Junior Hockey in the United States is broken into three tiers. The highest level of junior hockey in the United States is the United States Hockey League (USHL). As a Tier I league, the USHL represents some of the best junior hockey players in the United States.
The second highest level of junior hockey in the United States is the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The NAHL is the largest junior hockey league in the United States relative to the number of teams. Many NAHL players move on to play collegiate hockey and some players will advance to play professionally.
There are also several Tier III teams throughout the United States. Tier III leagues are made up of players below the skill level of Tier I & II players that have some collegiate potential.