Evaluation and Team Formation Process

Max Analytics and Evaluations

Since 2019, SJAMHA evaluations have been conducted by Max Analytics and Evaluation (Max AE), an independent hockey analytics organization.

Max AE will evaluate players on a number of criteria including:

Skating – Acceleration, speed, mobility, agility, balance, stride, crossovers, pivots, acceleration out of turns, quick feet, controlled skating, change of pace.
Passing – Delivering, receiving, choices, backhand, presenting target, control, touch passes.
Puck Control – Head-up, smooth/quiet, good hands, protection, control in small spaces/traffic.
Shooting – Power, accuracy, release, in motion, goal scorer, rebound control, variety of shots.
Positional Play – Sees plays develop, moves to support, judgement and anticipation.
Checking Concept – Angling, body position, balance/control, strong feet, making/taking checks.

Evaluation Convenors

SJAMHA hockey directors from various community clubs volunteer as evaluation convenors. Evaluation convenors roles include signing players in as they arrive to their sessions, distributing pinnies, communicating with parents about ice times and answering questions about the evaluation process. Evaluation convenors do not influence the evaluation of players or their placement at different levels.

Evaluation Sessions

All skaters will be evaluated a minimum of two or three times (depending on age level and program) and a maximum of four times. Goalies will have additional evaluations sessions. Max AE will send out notification emails two to five days before each evaluation session to notify players of their ice-times.

Bubble Skate

Within 72 hours of the conclusion of the second or third evaluation session, players at the top and bottom end of the age group pool may be notified by Max AE that their evaluations are concluded. A third or fourth and final evaluation, also known as a “bubble skate” is an opportunity for evaluators to assess players in the middle rankings one final time.

Report Cards

Max Analytics offers parents a report card that highlights a players strengths and skills they need to focus on based on the hundreds of data points that are collected by evaluators. The cost of the report card is the responsibility of the parent to pay for.

Absences

If a player is unable to attend an evaluation session due to injury or illness, please contact the evaluation convenor. No shows without any reason for not attending will receive a lower overall evaluation score due to missing a portion of the evaluation.

Coach Selection

Within a week of evaluations concluding for a particular age group, SJAMHA board members hold a coach selection meeting to select head coaches for teams based on applications and where their children have been placed.

Team Formation

St. James Assiniboia Minor Hockey Association Player Evaluation & Team Formation Process

Introduction

The goal of this document is to provide a well-defined and unified program that establishes procedures regarding key aspects of team formation in accordance with the rules and regulations established by Hockey Winnipeg.

First and foremost, Hockey Winnipeg rules & regulations (Section D, Hockey Zones) require that teams be “drafted equally according to ability” from within an area association. This forms the basis of the SJAMHA player evaluation & team formation process, along with the following guiding principles as set forth by Hockey Canada:

To provide a fair and impartial assessment of a player’s total hockey skills during the skating and scrimmage sessions
To ensure that players have a reasonable opportunity of being selected to a team appropriate to their skill levels as determined during the on-ice evaluations of the current year
To provide coaches with the opportunity and flexibility to build a team based in part on their own coaching philosophy and knowledge of player skills and attitude
To provide uniformity and consistency in the evaluation process such that player and parent expectations are consistent from year to year as players move through the various levels of the association’s programs
To form teams to maintain balanced and competitive play where the athletes can develop and participate equitably and have fun playing hockey during the season
To provide feedback in order to develop players

Player Evaluations

SJAMHA policy is to use independent evaluators to complete player evaluations for all Direct Entry players (male and female) in the U9 to U18 divisions. This covers all age divisions for “A Hockey”. Note that for the U9 division, this only applies to “A” – the U9 Development Program will continue to be used for House League team formation

SJAMHA employs a fair and impartial player evaluation process that provides a comprehensive assessment of the skills of each player. The independent evaluators provide on-ice and off-ice personnel who are expected to conduct all activities in a professional manner. On-ice sessions are held according to pre-defined practice plans that allow the effective assessment of all players. The independent evaluators utilize a thorough player assessment strategy that captures data to complete the evaluation of player skills. The resulting player rankings are made available to coaches during team formation. SJAMHA Policy is we do not disclose rankings, however, the Independent evaluator’s feedback on your child may be provided. Depending on the independent evaluation service used, written request may be required or it may be automatically provide by email.

Each year, SJAMHA will review the performance of the independent evaluators and assess whether changes are required to the process or the evaluating team.

In order to properly facilitate player evaluations, all minor hockey registration within SJAMHA boundaries must be completed prior to the first tryout session for a player’s age group. Failure to register prior to the first session of the try outs may impact player evaluation and final placement of the player.

Hockey Winnipeg rules & regulations require a minimum of two (2) ice sessions be granted to all players who have registered for A1 evaluations. SJAMHA will conduct a maximum of four (4) ice sessions to determine player rankings which will become the basis for team formation.

For players in the U9 A1 to U18 divisions, the independent evaluators will assess the skills of each player in the following areas:

Skating: Forward & backward; speed and technique
Passing: Forehand & backhand; technique, control and vision
Puck Control: Open ice & confined space; ability to maintain control of the puck
Shooting: Technique, accuracy and velocity
Game Understanding: Player understands positional play, communicates with teammates,

Player has the ability to read and react and displays a strong ‘hockey sense’

Intangibles: Work ethic and desire, behavior (good and bad), leadership

Goaltenders will be assessed according to the following criterion:

Stance: Balance & mechanics
Mobility: Skating, shuffling and T-pushing
Positioning: Centre line, adjustments, square to puck and post mechanics
Saves: Execution and rebound control
Game Situations: Recovery techniques, body balance, read & react
Intangibles: Work ethic and desire, behavior (good and bad), focus & anticipation

Please note the above criterion will be applied and assessed as appropriate for each age division. For example, the evaluators do not expect all U9 players to be able to “roof the puck”. Players will receive an aggregated score based on the independent evaluator’s assessment of the above skills. Players will be ranked by score and this will serve as a guide when conducting team formation.

After each ice session, players may be reassigned to different groups to facilitate further evaluation of skills. Such reassignments will take place according to the assessments performed by the independent evaluators. Any such reassignment does not exclusively determine the team to which the player is ultimately assigned, as per the team formation process described below.

SJAMHA strives to meet the needs & interests of all players in our area association. To that end, should a family feel that playing at a higher level of hockey is not right for their child, they are requested to please advise an SJAMHA representative when checking in for your first player evaluation session. The SJAMHA representative will advise the respective VP of the request and this will be taken into consideration for team formation. Additionally, players are also requested to indicate (U15 and U18 Levels) as to whether child wishes to play in the COED non-body checking (NBC) level. Once a player requests NBC, they will be required to stay at that level once tryouts begin for these age levels. In special circumstances (as determined by the Association) may be considered to move a player to BC or vice versa. This request must be made to the area president, prior to team formation for the age group.

Team Formation

As previously stated, Hockey Winnipeg rules & regulations (Section D, Hockey Zones) require that teams be “drafted equally according to ability” from within an area association. With this in mind, the following process has been established for team formation.

All players in the U9 to U18 divisions will be assessed by independent evaluators to determine their placement on the appropriate team for their skills & abilities – ie. A1, A2, A3, A4, A5. Players that are not selected to the U9 “A” team (s) or those who may decide not to try out for U9 “A” will be automatically assigned to a U9 house league (HL) team preferably aligned with their community club but not guaranteed.

Depending on the number of goaltenders and the caliber of goaltenders participating in the player evaluations for each age division, teams will be required to carry 1 or 2 goalies. This determination will be made by SJAMHA prior to team formation. Goaltender selection will take place in conjunction with player selection during the team formation process (see below).

According to Hockey Winnipeg rules & regulations, the specific number of A1, A2, A3, A4 or A5 teams to be formed is determined by the total number of players registered in SJAMHA in each age division. These rules take into consideration the minimum and maximum roster sizes as defined by Hockey Winnipeg. All roster size determinations will be completed prior to the team formation process according to the Hockey Winnipeg rules & regulations.

Where more than one team is formed at a particular age & level, each team will carry the same number of players & goaltenders, to the extent the number of players mathematically allows this to be accommodated.

The Team Formation Process

At the conclusion of the player evaluation process, all players will be ranked within their age division. This data will be provided to coaches at a team formation meeting held for each age division. Every team formation meeting will include a member the age level tryout convener, the head coach (1) of each team, a member of the SJAMHA executive (the VP WW or VP DE). If the SJAMHA executive member and/or A chair have a child available for selection during the team formation of that age and are not the head coach for one of the teams, they shall vacate the room and another member of the SJAMHA executive shall preside over the team formation meeting on their behalf (it is assumed that the age level tryout convener will have been assigned to a different age level if there is a conflict).

When team formation takes place, it is SJAMHA policy that only Head Coaches are allowed in the room at the time of team formation and there are no exceptions to this policy.

For each age division, the independent evaluators will first identify 80% of the players who must play at the A1 level, based specifically on the ranking from the player evaluation process. The balance of each team will be formed by coach selection from a predetermined number of players (by the association) remaining players at that age division. This predetermined number ensures that players selected from this group were relatively close in the rankings but did not quite make the 80% threshold. Please see the tables at the end of this document for sample team formation scenarios for various roster sizes.

To start the team formation process for each age division, the A1 coaches will meet to form the A1 teams. At the outset of each team formation meeting, the children of the coaches will be assigned to the corresponding teams. To ensure fair and balanced teams, the coach whose child is ranked lower in the overall ranking will make the first player selection. If a non-parent coach or the coach’s child is a goaltender is in place for any of the teams at a level being selected, the first selection will be decided by a coin toss.

The coach with the first selection will choose any one player from the identified list of 80% of players that must play at the A1 level or he/she may select another player available (as predetermined by their relatively close scores to the 80% threshold) at that age division. The next coach will choose any two players, with the stipulation that, at no point, can the total number of players selected from outside the 80% of players that must play at the A1 level exceed the number of coach selections available for the roster size in play, according to the Team Formation Scenarios table located at the end of this document. Player selection will continue in alternating sequence – two players at a time – until the prescribed roster size has been attained. For clarity, all players in the identified list of 80% of players that must play at the A1 level will be assigned to the A1 teams. No team formed will have more coach selections than as permitted by the team formation scenario currently in play. In the case where three teams or more are being formed, such as at U9 A1, the process for selecting players will be slightly different. In this situation only, the coaches will select players using the following sequence: Coach 1, Coach 2, Coach 3, Coach 3, Coach 2, Coach 1, Coach 1, Coach 2, etc. The rules around the 80% of players that must play at A1, as noted above, will continue to be applied. Throughout this process, coaches will have the ranking information of a predetermined number players to assist with team formation.

Once the players have been assigned, goaltenders will be assigned.

The process for assigning goaltenders onto teams differs slightly from the process for players. All goaltenders in each age division will be ranked according to the assessment completed by the independent evaluators. Next, the independent evaluators will identify 70% of the goaltenders that must play at the age & level of team being formed. The remaining goaltenders will be selected by the coach from all remaining goaltenders at that age division. The coach who did not select the first player will be first to select a goaltender. He must choose one goaltender from the list of eligible goaltenders – the 70% group that must play at the level of team being formed. The next coach will choose one goaltender from this group, and then one additional goaltender from all remaining goaltenders at that age division. The final goaltender will be selected by the first coach, also from all remaining goaltenders at that age division. Note this process assumes two goaltenders per team are to be selected. In the case where only one goaltender per team is to be selected, as determined by SJAMHA, they will be done by coach selection, in the reverse sequence from initial player selection. Further, the process would be slightly different in the event more than two (2) teams were being formed, such as may be the case at U9 A1. In that specific situation only, each coach would select one goaltender from the list of eligible goaltenders for U9 A1, in the reverse sequence from their initial player selection.

Once the A1 teams have been formed, the independent evaluators will then identify 80% of the players who must play at the A2 level, again based specifically on the ranking from the player evaluation process. A new team formation meeting will be conducted to form the A2 teams, following the same process as above.

Players not selected for an A1 or A2 team will be assigned to an A3, A4 or A5 (where applicable) team. If there are to be two (2) teams at any of these levels, then the same draft style selection as outlined above will be used to form the teams.

Upon completion of the team formation meeting for each age division and level, the SJAMHA representative will make a copy of the rosters and ensure all meeting participants, including coaches, sign off to confirm team formation was conducted according to the rules defined above.

Any players that are unable to attend tryouts can only be guaranteed placement at an A3 level. Consideration will be given to move up one level to A2 if the player played the previous season at an A1 level or higher. In rare circumstances, with support from previous year’s coaching staff, the current coaching staff, documentation of injury causing absence from tryouts and with a favorable majority vote by the SJAMHA board, a player may be placed on an A1 team.

Please contact the age level tryout convenor with any questions or concerns regarding the player evaluation or team formation process. The SJAMHA Board will have final say regarding player evaluations and / or team assignments.

Coaches

SJAMHA recognizes the important role that coaches perform in the development of our children in and out of hockey. As such, it is the duty of SJAMHA to select the best applicant to become the head coach of each team. SJAMHA reserves the right to confirm or deny coaches at all levels.

Consideration will be given to assign independent coaches outside of the team’s parent group; however, since this is not always possible, certain standards must be met by the parent that has applied to coach their child’s team.

All coaches must meet the minimum coaching requirements as established by Hockey Manitoba and Hockey Winnipeg and will be subject to a Child Abuse Registry check. By December 1st, any coach (or bench staff) that does not have their required coaching certifications, will be removed from their respective sanctioned (HM/HW) team roster. It is the responsibility of each coach/bench staff to be aware of and ensure that they are certified correctly prior to this date.

All coaches must attend a mandatory meeting (with the respective VP) prior to the beginning of the player evaluation process. During this meeting, SJAMHA and the independent evaluators will review the processes described in this document to ensure there is a common understanding of player evaluation and team formation. Coaches that will be part of the final selection process are encouraged to watch the ‘bubble skates’ so that they are aware of the players that they may be selecting from (20% not automatically selected through the Max scoring.

The process for selecting a pool of potential head coaches is to be completed, in most cases, prior to the beginning of the player evaluation sessions. While this is the objective, in some cases a lack of volunteers for coaching positions makes this impossible. In such a case, SJAMHA will work with the hockey directors and/or parent group to identify a candidate to coach the team. Where a suitable coach cannot be identified, team formation for that age division & level may not be possible. Players in this situation may need to be transferred to another area to play hockey.

Any parent interested in coaching must make their intentions known on or before the time of player evaluation. This expression of interest can be made online at the SJAMHA website at www.sjamha.ca.

Team Name & Colors

All U9 through U18 A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5 teams registered by SJAMHA shall be called the St. James Assiniboia Canucks. Where there are two (2) teams registered in one age division, one team shall be known as Canucks (Community Club) and the other team as Canucks (Community Club). In the case where there might be three (3) teams or more registered, they will be known as Canucks plus a designated Community Club.

The colors worn by the St. James Assiniboia Canucks are white and blue. The uniforms are modeled after our community local MMJHL team the St. James Jr. Canucks. Each U11 to U18 team will be provided with 2 sets of game sweaters and socks (home & away). For U7, U9, U10 and U11 the SJAMHA will use sponsor jerseys or community club jerseys as needed. This will be done at the discretion of the SJAMHA

Team Formation Scenarios

The following tables identify the number of players selected by the independent evaluators and coaches dependent upon roster size for a single team. Where multiple teams are being formed, the numbers in the table are to be multiplied by the number of teams being formed.

See corresponding tables in the Hockey Winnipeg rule book for more information.

View the detailed SJAMHA TEAM Formation 2025-26