Team Minnesota Announced for 2013 Brick Invitational Hockey Tournament

Team Minnesota for the 24th annual 2013 Brick Invitational Super Novice Hockey Tournament has been announced. The Brick tournament is the most prestigious tournament for 10 year olds in North America (for 2003 birth year players). Minneapolis, MN – The team representing Minnesota at the 24th annual 2013 Brick Invitational Super Novice Hockey Tournament has been selected. The team of elite players will compete in Edmonton, Canada in July against North America’s best ten year olds. This year’s tournament will feature 8 teams from Canada and 6 from the U.S. Team Minnesota was selected after open tryouts for top players in the Minnesota and the greater Minnesota area. The Brick Invitational is one of the most unique and competitive hockey tournaments in North America because it features just one age level of 9 and 10 ten year olds. It is a weeklong event with six round robin games per team, followed by semi-finals and finals for those who advance. The last day of the tournament features a skills competition and closing ceremonies during which players exchange jerseys. Some of the top stars in the National Hockey League cite playing in The Brick Invitational among their greatest hockey memories. Past Brick participants include accomplished Minnesotans like Blake Wheeler, Jack Hillen, Derek Stepan and Erik Johnson, and other NHL stars like Steven Samkos, Jonathan Toews, Mark Messier, Danny Heatley, Dion Phaneuf and Dustin Byfuglien. Additional information is available at: www.brickinvitational.pointstreaksites.com/view/brickinvitational Team Minnesota will be coached by Billy Hengen, Head Coach of the 2003 Minnesota Blades AAA Hockey Team, along with Assistant Coaches Jason Blake (NHL Player 1998-2012), Jon Blood and Rick Roelofs who have been key in player development and recruiting over the last 3 years. After playing four years of D1 with St. Cloud State, Coach Hengen has coached the Academy of Holy Angels Boy's Varsity as Head Coach and Assistant Coach for 7 seasons. “This group of 9 & 10 year olds is as talented as a group as you'll find in Minnesota youth hockey. They do things that you don't see many high school players doing in terms of how they think the game, see the ice and simply their natural abilities. I am excited to lead this group of players as they compete against the best competition in North America at their level. We intend on representing Minnesota proudly at the Brick Invitational", said Coach Hengen. Team Minnesota is accepting sponsorships for this exciting event. Sponsorships are an important way to support the boys and gain recognition among the youth hockey community represented in Edmonton. Interested parties can contact Jaime Fransway with the Minnesota Blades at Jaime@minnesotablades.com The Minnesota Blades AAA Hockey Club is a non-profit 501(c)(3) youth hockey association founded in 1989 by John Arko and Dennis Postregna to give talented Minnesota youth hockey players the opportunity to travel outside the state and country to compete at the Tier I level in the off-season. Part of the Blades philosophy is that the best competition challenges players to be their best. Every year, more than 250 players compete for the Blades. The organization includes boys and girls teams from Mites to Midgets, ages nine to nineteen. The Blades have helped more than 300 Minnesota kids obtain Division I scholarships, and more than a quarter of these players have moved on to professional hockey. Additional information may be found at: www.minnesotablades.com. The 2013 Team Brick Minnesota roster includes: ## FIRST LAST CITY 1 MATTHEW SYVERSON BURNSVILLE, MN 4 EVAN PAHOS EDINA, MN 6 BRADY BURTON BLOOMINGTON, MN 8 JACKSON BLAKE EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 9 CARTER BATCHELDER EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 11 CHAZ C.H. LUCIUS NORTH OAKS 12 CRUZ C.E. LUCIUS NORTH OAKS 16 LUKE MITTELSTADT EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 18 DAMON FURUSETH ROSEAU, MN 19 NICK BLOOD MOUND, MN 22 JACK HARVEY STACY, MN 24 JACK PEART GRAND RAPIDS, MN 25 MAX BURKHOLDER CARVER, MN 26 BRANDON RELLER HANOVER, MN 28 LUKE ROELOFS MOUND, MN 33 ANTON CASTRO MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN