The Buffalo Sabres and United States Hockey League announced in a joint release the inaugural USHL Buffalo Showcase for March 23-24, 2017 at the HarborCenter in downtown Buffalo, New York. The showcase will feature the top 40 players in the 2001, 2002 and 2003 age groups from western New York and southern Ontario as determined by USHL scouts.
“The USHL is excited to partner with the Buffalo Sabres for the inaugural Buffalo Showcase,” said Doug Christiansen, USHL Director of Player Development. “This event provides elite young hockey players the opportunity to not only be scouted by USHL teams and Division 1 colleges, it also provides players and their families the unique opportunity to learn more about the USHL in their own backyard. The USHL looks forward to a number of the 2001 participants being drafted and eventually matriculating to the USHL on the way toward their hockey goals.”
“One of the main pillars of our organization is the growth and development of local youth hockey players,” Sabres VP of Administration/General Manager of HarborCenter Mike Gilbert said. “We take great pride in seeing local athletes advance their careers and this is a perfect opportunity for us to allow players to showcase their talent to USHL and college teams.”
The showcase will be operated and coached by NHL alumni, and will give players the opportunity to play a minimum of four games and participate in both on-ice and off-ice testing as well as educational seminars to learn more about the USHL.
The players will be scouted by Division 1 college hockey coaches as well as USHL staff. USHL Central Scouting will select players and send invitations to the best candidates in early 2017.
