Over the past five years, HPL Hockey has transitioned from being an industry leader in spring hockey programs to a year-round hockey development company. Our program strives to facilitate the evolution of hockey development in BC. HPL Hockey has a collection of the top coaches, developers and leaders in the hockey industry. These leaders have created a unique program that challenges players to reach their potential on and off the ice. Our goal is to provide children with the best hockey experience possible everyday in a challenging and safe environment. We are focused on each child’s athletic growth, and we want to develop them into great people, not just great hockey players.
Introduction of a New Development Stream in British Columbia
The passion and innovation that HPL Hockey demonstrated in their spring hockey programs translated to a highly successful entrance into the fall and winter hockey marketplace. Every director of HPL Hockey has several years of experience operating highly successful hockey programs. Their backgrounds in these businesses have allowed them to create a development model that provides benefit to the high-performance hockey players within an environment catered to the development and growth of athletes, hockey players, and leaders. HPL Hockey has focused on one specific level of player, the high-performance player, and we have worked towards building a development program that rivals any in North America. All HPL ice times are offered in a facility central to the lower mainland. There are no early morning practices, and our consistent schedule allows HPL hockey players to participate in multiple sports outside of hockey. HPL Hockey is providing players at the high-performance level a greater opportunity to achieve their goals. Every player is surrounded by motivated hockey players, positive coaches and are placed in a program designed to get results.
Our Mission. Your Choice.
Specializing in the younger age groups gives HPL the opportunity to strengthen a player’s hockey fundamental skill sets. Creating an atmosphere where all players are at an equal level, allows the players to naturally be challenged to perform at their highest level without any concern of developing players being unable to share time with the puck. HPL players are provided with a unique environment that has proven to bring the best out of them. Smaller team sizes mean that each player receives more individual attention during all ice sessions. The HPL program has proven to be developing players in a positive manner as we are seeing these results in the spring at the highest level of competition. We look forward to having the same results in the winter where we can help represent the Province of BC with pride and showcase the results of the development stream.
Evolution of HPL Hockey
2017 – 2018 Development Program
HPL Hockey establishes themselves in the Winter Development landscape. We have 48 kids from the 2009 birth year register to be a part of HPL Hockey. We also had 26 kids in 2010 register for a development program. The HPL Directors balance four teams in the 2009 age and two teams in the 2010 age group and have the kids play hockey games with similar competition. Concept was simple, find a unique environment for high-performance players to compete, develop and grow through the fall and winter.
2018 – 2019 Development Program
HPL Hockey enters their second season of winter hockey. After running into a bumpy road in September the HPL Directors decided to make program changes on the fly to offer a development model similar to Hockey Canada’s long-term development model but continuing to be offered to the high-performance player. Only one family exits the program following the changes made and the program moves forward stronger than ever as comparison can easily be made and measured to the minor hockey development stream offered in Greater Vancouver. The program began to pick up momentum with 28 kids in the 2012 Birth Year, 48 kids in the 2011 Birth Year and 48 kids in the 2010 birth year all participating and a part of the HPL Development stream.
2019 – 2020 Development Stream
HPL Hockey continues to evolve as they study development streams from both inside and outside North America. They study other sport streams as well and release a development model in year three that is greatly received in Greater Vancouver. Each age group has its own unique name and each program caters to player’s specifically at that age and level. Over 400 kids show up to the rink in June to participate in evaluation skates. HPL Hockey sees a return of the 2009 Birth Year, after the families participated in the development stream that was their only option the year before, they decide that HPL Hockey is a more attractive and unique model for their kids. For the first time HPL Hockey also has a program emerging in the Okanagan with parents looking to be a part of HPL Hockey. The team practices in the Okanagan and travels down to Vancouver for 7 showcase weekends over the fall and winter competing in 28 games. The total number of participants in the program was 28 kids in the 2013 Birth Year, 48 kids in the 2012 Birth Year, 48 kids in the 2011 birth year and 65 kids in the 2009 birth year all participating and a part of the HPL Development stream.
2020 – 2021 Development Stream
HPL Hockey continues to evolve and the changes made to the program attract even more hockey players and teams. HPL Hockey sees an entrance of players in the 2008 Birth Year as more families are attracted to the unique model for their kids. For the first time HPL Hockey also has two new teams emerge on Vancouver Island with parents looking to be a part of HPL Hockey. Another new program emerges called the Wolves they have two teams in their first season. The Okangan Knights also see a 2011 team added to their program. HPL Hockey also introduces a new learn to play hockey program called the Shooting Stars Kids Club. The Shooting Stars Kids Club starts in just Coquitlam. The program rapidly attracts 4 and 5 year olds and in the second half of the year there is a program in Coquitlam, North Vancouver and Langley. There are now 350 kids playing in the HPL development stream. Both Planet Ice facilities are outfitted with cameras on every rink which allows family to watch games if they aren’t able to make it to the games. This is extremely valuable for our Okanagan and Island families that can watch every game live if they can’t make a trip.
2021 – 2022 Development Stream
HPL Hockey steps into their fifth season of winter hockey. The group of directors make some exciting new moves to the winter schedule. Those include a rivalry series for teams in the mainland playing each other twice in a week once a month to create more intensity in the games. The Okanagan and Island programs for the first time have each Vancouver based program travel to them for weekend series in their home areas. The Island Wolves have three teams in their second year. The Okanagan Knights have four teams competing in the winter hockey season. There are six showcase weekends held in the lower mainland with every team participating in. For the first time we have teams attending travel tournaments sending two 2012 teams to Banff, two 2010 teams to Banff, three 2011 teams to Edmonton and two 2009 teams to Banff. The Shooting Stars Kids Club blasts off in the Lower Mainland with 4 programs running and 120 kids starting their hockey journey. The Up and Comers program for 6 year olds also grows to 4 teams and offers each player ice 3 days a week. The Future Stars program for our 7 year olds sees every team played in two tournaments on top of their league schedule, which is exciting growth for the league. In December HPL Hockey releases their new league website. The website provides each team with their game and practice schedule. The season winds down in early March with HPL Hockey hosting its first ever Provincial Championships. The season wraps up with 560 kids playing in the HPL Development stream in BC.
2022 – 2023 Development Stream
HPL Hockey will be moving into its sixth year of winter hockey. We are excited to welcome the Washington Wolverines into our development model. The Island and Okanagan programs continue to grow as we look to introduce the Shooting Stars Kids Club programs in their areas to grow the game of hockey throughout BC. There will be 11 tournaments played between HPL and HSL teams in the Challenge Cup tournament series, which is a reflection of best on best competition between the two provinces. Additionally HPL Hockey will be sending two teams to Boston, two teams to Chicago and two teams to Los Angeles as we continue to provide our families opportunities to compete against AAA hockey programs across North America. At the moment we have almost 700 kids registered in our development stream for next winter. We are excited for the direction our development stream continues to head into as we continue talks with program expansion in a few other areas in BC.
The Lifestyle
The seasonal development schedule offered by HPL allows for every family to have more time as a family. With no hockey over long weekends, a longer Christmas holiday break, and a consistent game/development ice schedule, families can have a happier and less stressful hockey season. We have been told by many of our current HPL families that the consistency of our program scheduling has been a welcome and appreciated benefit beyond the on-ice hockey development.
We encourage our players to take advantage of the additional free time from a set schedule to play other sports, pursue other hobbies and interests and enjoy more time spent with their families.