MIHL presents the eighth annual Michigan High School Hockey Showcase   The Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League is teaming up with the City of Trenton and Trenton Public Schools to present the Eighth Annual Michigan High School Hockey Showcase.  This year the Showcase, which features some of the top ranked high school hockey teams and players in the state, has expanded the number of teams to 36 and the days of competition to three: Thursday, Feb. 7 through Saturday, Feb. 9. The Showcase is a continuation of the mission of the MIHL.  League President, Andy Weidenbach states, "We formed our league to promote high quality hockey, strong competition and sportsmanship.  The Showcase was a natural offshoot of that mission.  We've tried to attract some of the best teams representing the entire state.  The first seven Showcases were great successes and we are very optimistic about this year's event.  High school hockey in Michigan has experienced tremendous growth in the last few years, both in the number of teams participating and in the quality of play.  Accordingly, we have expanded the Showcase so that we can continue our mission of providing exposure for the best of high school hockey." Story continues below advertisement The Showcase, clearly the "biggest high school hockey event of the season", benefits the teams, the players, the fans and the scouts.  The competition is at a very high level and the fans will see some very entertaining games. The individual players will get exposure to Junior A and college scouts and the scouts will be able to observe the largest accumulation of high school hockey talent in the state.  Most of the Top Ten Rated (MHSHCA Poll) teams in each division will be participating in The Showcase: 10 of the Top Ten rated Teams in Division I, 7 of the Top Ten rated Teams in Division II and 5 of the Top Ten rated Teams in Division III. In a policy developed last year, the teams for this year's Showcase were selected in the fall but the game schedule was not completed until early January.  This allows the scheduling of competitive games based on mid-year results.  "We were very pleased with the matchups that were scheduled last year and decided to do it again this year," commented Weidenbach on the scheduling procedure. According to Jeff Blashill, Assistant Coach, Miami University, the Prep Showcase is quite an event, "Over the past few years, we've seen some positive developments in Michigan high school hockey.  The number of teams participating has increased, the overall skill level of the players has improved and the quality of the coaches has grown.  Each year, more and more Michigan high school players are showing up on the rosters of Division I colleges. The Prep Showcase is a great opportunity to see this talent assembled at one event". Other coaches and scouts commented on how well the Showcase is organized - it has a very accommodating schedule and it is well run from their standpoint. Ticket prices for the Showcase are:  Adults - $6 per day or $100 for a weekend pass; seniors and students - $3 per day or $5 for a weekend pass.   Prep Showcase Alumni Four former high school players have taken their game beyond the collegiate level: David Moss (Novi Detroit Catholic Central - Michigan) is now with the Calgary Flames. Andy Greene (Trenton - Miami) is now with the New Jersey Devils Jared Ross (Catholic Central - Alabama Huntsville) is now with Chicago, American Hockey league. Keith Rowe (Catholic Central - Alabama Huntsville) San Antonio, UHL Brandon Kaleniecki (Catholic Central - University of Michigan) is now with Gwinnett, ECHL   Former high school players who played in the previous Showcases now playing at the collegiate level include: Mr. Hockey 2004, Justin Abdelkader (Muskegon Mona Shores - Michigan State University), 2nd Round Detroit Red Wing 2005 Draft Pick, 42nd Pick Overall Andrew Rowe (Muskegon Mona Shores - Michigan State University) Travis Paethe (Muskegon Mona Shores - Western Michigan University) Jeff Petry (Orchard Lake St. Mary's - Michigan State University) 2nd Round Pick of the Edmonton Oilers NHL Patrick Nagorsen (Orchard Lake St. Mary's - Western Michigan University) Brandon Naurato (Catholic Central - University of Michigan) Nathan Perkovich (Catholic Central - Lake Superior State University) Brian Hogan (Catholic Central - University of Michigan) Brad Zancanaro (Trenton - Boston University) Tony Zancanaro (Trenton - Providence) Chad Langlais (Cranbrook - University of Michigan) Craig Sanders (Cranbrook - Boston University) Andrew Eggert (Catholic Central - University of Notre Dame) Kurt Kivisto (Brighton - Michigan State University) Eric Giosa (Catholic Central - Sacred Heart) Trevor Mallon (Grosse Pointe North - Niagara University) Will Ryan (U of D Jesuit - United States Military Academy) Matt Krug (Livonia Churchill - Wayne State University) Adam Krug (Livonia Churchill - Adrian College) Travis Hamway (Catholic Central - Wayne State University) Billy Burns (Catholic Central - Trinity College) Bobby Alderman (Cranbrook- Lake Forest College) John Kivisto (Brighton - Michigan Tech University) Nick Eno (Howell - Bowling Green) drafted by Buffalo Sabres, 7th Round Justin Stadler (Livonia Churchill - Adrian College) Andy Miele (Grosse Pointe North - Miami University)   Several high school players who played in the previous Showcases are now playing junior hockey, some of whom are:   Jeff Rohrkemper (Grosse Pointe North - Sioux Falls/USHL) Bobby Reiners (Cranbrook - Des Moines Buccaneers/USHL) Casey Wellman (Cranbrook - Cedar Rapids USHL) Zach Hansen (Cranbrook- Laconia Leafs /Atlantic Jr Hockey League -AJHL) Andrew Miller (Cranbrook - Chicago Steel/USHL), committed to Yale University Dean Chelios (Cranbrook - Cedar Rapids/USHL) Zach Cohen (Cranbrook- Streetsville, ON Junior B) Tommy Budd (Cranbrook- Bay State/EJHL) Brett Brazier (Cranbrook-Green Mountain /EJHL) Bennett Schneider (Cranbrook- Springfield EJHL) Dan Barczuk (Catholic Central - Cedar Rapids Roughriders/USHL) committed to Lake Superior State Tim Buttery (Catholic Central - Chicago Steel/USHL) committed to MSU Harrison Nieman (Catholic Central - Traverse City/NAHL) Dan Naurato (Catholic Central - South Shore/EJHL) committed to University of Connecticut Eric Peterson (Alpena - Alpena/NAHL) Ryan Reid (Muskegon Mona Shores - Traverse City/NAHL) Bryan Murphy (U of D Jesuit - Kenal River/NAHL) committed to Utica College Cameron Burt (U of D Jesuit - Green Bay/USHL) committed to RIT Greg Pateryn (Brother Rice - Columbus/USHL) committed to Michigan Clinton Bourbanais (Orchard Lake St. Mary's - Traverse City/NAHL) committed to United States Air Force Academy Sean Burke (Traverse City West - Traverse City/NAHL) Eric Alexander (East Kentwood - Chicago Steel/USHL) Mac Watts (OLSM - Columbus/USHL) Scott Lewan (Livonia Churchill - Capital District/EJHL) Tom Murphy (Brighton -Texas Tornado/NAHL)   The Press box Detroit Free Press Preps Detroit News Preps MLive Preps The Oakland Press The Macomb Daily Observer-Eccentric Preps Lansing State Journal Preps Port Huron Times-Herald Preps Battle Creek Enquirer Preps