Philadelphia to host USA Hockey’s All-American Prospects Game in September 2016

USA Hockey made the below news official at a press conference on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center: the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be held in Philadelphia at the WFC on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Tickets go on sale March 17 at 10 a.m. on ComcastTIX.com. Rosters and coaches for the game will be announced at a later date.

** *

Update: As speculated below, the Wells Fargo Center and the Philadelphia Flyers will indeed host the 2016 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.

The WFC website leaked that information on Monday morning. USA Hockey will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday to make the news official. Ticket prices are still unknown.

The game will be played September 22, 2016 at 7 p.m. That’s a little interesting, since it will be right in the middle of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Team USA plays the Czech Republic at 8 p.m. that night in Toronto, which will certainly overshadow the Prospects Game. Odd timing.

Oops. The Wells Fargo Center website leaked @usahockey’s “major announcement” (h/t @Sunday_Money11) pic.twitter.com/6m6dMPRxEg

— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) March 14, 2016

* * *

Original post: USA Hockey will make what they call a “major announcement” on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, leading us all to speculate on just what that announcement may be.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, Flyers president Paul Holmgren and USA Hockey hockey ops head Jim Johansson will attend the news conference.

So what is this? Our best guess is that the 2016 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game will be held in Philadelphia. It’s the fifth-annual game this year, and it’s typically held in late September — although that could be moved slightly this year due to the World Cup of Hockey, which ends October 1.

The exhibition game featuring 40 or so of the top American-born NHL Draft eligible prospects has been held in Buffalo three of the last four years — 2012, 2014 and 2015 — and was held in Pittsburgh in 2013. The 2014 edition was the most-attended game when 7,310 fans showed up, likely due to Jack Eichel’s inclusion. The 2016 game will feature 2017 NHL Draft prospects, so no Auston Matthews.

It’s worth noting that the All-American Prospects Game is different than the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, typically held in January — or, for that matter, the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. (Confused yet?)

We can’t guarantee this announcement is the All-American Prospects Game, but it’s a best guess. We do know that it won’t be a bigger event like the World Juniors. The WJC will next be hosted by USA Hockey in 2017, and they awarded that game to Buffalo.

It’s also likely not related to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, because as we’ve noted before, all the pre-tournament exhibition games will be hosted elsewhere, and Columbus is getting the training camp. Philly was shunned from those festivities.

Hakstol’s inclusion at the press conference is interesting, and some have guessed that he could be named a head coach of Team USA for an event. (He’s apparently a dual citizen). It won’t be the World Championships, because those are reserved for players and coaches who aren’t in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in May, and Hakstol certainly would never announce that he’s going to coach an international tournament in May while his team is three points out of a playoff spot.

We’re still sticking with the Prospects Game guess. Here were some of your other guesses: