Is Hockey Losing Its Grip?
Deven Hauck
2025-04-30 07:13:18
Count answers: 7
The United States has experienced steady growth in the sport over the past decade while Canada grapples with youth numbers declining significantly over the same period of time. Efforts by USA Hockey, National Hockey League teams and others to bring in more diverse families — and a boom especially in girls participation — have fueled the increase and opened the door for the U.S. to one day overtake its neighbor to the north as the game's preeminent power. Two years ago marked the first time the U.S. had more youth hockey players registered than Canada. More than 70,000 are girls, which USA Hockey's Kevin Erlenbach is proud to say is more than Canada, citing specifically a 94% increase at age 8 and younger.