Dec. 21, 2016 | Dan Rosen and Shawn P. Roarke from NHL.com recently penned deep-dive stories about the impressive growth of hockey in Arizona and Missouri. As a preview for his return to the desert with the Toronto Maple Leafs this Friday night, Auston Matthews’ path from small-ice youth hockey in Scottsdale to the NHL was among the highlights, but the stories also delved into the growth of girls hockey and college hockey, providing a broad grassroots perspective. Last but certainly not least, Roarke’s story included a salute to Kirkwood (Mo.) Youth Hockey, a USA Hockey Model Association. To read Rosen’s story, click here. For Roarke’s story, click here.