Bulls Enjoy Big Presence at NAHL Top Prospects Event

Jun 21, 2021

BLAINE, Minn. – The North Iowa Bulls haven’t yet played a game in the North American Hockey League, but the Bulls had a strong presence at the NAHL’s Top Prospects event this past weekend. The NAHL Top Prospects showcase was held in conjunction with the league’s Robertson Cup championship tournament, which wraps up with the national title game on Tuesday.

Three North Iowa alumni were on the rosters, plus five more who played for the Amarillo Bulls, whose place in the league will be taken by North Iowa this coming season. Former Bull Lucas Wahlin, now a member of the Kenai River Brown Bears, was one of the top forwards at the event, notching two assists over his two games with the Midwest Division squad. Defenseman Evan Junker, who played for the Bulls in 2018-19, appeared in both games for the Midwest team, but did not notch a point.

The Central Division squad featured two players with Bulls connections – forward Gavin Rasmussen, who played three games for the Bulls in the 2019 NA3HL Showcase, notched one assist. Amarillo goaltender Andrew Takacs, who was a late addition to the Central roster, was the top goaltender at the event with saves on all 17 shots he faced and was the only goalie to finish the weekend without surrendering a goal. He did not pick up a decision in either contest, with St. Cloud goalie Josh Langford earning both wins.

The South Division was well-represented by Bulls, with four Amarillo players on the roster. Forwards Ryan Coughlin and Carter Rapalje both scored goals in Sunday’s 7-2 rout of the Midwest squad, while defensemen Nick Dineen and Sean Vlasich went without a point in their two appearances.

Dineen finished his junior playing career in Amarillo’s four-game South Division semifinal loss to the Shreveport Mudbugs, but all of the other four Bulls are 2001-born players, giving them a final season of junior eligibility in 2021-22.

The North Iowa Bulls’ schedule for the upcoming season will be released in the coming days, and North Iowa Bulls season tickets are still on sale for the 2021-22 campaign. Several perks are available for season ticket holders, including a 10-percent discount on all purchases at Brutus’s Locker Room Sponsored by Christie Door Company, pregame Happy Hour specials at all Friday home games, the Bulls’ “No Ticket Left Behind” program that allows season ticket holders to exchange any unused season ticket for a single-game ticket, and more.

For more information, or to purchase season tickets, call 641-423-4625 or visit www.northiowabulls.com – fans can also keep up with the latest Bulls content online by following the team’s social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.