NA3HL announces new and additional development and exposure initiatives
September 25, 2018
As the NA3HL embarks on its ninth season, the league is pleased to announce some additional and enhanced initiatives in cooperation with the North American Hockey League (NAHL) to continue their great track record of player advancement.
The bottom line is when it comes to player advancement the NA3HL is a step above the rest. The fact remains that when it comes to Tier III junior leagues, no other league has had more movement and advanced more players onto play in the NAHL than the NA3HL. The NA3HL is only one of two USA Hockey-certified Tier III junior hockey leagues in the United States.
Through the NAHL's vast resources for development and exposure, the NA3HL provides a worthy path for players to grow, on and off the ice, while being showcased in front of the entire junior, college and professional scouting community.
The NA3HL continues to make their mark in advancement of players to the NAHL in 2018-19. To start the season 40 NA3HL alumni were listed on NAHL rosters. In addition, a total of 51 former NA3HL players played in the NAHL during the 2017-18 regular season. The NA3HL is also the only league that has an exclusive NAHL tendering system available only to NA3HL players.
The NA3HL also saw over 150+ college commitments in 2017-18, with almost 70% of those being NCAA commitments.
“Each year, NA3HL players earn more and more opportunity to advance on to the NAHL and no other Tier III league in the country sends more players on to the NAHL than the NA3HL. These new steps we are taking will only increase those numbers and provide an additional development path and enhanced experience for those players in the NA3HL,” said NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld. “The NA3HL enjoys all the same events that the NAHL does and has great owners and coaches. We all share in the common mission of creating an enhanced level of play and competition that is focused on a player’s development and advancement.”
As part of the enhanced initiatives all 24 NAHL teams will engage and work in cooperation with NA3HL teams for increased access to players, including allowing NA3HL players to practice with NAHL teams during the 2018-19 season. NA3HL players not only get the valuable experience of practicing with NAHL teams, but will also benefit from the following incentives:
• No trade restrictions between NAHL and NA3HL teams.
• Opportunity to be added as one of two players on NAHL rosters on February 10th deadline for the remainder of the season.
• USA Hockey-Certified coaches, officials, and a Department of Player Safety that makes for the safest environment to develop as a Tier III player.
• NAHL Central Scouting is solely dedicated to finding NA3HL hockey players, evaluating them in a true unbiased manner and then organizing and providing that information to NAHL teams. No other junior league in the United States has a system like it, where its primary mission is the advancement of players.
• Implementation of a tender and draft system to help get NA3HL players opportunity to advance.
• Exclusive partnerships with equipment partners Bauer and Vaughn.
• Daily news and player recognition on NA3HL social media outlets, videos, and NA3HL.com,
• Unparalleled exposure league-wide events like the NA3HL Showcase in December, the NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament in February and the Fraser Cup Championship in late March.
