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Teams Announced for 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase

By www.mihl.org, 11/11/13, 1:00PM EST

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Teams Announced for 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase

The Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League (MIHL) Selection Committee is proud to announce the 42 teams that have been selected to participate in the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase.  The dates for the 2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase are Thursday, February 6th, Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th.   The MIHL, the City of Trenton and Trenton Public Schools will co-host the Showcase at the Kennedy Ice Arena in Trenton, Michigan.

Making their first appearance at the Showcase will be three Michigan high school teams – Hartland High School (2013 MHSAA Division II State Finalist), Houghton High School (2012 MHSAA Division III State Finalist) and Grand Rapids Christian and the first team from the state of Ohio – St. John Jesuit. According to two of the coaches it is a great opportunity for the teams and the individual players as well.  Corey Markham, Head Coach, stated, “Houghton High is very excited to be part of the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase. This showcase is the premier event for high school hockey in Michigan and will give our players and our program the statewide attention we are looking to achieve. Our players will be able to showcase their talents in front of a large number of scouts over the weekend.  Rick Gadwa is honored to participate in the Showcase, “My staff and I have been working the past couple seasons to really push Hartland High School Hockey and its players to the highest possible level. As a coach you want your players to succeed as hockey players and reach their highest potential. There is no better showcase in the state that can help in the matter.”

The biggest news is that Brighton High School (MHSAA Division I State Champions 2006, 2012 and 2013) is returning to the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase after an absence of three years. Head Coach Paul Moggach explained Brighton High School’s return, “Brighton is returning to the MIHL Showcase knowing that our players and team will experience great competition.  In addition our team hopes to use the competition level to build confidence in our individual abilities and our team play. This is an excellent venue and we appreciate the opportunity.”

 “The selection process is getting more difficult each year as the level of play in Michigan high school hockey advances.  In order to attract the scouting community, which is essential to meeting one of the objectives, we need quality teams and high skill level players participating in the Showcase. These new teams provide that element along with adding to the strong competition and good sportsmanship which are the hallmarks of the Showcase,” explained Todd Johnson, Chairman of the Selection Committee.

Change is nothing new to the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase.  What started out as a two day, two rink, 12 team event in Troy has grown into a three day, three rink, 42 team showcase of the finest talent in high school hockey from Michigan and the surrounding areas.  The Showcase is just not held in Trenton, it is held with the entire Trenton community.  The 2001 Showcase attracted only a few scouts from junior teams – there were over 81 scouts in attendance at the 2013 Showcase.  Every USHL and NAHL team was represented as were several Division III college hockey teams.  Many of the leading Division I college hockey programs in the area had one or two representatives in attendance and there were eight NHL teams with scouts in the house.

Several changes over the years have benefitted the fan experience: free off-site parking made parking less of a challenge experience and alleviated the congestion in the lots at the rink; and online live updates to the scores of each game provides instant results to outstate fans. In 2012, the MIHL Scholarship, which is awarded annually during the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase, was renamed “The David Mannino Scholarship” to honor the 2011 U of D Jesuit 2011 graduate.

The game schedule will be completed in January to insure competitive matchups consistent with the mission of the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase – that is, to have the best teams and the most skilled players showcase their abilities and talents in a two game competitive atmosphere.

MIHL President Andy Weidenbach summed it up, “If we look at where we started and where we are today, the MIHL is very proud of what it has accomplished.  We’ve met our goals as a league and as a co-sponsor of the event.  All teams, players and coaches of high school hockey in Michigan have benefitted.  When it was formed, the mission developed for the MIHL was to promote quality hockey, strong competition and good sportsmanship.  The Showcase is one of the results of that mission.  The MIHL would like to thank all of the schools, coaches, players and supporters who have joined with us to make the MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase what it is today.”

 

2014 MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase

     

MIHL League Members

 

 

Birmingham Brother Rice

 

Orchard Lake St. Mary

Detroit Catholic Central

 

Port Huron Northern

Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook

 

Trenton

Warren De LaSalle

 

U of D Jesuit

Grosse Pointe North

 

Wyandotte

     

At Large Teams

 

 

Brighton

 

Macomb - Dakota

Calumet High School

 

Midland

Culver Military Academy (Indiana)

 

Muskegon Mona Shores

Detroit Country Day

 

Northville

Divine Child

 

Notre Dame Prep (Wisconsin)

Farmington Unified

 

Plymouth

Flint Powers

 

Portage Central

Grand Rapids Catholic Central

 

Rochester U

Grand Rapids Christian

 

St. Johns (OH)

Grosse Pointe South

 

Saginaw Heritage

Hartland

 

Sault Ste. Marie

Hill Academy U18 (Ontario)

 

Traverse City Central

Hill Academy U17 (Ontario)

 

Traverse City West

Houghton

 

University Liggett School

Livonia Stevenson

 

Upper Canada College

Livonia Churchill

 

Utica Eisenhower