Weekend Preview: Showcases in the JWHL, CSSHL & Fargo Highlight a Busy Weekend
The seventh weekend of the 2025-26 North American youth hockey season brings with it the month of October, cooler weather and fall vibes as play for pretty much all teams, leagues, levels and age groups across the continent in full swing.
For the weekend of Oct. 3-5, we are highlighting a couple of high-end girls showcases featuring Tier 1 teams from Canada and the Unites States as well as a boys event hosted by the Unites States Hockey League’s (USHL) Fargo Force for USA and Canada Tier 1/AAA Boys teams in four age groups.
The Junior Women’s Hockey League (JWHL), a U.S.-based league featuring Canadian and American teams that compete at the 16U, U18, 19U and U22 age levels, drops the puck on its 2025-26 season with 20 different teams competing Oct. 3-5 in 19U, 16U and 14U divisions at the historic Olympic Center in Lake Placid, N.Y.
Girls U18 Prep early-season play in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) continues on Vancouver Island as the league holds its annual September showcase. Fourteen CSSHL Girls U18 Prep teams will play in 22 games in Victoria and Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia. The showcase began Thursday, Oct. 2, with the hosts from Shawnigan Lake School taking on Edge School of Calgary. It runs through Sunday, Oct. 5.
Finally, the Fargo Force of the Tier 1 USHL are hosting 64 USA and Canada Tier 1/AAA Boys teams – as well as some high-school and prep teams – ages 14U through 18U for their sixth annual Fall Showcase Oct. 3-5 in Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn. The tournament schedule provides an opportunity for participating teams to attend Saturday night’s USHL game between the Force and Sioux City Musketeers.
The Junior Women’s Hockey League was established in 2007 to be the first “junior”-style league for girls in North America.
Upon its creation, the intent of the JWHL was to serve as a means for elite teams to come together and compete at the highest level. The goal never was to become the biggest league, but instead the intention was to establish a league comprised of teams with similar mindsets and philosophies that were committed to the development of the sport and its players.
Along with its mission to play a role in the development and growth of women’s hockey worldwide, the JWHL strives to prepare players to compete for NCAA and U Sports programs across North America. The JWHL is made up of club teams, sport-school teams, traditional school teams and hockey academy programs.
For the 2025-26 season, there are 14 member teams competing at the 19U and 16U levels, with other high-level programs invited to compete as guests at the various JWHL weekend events held during the year. Teams that compete in JWHL events must be dedicated to the developing their players and advancing them to compete at the highest level their talent allows while also competing at the highest level for girls within their leagues or federations.
The JWHL’s season-opening Lake Placid Showcase runs Oct. 3-5 at the historic Olympic Center in upstate New York. Games will be played at the 1932 Jack Shea Arena, the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena and the USA Rink.
There are nine teams competing in the 19U Division, eight in the 16U Division and three in the 14U Division.
Competing USA-based JWHL member programs include the North American Hockey Academy, Washington Pride, Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, Northwood School, and Winchendon School. Canadian members in attendance include Mount Academy, Stanstead College and Rothesay Netherwood School. Guest teams include the Rochester Americans and Boston Hockey Group.
CLICK HERE for links to JWHL Lake Placid scores, schedules, standings & stats
CLICK HERE for the JWHL Lake Placid team rosters
One of the top North American amateur hockey leagues, the Canadian School Sport Hockey League (CSSHL) is holding its annual Girls U18 Prep September Showcase on Vancouver Island Oct. 2-5.
The CSSHL was formed in 2009 with the mission of being “National leaders in education-based hockey.” For the 2025-26 season, the CSSHL features 38 accredited schools and schools with residence and a total of 124 teams in eight divisions. In addition to the Girls U18 Prep division, the league will crown Western Boys champions at the U15, U17 and U18 levels as well as U17 and U18 Boys Eastern champs.
Girls U18 Prep Showcase play began Thursday, Oct. 2, as host Shawnigan Lake School fell to Edge School of Calgary, 3-2, in overtime. Samantha Baker capped Edge’s two-goal third-period rally by jamming home a loose puck with 1:12 left in regulation before Avaya McCann won it at 1:28 of the extra session.
Fourteen teams will play 22 games during the three days, with all games webstreamed by FloHockey.
CLICK HERE for the full schedule of FloHockey CSSHL streams.
CLICK HERE for the complete CSSHL Girls U18 Prep Showcase schedule
CSSHL Girls U18 Prep Showcase Participating Teams
Shawnigan Lake School
Edge School of Calgary
South Alberta Hockey Academy
Rink Hockey Academy Kelowna
Balmoral Hall School
Delta Hockey Academy Black
Northern Alberta Xtreme
North Shore Warriors
Delta Hockey Academy Green
Rink Hockey Academy Winnipeg
Pilot Mount Hockey Academy
Okanagan Hockey Academy Black
Okanagan Hockey Academy
OHA Edmonton
The Fargo Force Fall Showcase has grown into one of the top youth hockey tournaments in the country, featuring top-level talent representing 64 different teams from all over North America.
It is comprised of four different age levels (14U, 150, 16U & 18U/Prep), and teams will compete on 15 different ice surfaces throughout the Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead/Minn. area Oct. 3-5. Games will be played at Scheels Arena, Farmers Union Center, Cornerstone Bank Arena, Fargo Parks Sports Center, Veterans Memorial Arena, West Fargo Sports Center, Cullen Hockey Center and Moorhead Sports Center.
Many of those rinks have LiveBarn feeds for those interested in watching games live or on-demand.
Teams are guaranteed to play four games during the weekend, with the games Saturday, Oct. 4, concluding early enough for players and families to attend the USHL game between Fargo and Sioux City that night. There are seven teams competing in the 14U Division, 10 teams in the 15O Division, 23 teams in the 16U Division and 24 teams in the 18U/Prep Division.
The Force Fall Showcase began in the Fall of 2020. It’s origin and growth have been spearheaded by Fargo Force General Manager Cary Eades.
"We've seen interest in our Showcase continue to grow; we are at a point where it almost sells itself,” Eades said in a press release promoting the tournament. “The facilities and atmosphere we have for hockey in the area make it appealing for teams to travel long distances to compete against one another. Getting to witness a USHL game at Scheels Arena – one of the best rinks in Junior hockey – is an added bonus."
CLICK HERE for Force Showcase participating teams & schedules
Fargo Force Showcase 14U Participating Teams
Team North Dakota
Rocky Mountain Roughriders
Sioux Falls Power
Colorado Rampage
Omaha Mastery
Tampa Bay Kings 14U
Team Illinois
Fargo Force Showcase 15O Participating Teams
Team North Dakota
Rocky Mountain Roughriders
Sioux Falls Power
Colorado Rampage
Omaha Mastery
Chippewa Steel
Team Illinois
Milwaukee Jr. Admirals
Nashville Jr. Predators
RHA Winnipeg U17
Fargo Force Showcase 16U Participating Teams
Team North Dakota
Rocky Mountain Roughriders
Sioux Falls Power
Colorado Rampage
Omaha Mastery
Chippewa Steel
Minnesota Blue Army
Milwaukee Jr. Admirals
Minnesota Lakers
Team Minnesota
Nashville Jr. Predators
Northstar Academy
RHA Winnipeg U17 Prep
RHA Winnipeg U18 Prep
SDP Hockey
United Hockey Federation (MN)
Team Westwood
Hawkeye Hockey
Hawkeye Hockey - Minot
Lincoln Stars
Pel Northstars
Team Gemini 16
North Shore Wings
Fargo Force Showcase 18U Participating Teams
Team North Dakota
Team North Dakota HP
Rocky Mountain Roughriders
Sioux Falls Power
Colorado Rampage
Omaha Mastery
Chippewa Steel
Minnesota Blue Army
Minnesota Lakers Gold
Minnesota Lakers Blue
Team Minnesota
Nashville Jr. Predators
Northstar Academy
SDP Hockey Black
SDP Hockey Blue
United Hockey Federation (MN)
Team Westwood
Hawkeye Hockey
Hawkeye Hockey - Minot
Lincoln Stars
Castle View HS (CO)
Poudre SD (Ft . Collins)
Winnipeg Thrashers 18U
7th Fire Eagles U18 Prep
