This is always one of my favorite hockey weeks of the year because it's time for the NAHL Showcase Tournament, which has got to be one of the best, and now getting to be one of the biggest hockey tournaments out there. This will be my fifth year heading to the Schwan's SuperRink in Blaine, Minnesota and writing about the tournament here.
I know I make this comment every year, but it's remarkable how this tournament has changed over time. When I first went to this tournament in 2006, the four-sheet arena was capable of handling the league's 17 teams and a six-team Midget Major tournament. Now, the SuperRink has 8 sheets of ice, and the tournament has had to expand to other sheets of ice in the area to accommodate the league's 26 teams, and the 60 different youth teams that will be playing in the tournament.
Speaking of the NAHL's 26 teams, it was a pretty crazy summer for the league. There's going to be 11 different team names in this year's program that weren't in last year's program, thanks to expansion and a couple teams moving around. Luckily, you can find the roster for every team on this page.
Posting may be light this week, but I should have a ton of great stuff from this tournament for the following week. This is one of the best chances to see players from all around the country, and a great way to really kick off the hockey season.