Gophers Hockey: Four commits playing in CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game tonight

Four hockey players who have made verbal commitments to the University of Minnesota will be playing in tonight's All-American Prospect Game in Buffalo, New York.

Forward Garrett Wait (Edina/Waterloo - USHL), goalie Ryan Edquist (Lakeville/Madison - USHL), and defensemen Ryan Lindgren (Minneapolis/US U-18 team) and Sam Rossini (Inver Grove Heights/Waterloo) are among the 42 Americans suiting up on one of two teams.

NHL Network is broadcasting the game beginning at 6 p.m. CT.

The All-American Prospect Game is a showcase for players eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft. (Projected #1 overall pick Auston Matthews is not there, having already began his draft season in Switzerland.) It is a rare opportunity for scouts to watch many of the top Americans all in one place. Normally they are spread across North America, participating in different leagues.

Edquist (#30), the only goalie with a college commitment, Wait (#11) and Lindgren (#8) are on Team Plante, coached by former UMD assistant Derek Plante. Rossini (#5) is on Team Roenick, coached by former NHL legend Jeremy Roenick.

Rossini and Lindgren were each on NHL Central Scouting's Futures Watch List for the 2016 NHL Draft. The four commits are in good company. Gopher freshmen forwards Thomas Novak and Brent Gates, Jr. played in last year's edition. Both were drafted.

Four more Minnesotans are also participating, as are six players committed to Big Ten schools. That total includes Wisconsin freshman forward Luke Kunin. He is one three players - BU D Charlie McAvoy and UConn FTage Thompson being the others - in tonight's game who will play college hockey in 2015-16.

For a more in-depth preview, SB Nation College Hockey's Jeff Cox went through both rosters.

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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation mostly covering both the University of Minnesota and Big Ten. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate