Ice Dogs CSDHL Travel Hockey

The Ice Dogs Hockey Association is a Tier II youth hockey club based out of Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills, Illinois. We welcome new and returning families to the 2026-27 Fall Travel Hockey season as we continue our commitment to providing a complete youth hockey experience built on healthy development, meaningful competition, and a strong club culture.

Our club is built for families who value:

• Long-term growth over short-term labels
• Coaches who teach and mentor
• Smaller rosters and meaningful opportunities to grow
• Character development alongside skill development
• Team-first culture
• Multi-sport participation
• Family time and life balance
• Players who continue to love the game of hockey years from now

The Ice Dogs Way isn't a destination. It isn't a standard we claim to have fully achieved. It’s the culture we continuously pursue as a club.

The Ice Dogs Way is a growth mindset that shapes how we coach, compete, and support one another.

The Ice Dogs Way is about showing up every day, with every team, for every season, with a commitment to doing the hard things, doing them with full effort, and doing them while demonstrating respect for all.

The Ice Dogs Way teaches our players to always:

Represent our club with pride and integrity.

Play with class and respect everyone.

Compete with fire in your heart and mind.

Embrace adversity and continuous improvement.

Lead by example.

Put the team above self and elevate those around you.

FALL SEASON | TEAM DEVELOPMENT & COMPETITION

SPRING SEASON | SKILL DEVELOPMENT & CONFIDENCE

SUMMER DEVELOPMENT | ATHLETIC GROWTH & PREPARATION

We understand every family's hockey journey is different and that players develop at different speeds. Youth hockey is not a race. Early labels and rankings don't define long-term potential. We think beyond each season.

That’s why our year-round development approach balances competition, skill development, and long-term athletic growth.

May 22 Fall Registration Opens

August 17-23 Pre-Season Training Camp

August 23 Ice Dogs Kick-Off BBQ

August 24-25 CSDHL Major/Minor Tryouts

August 26-31 CSDHL Prospects Tryouts

First Week of September Team Practices Begin

September 18 CSDHL Regular Season Begins

September 18 Ice Dogs Golf Outing

November 14 Big Dog Bash



CSDHL DIVISIONS

The Central States Developmental Hockey League (CSDHL) organizes teams into three divisions:

• Major Division: Typically consists of older players within a level (e.g., squirt, peewee, etc.)
• Minor Division: Typically consists of younger players within a level
• Prospects Division: All other teams within a level that are not in the Major/Minor Division

CSDHL TEAM PLACEMENT PROCESS

Minor and Major Divisions: CSDHL currently requires an application process for placement of any team into major/minor CSDHL divisions. This process happens in the spring prior to the upcoming fall hockey season. 

Prospects Divisions and Tiers: All other teams not competing in the CSDHL Minor/Major Division compete in the CSDHL Prospects Division. Within the Prospects Division there are three separate levels (RED, WHITE, and BLUE) with each level contains three possible tiers (Tier 1, 2, and 3). 

The IDHA Board and Glacier Hockey Office submit a recommended placement for each IDHA team’s prospect level placement (e.g., IDHA Squirt AA will compete in Prospects RED Division, Tier 1). These recommendations determine the Division and Tier each of our IDHA teams will compete at during the 8 game seeding round. At the conclusion of the seeding games, CSDHL will make necessary adjustments for the most competitive seasons as possible within the various Prospects Divisions and Tiers.



Coaching matters. Not just what is taught, but how it’s taught. Our dedicated Ice Dogs coaching staff creates an environment where players are challenged, supported, and encouraged to grow both on and off the ice.

Our coaching lineup for the 2026-27 Fall Travel Hockey season will be announced soon.



Ice Dogs coaches take a team-based approach to tryouts, ensuring that player selection is thoughtful, well-rounded, and based on a wide range of insight and experience. To maximize development opportunities for each player, we strive to offer smaller roster sizes. Final roster sizes are contingent on registration numbers and are part of the overall team evaluation process.

Our goal is to place every player in an environment where they can thrive alongside their teammates.

PRE-SEASON TRAINING CAMP

August 17-23, 2026

TRYOUTS

August 24-25, 2026 CSDHL Major/Minor Tryouts

August 26-31, 2026 CSDHL Prospects Tryouts

For the 2026-27 Fall Travel Hockey season, all Ice Dogs teams receive:

• 3 on-ice practices per week
• Off-ice training every other week
• Access to supplemental off-ice training
• CSDHL season, playoffs, and state tournament games
• Smaller roster sizes
• Experienced coaching staff
• Practice jerseys

Fees and additional details are provided below. If your player gets selected for a Major/Minor team, an additional $750 fee applies.

The Ice Dogs uniform package includes premium custom gear designed to inspire pride throughout the club:

• Home and Away sublimated game jerseys
• Game socks
• Warm-up jacket and pants
• Hockey bag
• Shells

All new players are required to purchase a custom Ice Dogs uniform kit. Returning players may purchase replacement items, as needed.