Player registration across North America continues to grow, showing strong momentum for hockey — especially among women and girls — in both Canada and the United States.
Canada: Fourth Straight Year of Growth
According to Hockey Canada’s 2025 registration report, the sport hit another milestone for the 2024–25 season:
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Over 603,000 registered players participated in Hockey Canada-sanctioned programs.
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That total includes a record-setting 115,000+ women and girls, the highest in Canadian history. This marks the fourth consecutive year of overall membership increases.
The increase in women’s and girls’ hockey highlights continued development and engagement at the grassroots level, from introductory programs to competitive leagues.
United States: Continuing Climb in Registration
Across the border, USA Hockey has also posted encouraging registration figures:
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For the 2024–25 season, total membership in the United States topped 577,864 members, including players, coaches, and officials.
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That’s an increase compared with previous seasons, indicating US hockey is on an upward trajectory.
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Youth hockey leads much of this growth, with youth player totals reaching historically high numbers and female participation up year-over-year — with girls’ and women’s registrations rising by around 5% in 2024–25.
While the raw numbers in the U.S. represent a broader membership base that includes adults and volunteers, the growth among youth and female players mirrors what Hockey Canada reported north of the border.
What This Means for Women’s Hockey
Across both countries:
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Women’s and girls’ engagement is expanding faster than ever — in Canada breaking records, and in the U.S. posting some of the largest increases in recent seasons.
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Growth isn’t limited to traditional hockey hotbeds: southern U.S. states and non-traditional markets are contributing to participation increases.
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Continued investment in youth programs and inclusive initiatives appears to be paying off.
Looking Ahead
With both national organizations reporting rising participation — particularly among women and girls — the future of North American hockey looks healthy. Continued collaboration between grassroots efforts, leagues, and national bodies can build on this momentum, ensuring more players enter and stay in the sport at all levels.
On the downside, this flood of new participants will likely see the Canadian and American national teams continue to clobber all other participating nations in major events such as the World Championships and Olympics.
