TRAVERSE CITY — Steve Yzerman hinted at the possibility last year, and now it’s official: The NHL Prospects Tournament will not be held in Traverse City this year.
The tournament dwindled to just two teams last year, with the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars playing two games against each other at Centre Ice Arena in Traverse City.
kAm%96 }w{ !C@DA64ED %@FC?2>6?E @?46 762EFC65 E@A AC@DA64ED 2?5 5C27E A:4 6:89E E62>D[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 #65 (:?8D]k^Am
kAm!2CE:4:A2E:@? H2?65 2D >@C6 2?5 >@C6 }w{ E62>D DE2CE65 @776C:?8 D:>:=2C 6G6?ED E92E C6DF=E65 😕 =6DD EC2G6=[ 2>@?8 @E96C E9:?8D[ 7@C 7C2?49:D6D]k^Am
kAms6EC@:E 2?5 s2==2D A=2J 6249 @E96C 282:? E9:D J62C[ 3FE >66E 😕 uC:D4@[ %6I2D[ 7@C EH@ $6AE6>36C 82>6D ;FDE AC:@C E@ 6249 @A6?:?8 FA EC2:?:?8 42>A]k^Am
kAm#65 (:?8D 2?5 $E2CD AC@DA64ED C6EFC? E@ %C2G6CD6 r:EJ 282:? 😕 a_ae] %96 ?6H A=2? 😀 7@C E96 E62>D E@ 2=E6C?2E6 9@DE:?8 E96 82>6D[ D@>6E9:?8 *K6C>2? 9:?E65 2E 5FC:?8 42>A =2DE J62C]k^Am
kAm“%96 E@FC?2>6?E @3G:@FD=J 2AA62CD E@ 92G6 CF? :ED 4@FCD6[” D2:5 *K6C>2?[ E96 #65 (:?8D’ 86?6C2= >2?286C[ =2DE J62C] “p =@E @7 E92E[ @G6C E96 =2DE E9C66 @C 7@FC J62CD[ H6’G6 8@?6 7C@> 6:89E WE62>DX 5@H? E@ EH@ 7@C 5:776C6?E C62D@?D] %62>D H2?E65 E@ 5@ 5:776C6?E E9:?8D] $@>6 5:5?’E H2?E E@ A=2J 7@FC 82>6D] $@>6 H2?E65 E@ D2G6 E96 6IA6?D6 2?5 ?@E 92G6 E@ EC2G6= E@ %C2G6CD6 r:EJ] %96J’C6 23=6 E@ 5@ 5:776C6?E E9:?8D]”k^Am
kAmr6?EC6 x46 DE2CE65 9@DE:?8 E96 }w{ !C@DA64ED %@FC?2>6?E 😕 `hhg[ 2?5 32??6CD @7 AC6G:@FD E@FC?2>6?E 492>A:@?D DE:== 92?8 :?D:56 E96 724:=:EJ]k^Am
kAm%96 >2:? #65 (:?8D EC2:?:?8 42>A 😀 DE:== D4965F=65 E@ E2<6 A=246 😕 %C2G6CD6 r:EJ[ H:E9 52E6D J6E E@ 36 2??@F?465]k^Am
Follow @Jamescook14 on Twitter.