Summer Ice Hockey Standings: Da Beauty League's Final Chase and the Jersey Pro League's East Coast Surge

July usually means golf courses and private gym sessions for professional ice hockey players, but in Minnesota and New Jersey, the ice is freshly cut and the arenas are packed. The 2026 summer hockey season is in full swing, offering fans a unique blend of high-octane offense and relaxed, community-focused atmospheres.

The two premier summer circuits—Da Beauty League (DBL) in Edina, Minnesota, and the Jersey Pro League (JPL) in Newark, New Jersey—are currently providing crucial conditioning for NHL, PWHL, and NCAA stars. More importantly, they are hosting fiercely competitive standings races that have captivated local fanbases.[4][8]

In Minnesota, the stakes carry a bittersweet weight. Organizers announced earlier this spring that 2026 will be the final summer for Da Beauty League, ending a beloved tradition that began in 2015. The league has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for hockey non-profits while giving fans up-close access to their favorite players.[3][7][8]

The standings race for the final "John Scott Cup" is already taking shape. Following the opening weeks of action at Braemar Arena, Team TRIA has surged to the top of the table, establishing themselves as the early favorites to win the league's ultimate prize.[2][3]

TRIA, boasting a powerhouse roster that includes the Colorado Avalanche's Brock Nelson and the New Jersey Devils' Dennis Cholowski, opened their campaign with a dominant 13-7 victory over Walser Automotive. Hudson Fasching earned player of the game honors in the blowout, setting a high offensive bar for the rest of the league.[2]

Hot on their heels is the Anderson Group, led by summer league veteran Ben Meyers. Anderson Group secured a crucial 9-6 win over Element—a squad featuring the Seattle Kraken's Ryan Lindgren and the Toronto Maple Leafs' Vinni Lettieri—to keep pace in the standings and set up a highly anticipated collision course with TRIA.[2]

The standings in Da Beauty League are notoriously volatile due to its unique format. Games are played 4-on-4 with 23-minute halves, and each team is granted a "double-puck" minute where goals count for two, leading to massive momentum swings that can erase a deficit in seconds.[2][3]

The women's division is also drawing record crowds this summer, buoyed by the explosive growth of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL). Team Tradition Mortgage has taken an early lead in the standings, showcasing the depth of talent in the women's game.[2][7]

Tradition's opening 6-4 victory was anchored by PWHL standouts like Maggie Flaherty, who tallied four points, and goaltender Sedona Blair. The inclusion of top-tier women's talent has been a massive draw for fans looking to bridge the gap until the expanded 12-team PWHL season begins in November.[2][7]

For the players, the standings matter, but the environment matters more. Utah Mammoth defenseman Nate Schmidt recently praised the league's atmosphere, noting that the "excitement and energy" at Braemar Arena reminds veterans "why you play" and provides a perfect reset before the grueling NHL training camps.[1]

While Minnesota prepares to crown its final summer champion, the East Coast is watching its own league rise to prominence. The Jersey Pro League (JPL) has entered its fifth season at the Prudential Center Practice Rink, quickly becoming the premier summer destination for players in the tri-state area.[4]

The JPL Pro Division standings feature tightly contested matchups between squads like 43 Oak Foundation, Team Goose Foundation, Top Line Hockey, and XHockey Products. The league's talent pool is staggering, boasting 20 NHL draft picks, 14 contracted NHL players, and multiple Team USA World Junior Gold Medalists.[4][5]

Unlike the pure exhibition style of some summer skates, the JPL has developed a highly competitive Club Division that serves as a direct feeder to the Pro Division. Eight teams are currently battling for the 2026 club title, featuring top ACHA, AAU, and NCAA Division III talent.[4][6]

Breakout Sports Broadcasting and Homegrown Hockey are currently locked in a tight race at the top of the JPL Club standings. Homegrown, the reigning 2025 champions, have relied on tight defensive play and timely goaltending from players like Casey Connor to edge out early victories and defend their crown.[6]

Both Da Beauty League and the Jersey Pro League share a common, uplifting goal: growing the game of ice hockey. While DBL donates its proceeds to local charities, the JPL offers free admission to all of its games, ensuring that families can watch elite, lightning-fast hockey without the prohibitive costs of NHL tickets.[3][4][8]

As August approaches, the playoff pictures in both Edina and Newark will crystallize. Fans are soaking in every shift and every standings update, knowing that while the JPL is just hitting its stride as a summer powerhouse, they are simultaneously witnessing the final, celebratory laps of Da Beauty League's historic run.[4][7][8]