Key dates:
March 25, 2026: Competitive Tryout registration opens for players U11-U18
April 10, 2026: Deadline to register for tryouts closes (Deadline for Tryout Registration)
April 13, 2026: Internal Goalie Evaluations
April 14, 2026: First Day of Tryouts
The tryout schedule is listed here. Please check back frequently for the latest updates as the schedule is subject to change.
Tryout Registration Information
Note: U9 tryouts will be held in September. House program registration will open in the summer and sortouts to be held in September.
Team Evaluation/Selection Committee
Team selection will be based on a combination of the tryout sessions, evaluations from the previous season and, in certain situations, discussions with previous year coaching staff. For older age groups only, statistics, where available, will be used as additional criteria to finalize a team.
Each division will have a Selection Committee comprised of:
For AA teams, the GM of the High Performance Program, staff of the EO Stars AA program and the Director of the High Performance program will be involved and will make the final decisions on the formation of the AA teams.
Note - Parents cannot evaluate or participate in selection committees when they have a child participating in the tryouts for the team being evaluated/selected.
The Tryout Process
Some categories (for example U11AA and U11BB) will have combined tryout sessions. Please refer to the tryout schedule for the specific times and groupings. The combined sessions are based on the expected number of registrants and the ice availability. It is important to register as soon as possible to help create a fair and balanced tryout schedule.
Choose the highest level the player will try out for at the tryout registration. If you want to change this selection once the player is registered, please notify the appropriate Competitive Director and compregistrar@gcgh.ca before the start of tryouts. To determine which level a player should try out for, we recommend a guideline of two levels above the player’s current level, with a jump in age counting as one level. For example, if the player is currently a U15B minor then consider trying out at U15A. If the player is a U15B major then consider trying out at U18BB.
All skaters will be assigned to a group and timeslot for their first session. The assigned session will be posted in the schedule on the website. The number of groups will depend on the number of players trying out. Due to the large numbers anticipated, it is likely that there will be players released after the first session to the lower-level tryouts. After each session instructions and/or continuations will be posted on the EOGHA website, so please check the website frequently for information.
For each team, the head coach will contact players selected to the final roster. Any player not listed under continuations is invited to continue at the next level. Once a player is offered a position on a team a deposit and/or season registration will be required in order to secure the position.
Tryout Evaluation Criteria
At the U13 and above age groups, the tryout portion of team selection will consist of scrimmages and potentially an exhibition game. At U11 and below, skills-only sessions will be held the plan is to start with a skills-only session. For U13 and above, players will be evaluated based on overall skills as well as game play performance based on a pre-established set of criteria. For U11 and below there will be specific skill rankings from the skills-only session which will be combined with the scrimmage scores.
Attendance, Injuries or Missed Tryouts
If a player misses a tryout session, an email must be sent to the following group:
Please send 48 hours in advance (where possible). They will provide you with more information regarding any impact this will have on the remaining sessions.
If a player is unable to participate due to injury, a medical note must be provided stating the player is unable to participate and include a date when the player is expected to return to play.
Medical limitations or absence may impact tryouts and placement as this is a very competitive process. The EOGHA Selection Committee will use past performance, coaching evaluations, previous season statistics and other pertinent information to place the injured or absent player at the correct level.
An injury or absenteeism may not mean automatic placement on a competitive team. Any placement by the evaluation team is not appealable.
The injured or absent player is still required to register for tryouts in order for an assessment to be conducted.
Other Information:
EO will allow a maximum of 3 players total from Nepean, Kanata or Ottawa to make a team at AA and 3 in total for the A and below levels. These players are required to be a top 5 forward or top 3 defence to be offered a spot on the level they are trying out for.
Although there are no restrictions for players from other associations (except Nepean, Kanata or Ottawa) that do not offer the level the player is trying out for, a player from one of these associations would have to outperform a current EO player to earn a spot.
We encourage girls who would like to make the switch from boys minor hockey to try out.
Please contact the Director of Membership (compregistrar@gcgh.ca) for questions regarding transfers from other associations/leagues.
Due to the shortage of goalies and their critical nature, they will be accepted at all levels and will not count against the limits described above.
EOGHA reserves the right to accept the required number of players to complete a team at the lowest competitive level.
PTTs and Releases - What if an EO player wants to tryout somewhere else?
OWHA requires all players from all levels including competitive and house programs to have a permission to tryout (PTT LINK) or a release before trying out at another OWHA association. Please contact compregistrar@gcgh.ca to discuss your options.
EO may provide players with a permission to skate or a release. However, once a player has been offered a position on a team we reserve the right not to hold a spot on a team if they continue tryouts at another association.
Schedule
The detailed dates for tryouts will be listed in the coming days and are subject to change. Please be sure to check for the latest news and updates. Players may be divided into groups for some sessions, this will either be posted to the website or an email may be sent in advance to advise if a player should attend the first or second hour of the session. Please check your spam or junk mail folder frequently during tryouts to avoid missing important notifications.