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COLLEGE HOCKEY NCAA Division I: The cream of the college crop. The num- ber of in-state programs will soon grow to six, with St. Thomas joining Minnesota, UMD, St. Cloud State, Bemidji State and Minnesota State at the Division I level next season. Conferences include the Big Ten, NCHC, WCHA, Hockey East, ECAC and Atlantic Hockey. NCAA Division III: For those who cannot or choose not to play Division I hockey, Division III is an excellent choice to con- tinue playing and developing at a high level while pursuing a degree. Minnesota boasts one of the top Division III conferences in the nation in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), which includes college hockey programs at top-notch schools such as Hamline, Gustavus, Bethel, St. Olaf, Concordia, Saint Mary's and more. The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) is also very strong, along with conferences throughout the country. ACHA Club Hockey: It may be called club hockey, but don't be fooled: college club hockey is the real deal. The American Collegiate Hockey Association, affiliated with USA Hockey, does not offer scholar- ships, but it is home to some of the best hockey in the country. There are now more than 461 teams competing in five differ- ent divisions of men's and women's ACHA hockey, many of them in front of packed crowds. Powerhouse programs include big universities like Iowa State, Arizona, Illinois and so many smaller schools like Adrian, Minot State and more. PRO HOCKEY The NHL: The National Hockey League is the best league in the world. The NWHL: The National Women's Hockey League is the first professional women's hockey league in North America and has now grown to six teams, including the beloved Minnesota Whitecaps. The AHL: The American Hockey League features teams one step below the NHL. Most NHL teams have an agreement with AHL team(s) in which they share play- ers over the course of the season. It's com- mon for most players to spend time in the AHL before reaching the NHL. The ECHL: The East Coast Hockey League is another minor professional league that serves as a farm system for AHL and NHL franchises. Most teams consist of former NCAA and Major Junior players who are trying to progress to the higher leagues. Europe: There are numerous leagues in Europe where many Minnesotans have forged successful pro hockey careers while traveling the world. The three most well- known professional leagues are the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia, Swedish Elite League (SEL) in Sweden, and SM-liiga in Finland. The National League in Switzerland, Deutsche Eishockey Liga in Germany are also consid- ered very popular. Austria, Norway, Denmark, Czech and other countries have their own professional leagues. There are women's pro hockey leagues in Sweden, Germany and Switzerland as well. M H J O N L I N E . C O M | J A N / F E B 20 2 1 26 Photos / UMD Athletics, ACHA, St. Olaf Athletics, Minnesota Whitecaps H O C K E Y A F T E R H I G H S C H O O L Far left: The WCHA is the premier conference in women's college hockey. Above: Minnesota's Division III hockey programs like St. Olaf in Northfield can offer new facilities, packed houses and academic excellence. Left: Thanks to trailblazing women, boys and girls now have a path to profes- sional hockey. ACHA Club Hockey is one of the fastest-grow- ing and most popular leagues in the world.