NHL STREET, the official youth street hockey league of the National Hockey League, is expanding its community-based accessibility model across North America to introduce children and teenagers to the sport. Designed for participants aged six to 16, the program provides authentic professional jerseys and structured gameplay designed to mimic professional competition, according to official league announcements.
Expansion Partnerships and Funding
Operating in partnership with RCX Sports, NHL STREET currently runs more than 100 active leagues across 28 U.S. states and eight Canadian provinces. Equipment for the youth programs is supplied by Franklin, an official partner of the NHL, while sports drink manufacturer BODYARMOR provides water bottles and towels to support local events. The initiative receives backing from the NHL and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) via the Industry Growth Fund. Established during the 2013 Collective Bargaining Agreement, the fund finances projects aimed at fostering fan development and increasing hockey participation across all age groups.
Puerto Rico Development and International Goals
In San Juan, NHL STREET operates alongside local programming supported by the PRIHA. Rob Knesaurek, senior vice president of Youth Development and Industry Growth for the NHL, praised PRIHA’s community outreach during recent events in the region. According to Knesaurek, the local initiatives are successfully creating new participation opportunities and building grassroots engagement. The San Juan rollout marks the latest step in PRIHA’s broader objective to establish island-trained men’s and women’s ice hockey programs capable of competing in International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) world championships and the Winter Olympic Games.
Historical Milestones for PRIHA
Founded in 2020 by players of Puerto Rican descent from across North America, PRIHA has steadily built a competitive footprint on international ice. The organization achieved associate membership status with the IIHF on September 29, 2022. On the competitive front, PRIHA’s men’s and women’s national selections have captured titles at the annual Amerigol LATAM Cup held in Coral Springs, Florida. Building on those performances, the Puerto Rican women’s selection won the IIHF Women’s 3X3 Series 2025 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, following a silver-medal finish at the inaugural tournament held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2024.