EYHA & NE Storm Announce Merger
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EYHA and Northeast Storm High School Hockey Club Announce Strategic Merger Beginning 2026–2027 Season
Columbus, OH — Easton Youth Hockey Association (EYHA) and the Northeast Storm High School Hockey Club are proud to announce a strategic merger between the two organizations, effective for the 2026–2027 hockey season. This exciting partnership represents a major step forward in strengthening player development opportunities and expanding the hockey pathway for athletes across Central Ohio.
From the EYHA perspective, the addition of a high school hockey program fills a critical gap in the organization’s development pipeline. This merger provides EYHA athletes—particularly those without access to an OHSAA-sponsored high school program—the opportunity to continue playing competitive hockey while remaining part of the Mavericks family throughout their high school years and beyond. As a result, EYHA will now offer a complete and continuous development pathway from U8 through Junior hockey.
For the Northeast Storm, the merger creates a consistent and sustainable pipeline of travel-level athletes who are eager to continue their development within a structured high school hockey program. In addition, this partnership provides Storm athletes increased exposure to the next level through a direct affiliation with the Columbus Mavericks Junior Hockey program, creating new opportunities for elite upperclassmen pursuing advancement beyond high school hockey.
Both organizations will benefit from shared resources, including coaching support, skills development programming, and expanded training opportunities. The merger also provides enhanced purchasing power for uniforms and apparel, strengthening both clubs operationally while improving the overall athlete experience.
Immediate Key Changes Include:
Northeast Storm will rebrand as the Northeast Mavericks High School Hockey Club
Updates to the Northeast Storm website as part of the rebranding effort
EYHA will cancel its previously announced U18 Pre/Post initiative
A board liaison position will be created within both organizations to support communication and coordination (non-voting role).
Introduction of unique Mavericks uniforms, exclusive to the high school teams.
Looking ahead, both organizations will work collaboratively toward long-term goals, including exploring the logistics of formally merging the two 501(c)(3) organizations into a single cohesive unit under one unified board structure.
“This merger is an important milestone for both organizations and the athletes we serve,” said leadership from EYHA and Northeast Storm. “Together, we are building a stronger, more complete development model that supports players at every stage of their hockey journey.”
Additional information regarding tryouts, programming, branding rollout, and organizational updates will be shared in the coming weeks.