Women's Hockey Program at HDM for the 2026–2027 Season

We are pleased to share an important update regarding the future of women’s hockey within Hockey Dieppe-Memramcook (HDM).

Over the past several years, participation in women’s hockey within our community has grown significantly. In response to this continued growth, HDM has been working closely with the Southeast Female Hockey Association (SEFHA) and Hockey New Brunswick (HNB) to explore new opportunities to support the development of women’s hockey and better meet the needs of athletes and families throughout our region.

As part of this initiative, HDM submitted a proposal to HNB (as discussed at the Annual General Meeting on May 5) seeking official recognition as a women’s hockey association and authorization to operate competitive girls’ teams beginning in the 2026–2027 season as part of a one-year pilot project. The pilot project, as presented, was approved at the HNB Annual General Meeting held on June 13, 2026.

This pilot project has been designed to support the continued growth of women’s hockey by providing more opportunities for girls to develop, compete, and play within their community, while maintaining close collaboration with SEFHA and preserving regional high-performance development pathways.

This pilot season will also allow HDM to establish a governance structure dedicated to women’s hockey, including the development of long-term leadership, policies, and programs specifically designed to meet the needs of female athletes.

We understand that this announcement may raise questions regarding player eligibility, geographic boundaries, grandfathering provisions, team formation, and competitive pathways. HDM is committed to providing families with clear, transparent, and up-to-date information throughout this process.

To help answer many of the questions you may have at this stage, we have attached a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to this email. It provides additional information about the proposed pilot project, eligibility criteria, governance, development pathways, and next steps. We encourage you to review it and to contact us if you require any additional clarification. A public information session will be held on July 15, 2026 at 7h at Uniplex – Salle Daniel.

We would like to sincerely thank SEFHA, Hockey New Brunswick, our volunteers, and all of our members for their continued support and commitment to the growth of girl’s hockey in Southeastern New Brunswick. We believe this initiative represents an outstanding opportunity to strengthen athlete development, expand opportunities for female players, and contribute to the long-term success of women’s hockey in our region.

The Board of Directors
Hockey Dieppe-Memramcook