Trenton Showcase Brief History

The MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase started out humbly with a field of 12 teams that played two games at the Troy Sports Center.  It featured mostly local high school teams, including all member schools of the MIHL.  It was not only well attended, but it generated great enthusiasm in Michigan high school hockey.  Capitalizing on the initial success, the MIHL sought out a new venue and eventually settled on partnering with the City of Trenton Parks and Recreation Department and the Kennedy Recreation Center.  According to Showcase Director, Todd Johnson the selection of working with Trenton was natural, "They offered excellent facilities, three ice surfaces, a central location and a strong history of supporting hockey.  Additionally, Trenton High School has experienced tremendous success over the years in Michigan high school hockey and has a special place in its development and growth."

The growth and size of the Showcase has been well planned and carefully nurtured.  "We didn't want to just add numbers, we wanted to add quality.  It is our goal to get some of the best teams and some of the best players in one location to showcase the best of Michigan high school hockey," added Johnson.  In 2007, two games of the Showcase were played at The Joe Louis Arena as part of Hockey Day in Michigan.  In 2008, the MIHL expanded the field to 36 teams which necessitated playing 6 games on Thursday.

The MIHL Prep Hockey Showcase is a continuation of the mission of the Michigan Interscholastic Hockey League. MIHL President, Andy Weidenbach states, “We formed our league to promote high quality hockey, strong competition and sportsmanship. The Showcase was a natural offshoot of that mission. We’ve tried to attract some of the best teams representing the entire state.

The Showcase, clearly the “biggest high school hockey event of the season”, benefits the teams, the players, the fans and the scouts. The competition is at a very high level and the fans will see some very entertaining games. The individual players will get exposure to Junior A and college scouts and the scouts will be able to observe the largest accumulation of high school hockey talent in the state. Most of the Top Ten Rated (MHSHCA Poll) teams in each division will be participating in The Showcase.