T1EHL spotlight again shining on Jr. Coyotes, Ice Den
As the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) continues to be a sustainable AAA youth league that stretches across the United States, that reach is evident in Arizona as the Jr. Coyotes, Ice Den Scottsdale and Ice Den Chandler host the T1EHL Super Showcase this month for the second time in as many years.
After taking in the incredible venues and seeing the impressive scout presence at last year’s event, the T1EHL awarded the league’s only Super Showcase this season consisting of participation of all 23 league members. Teams come from as far east as New Hampshire, New York and Massachusetts and as far west as California with stops in between in Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Georgia and Iowa.
“Due to the overwhelming positive response from high-level junior hockey scouts following last year’s event, that assured us the league was going to award the Jr. Coyotes this marquee event once again,” said tournament director Mike DeAngelis.
The 2018 event runs Dec. 14-17 at the Ice Den Scottsdale and Ice Den Chandler.
Marc Fritsche, the Jr. Coyotes Elite Program hockey director, could not be more excited for the AAA-level showcase and for teams like the Jr. Coyotes that travel a great deal, it’s great for the players to get to sleep in their own beds with the comforts of home for a change, and to play high-level games on their familiar home ice.
“Our goal is to host another top-notch event with competitive games and to showcase our premier hockey facilities,” said Fritsche. “We want to show the national hockey community that the sport continues to grow here in Arizona at all levels. The sport is flourishing in the state and we remain a top program that prioritizes quality development and is beginning to be recognized on the national stage.”
Coyotes Amateur Hockey Association executive director Kristy Aguirre adds: “This is a big event and we are very grateful that the Tier I Elite Hockey League has awarded us the opportunity to play host again this year. Who wouldn’t want to be in our beautiful state in December?”
The Jr. Coyotes program’s responsibilities are to work directly with the Tier 1 Elite League and serve as liaisons with the Ice Den facilities to coordinate schedules and ensure that a smooth, high-quality event with competitive play with a great level of scout presence takes place.
“The weekend will boast an excellent level of hockey – and a lot of it – with 96 games total between the 16U and 18U teams in both buildings,” said Aguirre.
“These types of events provide a unique opportunity for us to showcase our program,” added Fritsche. “The pressure is to make sure we host the best event possible and do our program and the league proud. We look forward to the challenge knowing that, together with our players, coaches and families, and the Ice Den staff, everyone will get involved to pitch in and help us put on a memorable event.”
— Matt Mackinder
(Dec. 13, 2018)
