When is the Roster Complete for Junior Hockey Teams?

Q:When is the roster complete for junior hockey teams? 

A:Never.

Junior hockey teams do not require a player (or their parents) to pay for playing hockey at the "junior hockey" level (NAHL, USHL, in addition to other junior hockey leagues.)  No contract is signed between player and team for junior hockey participants.  On the other hand, youth travel teams (Tier II, Tier I, etc.) usually require parents to sign a contract that fees will be paid when a kid "makes the team."

In junior hockey, no contract = no financial obligations.  Except for billeting costs, a player has no financial obligation when it comes to playing junior hockey.  In a nutshell, a junior hockey player does not get paid to play, but neither do they have to pay to play (except paying for their own gear in some instances.)

Fans who attend junior hockey games, such as the Lone Star Brahmas (NAHL) or Lincoln Stars (USHL), pay to attend games and their fan-based crowds can be very supportive and raucous as they cheer their team on! Additionally, junior hockey teams have sponsors, marketing departments, and owners with a real interest in drawing crowds resulting in numerous intermission entertainment venues.

The no-pay arrangement makes it easy for coaches to release (i.e. cut) players at will.  A player signed with a junior hockey team is never guaranteed to play every game of the season let alone maintain membership of a junior hockey team through the next day, next week, or next month.  Teams with players who may be considered weak links or teams that need a different sort of player (a grinder or someone with sweet hands, for example) can send a player packing within 1 day as a trade or release.

In this article, we won't get into what it means when a player is protected or tendered.  You may view valuable information about that here.http://navigatingjuniorhockey.blogspot.com/

Players know the score when it comes to playing junior hockey.  The buddies they make during the season may be gone at any time.  Being released may not be the end of a youths' (generally age 16-20) hockey career...if the player has talent another team may be willing to pick them up for a test drive. 

Experiencing junior hockey is a unique event.  One minute all is well, the next minute, you are riding a bucking bronco.  Like many team sports, is a sled dog eat sled dog world!