Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena to host 2027 NAHL Top Prospects

Plymouth’s USA Hockey Arena will host the 2027 North American Hockey League (NAHL) Top Prospects Tournament on Feb. 22-23, the league announced Nov. 2.

The two-day showcase will feature seven NAHL teams with 20 players each, plus a team from the U.S. National Team Development Program. The league expects NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III and NHL scouts to attend. The arena is home to the development program, according to the tournament page.

Four NAHL teams will showcase players from the league’s five divisions who are ready for college hockey but have not committed to a school. Three Selects teams will include prospects born in 2007 or later. Each NAHL roster will have 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies.

NAHL Commissioner and President Mark Frankenfeld said the format is built to connect players with recruiters.

Frankenfeld said the college-ready teams would help coaches recruit for available roster spots, while younger players would have “a platform to attract college and NHL attention.”

The NA3HL, the NAHL’s Tier III affiliate, will also hold its own Top Prospects Tournament at USA Hockey Arena on the same dates, in cooperation with the NAHL event. NA3HL rosters will feature top skaters born between 2008 and 2010.

Coaching assignments for the NAHL tournament will be based on league standings frozen on Jan. 24, 2027. Head coaches from the top seven teams in the standings will lead the Top Prospects rosters. Coaches from teams ranked eighth through 14th will serve as assistants.

The NAHL is a Tier II junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The 2026-27 season features 36 teams across five divisions, including a new Mountain Division that began play this fall with teams in Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Utah.

The 2026 edition of the Top Prospects Tournament was also held at USA Hockey Arena, on Feb. 16-17. The NAHL’s announcement described the 2027 event as a return to the Plymouth venue.

The NAHL’s tournament page says further details about the schedule, team formation and hotels will be posted later. Ticket prices and sale dates are not listed on that page.