2017 NA3HL Top Prospects coaches announced

January 31, 2017

The North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) has announced the eight NA3HL head coaches that will coach the four combined divisional teams at the 2017 Top Prospects Tournament, which be held from February 27-28, 2017 at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. 120 total players from the NA3HL will be spread amongst six teams (four combined divisional teams and two younger Select teams), who will play in three games each during the event. 

 

The NA3HL Standings were frozen on Monday, January 30th. Teams were then seeded within their division based on win percentage. The number of players each NA3HL team can send to the event is based on each team’s winning percentage within their group. Each team will consist of a 20-man roster (12 forwards, 6 defensemen and 2 goalies). Any player who will be considered for the event, must be nominated by their respective head coaches.

 

The eight coaches for the four divisional teams will be as follows: 

 

Gold: Todd Sanden, North Iowa Bulls (Central) and Mike Stanaway, Long Beach Sharks (Coastal)

Green: Justin Quenneville, Metro Jets (East) and Chris Flaugher, St. Louis Jr. Blues (Midwest)

Silver: Chris Laganiere, Binghamton Junior Senators (Northeast) and Michael Hill, Texas Jr. Brahmas (South)

White: Ryan Theros, Yellowstone Quake (Frontier) and Brad Willner, Granite City Lumberjacks (West)

 

Two separate NA3HL Selects teams will compete as the fifth and sixth teams in the event.  The Selects team rosters will be comprised of players with birth years of 1998, 1999 or 2000. The League Office in consultation with the NA3HL Competition Committee and the NAHL’s Central Scouting, will select the final rosters. The coaches for the NA3HL Selects teams will be announced on a future date.

 

2017 NA3HL Top Prospects schedule (all times eastern, subject to change):

 

10:00am: Gold (Central & Coastal) vs. Selects Red

10:15am: Silver (Northeast & South) vs. Green (East & Midwest)

12:00pm: White (Frontier & West) vs. Selects Black

4:15pm: Gold (Central & Coastal) vs. Silver (Northeast & South)

6:15pm: Green (East & Midwest) vs. Selects Black

8:15pm: White (Frontier & West) vs. Selects Red

 

9:30am: Gold (Central & Coastal) vs. Selects Black

11:30am: Silver (Northeast & South) vs. Selects Red

1:30pm: Green (East & Midwest) vs. White (Frontier & West)

 

The NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament is played in conjunction with the North American Hockey League's (NAHL) Top Prospects Tournament. The event has quickly become one of the most highly-scouted events of its kind, with hundreds of junior, NCAA and NHL expected in attendance this season.