By Kevin Scott
FRISCO, TX., January 26, 2016 — The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) have announced their team rosters for the 2016 Top Prospects Hockey Tournament being held at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan on February 15-17 2016.
There will be 160 players participating that are spread across eight teams (six divisional teams plus two 18U Selects teams). Each squad will play three games during the three-day tournament that will see many junior, NCAA and NHL scouts in attendance.
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 19, 2016. The 20-man roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 2 goaltenders) are chosen by the NA3HL Competition Committee and the NAHL Scouting Department and as nominated by the 34 league coaches in the NA3HL. All junior eligible NA3HL players are eligible to participate.
The Great Falls Americans (.765 winning percentage on January 19th) continue to lead the Frontier Division and will send five players, the Yellowstone Quake will have four representatives, Bozeman Ice Dogs, Helena Bighorns, and the Gillette Wild will send three players each and the Billings Bulls will have two.
Jeff Heimel, the Great Falls Americans head coach who also was the Frontier head coach last year, will guide the Frontier team and he will have five of his own players on that team. The five Americans highlighting the Frontier team include forwards Brendan Jester and Josh Larson, defensemen Arseny Ivanov and Connor Barta and goaltender Jake Stephan. The assistant coach will be Ryan Theros from the Yellowstone Quake.
Click here to view the entire Frontier roster.
The NA3HL 18U Selects Red and Black squads include some of the best young players that the league has to offer. NAHL coaches will be assigned to coach these teams.
Two Great Falls Americans representing the NA3HL 18U Selects team and will be suiting up for the 18U Selects Black team will be forwards Tanner Congdon and Ricards Bernhards.
Click here to view the entire NA3HL 18U Selects Black 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.
2016 Top Prospects Tourney Schedule: (All Times are Mountain Standard Time)
2016 NA3HL Top Prospects schedule
Monday, February 15th
7:30AM: East vs. Midwest
10:30AM: Central vs. NA3HL 18U Selects Red
1:30PM: Frontier vs. South
4:30PM: NA3HL 18U Selects Black vs. West
Tuesday, February 16th
7:30AM: NA3HL 18U Selects Red vs. Midwest
10:30AM: West vs. Frontier
1:30PM: NA3HL 18U Selects Black vs. East
4:30PM: South vs. Central
Wednesday, February 17th
7:30AM: Frontier vs. NA3HL 18U Selects Black
8:30AM: NA3HL 18U Selects Red vs. South
10:30AM: Midwest vs. Central
11:30AM: West vs. East
Story Courtesy: North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL): NA3HL announced 2016 Top Prospects rosters (January 26, 2016)
