Oakdale NAHL Hockey Player Takes 'Staying Hungry' to the Extreme

Junior hockey coaches will tell you they want their players to be hungry. But this isn't exactly what they mean.

Paul Prescott is currently playing with his jaw wired shut after it was broken in a hockey fight this summer.

“I've lost 15 pounds, but the hardest part is trying to breathe,” he said. “I get (unwired) in two weeks. I can't wait; I'm starving.”

Other than his inability to sample the local cuisine, Prescott has enjoyed his time with the North American Hockey League's Aberdeen Wings so far.

“I love it here,” Prescott said. “I'm on the first line, so it's a good situation, and we've got a good coach.”

Prescott won a state title with Hill Murray in 2008, then spent what should have been his senior year of high school playing for the Austin Bruins.

“My first season in Austin I only played four games and sat the rest,” Prescott said. “Now I won't sit.”

Aberdeen coach Pete Sauer confirms Prescott will have a much larger role this season.

“He's a veteran and a real leader on our team,” Sauer said.

Prescott is one of three Oakdale natives playing in the North American Hockey League this season. He and the others—Nick Hinz and Carl Krieger—were all in Blaine last week to take part in the NAHL Showcase, an annual event where all 28 of the league's teams gather to play 56 games in four days.

Hinz is playing for the defending champion Fairbanks Ice Dogs, while Krieger has landed with Minot, a first-year expansion team.

“We've definitely got a big target on our backs,” Hinz said of playing for the defending champs.

Expectations aren't nearly as high for Krieger's new team, but he still feels like he's in a good position.

“It's hard to be away (from home), but I've got a good situation in Minot,” Krieger said. “I've got a good, nice host family.”

Hinz's new coach is very high on their rookies.

“He one of the hardest workers, and he's still on the young side,” Fairbanks coach Trevor Stewart said of Hinz. “He's a 'lunch pail' kid. He comes to work hard every day, and he's a pleasure to have on the team.”

Krieger's new coach also likes what he's seen so far.

“He's a pretty promising defenseman, and he's going to be a big part of our team,” Minot coach Ben Johnson said.

The North American Hockey League, now in its 36th season, is the largest USA Hockey-sanctioned Junior A circuit with 28 teams. Traditionally, the Combat Hockey/NAHL Showcase Tournament attracts over 5,000 people in overall attendance, including more than 200 college and professional scouts.

The Janesville Jets were crowned champions of this year's Showcase. Like Janesville, the Fresno Monsters and Fairbanks Ice Dogs went 4-0 in the tournament, with the Jets winning on tie-breaker criteria.