For boys it only impacts '07's and above next season (14U). Just about every org can declare their top teams in each tier (Tier 1 (elite) or Tier 2) as being national bound, which means that they can be considered for the USA hockey national tournament, the bids are generally based on region and go to the State Champion and maybe an at-large team that is high up on the My Hockey Rankings. Of course, to play in the state tournament a team would also be designated as State Bound. Orgs can only send one team to the Tier 1 state tourney and one team to the Tier 2 tournament. For the girls, the are state bound until 12u, and then come 14u (13's and 14's) they also have national bound designations for teams at their Tier 1 and Tier II levels. Just to be clear, being designated as National Bound doesn't mean the team is going to any national tournament, it just means that if they are the top team in the MA district and are national bound they can get invited to the national tournament. I think the org has to pay for a team to be designated as NB, and that is undoubtedly pass on to via tuitions or tryout fees.
this is correct. they could have done a better job explaining what "closed" means. a kid from NH cant try out on 3/13 for a mass club. A kid from mass is allowed to try out for another mass team if they choose.