Who Is The North American Hockey League ?
There are so many different leagues related to hockey it can be a bit confusing remembering who does what. The NAHL is certainly one of those leagues you should be aware of. So who is the North American Hockey League?
NAHL isn’t new. Back in 1975 the Wolverine Junior League and the Michigan Junior League joined forces and created the Great Lakes Junior Hockey League. In 1984 that name was changed to the North American Junior Hockey League and later it was again changed to the North American Hockey League.
This year it celebrates its 30th season and that makes it the oldest junior hockey league in the United States. Not only is it the oldest, it’s also the largest. Not bad for a league that started out so modestly.
In it’s early days it was comprised of a mere 3 teams but through the years it has grown to includes teams such as Detroit Jr. Wings, Paddock Pool Saints, Indianapolis Juniors, Redford Royals, Kalamazoo Jr. Wings, Niagara Scenic’s, and Detroit Compuware.
No longer is the NAHL limited to the Detroit area, rather it runs far west to Alaska, south to Texas, east to Ohio, and into New Mexico. Today there are 4 division and more than 20 active members. Wow!
The north division includes the Youngstown Phantoms, Alpena Icediggers, USA National Team Development Program, Cleveland Junior Barons, and the Traverse City North Stars.
The south division encompasses Wichita Falls Wildcats, Santa Fe Roadrunners, Texas Tornado’s, Springfield Junior Blues, and Texarkana Bandits.
The central division includes Southern Minnesota Express, Bismarck Bobcats, North Iowa Outlaws, Minnesota Blizzards, and Fargo Moorhead Jets.
The west division includes the Billings Bulls, Wasilla Spirit, Bozeman Icedogs, Helena Bighorns, and Fairbanks Ice Dogs.
The NAHL is very effective at assisting players to make the transition from their hockey or midget teams to college hockey. It does this by creating a very competitive environment that encourages its members to develop their skills and it provides opportunities for both mental and physical growth.
To maximize team exposure teams will play not only against their own divisions but also against other divisions. Games are generally scheduled on weekends to as not to disrupt student’s academic studies. During the season each team will play 58 games, as well as exhibition games and playoff games. The season runs from September to April.
Tournaments are a great way for teams to not only show off their skills in front of scouts but also measure their own skills against colleagues. It’s a great way to try to beat your personal best!
NAHL is a league affiliate of the parent USA Hockey Inc league whose goal is to provide coaching and player resources as well as help in the development of quality players. College scouts tend to play close attention to the NAHL schedules as it’s a great way to scout for next seasons talent.
But just in case the scouts aren’t playing close enough attention the NAHL takes a very active role in promoting its player by sending out monthly reports to the scouts and major college programs as well. It also publishes all of its stats out on the internet on its website. They also broadcast with their webcast and through newspapers and a variety of hockey publications.
The future of the North American Hockey League is bright! And if you ever feel like visiting them you’ll find them in Frisco Texas in the midst of a corporate environment.
|
