Color of Hockey: Amerigol LATAM Cup to celebrate 8th year

William Douglas has been writing The Color of Hockey blog since 2012. Douglas joined NHL.com in 2019 and writes about people of color in the sport. Today, he previews the 2026 Amerigol LATAM Cup, which takes place Aug. 1-9 at Florida Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs and Palm Beach Skate Zone in Wellington, Florida.

A couple of firsts and a homecoming highlight the 2026 Amerigol LATAM Cup, a nine-day tournament that begins Saturday in Coral Springs and Palm Beach, Florida.

The tournament continues its growth from its five-team Latin American roots in 2019 to 68 teams skating at the Panthers IceDen, the Florida Panthers former practice facility, and Palm Beach Skate Zone with an international flavor that extends far beyond the Americas.

More than 1,500 players will compete in nine divisions, representing 16 countries and territories including Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuban Americans, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Mexico, Pakistan, Venezuela and Indigenous/First Nations tribes.

Two teams with players of Filipino descent will make their LATAM Cup debut and sled hockey will be showcased at the tournament for the first time.

“Winning is definitely a priority for us in this tournament,” said Jonathan de Castro, a former Philippines men’s national team coach who’ll lead the U12 and U16 Fil-Nation squads in Florida. “More than that, we’re making a statement saying, ‘Look, we’re here, we’re doing this at a Latin American tournament in South Florida that is extremely diverse and we want to make sure that the Filipino hockey community is represented.’ ”

A sled hockey showcase and try sled hockey sessions were added this year because it dovetails with LATAM Cup founder Juan Carlos Otero’s vision of making hockey more inclusive. 

Among those on hand to support the effort will be Brett Bolton, who won a gold medal with the 2026 Paralympics Sled Hockey team in Milano Cortina, Greg Shaw, a two-time Paralympics gold medalist (2010, 2014) and Madeleine Gallagher, a Palm Bay, Florida, resident and member of the U.S. team that won the 2025 World Para Hockey Women’s World Championship in Dolny Kubin, Slovakia, last August.

“We really feel like this is something that reflects what Amerigol stands for, which is opening another door to the game,” Otero said. “We’ve seen the participation in the Paralympics and how exciting it was, and we just felt it was time to add this to our event, introduce it to the teams that participate in the LATAM Cup. The ultimate goal is to be to have these organizations start a program that can eventually come to the LATAM Cup and participate in a Para hockey event.”

The LATAM Cup also marks the return of former Panthers goalie Al Montoya to the area where he played from 2014-16.

He’ll be coaching his son, Henry, and a U12 team of Cuban American players. It’s something he never envisioned he’d have the chance to do when he made history as the first Cuban American in the NHL.

Selected by the New York Rangers in the first round with the No. 6 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, Montoya made his NHL debut for the Phoenix Coyotes on April 1, 2009, a 23-save performance in a 3-0 win at the Colorado Avalanche.  

He went on to go 67-49-24 in 168 NHL games (136 starts) with the Coyotes, New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Panthers, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, with a 2.65 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and seven shoutouts.

Montoya said participating in the LATAM Cup will be a sentimental journey and a homecoming to a Cuban American community that enthusiastically embraced him as “The Big Cubano” during his tenure with Florida.

“I've had the chance to represent the United States of America at the (IIHF) World Junior Championship, one of my biggest dreams ever,” said Montoya, who is vice president of cultural growth and strategy for the Dallas Stars. “Now I have the opportunity to coach Team Cuba and coach my son. I'm getting chills talking about it right now. As the first Cuban American to play in the NHL, for me, this is that full circle moment.

“The manager for Team Cuba reached out, Henry was able to play, and the Dallas Stars encouraged me to go and help grow the game. I said yes, and now we've got the Cubans from my family coming from all parts of Florida to come watch us play.”

The NHL and NHL Players’ Association, through the Industry Growth Fund and Florida Panthers, help support the LATAM Cup. The fund was created as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2013 to support and accelerate the development of League and Club initiatives and projects that promote long-term fan development and increase participation in hockey at all levels.

“Over the past seven years, the LATAM Cup has become a powerful example of hockey’s ability to bring people together, celebrate culture and create opportunity,” said Rob Knesaurek, senior vice president, NHL community development and industry growth. “What started as a vision to showcase talent from Latin America and other non-traditional hockey markets has grown into a premier international event that inspires players, families and communities.

“Through the support of the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund, the LATAM Cup has helped expand access to the game, strengthen local hockey communities and create meaningful opportunities for participants to develop a lifelong connection to hockey. We’re proud of the tournament’s continued growth and the positive impact it is making both on and off the ice."

The Panthers are excited about hosting the LATAM Cup at the IceDen for the eighth consecutive year.

"This tournament is a true celebration of culture and the continued growth of hockey across Latin America, the Caribbean communities and beyond," said John Colombo, vice president of the Florida Panthers Foundation and community relations. 

Many teams enter the LATAM Cup in hopes of getting the attention of government officials, sports federations or private investors in their countries or territories to convince them to help develop hockey in their homelands, mainly by building ice rinks.

“This is our largest and most ambitious tournament yet,” Otero said. “What makes this event special is not only the competition, but the way hockey families connect to their heritage and the opportunities it creates for players and gives countries and communities a chance to build something that continues.”