Detroit. Nothing quite like Detroit when they receive a snow storm. Well, not so much of a snow storm, more like an inch of snow that grinds traffic to a halt.
But when a three-hour trip turns into a five-hour trip, you are rewarded for your efforts over the next four days.
The annual NAPHL Showcase in Troy Michigan begins today, with thirty-two teams from around the country representing some of the higher end Midget AAA talent available from coast to coast.
Today marks the beginning of the end of the final push when scouting for the Pre Draft Combine. Over the course of the next three months, final evaluations will be done on roughly three thousand previously scouted players from across the United States and Canada. The top three hundred Midget AAA players will be invited to attend the Pre Draft Combine this year.
This annual event, like every other event hosted and organized by the North American Hockey League is considered a “cant miss” event for nearly every scout in the country.
Every year, more and more scouts attend from the NHL, NCAA, USHL, NAHL, and Canadian Junior A teams can be found with their note pads throughout the Troy Sportsplex.
This year it will be no different, as I arrived a day early, it was less than five minutes before I ran into several scouts at the hotel.
Its a grind. Thirteen hours a day for four days. Thats a lot of hockey. There is little doubt that at least one previously unknown player will make a name for himself before the weekend has ended.
Good luck to all who are working toward their Junior and NCAA goals.
Joseph Kolodziej – Publisher
