(Albuquerque, New Mexico) Thursday, January 30, 2020 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves® today announced that its players Keenan Johnson and Emil Gabrielson were selected to the North American Hockey League’s 2020 Top Prospects. Team captain Johnson and Gabrielson will represent the NM Ice Wolves on the South Division roster during the annual NAHL Top Prospects Tournament February 17-18, 2020 in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
“We’re incredibly proud to see Keenan and Emil named to the massively talented NAHL Top Prospects and become the first ever NM Ice Wolves to achieve the recognition,” said NM Ice Wolves Head Coach Phil Fox. “Their hard work on the ice now gives them the opportunity to showcase their talent on a very important and honored stage at the Top Prospects Tournament.”
The NAHL’s Top Prospect Tournament is one of the most heavily scouted events of the year and allows the best players that the league has to offer an opportunity to play in front of hundreds of NCAA and NHL scouts including representatives of nearly every NHL team and Division 1 hockey program. Last season more than 220 scouts attended the event and 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.
The Ice Wolves and the NAHL are committed to helping their players fulfill their aspirations of playing college hockey and the Top Prospects tournament in one of the many opportunities that the North American Hockey League provides to get its players in front of scouts.
The news comes on the heels of the announcement that Emil Gabrielson has been traded to the Fairbanks Ice Dogs. Gabrielson will be representing the NM Ice Wolves for the last time at the tournament and the New Mexico Ice Wolves wish the best to Emil as he continues his junior career.
The NM Ice Wolves will be spending the next two weeks on the road but tickets are on sale for the team’s return home on the February 14 and 15 as well as the rest of the season at tickets.nmicewolves.com