Rosters and schedule announced for the 2018 Top Prospects Tourney in February

By Kevin Scott

FRISCO, TX., February 7, 2018 — The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) have announced their team rosters for the 2018 Top Prospects Hockey Tournament being held at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan on February 27-28, 2018.

There will be 120 players participating that are spread across six teams (four combined divisional teams plus two younger Selects teams). Each squad will play three games during the two-day tournament that will see many junior, NCAA and NHL scouts in attendance. Games consists of (3) 17-minute periods with single ice cut in the middle of the second period.

The four divisional teams for this tournament include Grey (Frontier & West), Green (Northeast & South), Blue (Central & Coastal) and Orange (East & Midwest). The fifth and sixth teams that will compete in the event are two separate NA3HL Selects teams (Selects Black and Selects Red). Players born in 1999, 2000 or 2001 will make up the Selects rosters. The four divisional teams will be coached by the two head coaches who lead the division with the best winning percentage as of January 29, 2018. The coaches for the Grey team (Frontier/West Divisions) will be Yellowstone Quake head coach Ryan Theros and assisting him will be Andrew Kolb (New Ulm Steel). Coaches for the Selects teams are Dave Dorsey (Pittsburgh Vengeance) for the Selects Red squad and Jon Vaillancourt (La Crosse Freeze) for the Selects White team. To view the full list of coaches and the schedule, please click here.

The number of players from each NA3HL team sends to the tournament is based on each team’s winning percentage in their division as of January 29, 2018. The 20-man roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 2 goaltenders) are chosen by the NA3HL Competition Committee and the NAHL Central Scouting Department and as nominated by the 47 league coaches in the NA3HL. Players considered for this event must be nominated by their respective head coaches. All junior eligible NA3HL players are eligible to participate.

The NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament will be played in conjunction with the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Top Prospect Tournament.

The Great Falls Americans (.714 winning percentage on January 29th) continue to trail the top-seeded Yellowstone Quake in the Frontier Division standings will send three players, Yellowstone will have five representatives, followed by the Helena Bighorns with four, Gillette (Wild) will send two and Missoula (Jr. Bruins) will have one player. The Bozeman Ice Dogs will not be represented this year.

The Great Falls Americans will be represented by two players who will suit up for the Frontier/West squad (Grey Team) including forward Adam Vandenbos (5’6”, 180 lbs., Anchorage, AK) and goaltender Drew Scites (6’0”, 200 lbs., Plymouth, MN).

Click here to view the entire Frontier/West (Grey) roster and the other rosters for the tournament.

The NA3HL 18U Selects Red and Black squads include some of the best young players that the league has to offer. Kody Thomas (5’9”, 170 lbs., Boise, ID) will represent the Great Falls Americans NA3HL 18U Selects Red team.

Click here to view the entire NA3HL 18U Selects Red Team roster.

For more information (including rosters) about the Top Prospects Tournament, please click here. Fans can also follow the action live at HockeyTV and see the stats updated live on the NA3HL Scoreboard.

2018 Top Prospects Tourney Schedule: (All Times are Mountain Standard Time)

2018 NA3HL Top Prospects schedule

Tuesday, February 27^th

8:00AM: Orange (East & Midwest) vs. Green (Northeast & South)

9:15AM: 18U Selects White vs. Blue (Central & Coastal)

10:00AM: 18U Selects Red vs. Grey (Frontier & West)

3:30PM: 18U Selects White vs. Orange (East & Midwest)

5:30PM: Grey (Frontier & West) vs. Green (Northeast & South)

7:30PM: 18U Selects Red vs. Blue (Central & Coastal)

Wednesday, February 28^th

7:00AM: 18U Selects White vs. Grey (Frontier & West)

9:00AM: 18U Selects Red vs. Green (Northeast & South)