The Fall draft
2026–27 draft information. The published registration deadline was September 1, 2026, with the draft scheduled for September 3.
The published draft dates have passed. Contact the league about placement or late registration. The information below describes the 2026–27 draft process.
Who can enter
It comes down to one thing: whether your school district fields a hockey team this season. If you are not sure, check the team finder.
No team in your district
You can enter the draft. Districts with no team this season include Babylon, Deer Park, Mattituck-Cutchogue, Patchogue-Medford, Riverhead, Shoreham-Wading River and Westhampton Beach. The team finder lists every Suffolk district; if yours shows Pool eligible, you can enter.
Your district has a team
Try out for it first. If you are cut, ask that team’s general manager for a cut slip (the SCHSHL cut form); your club’s contacts are on its club page. The cut slip lets you enter the draft, and cut players register the same way as everyone else. If you make the team, you do not need the draft. If you skip tryouts, you cannot enter: you must try out for whatever team your district fields. If your situation does not match either case, or the finder looks wrong for your school, ask the league before you register.
How the draft works
- Register online. Fill out the draft form by September 1 and pay the deposit: $300 by check or money order (personal checks through August 31), or $310 by card. After you submit, you are sent to the league registration form; complete that too. You are not registered until both are in. You will need a 2026-27 USA Hockey number first, so register at USA Hockey and your number is emailed to you.
- You are in the pool. You join the pool of registered, paid players that varsity and JV general managers draft from. There may be an on-ice skate so coaches can watch you play; the league will send the details.
- The draft, September 3. Varsity and JV GMs pick players from the pool to fill their rosters. Freshmen are not picked by GMs; the league places them as needed. GMs can only draft players who are in the pool, so if you are not registered and paid by September 1, you cannot be picked.
Goalies
Goalies are in short supply across the league this season. A goalie in the pool could be starting this winter. The same eligibility rules apply.
Good to know
- What grades can play?
- Varsity is grades 9–12 and JV is grades 9–11. The Freshman division is age-based: a player must be at least 12 and cannot turn 16 before or during the season. No player may turn 19 before September 1. Middle-school players should check the eligibility page or ask the league.
- I was drafted in a past season. Do I re-enter?
- No. You go back to the team that drafted you. If your home district holds tryouts, you must attend them first. Moving up from Freshman to JV means you enter the draft again.
- What if I miss the deadline?
- You may not be able to play high school hockey this season, so do not wait until the last day. Register only if you are ready to play: a player who is drafted but does not play for that team forfeits the deposit and cannot play high school hockey that season.