On February 5th and 6th, the NAHL descended on Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, for the annual Top Prospects Tournament. The 2024 edition was held at The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament draws scouts from nearly every NHL team and NCAA Division I school. The tournament serves as a crucial platform for NHL and NCAA scouts, showcasing top-tier uncommitted players from the NAHL. Six teams participated in the event, four representing their respective divisions.
The four Minot Minotauros players chosen for the Central Division team were Niklas Ketonen, Rylan Jockims, Joel Lehtinen, and captain Trevor Stachowiak.
Minot’s Head Coach and General Manager, Cody Campbell, was also present as Team Central’s head coach, leading them to a 2-0 record. He said about the two-day tournament, “It’s a great opportunity for exposure for the players that are selected and a unique experience for them to represent their division with other players that they are normally competing against.”
Coaching a team for just two games with limited preparation time would be stressful and challenging for any coach. However, Campbell enjoyed coaching his players in a different setting. “It was fun to be on the bench with our guys in that environment. Obviously, during normal games, I’m looking at the bigger picture when it comes to our team’s success. There, it was definitely unique to feel like you are rooting for our individual guys to perform well versus just wanting the team to have success. Our guys performed well out there, and I was glad to be a part of that experience with them.”
For Ketonen, having Campbell as his head coach alleviated some pressure, as his Minot coach is familiar with his playing style and expectations. This familiarity allowed Ketonen to play his usual game without adjustments, as he explained, “It was only a good thing because he knows what kind of player I am and what to expect from me. On the other hand, I knew how he wanted us to play, so I didn’t have to change anything from my normal game.”
Despite scoring only five goals in two contests, Team Central demonstrated cohesion during the tournament. Players who are typically rivals found it memorable to meet and play alongside their divisional competitors. According to Jockims, “The most memorable part of the tournament was getting to meet and play with the guys in our division that we play against on a weekly basis. It was really cool to get to know some of the guys that I’ve played against all year and not always liked on the ice. It changed my perspective of them from getting to know them off the ice.”
The four Tauros players selected for Team Central faced the challenge of minimal rest after a demanding weekend series against the St. Cloud Norsemen. Despite fatigue, they remained optimistic and prepared for the tournament, eager to showcase their skills. Lehtinen expressed his readiness, saying, “I was feeling excited, maybe a little tired because of all the travel, but ready to play some fast-paced and good games,” said the 20-year-old Lehtinen.
Beyond playing for Team Central, the Tauros players proudly represented their organization and the Minot community. With four seasons in Minot, Stachowiak expressed pride in representing such an outstanding organization, stating, “I always enjoy representing such an amazing organization. Playing here for the time I have has meant the world to me, and I am so grateful for all of the relationships I have built as a Tauro. Whether it is my amazing billet, the Carbos, coaching staff, trainer, ownership, front office, or fans. Everything about Minot is first class. The organization has also played a huge part in my development as a player and person. I am forever grateful to call Minot a second home.”
Despite the challenges of fatigue and tight schedules, the Tauros players embraced the opportunity to represent their division, the Tauros, and the Minot community with pride and gratitude in the Top Prospects Tournament. For veterans like Stachowiak, the experience reaffirmed the organization’s excellence and growth on and off the ice.