Flint-based hockey team selects several talented players from the state of Michigan and one from Minnesota
FLINT -- Several new talented student athletes will compete to take the ice at Perani Arena and Event Center in Flint this fall as members of the Michigan Warriors hockey team. The Flint-based North American Hockey League (NAHL) team selected five forwards and three defensemen Thursday evening in the NAHL Entry Draft.
These athletes, ranging in age for 17 to 19, join a team just one year removed from a run to the Robertson Cup Finals. Coached by 12-year NHL veteran and former U.S. Olympian Moe Mantha, the Warriors will look to replicate that success this season. The team will open its season in September.
“The young men we drafted are talented hockey players with great character who are hungry for an opportunity to show off their skills in front of college scouts,” Mantha said. “We’re returning a good group from last season, so they know they’ll need to work hard to earn a spot on the roster. We expect some fierce competition that will help us put a great product on the ice for our fans this fall.”
The team selected 18-year-old forward Jake Hopfner of Eastpointe with its first pick, sixth overall in the draft. Hopfner most recently played for the LeamingtonFlyers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL).
“Jake is a real talent that we’d been watching for quite a while,” said Warriors Director of Scouting Tom Boileau.
The rest of newly drafted Michigan Warriors players are listed below (name, position, hometown, previous team):
Ben Israel, defenseman, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., Honeybaked U18
Colin Horton, forward, Grosse Ile, Mich., Little Caesars U18
Parker Wood, forward, Rochester, Mich., Little Caesars U18
Robert Click, defenseman, Stillwater, Minn., Stillwater Area HS
Connor Lyons forward, Clarkston, Mich., Soo Eagles (NOJHL)
Zach O'Hara, defenseman, West Bloomfield, Mich., Honeybaked U18
Nicholas Laburn, forward, Northville, Mich., Little Caesars U18
Warriors alumni who will play for NCAA Division I programs this fall include forwardJustin Hoomaian (Michigan State University), defenseman Michael Szuma (University of Michigan), goaltender Robert Tadazak (Army), defenseman RyanTrenz (Northern Michigan University) and defenseman A.J. White (UMass Lowell). A number of additional players have committed to other college hockey programs.
The Warriors will host initial open tryout camps at Iceland Arena in Flint from June 15 to 17 and from July 13 to 15, 2012 as the team looks for talented young players to don the Warriors sweater for the 2012-13 season. The team’s main camp will be July 16 to 18, also at Iceland. For tryout information, visit http://www.mywarriors.co/tryouts.
