County/New Hartford Mite Frostbite Frenzy (NY) – High Red, Low Red, White & Blue divisions 
• Saratoga 8U Mites Madness (NY) – Red/White/Blue divisions 

Unlike older age groups, most 8U tournaments are called Jamborees, Mite Fests, or 8U Festivals. They're typically half-ice or cross-ice, use Red/White/Blue skill divisions, and emphasize player development and fun over championship play. Many are hosted by local associations rather than large tournament companies.

 Tip: Start looking in August–September. Many of the most popular Red/White/Blue jamborees fill by early fall, especially January through March weekends. Coaches should discuss preferred dates early so the team manager can secure a spot before registration closes.

Travel AA, A, and B plus House divisions: Tournament locations in Tampa, Coral Springs and Miami, FL; Chicago, IL; Minneapolis, MN; Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, PA; Holland, MI; Rochester (at Bill Gray's Regional IcePlex); Washington DC; Madison, WI; Charleston, SC; and Charlotte, NC.

These are Tier II travel tournaments plus some have girls Tier I & II divisions. Some will also have House divisions. Empire House teams should make sure they sign up for a House division and not a Travel A or B division.

Most commercial tournaments (MyHockey, etc.) and any tournaments in PA, OH and mid-west/mid-Atlantic states will use Travel AA, A, B, House as classifications. 

Travel AA: Travel AA TB teams

Travel A: Travel Major

Travel B: Travel Minor

Mixed teams can be A or B depending on their strength. Occasionally commercial tournament vendors may run a AA Minor or Mixed division but these are rare and may be teams in WNYAHL only. Strong House A/White or House Red teams can be competitive at the Travel B level depending on the tournament. Otherwise, House teams should only sign up for House divisions. Call the Tournament Director and discuss placement and your concerns!

Travel divisions are WNYAHL compatible or follow the commercial tournament model. The House teams are either true "in-house" or play in the MOHL House league. MOHL team strength varies and there is no A & B or Red/White & Blue. Teams in MOHL are selected after the Travel teams are picked and it is rare to have more than one or two teams in an age division.

Travel teams play at the AA (Major/Minor) or A (Tier III Mixed) level. There is no formal Travel league website so most Travel teams are independent except for a few that play in WNYAHL. The House league in Syracuse is Snowbelt. Teams in Syracuse are either Travel or Snowbelt. Snowbelt teams are either Red (very strong with no Travel team so this is the top team in their organization in the age division), White (similar to our A/White division) or Blue (similar to our B/Blue division). Note: very good Blue are A- teams, very weak White are more B+.

There are a few AAA teams. Most teams play either A, B or C. 

A: TB or top team at the Tier II or Tier III level

B: kids who could not make the top team, generally a mixed group of major/minor aged players

C: everyone else and probably House B/Blue level although some teams may be House A/White level