NAHL 2015-2016 Thread

[Captain Crash]

I see some of the other leagues have a season thread, so why not our country's only Tier II league?

2015-2016 should be an interesting year following a busy off-season. As a recap, the NAHL finally made a jump on the long rumored Eastern migration. The new east division is anchored by the steady presence of the returning Johnstown Tomahawks and they are joined by three new locations. Rio Grande Valley has moved to the Philadelphia suburbs as the Aston Rebels, a previously inactive franchise from Dawson Creek has set up shop in Wilkes-Barre, Pa as a higher level incarnation of the Knights, and the Soo Eagles franchise has made its way to New Jersey to become the Titans. There's some rumors of interest in future locales like Lewiston, Maine, but for 15-16 these four will be the great eastern experiment.

The other divisions are looking pretty full to help keep travel down, with Wenatchee departing for the BCHL. The exception is the pair of Alaska teams that present travel issues.

USHL teams will be cutting their rosters down soon, so there may be some talent trickling to the NAHL in the coming days. I'm personally most curious about Austin Lemieux, the son of the legendary Mario. Could we see 66 on the ice in Johnstown?

Click to read more...

 

[doncherrysgrill]

Only issue I have with the new Eastern division is that the teams pretty much only play each other...going down the Titans schedule (closest team to me) they have two separate stretches of 22 games where they only play within their division. I get it, but will we actually know how good those teams are in April? 48 games against the same 3 teams, 12 games against others (8/12 against Kenai and Fairbanks)

 

[ATLhockey437]

Runners baby! Gonna be another entertaining season in the South Division this year.

 

[Captain Crash]

Only issue I have with the new Eastern division is that the teams pretty much only play each other...going down the Titans schedule (closest team to me) they have two separate stretches of 22 games where they only play within their division. I get it, but will we actually know how good those teams are in April? 48 games against the same 3 teams, 12 games against others (8/12 against Kenai and Fairbanks)

I was a little surprised myself when the schedule came out. I was expecting it to be division heavy, but not by that much. It's not like the Tomahawks hadn't been hanging in there with trips to Illinois and Wisconsin before. But I guess this is their reward for being good soldiers until the East expands further. In some ways I think this season is either a preview or a test for the NAHL on the east coast-- either they already know where they're headed next, or they're waiting to see how it pans out before looking further.

I'll probably get out at least to Aston for a game in addition to Johnstown which is my closest. I'm gonna miss having Keystone this season.

 

[Captain Crash]

Runners baby! Gonna be another entertaining season in the South Division this year.

Very happy that things worked out for Topeka in the end! Never a good feeling to lose your local team. Keystone was the closest for me so this season is a bit of a bummer.

Now hopefully Topeka can get some closer teams than the Texas division. Speaking of which, that's usually a pretty tough division, so good luck to your boys on the ice this year.

 

[doncherrysgrill]

I was a little surprised myself when the schedule came out. I was expecting it to be division heavy, but not by that much. It's not like the Tomahawks hadn't been hanging in there with trips to Illinois and Wisconsin before. But I guess this is their reward for being good soldiers until the East expands further. In some ways I think this season is either a preview or a test for the NAHL on the east coast-- either they already know where they're headed next, or they're waiting to see how it pans out before looking further.

I'll probably get out at least to Aston for a game in addition to Johnstown which is my closest. I'm gonna miss having Keystone this season.

Don't get me wrong, I'll be down to catch the Titans play a few games, especially when the Alaska teams are here. Just not too sure if you can get a good read on the level of the division if they're not playing anyone. All the rumors have Brooklyn, New Hampshire, Maine as the next dominoes to fall.

 

[Captain Crash]

Don't get me wrong, I'll be down to catch the Titans play a few games, especially when the Alaska teams are here. Just not too sure if you can get a good read on the level of the division if they're not playing anyone. All the rumors have Brooklyn, New Hampshire, Maine as the next dominoes to fall.

Yeah, that's a good point-- it's going to be tough to get a feel for the league's level of play rather than just the division. Playoffs could be pretty disparate.

If those 3 join in, that would be fantastic. I hope they consider giving Jamestown, NY another shot, too. Looking at the longer term, I wonder if moving slightly south of the current East teams might be tenable. There are some tempting empty arenas in places like Richmond and Roanoke VA and Huntington WV.

 

[Captain Crash]

2015-16 NAHL rosters posted online

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has posted the rosters for the 2015-16 season for all 22 teams. Each NAHL team listed up to 25 players on a protected list that was turned into USA Hockey on September 1st. NAHL teams may roster up to 25 players until October 1st when the protected list rosters have to be cut down to 23.
The 40th NAHL regular season begins on Friday, September 11th.

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=15269

 

[Captain Crash]

An interesting note from Johnstown's preseason schedule: next week, the Tomawks will be hosting an alternate site game against the Rebels.

The Tomahawks will visit their new division rivals, the Aston Rebels, on Sept. 11 before hosting the Rebels at Kirk Nevin Ice Arena in Greensburg Sept. 12. The Sept. 12 game will begin at 7 p.m. and will double as a fundraiser for the Westmoreland Hockey Association. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door or through Westmoreland Eagles players.

http://johnstowntomahawks.pointstreaksites.com/view/johnstowntomahawks/press-box-11/news/news_320860

Interesting choice. I've never been to this 'arena' in Greensburg and can't find anything about it online. I wonder what the capacity is. If the venue can meet league standards, Greensburg would make a FANTASTIC location for the NAHL to get into. It certainly would fair better than Keystone did. I just may have to get out there for this one and check in on how it goes!

 

[Starsfan24]

Very happy that things worked out for Topeka in the end! Never a good feeling to lose your local team. Keystone was the closest for me so this season is a bit of a bummer.

Now hopefully Topeka can get some closer teams than the Texas division. Speaking of which, that's usually a pretty tough division, so good luck to your boys on the ice this year.

I miss my Tornado.

 

[Captain Crash]

The regular season is now underway! A few teams jumped in last weekend and this weekend will see the rest of the league in the fray, including the new east division.

Has anyone caught a game yet? Thoughts and observations?

 

[JungleJON]

The Tomahawks did this because the Cambria County War Memorial is unavailable due to being remolded for the NHL pre-season game between the Penguins and Lighting next week. This due to Johnstown winning the title as Hockeyville USA.
Bobby Hull will be in town for the festivites as well as many former Johnstown hockey players.

 

[Silentjury]

Excited to attend the NAHL Showcase event this week. Always my favorite tournament of the year. Will post some reports of players and teams who stood out.

 

[doncherrysgrill]

Made the trip down to Titans vs Rebels opening night. Sat in NYC traffic for 3 hours (dumb of me to leave when I did) but got there with some time to spare and really had a good time. Two strong teams, Rebels won but game could have probably went either way. Good draw too. Exciting to have this league out here!

 

[Captain Crash]

The Tomahawks did this because the Cambria County War Memorial is unavailable due to being remolded for the NHL pre-season game between the Penguins and Lighting next week. This due to Johnstown winning the title as Hockeyville USA.
Bobby Hull will be in town for the festivites as well as many former Johnstown hockey players.

Thanks for the info. I figured there was a reason why they moved it there and didn't even think about the Hockeytown stuff.

I was unable to make it, but after seeing pictures from the event, it looked like a pretty small venue. Thus dashes my hopes of another NAHL team in the area, which is a bummer because I think Greensburg would be a pretty ideal location.

 

[Captain Crash]

Excited to attend the NAHL Showcase event this week. Always my favorite tournament of the year. Will post some reports of players and teams who stood out.

One of these years I'd love to make it out to that event. Very jealous. I'll certainly be looking forward to your reports--- especially for my Tomahawks!

 

[Captain Crash]

Made the trip down to Titans vs Rebels opening night. Sat in NYC traffic for 3 hours (dumb of me to leave when I did) but got there with some time to spare and really had a good time. Two strong teams, Rebels won but game could have probably went either way. Good draw too. Exciting to have this league out here!

Really great to hear! When the league first landed in Western Pa, I was beyond impressed. Hopefully more and more east coasters will give it a chance. Any particular players on either team stand out for you?

 

[Silentjury]

Day 1 of the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, MN.

Minnesota Magicians: 3
Kenai River Brown Bears: 2

Kenai River came out flying in the first period. Led by Jack Gessert, who by my count had six hits in the first period along with a boarding penalty, the Bears took it to the Magicians, winning battles along the boards and looking to make any hit in the open ice when a Minnesota player got the puck. Unfortunately for the Bears, the Magicians woke up in the second period and gradually took the game over as it went along, scoring three unanswered goals to win the game.

Players who stood out:

Jack Gessert (Kenai River): As mentioned, he was quite physical and chipped in a goal and an assist. His goal came from a wrister at the top of the slot on the power play. Was really the only Kenai River forward who had an impact.

Taylor Brierley (Minnesota): I think he was the best player on the ice. He's not the biggest defenseman but plays in the vein of Brian Campbell with his ability to find the open man quickly and move it out of the zone in a smooth and calm manner. His lack of size was exposed when defending in front of his own net.

Johnny Panvica (Minnesota): Scored a goal by finding a soft spot in the coverage and putting it in the top shelf. Cycles the puck well.

Travis Brown (Minnesota): This Michigan Tech commit was noticeable in all the bad ways. Appeared to be trying to do too much with a number of turnovers when trying to instigate a rush. Did score the game winning goal on the power play, however it was on a weak wrister that the Kenai River goalie should have saved.



Game Two:
Johnstown Tomahawks: 2
Corpus Christi Ice Rays: 1

This game started out slow with both teams trying to feel each other out. Johnstown held most of the play in the second period but Corpus Christi would have a nice opportunity only to be stopped by Johnstown goalie Jake Gwillim, who had to make a number of quality saves in the third period. He had a shutout going until the Tomahawks took a couple of ticky tacky penalties late in the game, giving Corpus Christi a 6-on-3 which they took advantage of, scoring a goal but not ended up falling short.

Players who stood out:

Alex Alger (Johnstown): This Miami University (OH) commit did not show up on the tally sheet but he played a strong game defensively and won a number of important faceoffs.

Casey Linkenheld (Johnstown): It's easy to see why this forward was recruited by Bowling Green as he is a strong power forward, winning battles along the boards. He is confident with the puck making smart entries into the zone and dumps the puck in when he has nothing to work with. He drew a tripping penalty with his attack on the rush.

Steve Bryant (Corpus Christi): He had a couple of nice scoring that he couldn't capitalize on but was a noticeable presence throughout the game.

Jake Gwillim (Johnstown): As mentioned before, he made a number of key saves. I have a hard time believing he is 6-3 as the program suggests, but he squares up to the puck nicely. Not the strongest at moving laterally but his positioning and anticipation help him out in that regard.


Will have more reports tomorrow as I will be able to attend more games.

 

[Silentjury]

Day 2 of the NAHL Showcase

Odessa: 3
Janesville: 2

Janesville started out quite strong in this game, establishing a consistent forecheck and when Odessa did get in the puck in Janesville's zone it was one and done, thanks in no small part to Odessa's forwards trying to do too much on their own and not utilizing each other. The third period was quite exciting with each side trading quality scoring chances and getting quite chippy with each other. Unfortunately, Odessa's game winning breakaway goal came as a result of a missed hooking call that forced a Jets defender to fall and lose control of the puck at their point in the offensive zone.

Players who stood out:

Daniel Kiraly (Odessa): Smooth skating mobile defenseman who is not afraid to jump into the play and initiate rushes into the offensive zone. Scored a goal with a nice shot on the far side at the top of the slot.

Zach Solow (Janesville): One of the youngest players in the league, Solow is strong on the puck for someone his size. Always has his head up looking to find the open man.

Martin Sundberg (Janesville): This big Swede had a breakway goal that was set up quite nicely by an outless pass from teammate and fellow Swede Nils Rygaard. Decent shot and plays a simple game as he doesn't have the greatest puck handling skills.


Johnstown: 4
Brookings: 0

I watched this game when the Janesville-Odessa game was in intermission. Quite surprised to see how anemic Brookings looked. They couldn't generate inside the slot which credit has to go to Johnstown's defensive coverage. Goalie Nick DeSimone gained the shutout. In my viewings he did not get tested much but made the saves when they needed to be made.

Players who stood out:

Alex Alger (Johnstown): My second viewing of the player in two days and continued to impress. Made a great block on the penalty skill. Did miss a point blank shot in front of the net but he positioned himself quite well to give him the opportunity.

Austin Heakins (Johnstown): Before scoring his goal, he and his linemates created several quality scoring chances with terrific cycling of the puck. Used his body well to ward off the defender to give him a proper angle to shoot the puck past the goalie.


I also attended several NAPHL games and will share some brief thoughts on players who stood out.

Jacob Brown (Thunder Bay Kings 18U): This kid is pure offense. Scored two goals all thanks to his tremendous speed. A couple of nice outlet passes that generate some nice rushes.

Juanre Naude (Pursuit of Excellence 18U): Great forechecking led to opponent coughing up puck and letting Naude set up a teammate for a goal. One of the better playmakers I have seen these two days.

Jhuwon Davis (Compuware 18U): Had a nice give and go that he almost capitalized on. Might be even faster than the aforementioned Jacob Brown. Hope to see him play more this weekend.

Josh Morrison (San Diego Gulls 18U): Mobile defenseman on a mediocre team, however his coast to coast rushes are worth watching.

 

[Captain Crash]

Day 2 of the NAHL Showcase

...

Johnstown: 4
Brookings: 0

I watched this game when the Janesville-Odessa game was in intermission. Quite surprised to see how anemic Brookings looked. They couldn't generate inside the slot which credit has to go to Johnstown's defensive coverage. Goalie Nick DeSimone gained the shutout. In my viewings he did not get tested much but made the saves when they needed to be made.

Players who stood out:

Alex Alger (Johnstown): My second viewing of the player in two days and continued to impress. Made a great block on the penalty skill. Did miss a point blank shot in front of the net but he positioned himself quite well to give him the opportunity.

Austin Heakins (Johnstown): Before scoring his goal, he and his linemates created several quality scoring chances with terrific cycling of the puck. Used his body well to ward off the defender to give him a proper angle to shoot the puck past the goalie.

...

Thanks so much for the updates! This is really helpful, as I haven't had a chance to see Johnstown in action myself yet this year. They're certainly off to a good start. Do they look like they are legitimately as good as their record indicates? We all know that often times early in the season teams can look a lot better or worse than their record shows.

 

[Silentjury]

Thanks so much for the updates! This is really helpful, as I haven't had a chance to see Johnstown in action myself yet this year. They're certainly off to a good start. Do they look like they are legitimately as good as their record indicates? We all know that often times early in the season teams can look a lot better or worse than their record shows.

Like you said it's early but given that I have seen a good number of teams these past few days I think they are a good team. I think they have one of the top lines of the league with Linkenheld and Alger being the one-two punch. Was unable to stay for the entirety of tonight's game but they looked good in the first period. A number of pro scouts were in attendance.

Day 3 of the Showcase

Brookings: 4
Wilkes-Barre: 2

What a day a difference makes. Considering how lethargic Brookings looked yesterday, they certainly turned things around against Wilkes-Barre. Defenseman TJ Samec led the way for Brookings, especially on the power play with a goal and an assist. Wilkes-Barre put themselves in a bad position with several bad penalties in the first period and couldn't dig themselves out of the deficit after the first period.

Below are some players who stood out to me in the other games I attended, mostly NAPHL games:

Dan Sokolka (Honeybaked 18U): This kid was all over the place. He has such an active stick, disrupting plays and then turning them quickly into offensive rushes. Great chemistry with linemate Fedor Gusynin who chipped in a goal and was impressive himself.

Bronson Moore (Wenatchee 18U): Didn't see him play the entire game, but he made a lot of quality saves in the third period, including two breakaway stops.

Hayden Givens (Wenatchee 18U): Has very good instincts and knows to hold onto the puck and wait for the right angle. Scored a dirty goal off a rebound near the crease.

Corbin Kaczperski (Lone Star): Another good goalie performance as he withstood the pressure that the Minnesota Wilderness put up in the third period.

Jack Rudin (Compuware 16U): Very electric. His blazing speed allowed him to score two breakaway goals.

 

[Silentjury]

Day 4 of the NAHL Showcase

Minot: 5
Corpus Christi: 1

A closer game than the score indicated. Corpus Christi had their chances but Minot goalie Jon Flanke came up big with quality saves. Johnny Walker chipped in two goals in the third period to help Minot pull away.

Coulee Region: 4
Bismarck: 2

Coulee Region goalie Hunter Vorva had a tremendous game with 32 saves on 34 shots. Bismarck was relentless on the forecheck and had plenty of opportunities on the power play but couldn't take advantage. I imagine that Bismarck will work on the power play this week during practice as they looked hapless as the game wore on.

Fairbanks and New Jersey came away from the showcase with an undefeated record. Didn't see Fairbanks at all but only saw New Jersey for a few minutes so I am unable to provide much commentary regarding those two teams.

All in all, I had another great time at the showcase. Props to the NAHL for putting on a quality tournament that showcases some young talent on the rise.

 

[Captain Crash]

Looks like the silly season is starting in the NAHL already! Bossier-Shreveport is already confirmed to be joining the NAHL next season (2016-2017), taking on the old Mudbugs name. Can't find any confirmation anywhere of exactly where the franchise is coming from-- expansion, reactivation of a dormant franchise, or relocation?

Regardless, welcome to the league, Louisiana!

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/stor...y-mudbugs-hockey-returns-shreveport/74380926/

 

[ECS Scout]

Well, you have a lot of Dormant Franchises to Relocate..All depends on who is selling and the price they are asking....I know the Scranton/WB franchise was the old Dawson Creek Rage (BC) team. And the NJ Titans were the old Soo Eagles (ex-Traverse City N Stars)

There were a few franchises that have not been sold: Jamestown Ironmen, Keystone Ice Miners, Michigan Warriors....
Michigan was rumored to be moving to Brooklyn, until that fell through and a Pittsburgh Investor wanted to purchase the Rink and the Keystone Franchise, but again, didn't happen......I'm sure one of these franchise holders would love to sell and move the team to Louisiana...

Looks like the silly season is starting in the NAHL already! Bossier-Shreveport is already confirmed to be joining the NAHL next season (2016-2017), taking on the old Mudbugs name. Can't find any confirmation anywhere of exactly where the franchise is coming from-- expansion, reactivation of a dormant franchise, or relocation?

Regardless, welcome to the league, Louisiana!

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/stor...y-mudbugs-hockey-returns-shreveport/74380926/

 

[Captain Crash]

Let's Play Hockey reported on Twitter today that Eau Claire, WI is looking like a go for the NAHL next season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A preliminary agreement has been made to put a new NAHL team at Hobbs Municipal Ice Center in Eau Claire, WI. (1/2)</p>&mdash; Let's Play Hockey (@LetsPlay_Hockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/LetsPlay_Hockey/status/664120043915968513">November 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mnwild?src=hash">#mnwild</a> D Ryan Suter &amp; former <a href="https://twitter.com/BadgerMHockey">@BadgerMHockey</a> F Tom Sagissor would be the lead investors for the new NAHL team in Eau Claire, if approved.</p>&mdash; Let's Play Hockey (@LetsPlay_Hockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/LetsPlay_Hockey/status/664120093526196224">November 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
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