The Eastern Hockey League isn’t your typical junior hockey league.

Has it advanced a slew of players to college hockey over the years? Yes, the numbers don’t lie.

Has it been a sustainable league even in the wake of changes to junior hockey and college hockey in recent years? Absolutely.

Will the league continue to operate in the best interest of its players? Always.

One of the reasons for the EHL’s marked success has been the league’s tier of development – the Eastern Hockey League and the Eastern Hockey League Premier.

The EHL is the higher rung on the ladder, while the EHLP is a league where younger players or players who need more development or seasoning play before making the jump up to the EHL.

League commissioner Neil Ravin says having the two tiers has done wonders for the players.

“Every year when I look at EHL rosters, there are always dozens and dozens of players that used to play in the EHLP,” Ravin said. “That speaks to the commitment of our coaches who are here for all the right reasons. When we say #DevelopPromoteAdvance, that’s not just a hashtag. That’s the truth. Players that start out in the EHLP have the ambition to grow and improve their games to get to the EHL and give themselves opportunities to move on to the college game.

“Year in and year out, many of our top players at the EHL level are former EHLP players. These kids don’t want to play in other leagues to get better. They want to stay here and improve here. And those that stay certainly see the results of their hard work.”

For the 2026-27 season, there are 17 EHL teams and 13 EHLP teams, with 11 franchises having two teams. There are six teams that only run an EHL team and two teams that only have EHLP, but these stand-alone teams have great relationships with each other to help move players up and down.

The New York Apple Core (EHL) also has an affiliation with the Union Jr. Thunder (EHLP).

It’s that consistency across the board that has players knowing that even if they start off in the EHLP, there is a strong possibility they’ll soon see their name on an EHL roster.

“It’s amazing to me that as each season starts to wind down and EHL players announce their NCAA commitments, so many of these players going off to high-end NCAA Division III schools came from the EHLP,” Ravin said. “Hard work pays off. There’s no other way to say it. And the NCAA coaches that scout our games and forge relationships with our league see that immediately and that’s why they continue to look to our league for talent. When we say that the EHL is #WherePlayersComeFirst, we mean it and we continue to prove it each season.

“By having the EHLP, players can go there not thinking it’s a demotion, but rather that it’s a place that will take their skill sets and improve on those aspects to get them up to the EHL. If the players have the work ethic and the drive to succeed, they won’t be in the EHLP for long and they’ll have plenty of EHL teams that will find them a spot on their team.”

For a list of NCAA commitments of EHL/EHLP players, visit https://easternhockeyleague.org/ncaa-commitments/ehlp/.

Interested in learning more about the EHL and EHLP? Check out https://easternhockeyleague.org/.

Photo/MiaSara McLaughlin

— Matt Mackinder

(July 24, 2026)