NAHL Regular Season Kicks off with Blaine Showcase
September 18, 2013 - North American Hockey League (NAHL)
Soo Eagles News Release
All 24 NAHL teams will play four regular-season games at the Showcase, which has evolved into one of hockey's most prominent and popular events of the entire season. The event will be held from September 18-22, 2013 at the Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.
The Eagles will open play in Blaine, against the Bismark Bobcats, on Wednesday, September 18 at 7:45 p.m. The Eagles will play three more games in Blaine, including September 19 against Fairbanks at 1:30 p.m., September 20 against Topeka at 1:15 p.m., and September 21 against Rio Grande Valley at 9:15 a.m.
The Eagles will open the home portion of the regular season on Friday, September 27 when they will face the Johnstown Tomahawks, for the first of a three-game set at Pullar Stadium.
Traditionally, the NAHL Showcase Tournament attracts over 9,000 people in overall attendance, including more than 300 professional, college and junior scouts. For more information on the NAHL Showcase including schedule, ticket prices, hotels, rental cars and arena information, visit www.nahlshowcase.com
All 178 games at the 2013 NAHL Showcase will be broadcast live through FASTHockey, the official broadcast provider of the NAHL.
Check out the full 80-team NAHL Showcase schedule here (pdf)
"Each year, we make it our goal to make the sure the NAHL Showcase gets bigger and better, and we believe that the 2013 NAHL Showcase is shaping up to be the best yet," said NAHL Commissioner Mark Frankenfeld. "We continue to strive to provide a unique opportunity for all the players that compete and to all the scouts that attend this year's event, and one they will remember for a long time."
The event also features all 32 teams from the Tier I North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL), eight additional teams from the Upper Midwest High School Elite League (UMHSEL) and 12 teams from the Tier I High Performance Hockey League (HPHL). In addition, there will be four at large Midget Minor 16U Tier I teams who will compete in the HPHL 16U division as a part of the five-day, 80-team showcase event.
For scouting purposes, the event is a yearly gathering for every NCAA program and NHL team as they get their first look at some of the best and brightest hockey talent North America has to offer. The Schwan Super Rink is the largest ice arena of its kind in the world. The state-of-the-art facility, a $21 million project totaling over 300,000 square feet, features eight sheets of ice under one roof. With all its varied amenities and services, the Schwan Super Rink is absolutely unique in the world of ice sport facilities.
It will be the first event of the season for the NAPHL, which will also be played in conjunction with the Showcase. Now entering its fifth anniversary season, the NAPHL is made up of 32 teams: 16 Midget Major (18U) and 16 Midget Minor (16U) that compete at the Tier I youth level. For more information on the NAPHL, visit www.naphl.com
This marks the third straight Showcase in which the NAHL has partnered with the Upper Midwest High School Elite League. At the Showcase, the Elite League will feature eight total teams. It also marks the second straight Showcase that the NAHL has partnered with the High Performance Hockey League. The partnerships between the NAHL and the Elite League and the HPHL further enhances the Showcase since all see numerous players commit to NCAA programs each season.
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