The 17th annual North American Hockey League (NAHL) Showcase takes place, September 18-22, 2019, at the Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.

All North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) 18U, 16U and 15U squads will play four games at this opening league showcase.

The 26 NAHL Junior A teams will play either three and four regular-season games at the event, which is one of hockey's most prominent and popular showcases of the entire season and has earned the moniker the 'Greatest Show on Ice.

“The NAHL Showcase is the Greatest Show on Ice and truly representative of why the NAHL is the League of Opportunity. Our mission each season is to continue to set the bar higher and higher and the 2019 NAHL Showcase will be no different. There is simply no other event like this that brings together the number of scouts that we see during the five days and we look forward to seeing a new crop of players and talent showcase their skills,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld.

One of the things the NAHL does better than any other junior league is seeing their players earn an NCAA opportunity while playing and being showcased in the NAHL. A record number of 350 players made NCAA commitments during the 2018-19 season, with 231 (66%) of those being NCAA Division I commitments.

The NAHL Showcase plays a big role in that success, with dozens of players each season earning an NCAA Division I opportunity during and following their participation in the event.

In addition to all 26 NAHL teams playing in the event, the United States National Team Development Program (NTDP) of the United States Hockey League (USHL) will be playing in the event in two exhibition games against the Odessa Jackalopes on Friday, September 20th and the Amarillo Bulls on Saturday, September 21st. 

The NAHL Showcase attracts over 9,000 people in overall attendance, including more than 330 professional, college and junior scouts.  For scouting purposes, the NAHL Showcase is the premier event of its kind and is a yearly gathering for every NCAA program and NHL team as they get their first look at some of the best and brightest hockey talent North America has to offer. For more information on the NAHL Showcase including schedule, ticket prices, hotels, rental cars and arena information, visit www.nahl.com/showcase

The Super Rink is the largest ice arena of its kind in the world. The state-of-the-art facility, a $21 million project totaling over 300,000 square feet, features eight sheets of ice under one roof. With all its varied amenities and services, the Super Rink is absolutely unique in the world of ice sport facilities.

All NAPHL Showcase games will be broadcast live and in HD through HockeyTV, the official broadcast provider of the NAPHL.

The showcase, which serves as the first event of the season for the NAPHL, is entering its 11th season as the opening event for the NAPHL calendar. 

For the 2019-20 season, Esmark's three midget teams will participate in the NAPHL'S High Performance Division.

The schedule at the opening NAPHL Showcase for the U18 Stars, who come into the event with a 3-0-1-0 overall record:
Thursday, Sept. 19, 1:15 p.m., vs Michigan Hockey Advancement
Friday, Sept. 20, 5:00 p.m., vs Minnesota Magicians Elite
Saturday, Sept. 21, 1:00 p.m., vs Compuware
Sunday, Sept. 22, 11:00 a.m., vs Nashville Jr Predators

The schedule at the opening NAPHL Showcase for the U16 Stars, who come into the event with a 2-0-0-0 overall record:
Thursday, Sept. 19, 9:00 a.m., vs Chicago Young Americans
Friday, Sept. 20, 10:00 a.m., vs Tri-State Spartans
Saturday, Sept. 21, 5:15 p.m., vs Minnesota Moose
Sunday, Sept. 22 11:00 a.m., vs Sioux Falls Power

The league schedule will see the 18U and 16U Stars teams at four regular season events (Showcase I, Blaine, MN, Sept. 19 -22, 2019; Showcase II, Attleboro, MA, Oct. 4-6, 2019; Showcase III, Frisco, TX, Nov. 15-18, 2018; Showcase IV, Blaine, MN, Jan. 17-20, 2020), plus the NAPHL Dixon Cup Playoffs, Troy, MI, Feb. 14-16, 2020.

In addition to the Esmark Stars U18 squad, the NAPHL 18U High Performance Division, includes: CarShield AAA (St. Louis, MO); Everett Silvertips Elite (Everett, WA); Madison Capitols (Madison, WI); Meijer AAA (Lansing, MI); Sioux Falls Power (Sioux Falls, SD).

In addition to the Esmark Stars U16 squad, the NAPHL 16U High Performance Division, includes: CarShield AAA (St. Louis, MO); Everett Silvertips Elite (Everett, WA); Gentry Galaxy (Vadnais Heights, MN); Madison Capitols (Madison, WI); Meijer AAA (Lansing, MI); and Sioux Falls Power (Sioux Falls, SD).

The schedule at the opening NAPHL Showcase for the U15 Stars, who come into the event with a 2-3-2-0 overall record:
Thursday, Sept. 19, 11:00 a.m., vs Meijer AAA
Friday, Sept. 20, 8:00 a.m., vs Michigan Hockey Advancement
Saturday, Sept. 21, 7:00 a.m., vs Team Alaska
Saturday, Sept. 21, 3:00 p.m., vs Sioux Falls Power
Sunday, Sept. 22, 7:00 a.m., vs Minnesota Green Giants

The U15 Stars will play at three NAPHL league events (Showcase I, Blaine, MN, Sept. 19 -22, 2019; Showcase III, Frisco, TX, Nov. 15-18, 2018; Showcase IV, Blaine, MN, Jan. 17-20, 2020), plus the NAPHL Dixon Cup Playoffs, Troy, MI, Feb. 14-16, 2020

In addition to the Esmark Stars U15 squad, the NAPHL 15U High Performance Division, includes: Arizona Bobcats, (Phoenix, AZ); CarShield AAA (St. Louis, MO); Colorado Springs Tigers (Colorado Springs, CO); Everett Silvertips Elite (Everett, WA); Florida Hockey Alliance, (Estero, FL); Meijer AAA (Lansing, MI); Sioux Falls Power (Sioux Falls, SD); and Thunder Bay Kings (Thunder Bay, ONT).