NAHL Announces 2025-26 League Events

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced the schedule of league events for the 2025-26 season. Each event aims at the Development, Exposure, and Advancement of players.

The NAHL’s 51st season will be highlighted by the following league events:

• The 2025 NAHL Showcase will feature each NAHL team participating in three games, with the United States National Team Development Program U17 team playing in two games.
• The 2026 Top Prospects Tournament returns to the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan in February of 2026. The event will feature players selected from all four divisions, including many selected with the help of NHL Central Scouting. 
• The 2026 Robertson Cup National Championship heads back to Fogerty Arena in May of 2026. This championship will feature the four division winners competing for a chance to be crowned the Robertson Cup Champions.

The Greatest Show on Ice returns and the 22nd annual NAHL Showcase will be held from September 24-27, 2025 at the NSC Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota. All 34 NAHL teams will play three regular season games and this year’s showcase will once again feature two NAHL teams facing off against the United States National Team Development Program U17 team during the event. The NAHL Showcase draws hundreds of NCAA and NHL scouts for their first look at some of the best and brightest that North America has to offer.

Alongside the NAHL teams, over 100 Tier I programs will call Blaine, Minnesota home that weekend. The NAHL Showcase marks the opening weekend of the T1ER season for the 14U, 15U, 16U, and 18U divisions, and will feature elite T1ER talent from across the country, along with high-level guest teams from various top Tier I leagues—including programs from Minnesota’s High Performance (HP) program—all flocking to the state for this premier event. Additionally, the weekend will serve as the second league weekend for the FALL League.

The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament returns to the USA Hockey Arena on February 16-17, 2026. This yearly event provides NCAA and NHL scouts with a look at the best uncommitted players the NAHL has to offer, as well as some potential NHL Draft picks. The USA Hockey Arena is the home of the United States National Team Development Program and the USNTDP team will compete at the Top Prospects Tournament this year. This tournament brings the league’s athletes straight to the coaches and scouts as NCAA programs work to finalize their roster for the following season.

The NAHL’s Robertson Cup Championship is the culmination of the season for one final event from May 15-19, 2026 at the Fogerty Arena in Blaine, Minnesota. Divisional Champions will meet for one last battle for the chance at the title of Robertson Cup Champions. 

“Everyone looks forward to the NAHL Showcase, Top Prospects and the Robertson Cup,” NAHL Commissoner and President Mark Frankenfeld said. “The NAHL Vertical event structure is second to none when it comes to providing our players the opportunity to be seen in front of literally 100’s of scouts. It’s great to have the USNTDP compete at the Showcase and Top Prospects Tournament, which as you can imagine, draws a huge crowd. It’s also great to have NHL Central Scouting participate in choosing our Select Teams for the Top Prospects Tournament.”

For the 2025-26 season, the NAHL is significantly expanding access to its video and scouting platforms as part of its ongoing commitment to player advancement and exposure. NAScout, offering real-time video, advanced analytics, and recruiting tools, and NATV, the league’s exclusive streaming service, will now be provided complimentary to all NCAA Division I, Division III, and NHL coaches and scouts. This expanded, no-cost access reinforces the NAHL's mission to create the best opportunities for its players, delivering visibility unmatched by any other junior league of its kind.

With 347 NCAA commitments so far in the 2024-2025 season, the league has now set a standard of 300+ NCAA commitments in the last nine seasons. The NAHL has become a stepping stone for athletes looking to play NCAA hockey. Out of the college commitments the league has seen this past season, 245 athletes have made NCAA Division I commitments. Leading up to the 2025 NHL Draft, six players with NAHL ties are featured on the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings.

The NAHL is the oldest junior hockey league of its kind in the United States and one of only two that operate under the non-pay-to-play model. The NAHL is also one of the best at advancing players to collegiate and/or professional hockey. 

All 34 NAHL teams in all four divisions (Central, East, Midwest, and South) will play in 59 regular season games. The regular season will commence on September 12, 2025 and conclude on April 11, 2026.

Click here for the complete 2025-2026 NAHL Schedule