Junior hockey
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Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between the ages of 16 and 20 years old1. Canadian junior hockey is recognized as professional by organizations such as the NCAA as players receive a small stipend, however, the earnings for junior players are invariably far smaller than can be earned in most levels of professional hockey. Also, American junior teams are fully amateur.
Junior hockey teams are most prevalent in Canada and Europe. The dominant Canadian junior hockey leagues are the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, which together make up the Canadian Hockey League. The CHL is considered tier I Junior 'A' hockey, and is the home for the North American game's top prospects. Top American prospects frequently play in the CHL, and there are several American CHL teams, however, the top domestic American league is the United States Hockey League.
Canadian junior leagues vary widely in talent and are generally sorted by the level of skill one will find in the league. Aside from the CHL, the top Canadian junior league is the tier II Canadian Junior A Hockey League, a level of hockey which has produced top NHL players and even Hall-of-Famers, although at a less frequent rate than the CHL. Below the CJAHL are junior 'B', 'C', and 'D' leagues, where players advance to the NHL very rarely.
In Europe, junior teams are usually associated with a professional team, and are used by professional teams to develop their own talented youngsters. The lack of an amateur draft in Europe means that the onus is on the teams to sign the most talented youngsters they can get, and the presence of an affiliated junior team provides a place for young players who aren't yet ready for the rigours of the professional game to develop. However, not all players on a European junior team are necessarily the property of their professional club, and may elect to sign elsewhere.
NCAA ice hockey conferences are not usually considered to be junior hockey, and are usually lumped separately from junior hockey leagues.
Notes
Note 1: There are situations in Canadian junior hockey where players 15 and 21 years old can play. A 21-year old born between January 1 and the end of the season can play in the Canadian Hockey League, as can a 15-year old who is considered an "exceptional player" by the league. Examples of recent exceptional players include John Tavares and Jason Spezza.
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