NAHL team to play in 2019 Sirius Junior Club World Cup
May 30, 2019
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is pleased to announce that it will be developing and sending a team to represent the league and United States at the 2019 Sirius Junior Club World Cup.
The annual tournament, which is sanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), brings together famous junior hockey clubs from various countries for competition.
The 2019 Sirius Junior Club World Cup will be held at the home of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia at the base of the Sirius Educational Center for Gifted Children from August 23-31, 2019.
The NAHL team will be comprised of a 24-man roster, which will have one player from each of the 24 teams that competed in the NAHL during the 2018-19 season. The roster will be limited to five players with 1999 birth years.
The NAHL is expected to announce a roster and coaching staff for the event by Friday, June 7th.
Other U20 junior teams that will be competing in the event are: HC Lokomotiv (Russia), Alberta Junior Hockey League (Canada), Modo Hockey (Sweden), HC Ocelari Trinec (Czech Republic), HC Davos (Switzerland), Oulun Karpat (Finland), and EC Red Bull Salzburg (Austria).
“We are excited that the NAHL is representing the United States on the international stage and this is a great opportunity for our league to take part in the this prestigious event,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld. “This is another great example of the NAHL defining itself as the League of Opportunity, as we continue to provide our players with an experience they can only get while playing in the NAHL. We expect the games to be played at a very high level as we will be competing against some world-class competition, so it will be a fun and unique challenge for our players. We are excited that all 24 NAHL teams from this past season will be represented and I know it will be a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”
NAHL Director of Player Personnel Tony Zasowski will serve as the General Manager for the NAHL team. NAHL Director of Communications, Sales, and Marketing, Alex Kyrias, will serve as the team media liaison and broadcaster, and Johnstown Tomahawks equipment manager Dave Dunkleberger will serve as the team equipment manager.