Weekend Preview: Action Includes the Greatest Show on Ice, MN Blades Showcase, NE Pack 16/18U Openers & Canadian Crown U18
It’s already that time of year; the Greatest Show on Ice is back as hundreds of college and professional scouts head to the State of Hockey to observe some of the top youth hockey players in the United States.
Actually, the North American Hockey League Showcase got underway Wednesday, Sept. 24, as all 34 Tier 2 NAHL teams converged on the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn., for a weekend of regular-season games. USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program U17 Team also is participating.
The showcase features 13 games per day Sept. 24-27, with each NAHL team playing three regular-season contests. All games can be viewed live and on demand at NAHLTV.com.
The North American Hockey League is the lone USA Hockey-sanctioned tuition-free Tier 2 junior (20U) league in the United States. It includes 34 teams spread among four geographically organized divisions, with teams located in Maine to the north, Louisiana to the south and Alaska to the west. There also are member clubs in Texas, Colorado and spread throughout the Great Plains and other parts of the Midwest.
The NAHL is one of the top developmental junior leagues in North America, with more than 420 players who were on team rosters last season committing to play NCAA Hockey.
The NAHL also is affiliated with with the “pay-to-play” North American Tier 3 Hockey League (NA3HL) as well as the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL), an in-season youth showcase league that is comprised of 14U, 15O, 16U and 18U Tier 1 and Tier 2 Boys Teams from all over the United States.
To take advantage of the nearly 400 college and pro scouts in Blaine during the showcase, the NAPHL also is holding one of its events there in conjunction with the NAHL Showcase from Thursday, Sept. 25, through Sunday Sept. 28.
The NAPHL is divided into three leagues: the T1ER, which is comprised only of USA Boys Tier 1 teams; the SHOW, which includes Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams; and the Fall League, which offers games in September and October.
Tier 1 USA Boys teams that compete in the NAPHL T1ER League are in Blaine for this showcase weekend, with more than 90 member and guest teams ages 14-18 competing.
Now in its 17th year, the NAPHL has established itself as one of the nation’s premier opportunities for player development and exposure. Nearly 100 players with NAPHL ties were drafted or tendered by NAHL clubs in 2023, with 79 more drafted into the NA3HL. The league produced 24 United States Hockey League draft picks and boasted more than 200 alumni in the NAHL, more than 160 in the NA3HL and more than 40 in the USHL. Since 2020, no other USA Tier 1 league has seen more players advance to the NAHL.
With all 34 NAHL teams in Minnesota for the league showcase this week, holding the NAPHL T1ER League event concurrently at the same venue in Blaine provides a unique exposure opportunity for the league’s players.
There are even more opportunities for junior, college and pro scouts in Minnesota to see top boys players Sept. 25-28 as the Minnesota Blades also are holding their annual showcase for Tier 1 USA Boys teams in the same age groups about 20 miles away from Blane in the Minneapolis area.
There also are two 13O teams - Team Wisconsin and the Colorado Thunderbirds - competing in the Minnesota Blades Invitational Showcase, which features nearly 40 teams competing across the five age levels. Some traditional top U.S. youth programs are sending teams at the event, including the Chicago Mission, Chicago Reapers, Northstar Academy, HoneyBaked, St. Louis AAA Blues, Team Wisconsin, Team Illinois and the Los Angeles Jr. Kings.
More top USA Boys Tier 1 16U and 18U Teams will be competing in the Northeast Pack’s second regular-season weekend of the year Sept. 26-28 in Rhode Island.
The NE Pack is a weekend showcase-based league that includes six traditional United States Tier 1 Boys powerhouse programs from the Northeast along with Michigan-based Little Caesars, which has joined at the 18U level for the 2025-26 season. There are six NE Pack regular-season weekends held at various Northeast locations that make up the regular season, with playoffs held in Utica, N.Y., in February.
Finally, some of Western Canada’s top AAA Boys teams will participate in the annual U18 Canadian Crown Tournament Sept. 25-28.
The Canadian Crown is hosted in Devon, Alberta, by the Northern Alberta Xtreme, traditionally one of the top programs in the Canadian School Sport Hockey League (CSSHL). It includes eight teams placed into two pools, with NAX’s CSSHL rivals from Calgary International Hockey Academy competing against teams from top Alberta and Saskatchewan programs such as the Edmonton Jr. Oilers, the Red Deer Chiefs, Fort Saskatchewan Rangers and Lloydminster Lancers as well as the Vancouver North West Haws from British Columbia.
Play got underway in the NAPHL T1ER showcase bright and early Thursday, Sept. 25. Games in the 18U and 16U divisions are being played at the National Sports Center, while 15O teams are playing at NSC and Fogerty Arena and six different rinks are hosting the 14U group.
More than 90 teams are competing in the four age groups, and all games can be viewed live and on-demand via NAHLTV.com.
NAPHL T1ER 14U Division
Games in the 14U Division are being played at six different Minnesota rinks. There are 16 teams participating at the 14U level.
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 14U schedule & results
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 14U standings
NAPHL T1ER 15O Division
Games in the 15O Division are being played at Fogerty Arena and the National Sports Center in Blaine. There are 14 teams competing in the 15O age group.
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 15O schedule & results
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 15O standings
NAPHL T1ER 16U Division
Games in the 16U Division are being played at the National Sports Center. There are 30 teams competing in the 16U age group.
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 16U schedule & results
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 16U standings
NAPHL T1ER 18U Division
Games in the 18U Division are being played at the National Sports Center. There are 34 teams competing in the 18U age group.
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 18U schedule & results
CLICK HERE for the NAPHL 18U standings
Minnesota Blades Invitational Showcase
Running from Thursday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 28, the Blades Showcase includes nearly 40 USA Boys Tier 1 teams competing at three different ice rinks across five age groups in the Minneapolis area.
Games played at Brooklyn Park Community Center and Richfield Ice Center should be available for live and on-demand viewing via LiveBarn.
There are two 13O teams, six 14U teams, 11 15O teams, 11 16U teams and nine 18U teams participating.
Top USA Boys Tier 1 organizations such as the St. Louis AAA Blues, Chicago Reapers, Chicago Mission, Northstar Academy Knights, Team Wisconsin, Honeybaked, Atlantic Hockey Academy, Anaheim Jr. Ducks, Sioux Falls Power, Minnesota Lakers, Colorado Thunderbirds, Indiana Elite, Los Angeles Jr. Kings, Team Illinois Windy City Storm are represented at various age levels.
CLICK HERE for links to the Blades Showcase schedules, scores, standings & stats
Northeast Pack 16/18U Showcase Weekend
After the NE Pack’s 14U and 15O teams opened play a few weeks ago in Rhode Island, Mount St. Charles also hosts opening weekend for the 16U and 18U sides Sept. 26-28.
The Northeast Pack Hockey League is comprised of six youth hockey organizations from the Northeast and Little Caesars, which joined at the 18U level for 2025-26, from the Midwest. Founded in 2019, the league features seven youth hockey organizations that share a vision for player-focused development and are consistently among the top youth hockey organizations in the country.
Providing exposure and a high level of competition, the NE Pack has enjoyed great success sending players on to compete at the Canadian Major Junior, USHL, NAHL and NCAA levels, and member organizations routinely contend for USA Hockey national championships.
NE Pack 16U Competing Teams
#7 Woodbridge Wolfpack
#21 Mount St. Charles
#16 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
#14 New Jersey Rockets
#10 Bishop Kearney Selects
#47 Mid-Fairfield Rangers
NE Pack 18U Competing Teams
#53 Mount St. Charles
#23 Pittsburgh Penguins Elite
#5 New Jersey Rockets
#42 Bishop Kearney Selects
#32 Little Caesars
Woodbridge Wolfpack
CLICK HERE for the complete NE Pack 16/18U schedule
CLICK HERE for links to all NE Pack schedules, scores, standings & stats
Canadian Crown Prep U18 Tournament
Featuring eight top U18 AAA Boys teams from Western Canada, the Canadian Crown Tournament runs Thursday, Sept. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 28.
The tournament’s first two days feature a full slate of round-robin competition, with all teams playing three times to determine playoff seeding. After two days of round-robin play, the spotlight shifts to the playoffs Saturday, Sept. 27.
Championship and consolation semifinals are set for 5:30, 5:45, 8:00 and 8:15 p.m. ET Saturday, with the Bonze Medal Game scheduled for Sunday at 11;45 a.m. ET, followed by the Gold Medal Game at 2:15 p.m.
Games are being played at the Zender and Fisher arenas in Devon, Alberta, and can be viewed via webstream by CLICKING HERE.
Acropolis Homes Pool
Edmonton Jr. Oilers Orange
Ft. Saskatchewan Rangers
Northern Alberta Xtreme
Red Deer Optimist Chiefs
The Coffee Shop in Deon Pool
Calgary International Hockey Academy
Edmonton Jr. Oilers Blue
Lloydminster Lancers
Vancouver NW Hawks
CLICK HERE for the Canadian Crown Standings
CLICK HERE for the Canadian Crown Schedule
CLICK HERE for Canadian Crown Game Results
CLICK HERE for Canadian Crown Team Rosters & Stats
