All Tier I (Youth and Girls)

Youth Tier II, Tier III, and JV

Girls' Tier II and Tier III

Below you can download the rules and regulations for the 2025 - 26 MAHA State Playoffs. This guide is updated annually by the State Playoff  Committee.

The Michigan Amateur Hockey Association (MAHA) is partnering with EventConnect to provide live hotel-blocking for teams advancing to the 2026 MAHA State Playoffs. Remove all of the pain points around scheduling sports travel, and let EventConnect facilitate your hotel arrangements for your extended playoff run!

Click on the link below to secure hotel accommodations for your respective State Tournament:

MAHA 8U STATE HALF-ICE TOURNAMENT

Location: Suburban Ice Rochester - Rochester, MI

Dates: March 13-15, 2026

Rules and Eligibility:

• Electronic Registration Due Date:  January 31, 2026 (or when division reach max capacity)
• Cost is $395.00 per team
• Suggest 9 – 12 players per team.  Players may not participate on more than one association team in this event.
• All players in your 8U Program may be included. 
• All players and coaches must be USA Hockey Registered and rostered with USA Hockey.
• In order for a team to be eligible for this event they must participate in at least one MAHA run or District run jamboree (complete list of eligible events of the registration form) so their ability level can be judged for proper placement in the tournament. The team entered in the State Tournament must be essentially the same team that participated in MAHA or District Jamboree.

Current List of Qualifying Events for 25-26 - As of 10/15/25

• Salute To Our Veterans Jamboree (Chelsea) - Nov 9
• Northern Lakes Jamboree (Sault Ste Marie) - Nov 23
• Stars & Stripes Jamboree (Plymouth) - Dec 7
• Jingle Jam (Allen Park) - Dec 27
• Capitol City Jamboree (Lansing) - Jan 10
• Traverse City Classic Jamboree - Feb 13-15
• I-275 8U League
• Adray 8U League
   

• All games will be half-ice, four on four with a goalie format.  There will be a one-minute warm-up with three nine-minute periods.  No time-outs.

• Teams will be able to enter in one of three skill divisions. It is up to the Associations to properly assign players to teams according to their skill set.  Birth year is not the overriding factor at this age level using the following procedures. 
• Red, White and  Blue Divisions: 
  • Red  Division: 2017 Birth Year Advanced Skill Players and/or Very Advanced 2018 Birth Year Players or any select or tournament team.
  • White Division: 2018 Birth Year Advanced Skill Players and/or Intermediate Skill 2017 Birth Year Players or 2018 or younger selected or tournament teams
  • Blue Division: Mixed 2018 or younger Birth Year Players of Intermediate Skill level or 2017 Newer Players to the Game.
  • Girls Only! Mixed 2017 and 2018 or younger Birth Year Players
• MAHA reserves the right to assign team to the appropriate division.
• No players with birth dates before January 1, 2017 are allowed to participate.

Note: For complete rule information download the rules packet on the right.

Emphasis of tournament is to create an atmosphere and tournament play that allows our young players to have FUN!                                          

The first 8U Mite Cup was held in 2016 at the Troy Sports Center. A visit by the  Stanley cup was a high point of the  inaugural event.  The 8U Mite Cup has been held annually since then to celebrate the accomplishments of 8U hockey players, and the end of the 8U hockey season. Originally there were three youth ability level divisions (Red, White & Blue). In 2022 an all girls division was added with 12 teams participating the first year.