Former NAHL Prospects Challenge Champion Prepares for the Robertson Cup

Photo Credit: Tony Haas Photography

The NAHL Prospects Challenge is a large-scale scouting and development tournament that takes place in Blaine, Minnesota in conjunction with the championship tournament of the NAHL, the Robertson Cup. This year the tournament will take place from May 15-17. Each team that is in the Prospects Challenge is a direct affiliate of an NAHL program and carries the name of the team for the weekend. 

This year, the Lone Star Brahmas rookie goaltender, Leo Gabriel, will return to Blaine to help his team attempt to climb to the top of the NAHL mountain and win the Robertson Cup. The Brahmas fell just short of hoisting the Robertson Cup in 2025 after losing to the Bismarck Bobcats in the championship game. 

While Gabriel’s current team was fighting for a Robertson Cup last season, he was competing with the Minnesota Mallards 18U team for the 2025 Prospects Challenge championship. Gabriel was successful and is looking to win another championship in Blaine this season.

The White Bear Lake, Minnesota native has had a successful rookie campaign in the NAHL thus far. Gabriel took home two 2025-26 regular season awards. The goaltender made the NAHL All-Rookie Team and was named the NAHL South Division Rookie of the Year.

Gabriel’s 2025-26 Season Statistics:

28 games played. 1.92 GAA, .912 SV%, 20-5-0 record, 3 shutouts.

Those numbers left the 2007 birth year near the top of the league amongst qualified goaltenders in almost every category. 

Overall Rankings:

Goals against average, 2nd

Wins, 10th

Losses, 4th

Save percentage, 18th

Shutouts, 7th

Before the NAHL, Gabriel was a three-year starter for White Bear Lake High School from 2022-25 and was named team captain for the 2024-25 season. Throughout those three seasons, Gabriel played in 76 games and had a 49-23-4 record with 18 shutouts. 

Gabriel’s 2024-25 season with White Bear Lake was one for the history books as he was awarded the 2025 Frank Brimsek Award, or the “Mr. Goalie” award. This award is given to Minnesota’s best senior goaltender. Gabriel is the third goaltender from White Bear Lake to win the award since its creation in 1995.

Gabriel’s Minnesota High School Statistics:

2022-23: 23 games played. 2.23 GAA, .904 SV%, 17-6-0 record, 5 shutouts.

2023-24: 28 games played. 1.95 GAA, .922 SV%, 18-9-1 record, 8 shutouts.

2024-25: 25 games played. 1.73 GAA, .928 SV%, 14-8-3 record, 5 shutouts.