Kantola earns spot on team USA's Select Team
Published on November 16, 2005 under North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Fargo-Moorhead Jets News Release
(ND) Two weeks ago, Kai Kantola learned that his dream of playing in the National Hockey League had moved a step closer, when he was named one of the top prospects in amateur hockey . Now Kantola can put himself in even more elite.
Kantola - a second year player from Raleigh, NC - has been named to USA Hockey's 18 & under Select Team, which will participate in the Viking Cup Tournament Dec. 26- Jan. 2 in Camrose, Alberta.
"I'm very excited, I almost can't wait for it to start" said Kantola, who once played breifly for the Finnish National Team two seasons ago. "I'll have a few people angry at me over on the Finland team when we play them" he added jokingly.
Kantola is a dual-citizen of the United States and Finland. On Nov. 3, he was listed by NHL Central Scouting as a A-List Prospect, meaning he is likely to be drafted in the first, three rounds of the NHL draft.
Kantola will miss three Fargo-Moorhead Jets games to play in the tournament. "Sure we'll miss him, but this is a huge honor, something that is a very big deal and we are all happy for him" said Jets' head coach Chad Johnson.
The Viking Cup is celebrating its 25th anniversary season and is held biannually. The tournament is put on by Augustana College and features national teamsand Canadian junior squads. Over 300 alumni from the tournament - started in 1981 - have gone on the National Hockey League. This includes the likes of Dominic Hasek and Zigmund Palfy.
The FM Jets are the 2005 Borne Cup Champions and are entering their third season as members of the North American Hockey League. The NAHL is the nation's largest Junior A hockey league and is now in its 30th year of operation.
Jets home games are played at the John E. Carlson Coliseum in Fargo, ND. All games are broadcast at STAR 103.9 and fmjets.com.
North American Hockey League Stories from November 16, 2005
- Thanksgiving Weekend a Great Time to Spend Watching the Texas Tornado - Texas Tornado
- Dog Pound Weekly - Bozeman Icedogs
- 16 U.S. National Under-18 Team Players Sign NCAA National Letters of Intent - U.S. National Team
- NAHL Players of the Week - NAHL
- Jets face rival, league hottest team this weekend - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Kantola earns spot on team USA's Select Team - Fargo-Moorhead Jets
- Wildcats split weekend series with Jr. Blues - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- Conboy placed on NHL Central Scouting Bureau's watch list - Wichita Falls Wildcats
- "Wildcats team up with Wichita Falls faith mission - Wichita Falls Wildcats
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