USA Hockey Releases Protected Lists for the NAHL

USA Hockey has released the protected lists for the North American Hockey League (NAHL). These lists include the names of players who are not eligible to be drafted by another NAHL team.

What is the NAHL?

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is a Tier II junior Ice Hockey league which operates in the United States and Canada. The NAHL is the oldest junior Hockey League in the United States and is headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The league is made up of four divisions: the Central, East, Midwest, and South.

Who is eligible to play in the NAHL?

USA Hockey has announced the protected lists for the North American Hockey League (NAHL) each of the 26 member clubs are required to submit. The lists consist of 20 players that each team is able to protect heading into the 2019-20 season which begins in September.

Players who were tendered by an NAHL club or listed on an NAHL club’s roster at the end of the 18-19 season who played in at least one game during the season, and who have not been drafted or previously committed to an NCAA Division I school are eligible for selection in the 2019 NAHL Entry Draft

The draft order is determined by reversing the final order of finish from the 2018-19 regular season For example, the first overall pick will be held by the team that finished in 26th place during the regular season

Players born in 1999 or later who were not tendered, listed on a club’s roster, played in a game, nor drafted or previously committed to an NCAA Division I school are deemed ‘Phase II’ players and become immediately eligible for selection in the Entry Draft upon commencement of Phase II.

What are the benefits of playing in the NAHL?

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is widely regarded as one of the top Junior hockey leagues in the world. The NAHL provides players from all over North America and Europe with the opportunity to develop their skills and compete at a high level, all while providing them with the chance to earn a college scholarship. Over 280 NHL Draft picks have come from the NAHL in recent years further testament to the league’s high level of play.

How do teams prepare for the NAHL season?

In advance of the 2021 North American Hockey League (NAHL) season, each of the 26 NAHL teams submitted their protected lists consisting of up to 20 skaters and two (2) goaltenders that they wish to retain rights to for the upcoming season

protected lists allow NAHL teams to keep the rights to a maximum of 20 skaters and two (2) goaltenders who played for them during the 2020-21 season. Each team was required to submit their list by Monday, May 31st.

Players who were born in 1999 or later, who played in the NAHL during the 2020-21 season and did not already have Protected Player status or an NAHL tender contract prior to that season, were automatically placed on their team’s Reserve List.

What is the NAHL draft?

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) draft is an annual event in which players who are eligible are selected by NAHL teams.Players become eligible for the draft after they turn 18 years old and have not been drafted or signed by an NHL team The NAHL draft is held in early June, prior to the start of the NHL Entry Draft

NAHL teams are allowed to protect a certain Number of players on their roster prior to the start of the draft. The number of players a team can protect varies, depending on the number of import players (foreign-born players who are not from Canada or the United States) on the team’s roster. Each team is allowed a maximum of two import players per season.

USA Hockey released its protected lists for all 22 NAHL teams on May 18, 2018. The lists include all skaters (forwards and defensemen) and goaltenders who were tendered contracts by their respective teams during the 2017-18 Season as well as any unsigned draft picks from previous years.

What are the rules of the NAHL?

-Each NAHL team is allowed to protect 20 players
-Players who are non- NAHL tendered and drafted by an NHL team are also exempt from the draft
-Any player who played junior hockey outside of North America in the 2016-17 season is not eligible for the draft

What is the NAHL schedule?

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is a USA hockey sanctioned Tier II junior Ice hockey league which operates primarily in the central United States It is the highest level of Junior Hockey in the country. The NAHL schedule typically consists of 60 Regular Season games, spread out over seven months from September to April.

How do teams advance in the NAHL playoffs?

In order to advance to the Robertson Cup playoffs a team must first clinch a spot in the playoffs. To do so, a team can either earn an automatic berth by winning their division, or they can earn a place via the Wild Card spot. The top three seeds in each division automatically qualify for the playoffs, while the two remaining spots are Wild Card spots which are awarded to the next two teams in the standings regardless of division.

If two teams from different divisions finish with identical records and both earn playoff spots, then they will be seeded according to whichever team has earned more points in head-to-head competition. If the teams are still tied after comparing head-to-head records, then it will come down to whoever has the better record in games against common opponents.

What are the NAHL awards?

USA Hockey has announced the release of the protected lists for the North American Hockey League (NAHL). The NAHL awards are given to the Top Players in each age group and are based on their performance during the regular season

The following is a list of the awards that will be given out:

-Rookie of the Year: This award is given to the top first-year player in the NAHL.
-Player of the Year: This award is given to the most outstanding player in the NAHL.
-Defenseman of the Year: This award is given to the top defenseman in the NAHL.
-Goaltender of the Year: This award is given to the top goaltender in the NAHL.
-Coach of the Year: This award is given tothe Head Coach who has madethe biggest impact on his team’s success.

What is the history of the NAHL?

The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is a USA Hockey sanctioned Tier II Junior A Hockey League composed of 26 teams, 21 in the United States and 5 in Canada. The NAHL was founded in 1975 as the Northern Central Hockey League (NCHL), a developmental league giving young players an opportunity to develop their skills against strong competition. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, the NCHL became widely regarded as one of the premier development leagues in North America, producing many future NHL stars such as Mike Gartner and Pat LaFontaine. In 1987, the league was renamed to the North American Hockey League and began to expand outside of its Midwestern roots.