Weekend Preview Dec. 12-14: NA3 & NAP Together in Blaine While the Mission Host Girls & Waterloo Wolves Host Boys Events
Once again, the pre-holiday North American amateur hockey menu is full on both sides of the border for the weekend of Dec. 12-14.
The largest of the weekend’s events is the NA3HL/NAPHL Showcase for boys in Minnesota, while the Chicago Mission Girls are hosting a smaller, but very high-level Tier 1 showcase and the Waterloo Gold Puck is on tap for some of the top Ontario U18 and 16U AAA Boys teams.
The annual North American Tier 3 Hockey League Showcase doesn’t get underway until Dec. 14 at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn., but like most events put on by the North American Hockey League and its affiliate organizations, this showcase includes a concurrent North Americans Prospects Hockey League event.
With many NCAA collegiate hockey programs taking some time off for exams or getting ready for a brief holiday break, this combined NA3HL/NAPHL weekend comes at the perfect time, providing coaches and scouts with access to more than 2,000 college and junior prospects in one convenient location.
Featuring more than 60 Tier 1 and top Tier 2 14U, 16U and 18U Boys teams from all over the United States, the NAPHL SHOW League showcase began the morning of Friday, Dec. 12, and runs through Monday, Dec. 15. Joining the youth players Sunday morning will be all 38 NA3HL junior teams, with each of them playing three regular-season games between Dec. 14 and 16.
Not too far away to the southeast of Blaine, the annual Chicago Mission Girls Showcase for Tier 1 16U and 19U teams is being played Dec. 12-14.
One of the traditionally strongest youth hockey organizations in the U.S., the Mission are welcoming 12 total teams from six respected Tier 1 organizations for the weekend. Each team in both the 16U and 19U divisions is ranked among the top 38 in its respective age group, according to the Week 12 MHR USA Girls Tier 1 Rankings. The 16U and 18U fields both feature a pair of top 10 teams, and nine of the 12 participants overall are ranked among the top 24.
North of the border, 36 total U16 and U18 Ontario Boys AAA teams are participating in the Waterloo Gold Puck, which began Friday, Dec. 12, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 14. The 16-team U16 field includes five teams ranked among Ontario’s top 40, while a very strong 18U contingent features Ontario’s second- and third-ranked U18 AAA teams. A total of three teams are in the provincial top 10 and nine fall among the top 30.
The NAPHL SHOW League Showcase once again is being held in conjunction with annual NA3HL Showcase at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. Play in the NAPHL event began Friday, Dec. 12, and runs through Monday, Dec. 15. All 38 North American Tier 3 Junior League teams will play three regular-season games Dec. 14-16. More than 60 Tier 1 and Tier 2 Boys 14U, 16U and 18U teams are in Blaine for the NAPHL Showcase.
This season marks the 15th year that the NA3HL is holding a league-wide Showcase. A USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier 3 pay-to-play junior league, the NA3HL is in its 16th season, and no other league of its kind has had more movement and advanced more players to compete in the Tier 2 tuition-free North American Hockey League (NAHL). Thanks to additional and enhanced initiatives in cooperation with the NAHL, more players from the NA3HL get the opportunity to play and practice with NAHL organizations than from any other junior league.
CLICK HERE for the NA3HL Showcase schedule
One of the biggest benefits of the NAPHL’s SHOW League is the structured competition and exposure in three of the strongest hockey regions in the United States. NAHL and NA3HL coaches and scouts are required to attend NAPHL events, with a guarantee that every NA3HL organization will be represented at the NAPHL Playoffs in Michigan later in the season. Additional showcase weekends in Minnesota and Massachusetts offer extensive visibility for players in areas with a high concentration of college and junior programs in close proximity.
Celebrating its 17th season, the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) is made up of three Leagues: T1ER (Tier 1), SHOW (Tier I/ II), and the FALL League (September / October Season).
The NAPHL has established itself as one of the premier leagues for development and exposure, with its players enjoying great success at higher levels of hockey. A record-breaking number of NAPHL players have advanced to the NAHL in recent seasons; in 2023, the NAPHL had 95 players tendered or drafted into the NAHL, while another 79 players were tendered or drafted by NA3HL organizations. An additional 24 players were drafted by USHL teams, and more than 200 NAPHL alums advanced to play in the NAHL. No other USA Hockey Midget Tier I league has had more players play in the NAHL since 2020.
The NAPHL is operated by the NAHL's staff and provides an organized and competitive experience that benefits all of its participants.
All NAPHL and NA3HL games are available for live and on-demand viewing at NATV.
CLICK HERE for access to NAPHL SHOW 14U, 16U, and 18U schedules, scores, standings and statistics
NAPHL SHOW 14U Division
The 14U Division in Blaine features a dozen teams, with four of them ranked among the top 45 in MHR’s most recent USA 14U Boys Tier 2 Rankings.
Here are the top-ranked participating 14U teams:
#23 NEST Hockey Academy
#28 West Dundee Leafs
#35 Northwest Chargers
#45 Chicago Hawks
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL SHOW 14U schedule
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 14U game scores
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 14U standings
NAPHL SHOW 16U Division
There are 21 16U teams competing in Blaine, with 12 of them ranked among the nation’s top 100 (out of 316 listed teams) in the MHR Week 12 Tier 2 Rankings. Three participating teams are ranked among the top 20, and five are in the top 50.
Here are the top-ranked participating 16U teams:
#6 St. Louis Sting
#15 West Dundee Leafs
#17 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
#45 Chicago Hawks
#47 California Heat
#53 SDIA Oilers 15U
#63 Lake County Vipers
#80 Florida Jr. Everblades
#81 Geneva Cyclones
#92 Jacksonville Jr. Icemen
#97 McKinney North Stars
#100 Orland Park Vikings
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL SHOW 16U schedule
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 16U game scores
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 16U standings
NAPHL SHOW 18U Division
The 18U Division in Blaine features 28 teams, with 12 of them ranked among the top 100 in the USA 18U Boys Week 12 Tier 2 Rankings (out of 241 listed teams). Eight of those teams are in the top 51, with the Nos. 2, 3, 16 and 21 teams all among the field.
Here are the top-ranked participating 18U teams:
#2 West Dundee Leafs
#3 Chicago Hawks
#16 St. Louis Sting
#21 Orland Park Vikings
#44 Dallas Penguins
#48 Orange County Hockey Club
#50 Lafayette Locomotives
#51 California Wave
#67 Chicago Jets
#74 Anaheim Jr. Ducks
#91 Utah Jr. Mustangs
#97 Team Wyoming
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL SHOW 18U schedule
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 18U game scores
CLICK HERE for NAPHL SHOW 18U standings
Chicago Mission Girls Showcase
There are a total of 12 USA Tier 1 Girls teams competing in the 16U and 19U divisions of the Mission Girls Showcase representing six top organizations. Each of the participating teams is ranked among the nation’s top 38, according to the Week 12 MHR Tier 1 16U and 19U Girls Rankings.
Games are being played at Rosemont Ice Arena in Illinois and should be available for live and on-demand viewing via LiveBarn.
Mission Showcase 16U Division
The 16U Division of the Mission Girls Showcase includes the Nos. 6 and 7 Tier 1 teams in the United States along Nos. 20, 25, 31 and 38.
Here are the 16U participating teams:
#6 Shattuck-St. Mary’s
#7 Chicago Mission
#21 Belle Tire
#24 Madison Capitols
#31 Culver Academies
#38 San Jose Jr. Sharks
Mission Showcase 19U Division
Of the six teams in the Mission Showcase 19U Division, four are ranked among the nation’s top 20, including top-ranked Shattuck-St. Mary’s, the fifth-ranked hosts, No. 16 Culver Academies and the No. 20 Madison Capitols.
Here are the 19U participating teams:
#1 Shattuck-St. Mary’s
#5 Chicago Mission
#16 Culver Academies
#20 Madison Capitols
#22 Belle Tire
#37 San Jose Jr. Sharks
CLICK HERE to access Mission Girls Showcase schedules, scores, stats and standings
The annual Waterloo Gold Puck for U16 and U18 Ontario Boys AAA teams got underway the morning of Friday, Dec. 12, and concludes Sunday, Dec. 14. There are a total of 36 teams competing, with games being played at Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, Albert McCormick Community Centre and the RIM Park Optimist, Lions and Pillers rinks.
All tournament games should be available for live and on-demand streaming via LiveBarn.
Each age group is divided equally into two pools, the Lorentz Pool and the Martin Pool. Teams will be seeded after four preliminary-round games, with the top two finishers in each pool advancing to Sunday morning’s semifinals. The championship games will be played Sunday afternoon at RIM-Pillers, with the 18U game starting at 2:30 p.m. EST and the 16U contest beginning at 4:30 p.m. EST.
Waterloo Gold Puck U16 Division
There are 16 teams divided into two pools of eight competing in the Gold Puck 16U Division. Five 16U teams are ranked among the Ontario Boys AAA top 40, according to MHR’s Week 12 rankings.
Here are the top U16 participating teams:
#20 Eastern Ontario Wild
#28 Oakville Rangers
#33 Waterloo Wolves
#37 Kitchener Jr. Rangers
#40 Toronto Titans
$44 North Shore Whitecaps
#46 Halton Hurricanes
#47 Too Jr. Greyhounds
#48 (CAN Prep) BioSteel Hockey Academy
#48 Cambridge Hawks
#49 North Central Predators
#50 Chatham-Kent Cyclones
CLICK HERE for Gold Puck U16 scores and schedules
CLICK HERE for Gold Puck U16 standings
CLICK HERE for the Gold Puck U16 Playoff Bracket
Waterloo Gold Puck U18 Division
The Gold Puck U18 Division features a total of 20 teams divided into a pair of 10-team pools. It includes Ontario’s second- and third-ranked U18 AAA teams, and a total of three teams are in the provincial top 10 and nine fall among the top 30, according to the Week 12 MHUR U18 AAA Boys Rankings. In addition, the U18 field includes the No. 19 Canadian Prep team.
Here are the top U18 participating teams:
#2 Waterloo Wolves
#3 Toronto Titans
#7 Ottawa Myers Automotive
#16 Niagara North Stars
#17 North Bay Trappers
#19 (CAN Prep) BioSteel Hockey Academy
#25 Kitchener Jr. Rangers
#26 Halton Hurricanes
#28 Ottawa Jr. 67s
#30 Quinte Red Devils
#32 Grey-Bruce Highlanders
#33 Central Ontario Wolves
#38 Canadian International Hockey Academy
CLICK HERE for Gold Puck U18 scores and schedules
CLICK HERE for Gold Puck U18 standings
CLICK HERE for the Gold Puck U18 Playoff Bracket
