General | 4/12/2025 3:45:00 PM
April 12, 2025 — New York, NY — The National Hockey League, United States Hockey League and USA Hockey today announced an elevated partnership built on a shared commitment to elite athlete development through the newly adopted Declaration of Excellence.
This initiative builds on the success of USA Hockey’s American Development Model by aligning resources, standards and support systems across the USHL, the nation’s only Tier I junior hockey league.
Backed by strategic resources from the NHL and in collaboration with USA Hockey, the Declaration supports expanding an athlete-centered environment designed to produce NHL- and NCAA-caliber players. Central to this model is the USHL’s “athlete-healthy” schedule, optimized for training, competition, and recovery, allowing for more focused development and efficient travel.
“The NHL is proud to support the growth of the American development system, which has become one of the most productive in the world,” said Bill Daly, Deputy Commissioner of the NHL. “The Declaration of Excellence enhances what’s already working and ensures players in the USHL have access to the tools, coaching, and resources they need to reach the highest levels of the game.”
The Declaration of Excellence builds on the USHL’s strong foundation by implementing a set of consistent, high-performance standards across all member teams, including:
- League-wide strength, conditioning, and recovery programs
- Comprehensive wellness and mental health support
- Optimized athlete-healthy schedule for training and recovery
- Personalized academic planning and tutoring
- Unified nutrition and performance resources
- League-wide quality audits and athlete feedback mechanisms
- Enhanced coaching and professional development
- Ongoing investment in officiating, safety, and game operations
“The USHL has long been a leader in developing talent for the highest levels of hockey,” said Glenn Hefferan, Commissioner & President of the USHL. “The Declaration of Excellence ensures every USHL player, in every market, is supported in a truly elite environment. This expands upon our common commitment to growth with our NHL and USA Hockey partners and represents a shared belief in our athlete-centric model.”
The partnership will significantly enhance off-ice player development systems across the USHL, including unified strength and conditioning programs, the integration of advanced training and performance technologies and expanded investment in officiating identification and development. These initiatives are designed to elevate player performance, support the next generation of elite officials and strengthen the league’s long-term infrastructure.
In addition to current initiatives such as the USHL Fall Classic and Headversity Resilience Training, the Declaration of Excellence explores opportunities for new programming targeted toward increased exposure and deeper engagement for players across USHL markets.
“Our collective efforts are focused on creating the best possible environment for players striving to advance in their hockey careers,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey, “and this agreement reflects important collaboration and alignment that will positively benefit our sport.”
About the USHL
The United States Hockey League and its 16 member clubs are committed to being the leading 16–20-year-old junior hockey league in the world. More than half of Division I men’s hockey roster spots are held by USHL alumni and more than 195 alumni were listed on NHL rosters at the start of the 2024-25 season.
The league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 92% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel), Cole Caufield (NTDP), Adam Fantilli (Chicago Steel) and Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede). More.
About USA Hockey
USA Hockey, established on October 29, 1937, and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, provides the foundation for the sport of ice hockey in America; helps young people become leaders, sometimes Olympic or Paralympic heroes; and connects the game at every level while promoting a lifelong love of the sport. USA Hockey is more than a million strong, including players, coaches, officials and volunteers that span all 50 states. The National Governing Body for the sport in the United States, USA Hockey has important partnerships with the NHL, United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation. For more information, visit usahockey.com.