14 TEAMS, WHO'S TAKING HOME THE NARCH PRO CHAMPIONSHIP?
With NARCh starting today the hype is at an all time high. With the biggest Pro Division of summer, NARCh is poised to showcase some of the best players in the world. Below are some players to watch out for in this years event.
Carshield
Carshield played their first NARCh last year under Coach George Brown. This stacked roster, unfortunately, fell short in the semifinals to Pama, losing 4-3. The game was back and forth, with a significant physical presence from both sides. I expect Carshield to be back in a semifinal matchup with a really good chance of making this year's championship.
Notable Players - Adam Erne, Matt Berry, Troy Redmann, Corey Hodge, Tobias Vendrame
PGKA
PGKA will be a very interesting team to watch because they have a ton of experienced players from all over the world. Their biggest challenge will be coming together and doing it fast. Being a new team in the division is never easy, but with coaching and experience, this team could be a sleeper to sneak into playoffs.
Notable Players - Charles Baldwin, Lukas Deitrich, Lane Hartwell, Juaquin Chivara.
Pama labeda golden knights
Pama is always a team to watch out for, especially at their home rink. The entire roster is stacked from top to bottom with elite scoring, defense, and goaltending. Pama has consistently found themselves in the championship game but has not secured a victory since 2021. For most teams, this wouldn't be so bad, but for Pama, which has a "championship or bust" mentality, you have to expect them to desire this championship more than any other team in the division.
Notable Players - Travis Noe, John Seimer, Kyle Mayhew, Clay Taylor, Itan Chivara
Kasper Vancouver Blazers
With a new look and some new players, the Blazers are looking to take a step forward in this year's event. We recently interviewed Matt Garb, and he seemed particularly excited about this year's team. Garb has been around the game for a long time and knows what it takes to make the playoffs at NARCh. I expect guys like Garb, Henderson, and Story to lead not only on the rink but also off the rink.
Notable Players - Trent Vilio, Matt Garb, Kade Vilio, Kyle Henderson
Pure Maple
Pure Maple is an organization that continues to get better with each tournament. Some of this improvement is due to roster changes, and some of it is simply learning the pro roller style. They're a team that works as hard as anyone in the division and can catch you sleeping on the rink. This was shown at Winter Nationals, where they upset Pama, earning themselves a spot in the playoffs. I expect this team to be competing for one of the final playoff spots.
Notable Players - Max Currie, Brydon Frisk, Jorge Lugo, Santiago Gonzalez
rinkster
This is my sleeper team. This team has a few guys that are flying under the radar on the pro scene. They are alos a team that is young, fast and has nothing to lose. With solid goaltending and gritty forwards they will be in every single game. The challenge will be coming together the first game of round robin and carrying momentum against the more seasoned teams.
Notable Players - Don Carter Jr, Cole Taylor, Sam Eisenhower, Joel Eisenhower, Luke Dipasquale
skittles
The Skits are a team that has a lot to prove this summer. Not playing in TORHS and instead having a training camp weekend could be really good for this group. It's a young team that has grown out of the Junior style of game and is now a force in the pro scene. They're a group that does everything together, and it shows in their game. When the Skits are on, they are one of the forces to be reckoned with.
Notable Players - Grayson Yada, Matt Wiesner, Dylan Abbamont, Brett Olinger, Charlie Robinson
tour oc blades
The OC Blades have a history that runs deep in Cali roller. With the rebirth of the organization, the OC Blades have made their mark back on the pro circuit. Their leadership and will to win keep them in every game. They can skate with the top teams in the division, and it will be getting over that hump and winning those close games that earns them a playoff berth.
Notable Players - Kevin Dwyer, Brandon Glover, Skyler Hoar, Austin Koss, Hayden Maxwell
tour roadrunners
The Tour Roadrunners have a bit of a different look this tournament without Max Halvorsen and Nick Dellamorte in the lineup, but they have plenty of depth to go around. Joey D, Frankie Jirak, Frankie Melton, and Mike Colella are going to be heavily relied on for scoring. They always play a pure roller game where possession is their silver bullet. Will the Roadrunners be able to replace some goal scoring? I think YES.
Notable Players - Joey DiMartino, Frankie Melton, Mike Colella, Keith Johnson, Frankie Jirak
unify konixx black ice
Black Ice are the two-time defending NARCh Pro Champions. That means they will have a target on their back every game, which comes as no surprise for this group as they always get teams' best efforts. With Jay Muro leading the charge on the bench, the team mimics exactly what he preaches: defense leads to offense. Black Ice will also be playing with some extra determination after being a heavy favorite at TORHS and losing in the Semi-Final. Expect Black Ice to come out harder than ever in this year's event.
Notable Players - Mike Macynski, Tyler Kraft, PJ DiMartino, Billy Pascalli, Charlie Combs
UNIFY KONIXX BLACK ICE Purple
Black Ice Purple (previously Black Ice 2.0) had a great showing at TORHS. Despite finishing in last place, they had a ton of close games. Had they been able to sneak out a win, they would have not only challenged for a playoff spot but also would have been a nightmare in the Quarter Finals. This team has a lot of young players who will be playing pro for years to come.
Notable Players - Aidan Boyle, Jacob Roberson, Ryan Soboslay, Sammy Phillips, Marvin Simmons
Champion wheelers
Formerly the Epic Society, the Champion Wheelers earned themselves a spot in last year's NARCh playoffs. I expect this team to build on that success from last year. With a young team, the Wheelers need to calm the storm against the more seasoned teams. If they can keep games close, they could be a sneaky team that steals a game or two in Round-Robin.
Notable Players - Tyler Shetland, Jerrett Overland, Teddy Purcell, Braden Shetland
FMT
We don't know a ton about this team, but neither does anyone else. That could work to their advantage. FMT needs to win their coin toss games and play the seasoned pro teams close. This may be a team where goal differential is the difference between a playoff berth and an early tourney exit. Caldwell and Baldwin will be heavily relied on for scoring, but it's team play that will make the difference for this team.
Notable Players - Chris Caldwell, Robbie Baillargeon, David Baldwin, Lucas Discazaux
hoapa nci phoenix
NCI Phoenix has definitely improved their roster by combining players from the Konixx Outcast and Envious Wings. Captain Ryan Daubenmire has always been a guy who sticks with his boys, but it looks like they will be taking a different approach this year. Having an NHL Draft Pick (Gasseau, Boston Bruins) is huge for this team. Even if the skating is not 100% there, he is a game-changer who has found success at every level.
Notable Players - Aaron Ianello, Tanner Touhy, Brian Gibb, Tommy Touhy, Andre Gasseau