Next season and for the foreseeable future, AAA male hockey in Alberta will have a new look.
Starting in the 2020-21 season, the Alberta Elite Hockey League will be the new home of Alberta Hockey’s elite male players.
The AEHL will be made up of three divisions: U18 AAA (formerly Alberta Midget Hockey League), U16 AAA (former Minor Midget Hockey League) and U15 AAA division (Alberta Major Bantam Hockey League).
Local teams included in the new-look league are the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs (U18 AAA), the Red Deer North Star Chiefs (U16) and the Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels.
“The new Alberta Elite Hockey League brings all elite male hockey in Alberta under one set of operating standards which is an important step in ensuring that players within the AAA hockey stream are offered a consistent program and experience, regardless of their age division of hockey or location,” said Neil Robertson, chair of the Elite Male Committee.
Renaming the divisions also helps the leagues fall in line with Hockey Canada’s new age divisions policy mandate.
Along with the new division structures, the AEHL and Alberta Female Hockey League will get revamped websites, with stats and news about elite AAA hockey in the province.