By Matt Mackinder –
Each year, the North American Hockey League sends dozens upon dozens of players and alumni to the college hockey ranks.
After all, being a developmental league, that’s what the NAHL prides itself on.
Players go to national powers like Minnesota, Colorado College, North Dakota and Michigan, and also to smaller schools like Bentley, Mercyhurst, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy (Army).
Last season’s league MVP, Michigan Warriors’ goalie Robert Tadazak, is now a freshman at Army and seeing decent minutes for the Black Knights. NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld beams when asked about his league promoting its players to college hockey.
“We are proud of our club’s commitments to development and placement of our players,” Frankenfeld said. “The NAHL is unique in many ways, but especially the fact the majority of the boys that commit to college come to the league without a college opportunity. Basically, the commitments are homegrown, more so than any other league in the country, and we are proud of that fact.”
So far this season, a healthy chunk of players on 19 league teams have already announced their choices for college hockey. The Amarillo Bulls and Traverse City North Stars lead the way with five commitments, while the Coulee Region Chill has four moving up.
With the footprint of the NAHL going stretching from New York to Texas to Michigan to California to Alaska and even British Columbia, many players don’t have to leave home to play junior hockey.
One such player is Fairbanks Ice Dogs forward Alec Hajdukovich, a Fairbanks native who will play college hockey next season in, you guessed it, Fairbanks for the CCHA’s Alaska Nanooks.
“It has always been my dream to wear the UAF jersey and I don’t think it will hit me until I am skating in my first game sporting the blue and gold,” Hajdukovich said. “I think I can bring an offensive presence to the UAF lineup. They have a lot of skilled forwards that can score right now and I am going to have to work hard to crack the lineup. I believe UAF is a good fit for me and this opportunity was just too good to pass up.”
The NAHL also goes above and beyond when it comes to giving players the exposure they need to be seen by NCAA scouts.
“The NAHL spends a tremendous amount of resources to provide opportunity for our boys via our annual Showcase and Top Prospects Tournament,” Frankenfeld explained. “This fact, in conjunction with our coaches’ hard work for the player, is highlighted by all college commitments to date.”
BANDITS’ VET WANTS TO FINISH NAHL CAREER STRONG
Joe Kalisz is playing his third season in the NAHL with the St. Louis Bandits and has his eyes on two things – winning the Robertson Cup and securing a Division I scholarship.
“All I can do is work hard and play the way I am able to and hopefully, my hard work will pay off,” said Kalisz, who has been at or near the top of the NAHL scoring race all season. “The coaches here want players who know how to win.”
A Flint-area native, Kalisz said the move to St. Louis has been an eye-opener.
“Living in St. Louis is a complete 180 from back home,” Kalisz said. “Being a single child back home and moving into a house of six people has been the biggest difference. The city life here is awesome. You’re 30 minutes away from everything.”
ARIZONA NATIVES ADJUSTING TO ALASKAN LIFE
There are only a handful of Arizona natives playing in the NAHL and two of them – Cody Bisbing and Bryan McFarlane – play for the Alaska Avalanche.
Both are embracing life in Alaska, even though it’s nothing like the desert.
“Since I’ve been in Alaska, I’ve really learned to appreciate outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing,” said Bisbing, who is in his second year with the Avalanche. “Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.”
”When I got here in mid-August, the first thing I noticed was that it was really green,” McFarlane added. “Alaska is beautiful no matter what time of the year it is. The only similarity is that there are mountains here. I totally agree with the people that say the beauty of Alaska is second to none. It’s the complete opposite of back home. There isn’t that much sun here, it’s colder, and I am living in a small town (Wasilla). The only thing that is similar to Arizona and Alaska is the mountains, but there is snow on them here and that’s really new to me.”