Nation’s top hockey prospects to play Philly in September

Philadelphia will host the All-American Prospects hockey game this fall.

USA Hockey, the organizing body of amateur and Olympic hockey, announced the Wells Fargo Center in South Philadelphia will host the annual game showcasing 40 select players gunning for the NHL draft.

USA Hockey’s director of operations, Jim Johannson, said the prospects game honors community athletic programs that produce hockey’s next generation of pros.

“What you’ll see here next September is 40 great stories,” Johannson said. “You’ll see 40 kids who came up in communities that gave them an opportunity to grow in the sport, to get them to a level where they can participate in the All-American Prospects Game.”

This will be the fifth prospects game organized by USA Hockey. Officials said past competitions have featured the best amateur players from 20 states, including unusual ice hockey hotbeds such as Arizona, Texas, and Florida.