NAHL Top Prospects Showcase rosters announced; 23 Michigan natives invited

By @MichaelCaples –

The North American Hockey League has announced the players invited to their NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, and 23 Michigan natives have been selected to participate.

The showcase, presented by Easton Hockey, will be held from Feb. 23-24, 2015, at the Ann Arbor Ice Cube.

Four teams will be made up of the top players from their respective NAHL divisions – Central, Midweset, North and South – while a fifth (the NAHL 18U Selects) will be comprised of the top 18U players in the league. Outside of the 18U Selects team, players were only selected who have not yet committed to a Division I college hockey program.

Last year, more than 180 scouts attended the event, including representation from almost every NHL and NCAA Division I team. More than a third of the players who participated in last year’s Top Prospects Tournament ended up with an NCAA opportunity.

The U.S. National Team Development Program will once again be participating in the Top Prospects Tournament, as well; the U18 Team will play on Monday, Feb. 23, while the U17 Team will play on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

 

Central Roster

Chad Catt – goaltender – Aberdeen Wings – Williamston, Mich.

Cory Dunn – defenseman – Austin Bruins – Trenton, Mich.

Parker Wood – forward – Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees – Rochester Hills, Mich.

Trevor Boyd – forward – Austin Bruins – Muskegon, Mich.

Kyle Haak – forward – Aberdeen Wings – Okemos, Mich.

 

Midwest Roster

Jack Gessert – forward – Kenai River Brown Bears – Novi, Mich.

 

North Roster

Cam Cooper – defenseman – Springfield Jr. Blues – Fraser, Mich.

Alex Archibald – defenseman – Keystone Ice Miners – Port Huron, Mich.

Taylor Fernandez – forward – Keystone Ice Miners – Northville, Mich.

Alex Smith – defenseman – Janesville Jets – Brownstown, Mich.

Tyler Groat – forward – Michigan Warriors – Wyandotte, Mich.

Mitch Vanderburg – forward – Soo Eagles – Milford, Mich.

Alex Blankenburg – goaltender – Keystone Ice Miners – Washington, Mich.

 

South Roster

Sam Rennaker – forward – Topeka RoadRunners – Grand Rapids, Mich.

Logan Gestro – defenseman – Corpus Christi IceRays – South Lyon, Mich.

Tommy Apap – forward – Wichita Falls Wildcats – Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Nic Laburn – forward – Corpus Christi IceRays – Northville, Mich.

Sly Sutter – forward – Topeka RoadRunners – Warren, Mich.

Jasen Fernsler – forward – Topeka RoadRunners – Charlotte, Mich.

Ryan Polin – defenseman – Topeka RoadRunners – Holt, Mich.

Zach Quinn – goaltender – Wenatchee Wild – Westland, Mich.

 

NAHL 18U Selects Roster

Keegan Miller – forward – Soo Eagles – Kalamazoo, Mich.

Ryan Bednard – goaltender – Johnstown Tomahawks – Macomb, Mich.

 

2015 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament Schedule

Monday, February 23rd: North vs. Central, 1pm – NAHL Selects vs. Midwest, 4pm – South vs. USNTDP-18, 7pm

Tuesday, February 24th: Midwest vs. North, 11am – Central vs. South, 2pm – NAHL Selects vs. USNTDP-17, 5pm