Experience

the Brick

It is one of the most prestigious hockey events available for players at the 10 & Under age level. The Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament invites select teams from all over North America to Edmonton, Alberta to compete. Between elite opponents, off-ice activities, and skills competition, the Brick is a fun-filled hockey experience for the entire family.

Brick-Player02

About the

the Brick

Select teams from all over the North American continent attend this renowned summer tournament which offers many young promising hockey players and their parents a first opportunity to compete in a very elite international environment. There is no stone left unturned by the tournament staff and the production of games is at an NHL level. From the team introductions, to the national anthems, to the play by play call of every game, and to the gift bag that each player receives...the production of games is second to none.

Important Dates

  • 2014
    Brick Evaluation Camp

    Nov 5th, 2023 - 4:00-8:00 pm

  • 2015
    Brick Futures Evaluation/ID Camp

    Nov 5th, 2023 - 4:00-8:00 pm

  • 2014
    CCM Chicago Brick Tryout Phase 2

    March, 2024

  • Brick Team Named

    April 7th, 2024

  • Brick Hockey Invitational Tournament

    June 30-July 7, 2024

Evaluation Camp

The CCM Chicago Brick Evaluation will bring together no more than 56 players (48 skaters & 8 goalies) for an opportunity to be evaluated for the 2014 CCM Chicago Brick Team. Following the evaluation on 11/5, the CCM Chicago staff will continue to evlaluate and scout the players over the course of the 2023-24 fall season. Players may be invited back to participate in the final tryout phase in March, 2024.

All participants on Sunday, November 5th will receive a tryout jersey and one (1) 80 minute on-ice session, which will include both drills and scrimmage time. Each on ice session will include NO more than 28 players (including goalies).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Brick Staff

2014's CCM Chicago 
Coach - Mike Embach - Mike@200x85.com

 

2015's CCM Chicago Futures
Coach - Justin Lewandowski - Justin@200x85.com
Coach - Lewis Simon

 

2016's CCM Chicago Futures
Coach - Mark Roy - Mark@200x85.com
Coach - Justin Nelson

Seven Bridges Ice Arena, Woodridge, IL

Any Questions - CONTACT: Justin@200x85.com

2023 Participating Teams

  • BC Junior Canucks

  • Boston Junior Bruins

  • Connecticut Junior Rangers

  • Junior Redwings Hockey

  • Manitoba Junior Ice

  • Minnesota Blades

  • Saskatchewan Junior Pats

  • Team Brick Alberta

  • Team Chicago

  • Team Pennsylvania

  • Team Quebec

  • Toronto Bulldogs

  • Toronto Pro Hockey

  • Western Selects

Chicago Brick FAQs

The 2014 birth year tournament will take place from June 30th - July 7th. This is not your typical spring/summer tournament as the Brick is a week-long event (seven day) tournament. Players/families would need to arrive typically one-two days before the opening round-robin game. We typically set up a practice the day before the tournament starts in the West Edmonton Mall. The championship game takes place on the final day of the tournament at 12:30 pm and is followed by the closing ceremonies. All players/teams are required to participate in the closing ceremonies and on ice jersey swap. Flights departing Edmonton should not be booked prior to 6:00pm on the final day.

The tournament will once again be played in its entirety under the dome at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

There are six round robin games played and then a semi final and championship game. There are two divisions of 7 teams and you play the six other teams in your division. The top two teams advance to the semi finals. Teams will play one game per day (except for one day that you play twice) during the round robin portion of the tournament. Last year over two hundred young players gained terrific experience and friendships when they participated in this Tournament and this year we plan to make it an equally memorable one.

While some other tournaments call themselves an invitational, they do not compare to the selection process of the Brick. There are 14 Charters that are extended to the top programs in North America and only those can bring teams to the tournament each year. Outside of our Chicago Brick team...they are:

Boston Jr. Bruins, Western Selects, Team Alberta, Connecticut Jr Rangers, Detroit Jr. Red Wings, Team Quebec, Team Minnesota, Team Manitoba, Saskatchewan Jr. Pats, Toronto Bulldogs, Toronto Pro Hockey Development, Vancouver Jr. Canucks and Team Pennsylvania.

Each of the aforementioned teams who play at the Brick have a geographical protected area that they can select players from. In addition to that teams are allowed an “import”.  An “import” is any player who lives outside of the team's protected area. The Chicago Brick protected area includes Illinois, Wisconsin, and Missouri. We are permitted to take three (3) import players from outside of the protected area. All players for the 2014 team must be born in 2014.

Step 1: In preparation for the tournament that is still months away, our preparation and evaluation began with our Brick Futures program in the spring/summer of 2023. Additionally, our CCM Chicago Staff have been scouting and evaluating players throughout numerous events, Tier 2, and Tier 1 games. The first formal phase 1 Brick Evaluation Camp will take place on Sunday, November 5 at Seven Bridges. The cost is $45. Players will receive a tryout jersey and participate in one 80 minute on-ice session. Players will receive a tryout jersey and participate in two on-ice sessions. * If you are unable to attend the November 5th Evaluation Camp we will try and have our staff attend one of your upcoming games or speak to coaches who may be familiar with your child.  The Brick team will have well over 100 applicants for the November camp, and we want to review all of them—including yours—carefully.

Step 2: Following the November 5th tryout we will continue scouting all 2014 players and will invite back 34 players to participate in the final tryout March 16-17 at Seven Bridges. Players who are selected for the team will participate in 3 Tournaments- the Team PA Brick Showcase, the CCM Chicago Brick Showcase, and the Brick Tournament in Edmonton. Will be adding local practices prior to and following each event.

The CCM Chicago team requires all players in our demographic area (IL, WI, MO) to try out during our evaluation periods. Per our program policy, we are not able to sign a waiver granting permission to play for any other Brick franchise unless the player has attended our tryouts. And, likewise, if a player were to have attended our camp and declined a roster spot offered to them, there would  be no waiver extended. These tenets are used by most, if not all, of the Brick franchises.

If a player did attend our tryout evaluation and made our team, we welcome your family wholeheartedly and conversely if you attend but are not selected, we will absolutely sign a waiver for him to play elsewhere or, as an advocate, help that player find a team.  These are the policies and principles that guide us, and the Brick tournament is very serious about these matters.

A complete schedule of training and competition weekends decided by 200x85 (April thru June) will be provided once the final team is determined. Participation and attendance at all tournaments and practices (for those players selected) is mandatory for all players.  The Brick is a big commitment and the 200x85 staff needs time to prepare and have these players ready to compete in Edmonton.  We will also be setting up some team building programs as the players and families spend a lot of time together.  Player costs, budget and schedules will be presented to all families after final selections are complete.

200 x 85 LLC’s Kevin Mann has set up a group of evaluators who make final team selections.  This team is not pre-selected before the actual evaluations and our program is absolutely not affiliated with any in-season team, coach or club. Everyone is welcome to register for the evaluations and be part of this most memorable and exciting hockey experience.   We will take the players who have been pre-scouted, recommended from a group of Squirt Tier I and Tier II Coaches, players who show up for Evaluation/ID Camps and those who advance to our final tryout.  It is our task is to form a panel without any agendas and find people who will have an unfiltered vision.  The biggest thing is to make sure we have evaluators who know the Squirt 2014 level, first and foremost. Our evaluators are all committed to serving the best interest of the Chicago Brick— not any individual interests or those of their team clubs/associations. 

The 2015 Chicago Brick Futures is specifically designed to highlight the hockey abilities and talents of today's rising Illinois players and tomorrow's Chicago Brick stars.  The Brick Futures will also have a regional scouting network and Staff to watch and evaluate not only current Brick year (14’s) but the Future 15's. Every 2015 age player is eligible for selection.  The Brick Futures are an incredibly important part of our program to see who the top players are to eventually represent our state in Edmonton for the actual Brick Tournament.

Step 1- November 5 at Seven Bridges. Selected players will participate in spring/summer training and two tournaments: Team PA Brick Showcase and the CCM Chicago Brick Showcase. Following this evaluation camp, players MAY be invited back to participate with the CCM Chicago Brick FUTURES program for the spring/summer of 2024. This program is designed to train and develop players for the following year’s brick tryout process. Players identified and selected to the 2015 Brick FUTURES program will participate in spring/summer training and tournament events in 2024. More information on this schedule of events will be provided at the November tryout.

Our staff will identify roughly 34 players and 12 reserve players.

YES - Our staff will provide other opportunities for all the reserve players, and additionally for other 2015's throughout the Spring and Summer of 2024. We are aware that a lot can change over the course of 2-3 months; not to mention the difference and development over the course of a full year. Selection to the Brick Futures program does NOT guarantee selection to Phase 2 the following summer. In the same vein, players may be selected the following year to the Brick team after not being selected to the Futures program this year.

NO, the Chicago Brick team is the only sanctioned program (for the past 12 years) that can bring an Illinois team to the actual Brick Tournament in Edmonton, Alberta. One of the incredibly special things about the Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament perhaps even more so than the Quebec Peewee or the CCM World Hockey Invite tournament, is that they have managed to keep their tournament uniquely special for 31 years.  Exclusive to the point that hockey people get excited about attending the tournament years in advance. These program names look confusingly similar but in reality, 200x85 has the only rights to the Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament held annually in Edmonton, Alberta for Squirt Minor age players (this year 2014).

Thanks to team and individual fundraising, we are able to offer this program in the $3500 budget range per player.  Final player fees and budget will be presented to all families after team selection.  Again, no player will be turned away due to financial hardships and we will assist any family in need.

This includes:

  • Team practices right up until departure.
  • Raffle tickets and Prizing for all Fundraising – Players keep 100% of proceeds.
  • 1 hotel room for 8 nights at the Fantasyland Hotel in the West Edmonton Mall (this alone is close to $2000 per player).
  • Team Jerseys, Socks and Pant Shell
  • Team Outfitting (Backpacks, Tee, Shorts, Hoody, Warm Ups)
  • Trading Pins - Helmet Decals
  • Team Tournament Entry Fee and DVD
  • Water Park Passes for Team Beach Party
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Coaches Expenses (travel, hotel and per diem)
  • Pre Tournament Ice including Training Weekends and 3 Tournament Entry Fees.

 

Costs do not include:

  • Airfare
  • Transportation to and from hotel (all games played at the West Edmonton Mall)
  • Additional hotel rooms if needed
  • Meals
  • Black Helmet

Build for

The Future

The Chicago Brick Futures is specifically designed to highlight the hockey abilities and talents of today's rising Illinois players and tomorrow's Chicago Brick stars. The Brick Futures will also have a regional scouting network and Staff to watch and evaluate not only current Brick year but the Future. The Brick Futures are an incredibly important part of our program to see who the top players are to eventually represent our state in Edmonton for the actual Brick Tournament.

Futures ID Camp

The CCM Chicago Brick Futures initial Evaluation/ID camp will take place on Sunday, November 5th at Seven Bridges Ice Arena. Following this evaluation camp, players selected to the Brick Futures program will participate in spring/summer training and tournament events.

Brick Future

CCM Brick Alumni

  • All
  • 2005
  • 2006
  • 2007

Lily Pachl

Committed
NCAA D1
Harvard University

Bridget Stevenson

Committed
NCAA D1
Clarkson University

Nicole Gorbatenko

Committed
NCAA Division I
University of Wisconsin

Maya Jerome

Committed
NCAA Division III
Utica Univesity

Alexis Fields

Committed
NCAA Division I
Yale University

Rachel Gorbatenko

Selected
National Team
Team USA

Rachel Gorbatenko

Selected
NCAA Division I
University of Wisconsin

Cassie Hall

Selected
National Team
Team USA

Lauren Karl

Committed
NCAA Division I
University of St. Thomas

Camryn Grimley

Committed
NCAA Division I
University of Connecticut

Ella Pukala

Committed
NCAA Division I
University of Minnesota Duluth

Clara Slack

Committed
NCAA Division I
UMass Boston

Cassie Hall

Selected
National Team
University of Wisconsin

Whitney Horton

Committed
NCAA Division I
University of St. Thomas

Audrey Knapp

Committed
NCAA Division I
Providence College

Building a reputation

since 2003

Development
"Our son just finished participating with the Jr. Blackhawk Brick Team, as an import, that has played with other Brick organizations. That being said, we have had many experiences and what we experienced here, with this organization, was very impressive. The coaches gave the kids not only great hockey development but also great role models."

Patrick

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