6U-8U SEASON DESCRIPTION-RECOMMENDATIONS (Rev. 3-12-2025)

Download the 6U-8U SEASON DESCRIPTION-RECOMMENDATIONS

	Half Ice – 8U	Cross Ice – 6U
Schedule Information
Season length/start date	20 weeks – First weekend of November	20 weeks/ First weekend of November
Pre-season scrimmages	From September 1-October 31 – maximum of 4 games – recommend one per weekend	Not applicable
Season end date	First weekend in March	First weekend in March
Game count	20 game days maximum	20 game days maximum
AAHA Jamboree	Open to all 8U teams. Held in late Sept/early Oct. Mandatory participation at league discretion	Open to all 6U teams. Held in late Sept/early Oct. Mandatory participation at league discretion
Travel radius	Games w/i a 60 min. radius of home rink	Games w/i a 60 min. radius of home rink
Tournaments	Up to 2 (not included in game count above)	Up to 2 (not included in game count)
Weekly on ice time limit	6 hours	4 hours
Practice count	40 minimum – 1 weeknight minimum	40 minimum
Practice types	Modiﬁed practice space and small area games to permit teaching concepts- View USA Hockey Sample plans	Modiﬁed practice space and small area games to permit teaching concepts. View USA Hockey Sample Plans.

	Half Ice – 8U	Cross Ice – 6U
Rosters
Roster size	Suggested minimum of 8 skaters and one goalie and maximum of 12 skaters and two goalies*	Suggested minimum of 7 skaters and maximum of 10 skaters*
Goaltenders	Rotating goalies with full equipment	Rotating goalies – goalie equipment optional
Team format & Number	4 v 4 and total number of teams unlimited	3 v 3 or 4 v 4 and total number of teams unlimited
Game Layout
Playing surface/ location of nets	Divide rink into two equal playing surfaces from the goalie crease to the red line. Studio-sized ice surfaces are permitted.	Divide rink into 3 equal playing surfaces either perpendicular to zone lines or from crease to blue line with 3rd surface in neutral zone
Benches	All teams share benches	All teams share benches
Pucks	Blue pucks	Blue pucks
Goal nets	3/4 net or full ice net if 3/4 net is not available	3/4 net or full ice net if 3/4 net is not available
Referees	One USA Hockey certiﬁed oﬃcial required for each half ice game paid the current 8U oﬃciating rate	Not required. Coaches in helmets to oﬃciate. One coach per team
Uniforms	Home and away jerseys or reversible jersey	Home and away jerseys or reversible jersey
Scorekeeping	Scorekeeping optional – no standings	No scorekeeping or standings
Game length	Three 15-minute periods – running clock (can add more periods if ice time permits), additional time is encouraged	Three 15-minute periods – running clock (can add more periods if ice time permits), additional time is encouraged
Ice slot length	Suggested 1 hour – can be 1.25 hrs	Suggested 1 hour – can be 1.25 hrs
Line changes	At buzzer or whistle after 1.5 minutes of play. More skilled teams should shift on the ﬂy. Coaches to conﬁrm at start of each game* The referee will have two pucks. When the play stops, the referee will throw the 2nd puck to the far side of the ice (away from the benches) and retrieve the old puck. Players coming oﬀ the bench will play the new puck.	At buzzer or whistle after 1.5 minutes of play
Face oﬀs	At center of ice at the start of each period and after every goal. Behind the net on saves. After either event, whistle blown and ref retrieves puck from net to initiate puck drop behind net or at center ice.	At center of ice at the start of each period and after every goal. Behind the net on saves. After either event, whistle blown and ref retrieves puck from net to initiate puck drop behind net or at center ice.
Coaches on the ice	Not permitted	Required – 1 per team
Penalties	Player goes to side lines for remainder of shift plus one full shift – replace player on the ice – penalty shot is awarded to receiving team	Player goes to side lines for remainder of shift plus one full shift – replace player on ice
Goalie Stoppages/Goals Scored	After goals or goalie stoppages. The defensive team gets the puck behind their net. Players on the other team must “tag up” by skating to the middle of the ice before attacking the team with the puck.	After goals or goalie stoppages. The defensive team gets the puck behind their net. Players on the other team must “tag up” by skating to the middle of the ice before attacking the team with the puck.
*Contact local league and AAHA ADM Coordinator Nate Nussbaum – nnussbaum@aahahockey.org for approvals of variations.

GUIDELINES FOR 2025-2026 SEASON — FULL ICE GAMES

The Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association does not permit the playing of full ice games at the 6U or 8U levels at any time.

BIRTH YEARS
8U – 2017-2018
6U – 2019 and younger*

2015 and 2016 birth year players ARE NOT permitted to play at the 10U level.
2014 birth year players ARE NOT permitted to play at the 8U level. They must play at 10U level.
Rosters listing birth year players that are outside of the required age bracket will not be processed unless they have been approved in accordance with the AAHA rules.
*2017 birth year (6U) players CAN play on 8U teams, but cannot move to the 10U level until age appropriate.

RECOMMENDED ROSTER SIZE

10-12 players including goaltenders

This roster size should provide for two full lines of skaters (8) and 1-2 goalies for 4 v 4 games.
Clubs can go slightly smaller or larger if necessary, but keep in mind the goal is to permit the maximum amount of ice time for all players. Rosters that are too large prohibit adequate ice time for the players.
If participating clubs agree at game time, the option of playing 3 v 3 cross ice is permitted so plan rosters accordingly.
Clubs can ﬁeld as many teams as they choose. They should be labeled numerically by skill – NOT BY COLOR (#1 team being the most skilled, etc.). As players improve, it is club’s option to move the players between team rosters.

RECOMMENDED PRACTICE-GAME RATIO

2:1 practices to games (20 games = 2,400 minutes of practices)

20 games recommended maximum = 40 practices recommended at a minimum.
Game days are permitted (jamboree type setting) and are counted as 1 game.
Using 60 minutes as the equivalent of 1 practice, a team that schedules 20 games should have a corresponding 2,400 minutes of practice time. Practices can include tryouts/evaluations, etc. through the end of the season.

SEASON DATES AND DURATION

Pre-Season – September 1-October 31

In-Season – November 1 – Early March

Pre-season games – 1 game per weekend recommended.
In-season games – 20 games recommended (excluding tournaments). This includes League and NL games.
Game days are permitted (jamboree type setting) and are counted as 1 game if played in the same day.
Teams may participate in a maximum of 2 tournaments at their discretion – tournaments MUST be half/cross ice.

MANDATORY USE OF USA HOCKEY CERTIFIED OFFICIALS

USA Hockey Oﬃcials are required for all half ice/cross ice games – pre-season and in-season. These oﬃcials are to be paid the current approved rate for 8U level games. Non-certiﬁed oﬃcials ARE NOT permitted.

Rev. 3/12/2025