FRISCO, TEXAS — The North American Hockey League (NAHL) has announced the play-by-play broadcasters for the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, which will be held from February 27-28, 2017 at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. The league has named Michael Keeley from the Austin Bruins and Collin Schuck from the Corpus Christi IceRays as the two broadcasters who will be calling and doing play-by-play of the games live in HD on HockeyTV. Keeley and Schuck were selected by the rest of their NAHL broadcasting piers, who participated in a league-wide vote.
“We have two fine and experienced broadcasters in Michael and Collin, who not only do a great job of broadcasting hockey games for their respective team’s, but also have a great knowledge of the NAHL and it’s players,” said Alex Kyrias, Director of Sales and Marketing for the NAHL. “I think the fans will enjoy their commentary and I know they will make it as entertaining and informative as possible for all those tuning in.”
The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament is one of the most highly-scouted events in junior hockey. Last season, over 220 scouts attended the event, which featured almost every NHL team and NCAA Division I school. It continues to be an important part of the NAHL event model, which includes the NAHL Showcase in September and the NAHL Robertson Cup National Championship in May.
For more information, please visit the NAHL Top Prospects page
One of the things the NAHL does better than any other junior league is seeing their players earn an NCAA opportunity while playing and being showcased in the NAHL. To date, over 125 players have already made NCAA Division I commitments during the 2016-17 season. The NAHL Top Prospects Tournament plays a big role in that success, with over half of the players who played in last year’s Top Prospects Tournament, earning an NCAA Division I opportunity following their participation in the event.
The event continues to provide the hundreds of NHL and NCAA scouts in attendance with a look at the best uncommitted players the NAHL has to offer, as well as, some potential NHL Draft picks. The addition of the NTDP takes the competition and exposure to the next level and provides all of the participating players with a great opportunity to showcase their skills.
Keeley, who was the broadcaster for the 2015 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, is in his second season with the Austin Bruins after beginning his junior hockey career with the NAHL’s Keystone Ice Miners in 2014. The native of Rochester, New York is a 2013 graduate of the State University of New York at Oswego with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcasting and Mass Communication. “I’m honored to have been selected by my peers to cover this event. So many of our broadcasters in this league deserve this and to even be considered is humbling to me. The 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament is one of the best showcases of junior hockey talent in the world and the opportunity to be a part of it is something that I really cherish. The NAHL consistently puts on great events and I’m looking forward to yet another one in Plymouth.”
Schuck is in his third season as the broadcaster for the Corpus Christi IceRays. He earned his professional hockey debut with the Binghamton Senators during the 2013-14 season, calling several American Hockey League (AHL) games on the radio. The native of Erial, New Jersey, graduated from Ithaca College in May 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Minor in Sport Studies. “I feel humbled and privileged to join the broadcast booth for the 2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament. The talent level in the NAHL is incredible and the Top Prospects Tournament really is a great example of what the NAHL has to offer for prospective players, as well as, prospective collegiate and professional programs. I’m excited to work with Michael Keeley and rub shoulders with him once again in the booth, and if previous events are any indication, this year’s tournament will surely be an entertaining few days.”
2017 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament Schedule (subject to change, all times eastern)
Monday, February 27th
1:00pm: Central Division vs. Midwest Division
4:00pm: East Division vs. NAHL Selects
7:00pm: South Division vs. USNTDP
Tuesday, February 28th
11:00am: Midwest Division vs. East Division
2:00pm: Central Division vs. South Division
5:00pm: NAHL Selects vs. USNTDP
