The Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) today announced revised division names and a re-branded female division approved by the board of governors to be implemented for the 2020-21 season. 

Divisions offered in the Western Conference for the 2020-21 CSSHL season:

U18 Prep
U18 Female Prep
U17 Prep
U16 Prep
U15 Prep
U15

Divisions offered in the Eastern Conference for the 2020-21 CSSHL season:

U18 Prep
U17 Prep

“These new divisional names keep us aligned with the new Hockey Canada names being brought in next season,” said Kevin Goodwin, chief operating officer of the CSSHL. “We have had a lot of discussion and questions about our division names and we feel this simplifies it for everyone and creates a clear pathway to graduation.”

The newly branded U18 Female Prep Division will see all 13 CSSHL female teams compete in one division with a shifting schedule based on rankings that focuses on meaningful competition.

There will be five showcases attended by all 13 teams and all games will be streamed live on HockeyTV:

October 1-4, 2020 in Calgary, AB
November 12-15, 2020 in Winnipeg, MB
November 27-29, 2020 in Penticton, BC
January 8-10, 2021 in Banff, AB
February 19-21, 2021 in Delta, BC

Teams will begin the 2020-21 season ranked 1-13 based on their standings during the 2019-20 season (1-8 Female Prep and 9-13 Female Varsity).

Teams will be ranked into three groupings: 1-4, 5-8 and 9-13. At the conclusion of each showcase, the two teams with the worst record in the 1-4 group will move to the 5-8 group, the two teams with the worst record in the 5-8 group will move to the 9-13 group. Meanwhile, the two teams with the best record in the 5-8 group will move up to the 1-4 group and the two teams with the best record in the 9-13 group will move up to the 5-8 group.

 “The newly structured U18 Female Prep Division puts an emphasis on meaningful best-on-best competition, as well as developmental competition where student athletes get an opportunity to compete against student athletes with the same skillset,” said Goodwin. “Having all teams at each showcase and all games streamed on HockeyTV gives our female student athletes increased exposure to post-secondary, provincial and national teams.”

A record 40 former CSSHL student athletes played NCAA Division I Women’s Hockey during the 2019-20 season, while 59 competed in Canada in U Sports Women’s Hockey.