Entering its third season, the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) is made up of 48 Midget Major (18), Midget Minor (18) and Bantam Major (12) teams from 19 programs that compete at the Tier I AAA level.
The NAPHL is comprised of five regular-season events leading up to its Championship Tournament Series in which the top teams at each level compete for a league championship.
The dates and sites of this past year's five NAPHL regular-season events were: September 16-19, 2010 (Blaine, Minn.); October 21-24, 2010 (San Jose, Calif.); December 3-6, 2010 (Foxboro, Mass.); January 14-17, 2011 (Troy, Mich.); and January 28-30, 2011 (Darien, Ill.).
The NAPHL Championship Tournament Series was be held from February 18-21, 2011 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich. – home of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program – and Troy Sports Center in Troy, Mich., in conjunction with one of the two SBK Hockey/North American Hockey League (NAHL) Top Prospects Tournaments of the year.
"As a supplement to our regular season AYHL and Met league schedules, our best available 16s and 18s at the time of the league showcase events will see great competition. These events will be another step in helping our players reach thier maximum potential". – George Haviland
The season culminates with the NAPHL Top Prospects Tournament in conjunction with the 2011 NAHL Robertson Cup Championship Tournament, which this year will be hosted by the Topeka RoadRunners.
Since its inaugural season of 2009-10, the NAPHL has established itself as one of the premier grounds for development and exposure. Not only did players receive year-long recognition from the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, some also received scholarships to NCAA Division I schools and many were drafted and tendered by NAHL and United States Hockey League (USHL) teams.
The NAPHL, which is sanctioned by USA Hockey, utilizes the USA Hockey Officiating Development Program and is designed to maximize the exposure of all the Midget and Bantam participants through the NAHL's high-profile recruiting events which attract hundreds of college, junior and professional scouts.
Orchestrated by the NAHL's experienced and professional staff that makes player promotion a priority, the NAPHL provides an organized and competitive experience with an unrivaled scouting presence guaranteed to benefit all of the participating student-athletes and programs.
The teams:
Midget Major (18U)
California Titans
Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Detroit Falcons
Lansing Capitals
New Jersey Jr. Titans
Oakland Grizzlies
Omaha AAA
Orange County Hockey Club
Phoenix Firebirds
Pikes Peak Miners
Pittsburgh Viper Stars
Pursuit of Excellence
San Jose Jr. Sharks
St Louis Selects
Texas Tornado
Thunder Hockey
Wenatchee Wild
West Michigan Hounds
Midget Minor (U16)
California Titans
Carolina Jr. Hurricanes
Detroit Falcons
Lansing Capitals
New Jersey Jr. Titans
Oakland Grizzlies
Omaha AAA
Orange County Hockey Club
Phoenix Firebirds
Pikes Peak Miners
Pittsburgh Viper Stars
Pursuit of Excellence
San Jose Jr. Sharks
St Louis Selects
Texas Tornado
Thunder Hockey
Las Vegas Storm
West Michigan Hounds