Hockey preview: Longest high school season gets underway with two area teams as defending state champions
The longest high school sports season is underway with Saint Viator looking to repeat as state champion of the top-tiered red division in Illinois high school hockey, run by the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI).
BG/H/W – with players from Buffalo Grove, Hersey and Wheeling high schools – is the defending combined division state champion.
All Illinois teams are skating to the Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago which, for the first time, will host the state championship games next March after the three varsity state finals (red, combined and girls) were held at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont in 2026.
“AHAI is grateful to Allstate Arena for hosting the 2026 Illinois high school hockey state championships,” said AHAI president Melissa Surrette. “We are excited that the 2027 Illinois state championships will be hosted in partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks at USG Arena inside the Blackhawks Ice Center. The expansion of the Chicago Blackhawks practice facility created a first-class venue with NHL-level production capabilities.”
USG Arena has a capacity of about 2,000, thus the state championships will be held over three days to reduce overlap among fans.
Surrette confirmed that AHAI and the Chicago Blackhawks hope to return the state championships to the United Center in 2028.
Which teams skate for state next March will be determined over the next six months. The long season began with league play in mid-September. By the time state arrives many area teams will play 50-plus games.
The key for all teams is to peak at the right time, said Saint Viator coach Tim Benz.
“The best teams in October sometimes are not the best teams in February or March,” Benz said. “Teams will be working on systems and line combinations all year to see what works best. Staying healthy is also very important.”
York coach Evan Poulakidas said the long high school hockey season “is a grind, due to the length and demands of the season. It never surprises me to see a team that gets off to a tough start eventually finds its identity, gets healthy and puts everything together at the right time.
“There is no sport in the state that demands the commitment that high school hockey does,” Poulakidas continued. “It is a long season and a tremendous commitment from the players, coaches and families. That’s also what makes the high school hockey season so rewarding when a team puts it all together at the end.”
Surrette added: “Long seasons present challenges, but the long season is also part of what makes high school hockey special. Players spend the year proudly representing their schools and communities while learning to balance academic and other responsibilities.”
Illinois boasts four leagues in the northern part of the state: Scholastic, North-Central, West and Chicago Catholic.
The Scholastic Hockey League (SHL) is the best of the best, boasting perennial powers New Trier Green, Loyola Gold, Glenbrook North, Glenbrook South and defending state champion Saint Viator among its 10 teams. Brother Rice joined the SHL this season while Carmel Catholic moved to North-Central.
The North-Central features BG/H/W, Deerfield, Highland Park, Evanston, New Trier Blue and defending league champion PREP, which features players from Elk Grove, Prospect and Rolling Meadows high schools. North-Central has 26 varsity teams in two-tiered leagues.
The IHSHL West features such co-op programs as the Warriors, Glenbard, Maine Township and Plainfield – with 15 varsity teams in three-tiered divisions.
The nine-team Catholic League is anchored by Saint Ignatius, winner of the Kennedy Cup for the past five years as the league’s playoff champion.
“The season should be filled with skill and talent across many teams. Illinois high school hockey grows in skill and popularity every year,” Benz said. “The top (high school) teams can compete with tier one teams from across the country.”
Adrian Kuzbik, coach for the co-op Eagles Hockey Club (Leyden, Ridgewood, Elmwood Park, Niles North and Niles West), added: “I’m excited to see the talent get deeper, putting Illinois high school on the map rivaling Minnesota and Massachusetts. This is another year that the games will stay close, with league and state titles falling to more contenders. I believe we’ll continue to see more upsets.”
Kuzbik, who formerly played for the Leyden Eagles, said the local game continues to get faster. Plus, “there are things in Illinois high school hockey now that would not have even been a thought years ago. What some players can pull off is truly impressive.”
Red Division teams to watch:
1. Saint Viator
2. New Trier Green
3. Loyola Gold
4. York
5. Saint Ignatius
Red Division players to watch:
1. Colton Neuhaus, Saint Viator
2. Pearce Daverman, Loyola Gold
3. Michael Barton, York
4. Asher Ali, Stevenson
5. Ronan Havlis, Carmel Catholic
Combined Division teams to watch:
1. BG/H/W
2. Warriors
3. Plainfield
4. PREP
5. Maine Township
Combined Division players to watch:
1. Ethan Newburg, Warriors
2. Kyle Sebastian, Plainfield
3. Ryan Pape, Maine Township
4. Hayden Minsky, Libertyville IceCats
5. Ryan Costanza, BG/H/W
Girls division teams to watch:
1. Glenbrook
2. New Trier
3. York
4. Naper Valley
5. Barrington
Girls division players to watch:
1. Avery Villacorta, Barrington
2. Tatiana Kallianis, York
3. Emma Rychley, York
4. Avery Ebben, Naper Valley
5. Kendra Gorbatenko, Barrington