2025-26 junior hockey expansion, relocation, folding thread

[Barclay Donaldson]

About time to begin the annual thread. Get out the clown shoes. Will be edited as updates come in. Please post links with confirmed news, no speculation

Major Junior/USHL
QMJHL | Titan de Acadie-Bathurst -> Newfoundland Infantry | QMJHL Returning to Newfoundland — Newfoundland Regiment Hockey Club
NAHL
Canadian Junior A
None
Canadian Junior B
USPHL NCDC
Addition:
Springfield Pics | Springfield Pics Announce NCDC Team For 2025-26
Universel Academy | NCDC Announces Four Teams Joining for 2025-26
NY Dynamo | NCDC Announces Four Teams Joining for 2025-26
Grand Junction River Hawks | NCDC Announces Four Teams Joining for 2025-26
Junior Bruins | NCDC Announces Four Teams Joining for 2025-26
Montana Buckaroos | Montana Buckaroos To Join Tuition-Free National Collegiate Development Conference In 2025-26
USPHL Premier/Elite
Universel Academy (Premier only) | Six Teams Joining Premier & Elite for 2025-26
NY Dynamo (Premier only) | Six Teams Joining Premier & Elite for 2025-26
Charleston Colonial (Premier/Elite) | Six Teams Joining Premier & Elite for 2025-26
Red Bank Generals (Elite only) | Six Teams Joining Premier & Elite for 2025-26
Junior Bruins (Elite only) | Six Teams Joining Premier & Elite for 2025-26
EHL/EHLP
NA3HL

Click to read more...

 

[JMCx4]

Might as well pencil in "Yellowstone Quake (relocation, folding?)" under NA3HL, after a 2023-24 record of 0-44-3-0 and 2024-25 so far = 1-37-1-0.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

A win’s a win…

 

[Slowdive]

Might as well pencil in "Yellowstone Quake (relocation, folding?)" under NA3HL, after a 2023-24 record of 0-44-3-0 and 2024-25 so far = 1-37-1-0.

Well, they have as many wins as players the have sent to the NAHL.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

The jersey is for good luck

 

[MeHateHe]

Canadian Junior A
None

Still waiting for an update on how Junior A in BC is going to shake out. The Hockey Canada leagues were given last year and this to assess which in those two leagues would be categorized at Tier 1 and which would be Tier 2. There is certainly an upside from a business standpoint to delaying that, but they would want to give the Tier 1 teams a little time to recruit top players, and those discussions are ongoing. There's still an open question of whether some teams currently in the independent BCHL might reconsider that status, especially given the NCAA decision around CHL players. Those decisions won't come about until their season's end, if at all.

I'd expect more information to come out on all of this within the next eight weeks though.