Weekend Preview for Sept. 25-29: All Eyes on the State of Hockey
As often is the case for the State of Hockey, the eyes of the United States amateur hockey community turn to Minnesota this weekend.
As the North American Hockey League Showcase, also known as The Greatest Show on Ice, winds down Friday and Saturday in Blaine, Minn., various league and tournament officials decided to take advantage of the approximately 400 college and pro scouts who are in the area for that by scheduling events featuring some of the top U.S. youth players and teams in the 13O through 18U age groups.
An affiliate of the NAHL, the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) is holding the first showcase of the year for its T1ER League, also known as the North American Tier 1 Hockey League. The NAPHL T1ER League is comprised of USA Hockey National Bound Tier 1 Boys teams in the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age groups. These teams play a full-season schedule, including strategically located and scheduled NAPHL Showcases, throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
The T1ER League’s primary mission is to provide development and exposure opportunities for players who aspire to play high-level junior and college hockey. All NAHL teams are required to tender a minimum number of NAPHL players, and a record 66 players signed tenders with NAHL teams for the 2022-23 season. No other youth league has sent more players to the NAHL since 2020 than the NAPHL T1ER League.
With all 35 NAHL teams in Minnesota for the league showcase this week, holding the NAPHL T1ER League event concurrently at same venue in Blaine provides a unique exposure opportunity for the league’s 15O, 16U and 18U players. Nearly 70 teams across those age groups are playing in about 150 games at the National Sports Center between Thursday and Sunday.
Meanwhile, fewer than 20 miles away in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Blades are holding their annual showcase for Tier 1 USA Boys teams at the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age levels. The Minnesota Blades Invitational Fall Showcase features 35 teams from as far away as Anaheim, Calif., to the west and Pittsfield, Mass., to the east playing a total of 70 games at Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center and the Breck School’s Anderson Ice Arena. Games started Wednesday and run through Sunday.
And starting Friday at rinks within a 30-mile radius of Blaine, Minnesota Hockey is holding its Fall Tier 1 High Performance League Playoffs for Minnesota Girls and Youth teams between the ages of 13 and 15. Between eight and nine teams will compete in a double-elimination format in each age group for the right to advance to the Minnesota District Tournament. District Tournament winners earn a trip to the USA Hockey National Championship in April. Youth Tier 1 playoffs are being held at the 13O, 14U and 15O age levels, while the Girls 14U Tier 1 Playoffs also will be contested from Friday through Sunday.
Play started Thursday, with a total of nearly 70 teams competing in about 150 games across the 15O, 16U and 18U age groups through Sunday. All games can be watched live or on-demand at NAHLTV.com.
T1ER League 15O Division
The 15O Division includes 13 teams each playing four games from Thursday through Sunday.
CLICK HERE for the 15O schedule and results.
CLICK HERE for the 15O standings.
CLICK HERE for the 15O team rosters.
T1ER League 16U Division
In the 16U Division, seven of the nation’s top-52 teams according to our first MHR 2024-25 rankings are competing in four games apiece from Thursday through Sunday. Those teams include:
#23 Nashville Jr. Predators
#28 Windy City Storm
#31 CarShield
#38 Indiana Elite
#41 Team North Dakota
#48 Pittsburgh Stars
#52 Belle Tire
CLICK HERE for the 16U schedule and results.
CLICK HERE for the 16U standings.
CLICK HERE for the 16U team rosters.
T1ER League 18U Division
Eight top-50 18U USA Boys teams, according to our first MHR 2024-25 rankings, are competing in the 18U Division. Those teams include:
#23 CarShield
#28 Team Maryland
#35 New Jersey Jr. Titans
#38 Biggby Coffee
#45 Team North Dakota
#48 Pittsburgh Stars
#49 Philadelphia Little Flyers
#50 Cleveland Barons
CLICK HERE for the 18U schedule and results.
CLICK HERE for the 18U standings.
CLICK HERE for the 18U team rosters.
All NAPHL T1ER League games can be seen live and on-demand at NAHLTV.com.
Minnesota Blades Invitational Fall Showcase
The Minnesota Blades Fall Showcase started with one game apiece in the 16U and 18U divisions Wednesday and continues through Sunday with games at all age levels. There are a total of 35 Tier 1 USA Boys teams competing in 70 games in the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age groups. Games are being played at Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center and Breck School Anderson Ice Arena and should be available for viewing at LiveBarn.com.
Minnesota Blades Showcase 14U Division
The 14u Division has a total of six USA Boys Tier 1 teams, five of which are ranked among the nation’s top top-28 teams, according to our first MHR 2024-25 rankings. Competing teams include:
#3 Shattuck-St. Mary’s
#8 Chicago Mission
#22 St. Louis AAA Blues
#28 Team Wisconsin
#35 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
N/A Phoenix Jr. Coyotes
Minnesota Blades Showcase 15O Division
There are nine USA Boys Tier 1 teams competing in the 15O Division, and three of them are ranked among the nation’s top 15 in our initial MHR 2024-25 rankings. Six teams are ranked among the top 50. Competing teams include:
#4 Chicago Mission
#6 HoneyBaked
#15 St. Louis AAA Blues
#35 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
#36 Team Wisconsin
#50 Compuware
#60 Sioux Falls Power
N/A Shattuck-St. Mary’s
N/A Phoenix Jr. Coyotes
Minnesota Blades Showcase 16U Division
The 16U Division features 10 USA Boys Tier 1 Teams. Four of those teams are ranked among the nation’s top 10 in our opening MHR rankings, and six are among the top 27. Competing teams include:
#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s
#6 Sioux Falls Power
#9 Bishop Kearney Selects
#10 Chicago Mission
#25 St. Louis AAA Blues
#27 Team Wisconsin
#54 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
#62 Atlantic Coast Academy
N/A NorthStar Knights
N/A Phoenix Jr. Coyotes
Minnesota Blades Showcase 18U Division
There are 10 USA Boys Tier 1 teams participating inn the 18U Division. Three of the participants are ranked among the nation’s top 28 in our first MHR season rankings. Competing teams include:
#4 Bishop Kearney Selects
#11 St. Louis Jr. Blues
#28 Little Caesars
#44 Florida Alliance
#54 Chicago Mission
#60 Atlantic Coast Academy
#61 Sioux Falls Power
#69 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
N/A NorthStar Knights
N/A Phoenix Jr. Coyotes
Minnesota Fall Tier 1 High Performance League Playoffs
The High Performance Tier I League provides the top players from each district within Minnesota a chance to play with and against the best players from around the state. The League is conducted in accordance with USA Hockey rules, and all teams are eligible for USA Hockey’s Tier I National Championships.
There are eight or nine teams from the 12 Minnesota Hockey districts competing at each age level: Loons (District 2), Walleye (District 3), Grey Ducks (Districts 4/9), Polars (District 5), Lakers (District 6), Moose (District 8), Green Giants (District 10), Voyageurs (Districts 11/12) and Blue Ox (District 15/16).
Tryouts were held in May, June or July, with competition weekends starting in August and running through early October. Teams play a total of 20 games against Minnesota teams, Team Wisconsin, Team North Dakota and other teams from around the United States visiting Minnesota.
This weekend’s playoffs are being held for 13O, 14U and 15O Minnesota Youth teams and 14U Minnesota Girls teams.
All games can be viewed at MNHockey.TV.
13O Youth Minnesota Fall Tier 1 Playoffs
Set for Friday, Sept. 27 through Sunday, Sept. 29, the 13O Youth Playoffs are being held at Richfield Ice Arena and Burnsville Ice Arena. There are nine competing teams: the Grey Ducks, Voyageurs, Lakers, Walleye, Blue Ox, Moose, Green Giants, Loons and Polars. Winners of each round continue to advance, while losers drop into a lower bracket to compete for third and fourth playce. The top-four finishers advance to the Minnesota District Tournament to compete for a spot in USA Hockey Nationals.
CLICK HERE for the 13O Youth bracket
CLICK HERE for the tournament program
14U Youth Minnesota Fall Tier 1 Playoffs
The 14U Youth Playoffs are being held at Richfield Ice Arena and Burnsville Ice Arena from Friday through Sunday. There are nine competing teams: the Grey Ducks, Voyageurs, Lakers, Walleye, Blue Ox, Moose, Green Giants, Loons and Polars. The teams finishing first through third advance to the Minnesota District Tournament along with Shattuck-St. Mary’s to compete for a trip to USA Hockey Nationals.
CLICK HERE for the 14U Youth bracket
CLICK HERE for the tournament program
15O Youth Minnesota Fall Tier 1 Playoffs
The 15O Youth Playoffs are being held at Furniture and Things Community Event Center in Elk Ridge, Minn., from Friday through Sunday. There are eight competing teams: the Voyageurs, Lakers, Walleye, Blue Ox, Moose, Green Giants, Loons and Polars. The top-four finishers advance to the Minnesota District Tournament to compete for a trip to USA Hockey Nationals.
CLICK HERE for the 15O Youth bracket
CLICK HERE for the tournament program
14U Girls Minnesota Fall Tier 1 Playoffs
The 14U Girls Playoffs are being held Doug Woog Arena in South St. Paul, Minn. from Friday through Sunday. There are eight competing teams: the Voyageurs, Lakers, Walleye, Blue Ox, Moose, Green Giants and Loons. The teams finishing first, second and third advance to the Minnesota District Tournament along with Shattuck-St. Mary’s to compete for a trip to USA Hockey Nationals
CLICK HERE for the 14U Girls bracket
CLICK HERE for the tournament program
