Look at prices, value shop (tell the teams that another team is cheaper and they will most likely match or beat it), look for the most practice ice time, qualified coaching staff, try to meet some guys that are on the teams, access to a weight room, access to a certified and knowledgeable strength and conditioning coach, location (are you okay sending your son to the other end of the country?), nutrition plan, travel situation (both to and from the home rink as well as traveling to away games), medical availability, billet situation, and most importantly: where does the coach see you in their lineup (if he gives you a non-answer, he's talking to players he perceives as better than you, has no idea what you bring as a player, or has no idea what his roster is going to look like; if he places you lower than you feel you deserve, he may not have a good understanding of what you can do; and if he places you at or above where you feel you belong, he has done his research on you).
The USPHL Premier and NA3HL have been a comparable level for years now and the pissing contest is a waste of everyone's time. I have always advocated for the top 3/4 teams in each league to go and have an exhibition with the other, if you really want to prove superiority. Look at the commitments, high-end players go NCAA D3 (and are usually low-end players there) and middle of the pack players go to the ACHA. This is not a bad path depending on your long term hockey and life goals but you have to be realistic.
Fun story, the first year of the NCDC (2017-18) I was brought into main camp for the P.A.L. Junior Islanders. At the end of camp, the NCDC coach tells me I'm too small for my style of play (apparently 5'11, 190 pound physical defenseman have been bred out of the game) and then makes sure I am the first in line to speak to the Premier and Elite coaches. I walk in, introduce myself, and the coaches look at each other in disbelief. "Did you mark him?" "No, did you?" "I put a question mark." Needless to say, I was ready to leave but they rant and rave about the benefits of playing elite and possibly moving up all the way to the NCDC team if I impress...even when the NCDC coach just told me I'd need to grow 4 inches and 30 pounds to ever sniff his roster with my style of play. I received calls from the premier coach until the roster freeze that season, even when I was rostered with USAHockey sanctioned teams because he desperately needed bodies. Moral of the story, make sure you go to a team and a coach who recognizes your ability and values what you can bring to the team.
