COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Hockey announced today that the Nashville Predators and the Nashville Sled Preds will host the seventh annual USA Hockey Sled Classic, presented by the NHL. The four-day event will take place November 17-20, 2016, at the Ford Ice Center, operated by the Nashville Predators to continue the growth of hockey and skating in Middle Tennessee, in Antioch, Tenn.
First staged in 2010, the USA Hockey Sled Classic is an annual round-robin format tournament between NHL-affiliated sled hockey teams. All competing teams represent their affiliated NHL club by wearing official NHL licensed jerseys with local club marks and logos.
Over 20 NHL sled teams are expected to play in this year’s tournament and will feature four division. Last year, the event featured 20 teams affiliated with NHL clubs and culminated in the Florida Panthers winning the Tier I Division, the Columbus Blue Jackets claiming the Tier II Division, the Arizona Coyotes capturing the Tier III Division, and the Buffalo Sabres capturing the Tier IV Division.
Full details surrounding the tournament will be released at a later date.
NOTES: The Colorado Avalanche hosted the inaugural USA Hockey Sled Classic in 2010 in Denver, Colorado, where the Colorado Avalanche Sled Hockey Team won the four-team tournament … In 2011, the Philadelphia Flyers held the event in Voorhees, New Jersey, where the Buffalo Sabres Sled Hockey Team took first place among nine teams … In 2012, the Buffalo Sabres put on the tournament in Williamsville, New York, with the Dallas Stars winning the ‘A’ Division and the Washington Capitals capturing the ‘B’ Division … In 2013, the Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the tournament in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals repeated as the ‘A’ and B’ Division champions, respectively, while the Nashville Predators won the inaugural ‘C’ Division … Two years ago, the Washington Capitals hosted the tournament in Arlington, Virginia, where the Chicago Blackhawks captured the Tier I Division, the Philadelphia Flyers claimed the Tier II Division, and the Minnesota Wild won the Tier III Division … Participating teams in the tournament must have an official affiliation with an NHL member club …
