Major and minor hockey are different divisions of hockey based on player ability. Minor hockey can be played at the recreational level as well as in travel divisions, which feature the highest-skilled minor hockey players. Major hockey is designed for the most talented hockey players in a particular age group. Midget major, major junior and professional major league hockey are examples.
Minor Hockey
Minor hockey is played by amateur players below the junior level. The junior level is played by players between age 16 and 20. However, players can play minor hockey until the age of 19, according to the British Columbia Amateur Hockey Association website. Minor hockey can be played at the competitive level and the house league level in USA hockey as well. The competitive level, played by the higher-skilled players, is often divided into single A, AA and AAA divisions. Age groups include mite, squirt, pee-wee, bantam, midget and high school. House league hockey is purely recreational and is designed to eliminate the intense competition of competitive hockey and offer a fun alternative where anyone can play.
Major Junior Hockey
The Canadian Hockey League, based in Canada and known as the CHL, is a widely known Major Junior Hockey League. The CHL is divided into three divisions; the Western Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league attracts some of the most talented 16- to 20-year-old hockey players in Canada and the United States. The league has also drawn players from Russia, Sweden and the Czech Republic. The WHL, OHL and QMJHL hold an annual draft to acquire the rights of the best bantam players in North America. CHL players are not professionals but receive a small stipend from the league. This payment forces their ineligibilty from later participation in NCAA hockey. Each season, the National Hockey League drafts several CHL players in the NHL entry draft. Notable alumni include Sidney Crosby, Joe Sakic and Steven Stamkos.
The National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is the pinnacle professional hockey league in the world and is the only Major professional hockey league in North America. The NHL draws the finest hockey talent from North America and Europe. The National Hockey League features the highest-paid hockey players in the world. Vincent Lecavalier, star center for the Tampa Bay Lightning, earned $10 million in the 2009-10 season making him the highest paid player in the NHL. Each year 16 NHL teams qualify for the playoffs and must win four best-of-seven playoff rounds to win the Stanley Cup, one of the oldest and most prized trophies in sports.
Midget Major Hockey
Midget hockey is designed for players between the ages of 15 and 17. Midget Major hockey, sometimes referred to as AAA Midget Hockey, is the highest level below junior hockey that minor hockey players can play. Midget Major hockey in the United States features teams who represent preparatory schools, cities and entire states. The top-ranked U.S. Midget Major team in the 2009-2010 was Shattuck Prep School in Fairbault, Minnesota. The Chicago Mission ended up taking home the U.S. Midget Major National Championship.
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