National Sports Center’s Schwan Super Rink to host North American Hockey League’s 18-team Showcase Tournament, September 13-16
Many former Minnesota high school stars to play
Blaine, Minn. (Sept. 7, 2006) – The National Sports Center in Blaine will host the North American Hockey League (NAHL) annual Showcase Tournament, September 13-16. All 17 NAHL teams, and one at-large team, will play one game a day for four straight days. All games will be held at the Schwan Super Rink on the NSC campus.
The North American Hockey League is one of two Junior A leagues in the U.S. The league is for players age 20 and under, and is considered a critical steppingstone from high school or youth hockey to the collegiate or professional levels.
The tournament will feature many former Minnesota high school stars. Here is a sampling of some of the former Minnesota high school players who will be playing in the NAHL Showcase:
- » Ky Moje, Eagan, (Academy of Holy Angels ), Southern Minnesota Express
- » Danny Sinn, Blaine, (Blaine High School), Southern Minnesota Express
- » Mike Montgomery, Lino Lakes, (Centennial H.S.), Southern Minnesota Express
- » Ross Ring-Jarvi, Anoka, (Anoka H.S.), North Iowa Outlaws
- » Aaron Gens, Baudette, (Lake of the Woods H.S.) Santa Fe Roadrunners
- » Joe Herman, Warroad, (Warroad H.S.), Santa Fe Roadrunners
- » Ben Kinne, St. Paul, (Cretin-Derham Hall H.S.), Santa Fe Roadrunners
- » Matt Erickson, Burnsville (Burnsville H.S.), Alexandria Blizzard
- » Alex Lundbohm, Roseau (Roseau H.S.), Alexandria Blizzard
- » Jimmy Van Asch, Blaine, (Blaine H.S.), Fairbanks Ice Dogs
- » Brandon Graffunder, Brooklyn Park (Totino-Grace H.S.), Alaska Avalanche
- » Cade Fairchild, Duluth, (Duluth East H.S.), U.S. National U-18 Team
- » Mike Hoeffel, North Oaks, (Hill-Murray H.S.), U.S. National U-18 Team
- » Brennan Vargas, Coon Rapids (Coon Rapids H.S.), U.S. National U-18 Team
“We’re exited to be bringing one of junior hockey’s premier events back to Minnesota,” said NAHL interim commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. “The recognition and prestige this showcase has garnered over the years is a credit to our ownership groups, coaches and our players.”
Last year’s Showcase Tournament, which was also held at the Schwan Super Rink, attracted more than 200 college and pro scouts and eclipsed the 5,000-mark in total attendance.
The North American Hockey League was founded in 1975, and the 2006-07 campaign marks the 31st season of NAHL competition, making it the oldest Junior A hockey league in the U.S. NAHL competition helps players make the transition from midget and high school hockey to college and professional hockey by creating an environment that is highly competitive, encourages skill development and provides time for physical growth and maturity.
The NAHL has grown as hockey has grown, from a Detroit-based league in the early years to one which today spans west to Alaska, east to Michigan, and south to Texas and New Mexico. The League currently has 17 active members in three divisions.
North Division: Alpena Ice Diggers (Mich.), Mahoning Valley Phantoms (Ohio), Traverse City North Stars (Mich.), Marquette Rangers (Mich.), and USA National U-18 Development Team.
South Division: Santa Fe Roadrunners (N. Mex.), St. Louis Bandits, Texas Tornado (Frisco, Tex.), Wichita Falls Wildcats (Tex.), Fairbanks Ice Dogs (Alaska), and Alaska Avalanche (Anchorage, Alaska).
Central Division: Bismarck Bobcats (N. Dak.), Fargo-Moorhead Jets (N. Dak.), Alexandria Blizzard (Minn.), North Iowa Outlaws (Mason City, Iowa), Southern Minnesota Express (Owatonna, Minn.) and Springfield Junior Blues (Ill.).
Here is the North American Hockey League Showcase Tournament schedule. All games will be held at the Schwan Super Rink on the campus of the National Sports Center in Blaine. Tickets are available at the door.
Wednesday, September 13:
11:00 a.m., Fargo-Moorhead vs. Traverse City
12 noon, Fairbanks vs. NAHL At-Large Team
1:30 p.m., Springfield vs. Marquette
2:30 p.m., Wichita Falls vs. Mahoning Valley
3:30 p.m., North Iowa vs. Alpena
5:00 p.m., Bismarck vs. Santa Fe
6:00 p.m., Southern Minnesota vs. Alaska
7:00 p.m., Alexandria vs. Texas
8:30 p.m., St. Louis vs. US National U-18 Development Team
Thursday, September 14:
11:00 a.m., Mahoning Valley Santa Fe
12 noon, NAHL At-Large Team vs. Alaska
1:30 p.m., Traverse City vs. Bismarck
2:30 p.m., St. Louis vs. North Iowa
3:30 p.m., Fairbanks vs. Springfield
5:00p.m., Wichita Falls vs. Fargo-Moorhead
6:00 p.m., Marquette vs. Southern Minnesota
7:00 p.m., Alpena vs. Alexandria
8:30 p.m., US National U-18 Development Team vs. Texas
Friday, September 15:
11:00 a.m., Springfield vs. NAHL At-Large Team
12 noon, Alaska vs. Marquette
1:30 p.m., Bismarck vs. Wichita Falls
2:30 p.m., Fargo-Moorhead vs. Mahoning Valley
3:30 p.m., Texas vs. Alpena
5:00 p.m., Santa Fe vs. Traverse City
6:00 p.m., North Iowa vs. US National U-18 Development Team
7:00 p.m., Alexandria vs. St. Louis
8:30 p.m., Southern Minnesota vs. Fairbanks
Saturday, September 16:
10:00 a.m., Traverse City vs. Wichita Falls
11:00 a.m., Santa Fe vs. Fargo-Moorhead
1:30 p.m., Alaska vs. Springfield
2:30 p.m., Alpena vs. St. Louis
3:30 p.m., Texas vs. North Iowa
5:00 p.m., Marquette vs. Fairbanks
6:00 p.m., US National U-18 Development Team vs. Alexandria
7:00 p.m., Mahoning Valley vs. Bismarck
8:30 p.m., NAHL At-Large Team vs. Southern Minnesota
The National Sports Center, Minnesota’s flagship amateur sports facility, is the largest complex dedicated to amateur sports in the world. The 602-acre NSC campus features over 50 soccer fields, an indoor sports hall, a track and field and soccer stadium, the Schwan Center sports-event and meeting facility, a cycling Velodrome, and a youth and family golf course, the National Youth Golf Center. The Schwan Super Rink is currently being expanded from four to eight sheets of ice. The first two sheets are scheduled to open in early October, with the other two following in early November.
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