The North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) has announced
the 16 programs that have been accepted into the league for the 2013-14
season. Each participating program will ice teams at both the Midget
Major (18U) and Midget Minor (16U) levels.
In just four seasons the NAPHL, which will celebrate its fifth
anniversary season in 2013-14, has established itself as one of the
premiere training grounds for the development and exposure of
midget-aged hockey players in the U.S. Dozens of NAPHL players have
received scholarships to NCAA Division I schools and hundreds more have
been drafted or tendered by North American Hockey League (NAHL), United
States Hockey League (USHL) and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) teams.
The NAPHL is a Tier I midget hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey
that maximizes player exposure thru its high-profile recruiting events,
which attract hundreds of college, junior and professional scouts
annually. The NAPHL is operated by the NAHL’s experienced staff and
provides an organized and competitive experience guaranteed to benefit
all of the participating student-athletes.
“It’s hard to believe we are entering our fifth season of operating
the NAPHL, but each year our teams have continued to raise the bar,
which has elevated the league into one of the premier training grounds
of its kind,” said Mark Frankenfeld, Commissioner of
the North American Hockey League. “Our NAPHL events continue to set the
standard for development and exposure, and most importantly the league
now has a proven track record of moving players onto the NAHL, the NCAA
and beyond. When it comes to the Tier I midget level of hockey, the
NAPHL is an integral part of the hockey landscape.”
The 18U and 16U teams for the 2013-14 season are (alphabetical):
Anaheim Jr. Ducks
Atlanta Fire `
California Titans
Cleveland Jr. Lumberjacks
Detroit Falcons
Lansing Capitals
New Jersey Jr. Titans
Omaha AAA Hockey Club
Phoenix Firebirds
Pikes Peak Miners
Pittsburgh Viper Stars
Pursuit of Excellence
San Jose Jr. Sharks
St. Louis Selects
Texas Tornado
West Michigan Hounds
Additionally, the 2013-14 season will see the continuation of the
Bantam Tournament Series (BTS). The BTS, created last season, is
comprised of a series of open invite tournaments for 14U teams. All BTS
events are played in cooperation with NAHL and NAPHL events. More
details, including the application process for this year’s BTS, will be
announced soon.
(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)
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