You want to join an adult hockey league, but one question remains: what level should you play at?
It’s a more difficult question than it seems. The level at which you played in your youth is certainly a good starting point, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Age, physical condition, the number of years you haven’t played, and even the type of hockey you’re looking for now can completely change the answer.
At the Ligue Fédérale des As (LFA), we use a scale of calibers ranging from former professional players to beginner recreational players in order to better evaluate players and, above all, to create balanced divisions and teams.
Here’s how to find your place.
When asked about a player’s skill level, the first answer is often based on their career path:
“I played AA.”
“I played Junior.”
“I always played single-letter.”
This information is very useful, but it needs to be put back into context.
A player who has competed in top-level hockey generally retains a good understanding of the game, even many years later. Vision, positioning, and certain automatic reflexes rarely disappear completely.
However, speed, explosiveness and endurance can change considerably.
A 25-year-old former AA player who still plays twice a week probably doesn’t have the same current caliber as a 48-year-old former AA player who is starting to play again after a 15-year break.
Your history tells us where you’ve come from. Your current level tells us where you should be playing.
To facilitate assessment, the LFA uses a scale of grades ranging from A to E-.
The A-level category corresponds to players who have played in top-level professional leagues, including the NHL and the AHL.
This category includes players who have played in leagues such as the ECHL, LNAH or NCAA, or at equivalent levels.
This caliber primarily corresponds to former players from major junior hockey, particularly the QMJHL and leagues of comparable level.
Players who have played in Junior AAA, Ontario Junior A, Senior AAA or certain college levels may find themselves in this category.
This level includes, among others, former players from Junior AA, high-caliber Senior leagues or equivalent leagues.
Here we find players who have played in the elite levels of minor hockey, such as AA or BB, and who still retain good physical abilities.
These players generally possess good experience in competitive hockey, a good vision of the game, and are always able to play in a fast-paced style of hockey.
The D- caliber generally corresponds to players who have spent a good part of their career in intermediate competitive levels such as CC or A. They have a good understanding of the game and are able to keep up without major difficulty.
These are players who know hockey well and often have several years of experience, but who are now looking for a more recreational pace or who no longer necessarily have the physical abilities they previously had.
And this is an important distinction: recreational does not necessarily mean beginner.
This level is more suited to players with little or no experience in organized hockey, beginners, or players whose pace and understanding of the game are more suited to a learning and recreational hockey environment.
The caliber chart is intentionally indicative.
Your background provides us with an excellent reference, but several other factors must be considered.
Ask yourself, in particular:
Above all, you should avoid choosing your skill level solely based on the player you were at 18.
Choose the caliber of player you are today.
Players from all horizons
There is also an important difference between being able to play in a division and wanting to play in it.
You might technically be able to keep up with a high caliber while preferring to play in a slightly slower environment.
Conversely, some players specifically seek this extra speed and want to play with players capable of pushing them.
Adult hockey remains a recreational activity. The right level of competition is therefore one where you can contribute to the game while truly enjoying your match experience.
This is where the functioning of the LFA becomes particularly important.
An LFA division is not necessarily composed of players with exactly the same individual ranking.
We tend to group several similar calibers into the same division.
For example, the Central Division, which represents our highest level of play, can accommodate players of several different skill levels. These include C-, D+, and D players, depending on their profile and current level.
The goal is therefore not to put eleven perfectly identical players together.
On the contrary. Just like in the pros, several levels and styles of players are needed to have a balanced team. Scorers need playmakers, and offensive defenders need a more responsible partner.
The difference lies in how these players are distributed.
This is one of the most important features of the LFA model.
In many traditional adult leagues, a complete team registers in a division. It is then up to the team manager to assess the skill level of their group.
The problem?
A team only needs a few players significantly stronger than their stated level to create a major imbalance. And in some cases, teams may deliberately seek out players of a lower caliber than themselves to increase their chances of winning.
At the LFA, players register individually and we refuse team registrations even though it would make our job easier.
It is then the league that builds and balances the teams.
We can therefore distribute the stronger, intermediate and less experienced players among the different teams in the same division.
Let’s take a simplified example.
If a division has several D+ players, several D players and several D- players, the goal is not to create one team full of D+ players and another composed mainly of D- players.
We will instead aim to achieve something like:
Team A: D+ / D+ / D / D / D-…
Team B: D+ / D+ / D / D / D-…
Team C: D+ / D+ / D / D / D-…
Obviously, reality is more complex than this simple formula. Positions, goalkeepers, availability, certain player groups and several other factors must be considered.
But the principle remains:
to distribute talent rather than concentrate it.
Because the quality of an adult league depends heavily on gender parity.
A season quickly becomes less interesting when one team consistently dominates the others or when a player is clearly too good for his level.
By building teams from individual players, the LFA has much more control over this balance.
This helps to promote:
The goal is obviously not for all teams to finish with exactly the same record.
The goal is for each team to be able to reasonably believe that it can win when it arrives at the arena.
And that completely changes a season.
This is probably one of the first questions that comes to mind when discussing individual registrations.
The LFA remains first and foremost a social league.
Playing with friends is part of the fun of adult hockey and certain requests can be considered when teams are formed.
However, maintaining a balanced division must remain a priority.
In other words, getting a few friends together is one thing. Allowing a whole group of players far too good for a division to form a team is quite another.
It is precisely this distinction that allows us to preserve the quality of hockey for all players.
In the LFA, all players can become friends. We promote a friendly spirit not only within a team, but between teams as well!
No problem.
You do not need to arrive at the LFA knowing for sure whether you are D, D- or E.
Consult our player skill level chart and use your experience as a first reference.
If you are hesitating between two levels, tell us about your background: your previous level, your age, how long you have been playing adult hockey and how often you currently play.
In any case, ALL players are evaluated by a committee of officials and players in order to properly rank them. Therefore, a player who overestimates (or underestimates) their skill level upon registration will have their ranking adjusted afterward!
Accurately assessing one’s caliber is not only important for oneself.
This directly contributes to creating better matches for all players in the league.
At the LFA, our caliber system combined with individual registrations allows us to go even further: we can use players of slightly different levels while distributing these calibers between the teams in order to promote parity.
This gives you the challenge of playing with and against good players, without all the talent ending up on the same side of the ice.
Still unsure which division to register for?
Consult our caliber chart or contact the LFA. We will help you find your place.
Because the best hockey is not necessarily the one where everyone has exactly the same skill level.
It’s the one where, when the puck lands on the ice, both teams have an equal chance of winning.
