By Matt Mackinder –
The annual NAHL Top Prospects Tournament invades Troy next month and it will literally be not only a who’s who of the league’s top players, but dozens of NCAA scouts and coaches are sure to be in attendance.
The tournament, presented by Combat Hockey, will be held from Feb. 20-22, 2012 at the Troy Sports Center where 120 total players from the NAHL will be spread among six teams that will play in three games each during the event.
The event will feature teams from the Central, Midwest, North, South and West Divisions of the NAHL, along with an NAHL 18U Selects team comprised of some of the top players currently playing in the NAHL that were born in 1993 or later.
All NAHL players are eligible to participate in the Top Prospects Tournament, regardless if they’ve committed to an NCAA school or not. Each of the teams will consist of a 20-man roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen, 2 goaltenders), with minor player divisional crossover amongst the six teams.
“The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament continues to be one of our signature events as the league of opportunity,” said NAHL commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “Not only do we get a chance to return to the founding roots of the NAHL in the great hockey state of Michigan, but we get to showcase our top prospects to college and professional scouts from all over the hockey world. This field for this year’s Top Prospects Tournament provides options for every scout and coach to get a close look at our league’s best talent competing against one another, and combined with the 3HL East Showcase and PHL Championship series, it should make for a great week of hockey.”
Teams will be ranked from first to last within each division based on winning percentage as of Jan. 16.
2012 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament Schedule
Monday, Feb. 20:
1 p.m. – North vs. Midwest
4 p.m. – South vs. Central
7 p.m. – West vs. NAHL 18U Selects
Tuesday, Feb. 21:
1 p.m. – Central vs. NAHL 18U Selects
4 p.m. – West vs. North
7 p.m. – Midwest vs. South
Wednesday, Feb. 22:
9 a.m. – South vs. West
12 p.m. – NAHL 18U Selects vs. Midwest
3 p.m. – North vs. Central
3HL, PHL TO ALSO GAIN EXPOSURE
In conjunction with the Top Prospects Tournament, all North American Prospects Hockey League teams – Midget Major, Midget Minor and Bantam Major – will compete in the PHL Championship Tournament Series for the right to be crowned league champions. That event will run from Feb. 17-20, also at the Troy Sports Center.
The North American 3 Hockey League will also have representation at the Top Prospects Tournament, as eight of the league’s 16 teams (Battle Creek, Cleveland, Flint, Metro, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Queen City and Toledo) will play four regular-season games from Feb. 19-22.
2011-12 NAHL/NA3HL Tenders (as of Jan. 16)
Austin Bruins
Zac Sikich, F, Granite City Lumberjacks
Jamestown Ironmen
Josh Beleski, F, Metro Jets
Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
Will Shier, D, Metro Jets
Kenai River Brown Bears
Trace Jablin, F, St. Louis Jr. Blues
New Mexico Mustangs
Adam Reid, D, Metro Jets
Port Huron Fighting Falcons
Lawrence Dvorak, Jr., G, Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
St. Louis Bandits
Daniel Rosse, F, St. Louis Jr. Blues
Beleski and Shier signed their tender agreements this past weekend, with Beleski signing his immediately after a three-goal, one-assist game last Sunday against the Michigan Mountain Cats.
“Josh could have played in this league last season, but made the decision to play high school hockey instead and we were patient and didn’t push him,” said Jets coach Jason Cirone. “He’s dedicated himself to being a junior hockey player.”
Shier played a handful of games with Port Huron earlier this season and has been Metro’s top defenseman all season long.
“We picked Will up last year and he had several small things to work on,” Cirone said. “He came back this year bigger and stronger and that’s all his doing. All I did was tweak a few things and now he’s shown he can play in the NAHL and I believe he’ll be an impact guy with Kalamazoo next year.”
2011-12 NAHL/NAPHL Tenders (as of Jan. 16)
Aberdeen Wings
Heinz Koster, F, Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U)
Alaska Avalanche
Thomas Kaddatz, F, Phoenix Firebirds (18U)
Alexandria Blizzard
Brandon Anderson, F, California Titans (18U)
Amarillo Bulls
Jasen Fernsler, F, Lansing Capitals (18U)
James LaDouce, D, Lansing Capitals (18U)
Corpus Christi IceRays
Trevor Heuser, D, New Jersey Jr. Titans (16U)
Jalen Schulz, D, Omaha AAA (16U)
Fairbanks Ice Dogs
Matthew Armenti, D, New Jersey Jr. Titans (18U)
Jacob Hetz, F, Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U)
Jamestown Ironmen
Bob Tritschler, F, Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U)
Janesville Jets
Matthieu Audet, D, San Jose Jr. Sharks (18U)
Kyle Halladay, D, Carolina Jr. Hurricanes (18U)
Kalamazoo Jr. K-Wings
Brennan Sanford, F, Lansing Capitals (18U)
Kyle Ware, D, West Michigan Hounds (18U)
Kenai River Brown Bears
Alec Butcher, F, Pikes Peak Miners (18U)
Minot Minotauros
Jake Pilewicz, D, Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U)
Port Huron Fighting Falcons
Austin Heakins, F, Pittsburgh Viper Stars (18U)
Texas Tornado
Jon Carkeek, D, Phoenix Firebirds (18U)
Hector Majul, F, Phoenix Firebirds (18U)
Topeka RoadRunners
Josh Haverstrom, F, Pikes Peak Miners (18U)
Kirk Van Arkel, F, Pikes Peak Miners (18U)
Wenatchee Wild
Brad LeLievre, F, Wenatchee Wild (18U)
Wichita Falls Wildcats
Henry Hardarson, F, Phoenix Firebirds (18U)
Colin Staub, F, Pikes Peak Miners (18U)
Jake Townsend, D, Pikes Peak Miners (18U)