Play in the 3HL
The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) remains the premier Tier III junior hockey league in the United States, and is the only league at its level that operates under the USA Hockey umbrella with an exclusive affiliation to the North American Hockey League (NAHL), a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier II league.
This unique relationship provides NA3HL players with a clearly defined development pathway within the USA Hockey structure. Each season, more players begin their junior careers in the NA3HL, progressing to the NAHL and eventually securing NCAA opportunities. Heading into the 2025-26 season, 35 NA3HL players signed NAHL tenders, and 28 more were selected in the 2025 NAHL Draft, further reinforcing the NA3HL's role as a key step in the ladder of development for junior hockey players in the United States.
In addition to NA3HL players playing at the Tier 2 level, 20 NA3HL Alumni played NCAA DI college hockey during the 2024-25 season. Here are some examples of NA3HL to NAHL to NCAA Division I success stories:
- Lucas Wahlin - North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL), Kenai River Brown Bears (NAHL), University of St. Thomas (NCAA DI)
- Ben Anderson - Granite City Lumberjacks (NA3HL), Minot Minotauros / Wisconsin Windigo (NAHL), University of Alaska-Anchorage (NCAA DI)
- Dillan Bentley - Peoria Mustangs (NA3HL), New Mexico Ice Wolves (NAHL), UMass Lowell (NCAA DI)
- Wilson Dahlheimer - Granite City Lumberjacks (NA3HL), Anchorage Wolverines (NAHL), Lake Superior State University (NCAA DI)
- Campbell Chichosz - North Iowa Bulls (NA3HL), Anchorage Wolverines (NAHL), Minnesota State University - Mankato (NCAA DI)
As the league continues to grow and the advancement numbers continue to rise, the NA3HL is a one stop shop for development, advancement and exposure to the next level.
