NHL prospect tournaments popular, productive

Prospect tournaments, a number of which will appear across the NHL landscape this week, mark the unofficial start of hockey season.

They are held in the days leading up to the opening of training camps, and play out in such diverse locales as Traverse City, Mich., Nashville, Tenn., Belleville, Ontario and Anaheim, Calif.

And, of course, Buffalo, where young players wearing the colors of the Penguins, Sabres, Bruins and Devils will compete in a round-robin event that runs from Friday through Monday. (No games Sunday.)

For some, it will be the only time in their careers that they wear the team's sweater. For others, it will be another step toward establishing themselves as an NHL-caliber talent.

A…