NAHL Announces 2026 Top Prospects Tournament Schedule and Format
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced that the 2026 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament will be held at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, from February 16-17, 2026.
This year, the NAHL is investing in more opportunities for the players by expanding the number of teams. This year’s tournament will feature seven teams alongside the USNTDP, who will return to the event for the first time since 2022. Four of the rosters will be divisional teams consisting of the top college-ready athletes in the NAHL from their respective divisions. Alongside them will be at-large ‘Selects teams’, consisting of younger talent born from 2006-2009. The Select Teams will be chosen with the help of NAHL coaches, NHL Central Scouting, and NCAA coaches. Each team will play two games over the two-day tournament.
With NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III, and NHL scouts in attendance, this is a prime opportunity for athletes to showcase their talents on the ice.
The NAHL continues to produce college-ready athletes year after year. Last season, multiple commitments were secured following the annual event, and former Top Prospect netminder Lukas Swedin was one of them. Swedin is a freshman goaltender with the Bentley Falcons and is making a mark on the college hockey scene. The former Minot Minotauro goaltender ranks fourth nationally in goals-against average (1.80) and sixth in save percentage (.933). He was also just recently named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List thanks to his work between the pipes. Swedin has earned two Atlantic Hockey Goaltender of the Week honors as well as the November’s Rookie of the Month award in the conference.
Head coach of the Janesville Jets, Lennie Childs, shares more on why the annual event has become a staple for scouts.
“The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament has set the standard amongst junior hockey in showcasing our talent in the heat of the season, where everyone is at their best. Colleges and NHL scouts have become accustomed to our success in the showcase and love coming to enjoy our amazing league.”
Head coach of the Bismarck Bobcats, Garrett Roth, shares a similar sentiment about the annual event.
“Top Prospects is a great event our league puts on for our best uncommitted players to compete against one another to showcase themselves. It has been an event over the years that has drawn a lot of attention from colleges and scouts to come see what our league has available. It is an honor for these young men to get the opportunity to represent their team and organization at this tournament.”
All teams will be composed of 20 players (12 forwards, 6 defensemen, 2 goalies), for a total of 120 athletes. Players are nominated by their head coach (three forwards and two defensemen) with teams allowed to submit a goaltender. In addition, this year the games will feature three 17-minute periods, with an intermission halfway through the second period.
2026 NAHL Top Prospects Schedule (all times eastern, subject to change):
Monday, February 16th
➜ Selects Blue vs. Selects Red, 12:30 PM
➜ South vs. Midwest, 2:45 PM
➜ East vs. Central, 5:00 PM
➜ USNTDP vs. Selects White, 7:15 PM
Tuesday, February 17th
➜ Central vs. South, 10:00 AM
➜ Midwest vs. East, 12:15 PM
➜ Selects White vs. Selects Red, 2:30 PM
➜ USNTDP vs. Selects Blue, 4:45 PM
The event will feature coaches from the league’s top performing teams.
“We are thrilled to be heading to the USA Hockey Arena for the 2026 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. With the expansion of the number of teams, we are excited to continue to provide opportunities for athletes to be scouted by NCAA hockey programs. We look forward to showcasing some of the best uncommitted players and NHL prospects that the NAHL has to offer,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld. “The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament is the most unique event we host because its sole purpose is to provide those players that are still uncommitted a great opportunity to play in front of NCAA and NHL scouts for a chance to make a great impression and earn an NCAA commitment or get drafted into the NHL. Scouts now have an established roadmap to track a player’s development, which includes assessments throughout the season and then making a determination based on his progression.”
Similar to years past, the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament will be done in conjunction with the NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament. Keep an eye out for the roster reveal show on Thursday, January 28, 2026, and more content leading up to the event. Tickets will go on sale on January 26, 2026. For more information about the event, make sure to click here.
