Best Amateur Hockey Tournaments
in the Southeast You Should Know About

People outside the South underestimate how much hockey is happening down here. The arenas are smaller, the accents are thicker, and the fan sections are louder than anywhere we've been. From the Tennessee Valley to the Mississippi River, there's a genuine hockey scene growing in the Southeast — and some of the best amateur tournaments in the country are right in the middle of it.

We've had cameras at all of these. Here's what we know firsthand.

Breakaway Hockey Tournaments

Breakaway runs some of the best-organized amateur hockey tournaments in the South. We've covered multiple stops on their circuit and consistently find the same thing: solid ice, well-run brackets, and good competition across divisions. If you're looking for a reliable tournament experience, Breakaway delivers it.

Hotter Than Hell Summer Bash

Based in St. Louis, Hotter Than Hell is exactly what the name promises — a summer tournament played when it's almost too hot to think about ice hockey, which somehow makes it more fun. Run by Cally Hockey Tournaments, this event draws teams from across Missouri and into neighboring states. We covered it in 2025 and are returning in 2026. The organizers have built a real community around it, and the regulars keep coming back.

The Huntsville Longest Game

This one is unlike anything else on this list. The Huntsville Longest Game is a 12-hour continuous hockey game played to raise money for cancer research, organized by Steve Dermer. We've covered both the 2024 and 2025 editions, and it's one of the most genuinely impressive events we've been a part of. Players rotate in shifts throughout the day, the crowd builds as the hours go on, and by the end there's an energy in that rink that no regular tournament can replicate.

If you're looking for an event with a real story behind it — one that means something beyond the scoreboard — the Huntsville Longest Game is it. The cause, the format, and the community around it make it stand out from everything else on the Southeast hockey calendar.

All Veterans Day Game — Huntsville

Held each November in Huntsville, the All Veterans Day Game is a hockey event featuring exclusively US veterans on the ice. We've covered it in both 2024 and 2025. The atmosphere is unlike a typical tournament — it's one of those events that reminds you what hockey can be when it connects to something bigger than a bracket. The turnout has grown every year we've been there.

Huntsville Havoc Events

The Huntsville Havoc are one of the SPHL's most entertaining teams when it comes to fan engagement, and their in-season events are no exception. The All-Star Skills Competition in January 2026 was one of the most fun things we've had cameras at — the players are competitive but loose, and the in-building experience punches well above its weight. With Slapstick Hockey returning as the broadcast team for the Havoc's 2026-27 season, there will be more throughout the year to follow — starting with the home opener in October.

What Makes These Events Worth Going To

After covering events from Alabama to Colorado, here's what consistently separates the good tournaments from the great ones:

• Communication. Teams want to know their schedule, division, and bracket — in advance. The organizers who do this well earn repeat registrations.
• Ice quality. Rink conditions vary more than you'd expect. Events at facilities that take the ice seriously produce better hockey and happier players.
• Something beyond the bracket. The tournaments that build loyalty feel like events, not just games. Energy, engagement, content that captures the moment — people come back to experiences.
• Media coverage. The tournaments that grow year over year are the ones that gave people something to share. Content is word-of-mouth at scale.