If you’re a hockey scout in the Midwestern portion of the United States and find that you have some free time on your hands this weekend, you’re probably doing something wrong.

Scouts have flocked to Blaine, Minn., where 76 USA Boys Tier 1 teams from the 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U age levels are joining 35 junior teams from the North American Tier 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) for another of the one-stop-shopping showcase extravaganzas that the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and its affiliates have become known for.

The NAHL, which is organizing and operating the event, is the only USA Hockey-sanctioned tuition-free Tier 2 junior league in the United States. Last year, the league sent a record 400 players on to play college hockey at the NCAA level, with almost 75 percent of those commits heading off to Division I programs. All 35 NAHL teams will have scouts attending the showcase in Blaine.  

The majority of the showcase’s participating youth teams are from the North American Tier 1 Hockey League (NAT1HL), an in-season showcase league organized and operated by the NAHL. At the 18U level, the North American Tier 1 teams are joining forces with the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL), another prominent in-season showcase league, to bring a strong and deep of field of 40 teams to Blaine for the weekend.

The NAT1HL is one of three leagues that comprise the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL). The NAPHL has established itself as one of the nation’s premier leagues for player development and exposure.

In 2023, the NAPHL had a record 95 players tendered or drafted into the NAHL, with another 79 tendered or drafted into the NA3HL. In addition, 24 players were drafted by Tier 1 United States Hockey League (USHL) teams. There are more than 200 NAPHL alums in the NAHL, better than 160 in the NA3HL and more than 40 in the USHL. Nine former NAPHL players were listed by NHL Central Scouting as prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft. Since 2020, no other USA Hockey midget-level Tier 1 league has sent more players on to play in the NAHL.

The T1EHL includes more than 20 top youth hockey organizations from around the United States. It provides teams with significant visibility, top-level competition and elite coaching and has proven to be one of the most successful Tier 1 leagues in terms of moving its players on to the top levels of junior and college hockey. T1EHL showcase tournaments and games regularly are attended by scouts from the United States Hockey League (USHL), North American Hockey League (NAHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and NCAA.

While there was one lone showcase game played on Thursday, Dec. 12, the 14U, 15O and 16U portion of the weekend really began the morning of Friday, Dec. 13, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 15. Junior and 18U games get underway Dec. 14 and conclude on Monday, Dec. 16. All games are being played at the National Sports Center in Blaine and can be seen on NAHLTV.com.

Having 75 teams of Tier 1 youth players with dreams of playing junior and college hockey competing at one venue along with 35 junior teams full of players hoping to play NCAA, ACHA or AAU college hockey is appealing to college and junior scouts from a variety of levels. They can set up shop in one location for the weekend and have more than 100 games full of prospects to choose from as well as easy access to the players they would like to interview.

Running concurrently with the Tier 1 showcase is the annual pre-holiday NA3HL Showcase. The NA3HL is the lone remaining USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier 3 “pay to play” junior league. Thanks in part to its close relationship with the NAHL, the league has more players tendered by NAHL teams annually and ultimately sends more players on to play in the NAHL level than any other Tier 3 junior league in the U.S.

All 35 NA3HL teams also will be playing games at the National Sports Center throughout the weekend, providing an opportunity for the youth players to be introduced to the league firsthand and allowing coaches and scouts from the league to have access to hundreds of high-level prospects.

Meanwhile in the Windy City, the nationally recognized Chicago Mission are hosting some of the top 19U and 16U Girls Tier 1 programs in the United States for a weekend showcase. The Chicago Mission Girls Showcase at Fifth Third Bank Arena features 12 total teams competing at both age levels. Eleven of the 12 teams currently are ranked among the nation’s top 30, according to the latest MHR Rankings, and all of them are ranked in the top 50 for their respective age groups.

The Chicago Mission Girls Showcase began the morning of Friday, Dec. 13 and runs through Sunday, Dec. 15. Both rinks at Fifth Third Arena have LiveBarn feeds, so all showcase games should be available for live and on-demand viewing. The Mission’s 16U team is ranked sixth in the U.S., and the 19U team is No. 4. On of the top organizations in the United States for both boys and girls at all age levels, the Mission’s 14U and 12U Girls teams also are ranked fourth and ninth, respectively.

 

NAT1HL/TIER1EHL Blaine Showcase

There are more than 75 USA Boys Tier 1 teams competing in the Blaine Showcase Dec. 13-16. Forty of those teams are competing in a strong and deep 18U Division that is comprised of teams from both the NAT1HL and the Tier 1 EHL. There are 18 teams in the 16U Division, eight 15O teams and 10 teams in the 14U Division.

 

18U Division

Of the 40 participating 18U teams, 13 are ranked among the nation’s top 40, according to the latest MHR Tier 1 Boys Rankings. Another five are in the top 50, and there are 21 of the nation’s top 60 teams in Blaine.

 

18U Top Competing Teams

#8 (overall) Northstar Christian Academy

#18 St. Louis AAA Blues

#19 Ohio Blue Jackets

#20 CarShield

#26 Phoenix Jr. Coyotes

#28 New Jersey Jr. Titans

#31 Victory Honda

#33 Biggby Coffee

#35 Fox Motors

#36 Chicago Fury

#37 Oakland Jr. Grizzlies

#38 Philadelphia Jr. Flyers

#40 Lincoln Stars

 

CLICK HERE Division for the 18U scores and schedule

 

16U Division

Four of the 18 teams in the showcase’s 16U Division are ranked among the nation’s top 60, according to the Week 12 MHR USA Boys Tier 1 Rankings.

 

16U Top Competing Teams

#37 CarShield

#39 (overall) Northstar Christian Academy

#45 Indiana Elite

#57 Pittsburgh Stars

 

CLICK HERE for the 16U Division scores and schedule

 

15O Division

There are a pair of top 60 teams, according to the latest MHR Tier 1 Boys Rankings, competing in the 15O Division in Blaine.

 

15O Top Competing Teams

#57 Philadelphia Hockey Club

#59 CarShield

 

CLICK HERE for the 15O Division scores and schedule

CLICK HERE for the 14U Division scores and schedule

 

 

Chicago Mission Girls Showcase

The Mission 19U and 16U Girls Showcase features 12 Midwest-based Tier 1 organizations that traditionally produce some of the top USA Girls team at various age levels. Each team is guaranteed to play five games between Friday and Sunday. Five of the six teams in the 19U Division are ranked among the nation’s top 21, according to the Week 12 MHR USA Girls Tier 1 Rankings, and all six are in the top 48.

 

19U Participating Teams

# 4 Chicago Mission

#13 Culver Academies

#14 Belle Tire

#18 Little Caesars

#21 Gilmour Academy

#48 Madison Capitols

 

CLICK HERE for the 19U rosters and scouting information

 

16U Participating Teams

All six teams in the 16U Division of the Chicago Mission Girls Showcase are ranked among the top 27 in the United States, according to the Week 12 MHR Tier 1 Girls Rankings. Four of the participants are in the top 20.

 

#6 Chicago Mission

#10 Little Caesars

#15 Culver Academies

#19 Milwaukee Jr. Admirals

#24 Belle Tire

#27 Madison Capitols

 

CLICK HERE for the 16U rosters and scouting information

CLICK HERE for the Chicago Mission Girls Showcase scores, schedules, standings & stats