Additional details announced for 2016 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament

January 6, 2016

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced additional details for the 2016 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, presented by Easton, which will be held from February 15-16 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.  In cooperation with the NAHL event, the NA3HL will also play their respective 2016 Top Prospect Tournament at the same venue on the same days. In addition, the NAPHL Championship will conclude with its 18U and 16U Championship games at the event as well.

 

100 total players from the NAHL will be spread amongst five teams, who will play in two games each during the event.  The event will feature teams that represent the four divisions in the NAHL: Central, East, Midwest and South, along with an NAHL Selects team. Only those NAHL players without an NCAA commitment are eligible to participate in the 2016 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, with the exception of those who will be playing on the NAHL Selects team.  Each of the teams will consist of a 20-man roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen, 2 goaltenders).

 

The NAHL Standings will be frozen on Tuesday, January 19th. Teams will be seeded within their division based on win percentage. The #1 seeded team in each division will send five players; the #2 seeded team will send four players, teams seeded 3rd in each division will send three players each, plus one Wild Card player that will be placed on Team East, teams seeded 4th and 5th will send three players each and teams seeded 6th will send two players.

 

The head coach of the team with the best winning percentage in each division as of January 19th shall serve as the head coach for that division’s Top Prospects team. Nomination forms will be emailed out to all NAHL Head Coaches. Each Head Coach must submit the names of 3 forwards, 2 defensemen, and 1 goalie from their rosters for consideration for the Top Prospect Tournament. Rosters are expected to be announced the week of January 25th.

 

The NAHL is also pleased to announce that the US National Team Development Program (NTDP) 17-Team will also take part in the NAHL event. The NAHL and the NTDP have a rich and productive 12-year history together, as the NTDP was a full-time member of the NAHL from 1997-2009 and has been a part of the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament for the past two seasons.

 

 

1:30pm: East Division vs. South Division

4:30pm: Midwest Division vs. NAHL Selects

7:30pm: Central Division vs. USNTDP 17-Team

 

11:00am: Midwest Division vs. South Division

2:00pm: Central Division vs. East Division

5:00pm: NAHL Selects vs. USNTDP 17-Team

 

In a very short period of time, the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament has become one of the most highly-scouted events of its kind.  Last season, over 200 scouts attended the event, which featured almost every NHL team and NCAA Division I school.  Over a third of the players that competed in last year’s event ended up with an NCAA Division I opportunity. Combined in 2016 with the NAPHL Championship and the NA3HL Top Prospect Tournament, it will make for an exciting week of hockey and provides a great opportunity for every scout and coach to get a close look the talent in the three leagues.