USA Hockey has tapped Hockey Hall of Famers Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch to serve as head coaches for the sixth annual CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game on September 21 in Buffalo.
Buffalo hosted this event in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
The annual showcase will bring to light 42 of the top born-in-the-USA prospects who will be eligible for the 2018 NHL Draft.
The Sabres will also host the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championships, beginning on December 26.
Earlier this year, Chelios and Leetch were selected to the NHL 100 greatest players of all time.
"It is only fitting that a game aimed to showcase the future of American hockey be coached by two of the greatest American players to ever play," said Jim Johansson, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. "As we've already seen with former Prospects Game players, many of the players in the game will go on to star in the NHL, and fans are also likely to see some players that will be back in Buffalo in December to represent our country in the World Junior Championship."
Combined, Chelios and Leetch, have represented Team USA internationally on 17 occasions, including five Olympic Winter Games, two World Cups of Hockey, three Canada Cups, two IIHF World Championships and five IIHF World Junior Championships. In total, the two Hall of Fame rear guards have skated together internationally five times, helping Team USA claim the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey, where Leetch served as captain, and a silver medal at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, where Chelios was captain.
Recently named an assistant coach for the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, Chelios skated 26 seasons in the NHL before retiring as the all-time leader in games played by a defenseman in NHL history (1,651). A member of the Montreal Canadiens (1983-90), Chicago Blackhawks (1991-99), Detroit Red Wings (1998-2009) and Atlanta Thrashers (2009-10), the Hockey Hall of Famer won three Stanley Cups (Montreal: 1986; Detroit: 2002, 2008) and was awarded the Norris Trophy three times (1989, 1993, 1996) as the NHL's best defenseman. Internationally, the Chicago, Illinois, native skated for Team USA on 10 different occasions, including four Olympic Winter Games (1984, 1988, 2002, 2006), three Canada Cups (1984, 1987, 1991), two World Cup of Hockey events (1996, 2004) and once at the IIHF World Junior Championship (1982). In addition, Chelios served as an assistant coach for the bronze medal-winning 2016 U.S. National Junior Team. He also won an NCAA national title as a player at the University of Wisconsin in 1983, where he was named to the NCAA all-tournament team.
One of only seven blueliners to accumulate more than 1,000 points in his career (247-781--1028), Leetch skated for three teams over his 18-year NHL career, including the New York Rangers (1988-2004), Toronto Maple Leafs (2004) and Boston Bruins (2005-06). An 11-time NHL All-Star, Leetch was awarded the 1989 Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie after setting an NHL record for goals by a rookie defensemen and five years later became the first American-born player to claim the Conn Smythe Trophy while leading the Rangers to the Stanley Cup championship in 1994. Leetch is the only American-born player -- and second player ever -- in NHL history to win the Calder Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy and Norris Trophy in his career. Internationally, Leetch suited up for Team USA 11 times, including three Olympic Winter Games (1988, 1998 and 2002), one Canada Cup (1991), two World Cups of Hockey (1996, 2004), two IIHF Men's World Championships (1987, 1989) and three IIHF World Junior Championships (1985-87). Additionally, Leetch played collegiately at Boston College in 1986-87, where he was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
****
To date, 127 alumni of the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game have been drafted in the NHL, highlighted by 30 first-round selections.
NHL young stars Jack Eichel (Buffalo Sabres), Noah Hanifin (Carolina Hurricanes), Dylan Larkin (Detroit Red Wings), Seth Jones (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) are among the current NHL stars that have played in the game previously while last year's most valuable player,
***
Casey Mittelstadt, the first American chosen in the 2017 NHL Draft when the Buffalo Sabres selected him eighth overall.
Thank you, USA Hockey
**
Speaking of Yankee Doodle Dandies....
Buffalo Sabres super center and several other BU Terrier hockey alumni participated in the 16th annual Travis Roy Foundation WIFFLE Ball Tournament, which was held on August 11-13, 2017 in Essex, Vermont.
The 34-team ‘Best Weekend of The Year’ tourney was once again held at Pat and Beth O’Connor’s three backyard fields, "Little Fenway", "Little Wrigley" and "Little Field of Dreams".
The event was open to the public and admission was free.
All proceeds from this unique event go to the Travis Roy Foundation that benefits and creates awareness for people with spinal cord injuries. The tourney is named after the former Boston University Terrier hockey player who resides with his family in nearby Mallets Bay in Colchester each summer.
Roy, a Terrier alumnus, was seriously injured just eleven seconds into his college hockey career. Roy was a promising 20-year-old hockey star. Then moments into his first collegiate game as a Boston University freshman, a freak accident drove Travis into the boards. A cracked fourth vertebra left him paralyzed from the neck down.
That fateful October night in 1995 signaled the death of one dream – but also the eventual rebirth of a special kind of hope.
In 2016, the backyard tournament shattered the previous single-year fundraising record bringing in a staggering $615,024, to lift the 15-year total over the $4 million dollar amount. It was the third time in the last four years the weekend has raised over $500,000 dollars.
The lifeblood of the Travis Roy Foundation has been the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations across North America, and this event has become the foundation’s largest annual fundraiser. This generosity has made an immediate impact on the lives of many individuals. Since the 2016 tournament, the foundation has committed $350,000 to fund spinal cord injury research, and over $400,000 in adaptive equipment grants to enhance the lives of people and families affected by spinal cord injuries.
The tournament opened on Friday afternoon with the opening ceremonies at "Little Fenway" featuring the annual Celebrities-Sponsor game, followed by opening game action on all three fields.
Team HOTDAM defeated the Jackhammers to take the #TRFWIFFLE17 championship.
**
Phil. Freakin. Kessel.
SAVAGE!
Join the Discussion:
»