Junior hockey in New Zealand
Junior hockey in New Zealand currently features national leagues at the U20, U17, and U14 age levels, organized by the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation. The Auckland, Canterbury, and Dunedin associations also run their own junior competitions.
U21 League
The New Zealand Junior Ice Hockey League (U21 NZJIHL) was founded in 2013 as New Zealand’s Premier Junior League. It was U20 prior to 2021.
The league runs from September to December and consists of three teams: Auckland, Canterbury and Southern.
- Champions
- 2013: Canterbury
- 2014: Southern
- 2015: Southern
- 2016: Auckland
- 2017: Canterbury
- 2018: Canterbury
- 2019-2020: not played
- 2021: Cancelled after three games (Auckland-Southern 2:1, Canterbury-Auckland 7:5, Canterbury-Southern 5:4)
- 2022: Blue (informal tournament)
- 2023: Red (informal tournament)
- 2024: Green (informal tournament)
U18 League
The New Zealand Midget Ice Hockey League (U18 NZJIHL) is New Zealand’s Premier Midget League. It was founded in 2010. The league operates from June to September, and features four teams: Auckland, Canterbury, Queenstown, and Dunedin.
The competition was first known as the U16 New Zealand Junior Elite League (NZJEL), but took on its current name 2014. In 2016, the age limit was raised to 17. The limit was again raised to U18 in 2018.
- Champions
- 2010: Canterbury
- 2011: Auckland
- 2012: Southern
- 2013: Southern
- 2014: Auckland
- 2015: Auckland
- 2016: Queenstown
- 2017: Queenstown
- 2018: Auckland
- 2019: Auckland
- 2020: Auckland
- 2021: Cancelled after July (Auckland 6-0-0-0 57:8, Southern 2-0-0-4 18:29, Dunedin 2-0-0-4 20:26, Canterbury 2-0-0-4 21:53)
- 2022: Dunedin Junior Thunder
- 2023: Auckland
- 2024: Auckland
- 2025: Queenstown
U16 League
The New Zealand Under 16 Ice Hockey League, founded in 2014, is New Zealand’s Premier U16 League.
Four teams - Auckland, Canterbury, Queenstown, and Dunedin - play in the league, which runs from July to October. In 2016, the age limit was raised from Under-13 to Under-14. In 2018 the maximum age was raised from Under-14 to Under-15. In 2025 it was raised again to Under-15.
It was previously known as the New Zealand Peewee League from 2014-2017 and the New Zealand Bantam League from 2018-2024.
- Champions
- 2014: Southern
- 2015: Southern
- 2016: Canterbury
- 2017: Auckland
- 2018: Auckland
- 2019: Dunedin
- 2020: Auckland Blue
- 2021: Cancelled after July (Auckland Blue 5-0-1-0 52:21 16, Auckland White 5-0-0-2 49:19 15, Southern 4-1-0-1 55:29 14, Canterbury 1-0-0-5 23:43 3, Dunedin 0-0-0-7 10:77 0
- 2022: Queenstown Jr. Stampede
- 2023: Queenstown Jr. Stampede
- 2024: Dunedin Jr. Thunder
- 2025: Auckland Blue
U14 League
The New Zealand Under 14 Ice Hockey League was founded in 2025.
- Champions
- 2025: Auckland Blue
Logos
The NZJIHL logo.
The NZMIHL U17 logo.
The old NZMIHL U16 logo.
The old NZJEL logo.
The NZPIHL U14 logo.
The old NZPIHL U13 logo.
