How MTL Hockey Works

Divisions

MTL Hockey runs three divisions in the 2026–27 season. Placement is by birth year:

Mites — Birth years 2018–2021 (8U) · minimum age 5
Squirts — Birth years 2016–2017 (10U)
Middle School — Birth years 2012–2015 · Grades 6–8

The Season

MTL middle school hockey team together in the locker room

Mites play a 20-game MCYHL league schedule at Mennen Arena, with MTL practices in between.
Squirts run In-House Skills coaching at MTL House, with a Mennen league team formed if there is enough interest.
Middle School plays a 10-game Montclair State Middle School League schedule; the season begins in early winter.

Season dates and practice schedules are confirmed by the hockey coordinators before each season — this page will be updated as they land.

Registration

Sign-ups are rolling and all in one place on the Register page. Early registration genuinely matters: ice time is purchased based on interest.

Game Types & What You’ll Need

MTL Hockey isn’t one format — where and how your child plays depends on the division and the season, and so does the gear. Per-division equipment lists are still coming from the coordinators; what we can say today is below.

Summer Street Hockey at O’Connor Park

The summer sessions at the O’Connor Park rink are essentially pick-up games. Kids who already know the game, or who are comfortable being dropped into a rink with little formal instruction, tend to thrive. Shy or entirely new players who need more instruction up front may find it a lot at first — if that sounds like your child, email mountaintop.hockey@gmail.com and we’ll help find the right fit.

What we’ve seen in past summers, not a requirement: most kids end up playing in protective glasses and a mouthguard, and full helmets, let alone gloves, tend to go unused in this setup. Whether anything is required is the coordinators’ call — see below
It’s summer on an outdoor rink: bring extra water

Coordinator input needed: which divisions or ages the summer sessions are open to, and whether any protective gear is required rather than customary.

Full Ice

MCYHL league games at Mennen Arena, the Montclair State Middle School League, and sessions at Codey Arena are full-ice hockey.

Coordinator input needed: the required equipment list for full-ice play, per division, and where families can borrow or buy gear.

In-House Skills at the MTL League House

Squirts In-House Skills sessions run at the MTL League House.

Coordinator input needed: what the sessions look like and what gear players need to bring.

This page will be updated as the coordinators confirm each list — email mountaintop.hockey@gmail.com in the meantime.