Provo Riverblades To Join Elite U-20 Junior Hockey League
Jun 11, 2020, 10:55 AM
(Photo courtesy of Provo City)
(Photo courtesy of Provo City)
PROVO, Utah – The Provo Riverblades announced their formation as an elite U20 Junior hockey team at a press conference on Thursday.
The Riverblades will join junior hockey which is the highest level played by amateur athletes in the world in the sport. It is a league with players aged under 20 who are competing to advance to NCAA and professional hockey.
“In the absence of sports due to COVID-19, it’s particularly exciting to announce a new community sports offering for Provo and Utah County,” said Mayor Michelle Kaufusi. “The Provo Riverblades have already shown their strong community support by choosing a name reflective of our identity and history.”
The Provo Riverblades will play in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The USPHL is widely respected as one of the top developmental leagues in North America. It’s the largest junior hockey league with teams all across the United States. Thousands of alumni from the USPHL are playing NCAA Division I and III as well as professional hockey in North America and Europe along with some players currently playing in the NHL.
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The Provo Riverblades will compete in the Mountain Conference. Teams in the conference will include the Northern Colorado Eagles, Pueblo Bulls, Utah Outliers (SLC).
“The teams in both Colorado and Utah have generated large crowds and packed stands,” said Kevin McCloskey, Provo Riverblades Managing Partner. “We believe we will achieve the same level of interest and excitement here in Provo with the Riverblades and having two other Utah teams in the league will make for great rivalries.”
“In addition to the entertainment, we expect to see a positive economic impact in Provo. A 22-home game schedule equates to visiting teams and spectators staying in hotels, dining, shopping and enjoying all our city has to offer,” said Mayor Kaufusi.
The head coach of the Riverblades will be Mike Callan, who was recruited from Pittsburgh will be recruiting players from all over the world to come and live in the community for seven months during hockey season. Players will live with host families during their stay.
Players will report late August and the season will begin mid-September and conclude in mid-March. The team will play a 53-game regular season schedule with 22 home games. Playoff games will be determined based on the team’s seeding in its division.
Additional information can be found at ProvoRiverblades.com and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
