country_of_citizenship shawn mcneil
Professional ice hockey has existed since the early 1900s ( decade ). The professional game originated in the United States in 1904 and became prominent in ___MASK94___ during the early 20th century before expanding back into the United States and eventually to many other countries . In addition to the United States and ___MASK94___ , high - level professional hockey is present in Germany , Russia , Sweden , the Czech Republic , Finland and Switzerland ; professional hockey is also played in many other countries , as diverse as Ukraine , the United Kingdom , Austria , Australia and Japan . The Midwestern United States , also referred to as the ___MASK22___ Midwest or simply the Midwest , is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau , occupying the northern central part of the United States of America . It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984 . Shawn McNeil ( born March 17 , 1978 ) is a professional ice hockey centre . He is currently playing for the Louisiana IceGators of the Southern Professional Hockey League ( SPHL ) . The Southern Professional Hockey League ( SPHL ) is a professional ice hockey league based in Huntersville , North Carolina , with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the midwestern United States . Huntersville is a town in Mecklenburg County , North Carolina , United States . A part of the Charlotte metropolitan area , the population was 46 , 773 at the 2010 census , and had increased to 52 , 704 according to the 2015 census annual estimate , making Huntersville the 17th largest municipality in North Carolina . It is located about 12 miles north of uptown Charlotte . It is thought that the town derives its name from the Rev . Humphrey Hunter , a minister at Steele Creek and Unity Presbyterian Churches and a local Revolutionary War hero . Others debate that it is either named for Robert B . Hunter , a local cotton farmer , or the generous and kind grade - school ___MASK84___ Elizabeth Hunter and her husband , Travis Hunter , the town ' s first Crossing Guard .