NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Spotlight

Duante’ Abercrombie, 35, is a native of Washington, DC, and is a proud alumnus of Neal Henderson’s Fort Dupont Cannons Ice Hockey Program. He spent the 2022-23 NHL season with The Toronto Maple Leafs as their Coaching Development Associate.

Before coaching with the Maple Leafs, Abercrombie coached two teams in the Washington, DC area — Stevenson University, Assistant Coach (NCAA Division 3) and The Washington Little Caps, Director of Player Achievement (AAA). He also served as the Team Gold Coach at the 2022 USA Select 17 Festival and the Team Black Coach at the 2021 USA Select 16 Festival.

He is an inaugural member of the NHLCA’s BIPOC Coaches Program and The Washington Capitals Black Hockey Committee. In 2021, he was invited by The Arizona Coyotes to be a guest coach at their Rookie Development Camp and was also selected to participate in the Boston Bruins Scouting Mentorship Program. Along with these fully immersive educational opportunities, he was also recently honored to be mentioned in articles by The Athletic and ESPN. The Athletic named him to their “Hockey’s 40 Under 40: The Important People Who Are Shaping the Game’s Future” list, and ESPN listed him as a “Coach their panel would like to see in the NHL” in their “Top rising candidates for NHL jobs” article. He hopes to continue to use his platform as a hockey coach to increase diversity and inclusivity in the game of hockey.

Abercrombie is married to his wife, Melanie, and they have two children. A five-year-old son, Patrick, and a two-year-old daughter, Ava.

Joey Ali is the Founder of Proali Goalie Training and Co-owner of Pro-Formance Goalie Schools and opened Proali Goalie Training Facility 5 years ago. His insight comes from years of playing experience in; BC Winter Games (Zone team), Junior B (PJHL), Junior A (AWHL) & College (NCAA, conference MCHA). He received his scholarship after winning a national title at the Junior A level. In College, he received student awards for academics while studying business and marketing and athletic awards for his play on the ice.

Currently, Joey is the goalie consultant for the following:

• Simon Fraser University
• Langley Rivermen – Eighth season in the BCHL, 2014 Champions)
• Fraser Valley Rush – 2022 league, regional Champions & Esso Cup Silver Medal
• Langley Trappers – 2022 league & Provincial champions
• Team Canada Blind Hockey

Joey is Hockey Canada Certified Goaltending Coach (Level 3) and has been in the NHLCA BIPOC Coach Program for the last three years. He is also on the CCM Advisory Committee and aspires to one day coach in the NHL.

Joey is married to his lovely wife Natasha and has three beautiful children, Tatyana, Rayaan, and Aaliyah.

News:

• NHLCA Selection to AHL All-Star Game Palm Dessert 2025
• Certified Hockey Canada Goalie Coach 2025
• NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program 2025
• Canadian Blind Hockey Team Canada GC 2025
• National Woman’s Team Canada Camp GC 2024

Derek began his coaching career as a junior at Penn State University. After playing for two seasons with the ACHA Div 2 team, he served as an assistant coach for three seasons with the then Penn State Lady Icers, helping to lead them to a 2001-2002 3rd place finish at ACHA Nationals and three consecutive National appearances. After college Derek went on to coach for one year at his high school alma mater, Gonzaga College High School (DC), as an assistant coach with the JV team. His experience then led him to serve as an assistant coach for two seasons with the Baltimore Stars of the CBHL under one of his former coaches as a player. The Stars reached the 2006 USA Southeastern District Regionals.

After moving to Boston and Cambridge, MA, in 2006, Derek served as an assistant coach within the Cambridge Youth Hockey organization, mainly working with Midget and Bantam teams, out of the GBYHL for a few seasons while juggling graduate school and work, continuing his current career in human performance (strength & conditioning/health & fitness). When it was time to move back to the DC area in 2016, Derek answered the call to become the head coach at Holton-Arms (Bethesda, MD) for two seasons. While at the helm with Holton, the Panthers finished runner-up in the Mid-Atlantic Girl’s Hockey League (MAGHL) and won the Miran Division Championship in his last season in the Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic (WIHLMA).

His time after Holton-Arms led him to one of his current coaching roles: In 2018, Derek was named the Varsity 2 Head Coach at Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, VA). The Knights finished the 2019-2020 season as Chiller Tournament Thanksgiving Champions (Dublin, OH) and runner-ups in the Mid-Atlantic Prep Hockey League, in which Coach Arledge was humbly named MAPHL-A Coach of the Year. He says, “We had a young team, but they stepped up and will continue their success on and off the ice.”

While continuing to serve as a high school head coach, in 2019, Derek was named the head coach for the University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC). “The Retrievers did not field a team for two seasons, so we are re-tooling as a program.”

As a fun cool down to coaching duties, Derek serves as a volunteer hockey coach with the Kids On Ice program at Fort Dupont Ice Arena (DC). “I enjoy it because I get to skate with my son and coach with two of my former teammates and classmates. One of them, Billy Bryant, heads up the KOI hockey program, and we have known each other for almost 40 years. My goodness! Did I just write that?…well, 38!”

• Strength & Conditioning Coach – Team Maryland
• Lead Coach Instructor – Kids On Ice at Fort Dupont

• UMBC
• Bishop O’Connell Varsity 2 (VA)
• Holton-Arms School (MD)

• Cambridge (MA) Youth Hockey U18, U14
• Baltimore Stars U18 AA
• Gonzaga College HS (DC)
• Penn State University Lady Icers

• Kids On Ice at Fort Dupont

Harrison is a coach in Buffalo, New York, with experience coaching at levels from 6U to Junior. He’s done extensive work as an individual and small-group development coach and currently serves as a Scout for the Fort Erie Meteors in the GOHL.

Jason has been coaching for 14 years at all levels from the WHL, BCHL and CSSHL. He started in 2009 as an Assistant Coach for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. In 2014 he joined the Okanagan Hockey Academy as a Head Coach of the U18 Varsity Program. 2 years later, Jason was an Assistant Coach with the Penticton Vees. In his first season the Vees captured the BCHL Championship. In 2019-20 Jason was the Head Coach of St. George’s U18 Prep Team.

For the last 4 years Jason has been a coach at the Pacific Coast Hockey Academy, coaching at the U18 Prep, U17 Prep and currently U15 Prep Team. Jason is also heavily involved with the BC hockey Male High Performance Program in many roles from coaching, Lead Evaluator and most recently a Coach Mentor. In 2013 he was the head Coach of Team Pacific at the U17 World Hockey Challenge. He has also been a Head Coach (2023 Team BC U16 WHL Cup), Assistant Coach (2017 Team BC U16 WHL Cup, 2019 Team BC U16 Canada Winter Games) and Coach Mentor(2024) with Team BC U16 Male Program. Jason is also a certified Hockey Canada Skills Coach.

Craig Berube is a native of Calahoo, Alberta. He went undrafted into the NHL and signed as a free agent in 1986, going on to play 1,054 career games with the Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders.

Berube retired from professional hockey in 2003 and quickly transitioned into coaching, beginning behind the bench with the Philadelphia Phantoms of the AHL. He later joined the Philadelphia Flyers’ coaching staff, serving as an assistant coach before being promoted to head coach during the 2013-14 season.

In 2017, Berube joined the St. Louis Blues organization as an associate coach and was named interim head coach during the 2018-19 season. He went on to lead the Blues to the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history that season. Berube later joined the Toronto Maple Leafs as Head Coach in the summer of 2024, serving two seasons behind the bench before departing the organization in May 2026.

The native of Toronto, ON, has been coaching for over twenty-two years in the greater Toronto area, twelve seasons with the Toronto Red Wings and the Toronto Marlboros of the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) as Head Coach and Associate Coach. In 2014-2015 Bollers joined the Pickering Panthers of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) as an Assistant coach alongside National Hockey League’s four-time Stanley Cup champion Paul Coffey. 2010-2011 Bollers served as the Head Coach of the Brampton Capitals of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, taking over the team midseason. Bollers is currently the assistant coach with the Caledon Admirals of the Ontario Junior Hockey League

Bollers worked with the Ontario Hockey Federation from 2013-2018 as a coach representing team GTHL at the OHL Gold Cup Program of Excellence tournament. 2011-213 Bollers was an associate coach for the U16 Program of Excellence. 2017-2019 Bollers was a mentor coach for the Coaches Association of Ontario, helping develop female coaches (Changing the Game – Changing the Conversation Initiative). 2013 Bollers served as a technical coach and evaluator for Hockey Canada U17 Team Ontario.

Bollers has recently appointed the Associate Coach position with Team Ontario for the upcoming 2023 Winter Games in Prince Edward Island. As an Assistant Coach for Team Ontario at the 2014-2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, BC, Bollers helped the team earn a gold medal. 

Bollers has experience as an Executive Board Member of Ice Hockey Jamaica and the Black Canadian Coaches Association. Bollers, who holds Hockey Canada High-Performance Certifications I and II, is General Manager at the Distillery Restaurant Group and Director of Player Development at Skillz Black Aces.

Cyril and his wife Michelle reside in Scarborough with their three children and a granddaughter.

Fred Brathwaite was announced as the first Goaltending Coach in Henderson Silver Knights history on January 3, 2021. He most recently served as a goalie coach for the New York Islanders during the 2017-18 season. Brathwaite also worked as the goaltending coach for Hockey Canada with their Under-18 team for three seasons and held the same role with Canada’s Under-20 team. He was a goalie coach for his former club, Adler Mannheim of the German Professional League (DEL) during the 2013-14 season.

The Ottawa, Ontario, native spent nine seasons playing in the NHL, where he appeared in 254 games and posted an 81-99-37 record with a 2.73 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Brathwaite came into the league with the Edmonton Oilers and went on to play with the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets. He also spent time with the Syracuse Crunch, the Chicago Wolves, Ak Bars Kazan and Avangard Omsk of the Russian Superleague (now the Kontinential Hockey League) and Adler Mannheim of the DEL. Brathwaite won Goaltender of the Year honors in the RSL in 2005-06 and won Player of the Year in 2008-09 in the DEL with Adler. Before embarking on his pro career, Brathwaite won a Memorial Cup in 1990 with the Oshawa Generals.

Antonio Briggs-Blake is a graduate of Adrian College and currently serves as the Head Coach of the Southern Maryland Sabres U14 team.

His coaching experience includes serving as an Assistant Video Coach with Adrian College’s NCAA Division III men’s hockey program in 2025 and as an Assistant Coach with the school’s ACHA Division III men’s team in 2026. He has also gained professional development experience as a Guest Coach with the Washington Capitals development program in 2023 and at an Anaheim Ducks training camp in 2025.

Briggs-Blake is passionate about player development, leadership and building positive team cultures. His long-term goal is to coach at the collegiate or professional level while helping create greater opportunities and pathways for the next generation of players and coaches.

Passion for hockey is in his DNA. Introduced to the ice when he was 3-years old, Nathaniel’s connection to the game began long before that. His family played in Nova Scotia and founded Skillz Hockey to make hockey more accessible. Nathaniel played at various levels during his time as a player. This includes time in the GTHL, OJHL, OHL, USHL, USport, and semi-professional levels. This experience brought him to coaching, inspiring others while trying to put a positive contribution into the game of Hockey. He has been a skill development coach for over 15 years with experience training players from the pro to minor hockey levels.

• • Assistant Coach, Rams Men’s Hockey (2014 – 2019)

  • Development Coach – Rams Men’s Hockey (2019)

  • 2019 Herb Ebisuzaki Coaching Award (GTHL)

  • Former Head Of Coaching and Development, Forest Hill Hockey Association

  • Presented at the 2019 Coaches site conference in Toronto

Through his years of playing and teaching hockey, Kyle has developed a very thorough understanding and deep passion for the game of hockey. This same passion has driven him to not only help his students become better hockey players but to become exceptional and contributing members of society.

Throughout Kyle’s playing career, he was fortunate to gain experience across several levels of play, including playing junior hockey in Thunder Bay. After junior hockey, the sport led Kyle to university, where he suited up for his respective school teams in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA). While playing hockey, Kyle also worked towards his degree in Kinesiology, which he found to be very insightful in terms of hockey development.

With his extensive playing experience in the sport, Kyle took his degree and started to apply his knowledge to learn to skate programs throughout several municipalities. From instructing lessons to coordinating power skating to supervising the entire program, his understanding and application for progressive teaching almost became something unheard of. Kyle’s knowledge had reached beyond what he could imagine, so far that it ultimately led to an assistant coaching offer in minor hockey. Kyle took it as a challenge and a way to be able to give back to the game that gave him so much. He instantly fell in love with coaching and the bond that he was able to create with younger athletes. Kyle grew into his coaching role very quickly and now coaches at the AAA level.

With this knowledge of the game, application of progressional teaching methods, and his hockey skills, Kyle created Wild Wolf Hockey, an elite training company located in the Greater Toronto Area. Kyle’s comprehensive training model, coupled with an unwavering ability to relate to and teach athletes of all ages, has allowed Wild Wolf Hockey to quickly become one of the elite schools in the Greater Toronto Area.

His unparalleled dedication allows him to provide athletes with the best elite training, all while ensuring his students become exceptional people and contributing members of society along the way.

Rane Carnegie is a first-year Head Coach of the 2008 Toronto Young Nationals and proud grandson of the late Dr. Herb Carnegie.

In January 2020, he founded: O.W.N (Our Way Now) Aces Sports Group, a big brother and skill development company based in Toronto. Recently, Rane has been giving virtual presentations on anti-racism, addiction, and mental health through his unique life experiences to junior hockey teams across Canada.

Robert Cathcart III has served as the head of Hockey Operations and Video for the Buffalo State women’s hockey team since October 2020.

Cathcart III has a multitude of experience, serving in various video coordinator and operations roles since 2008. Prior to joining Buffalo State, he was a Beginner Skills Development Coach for ABC Hockey Adult Skills Clinic in Schenectady, N.Y., from 2017-2019. He also served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach with the RPI Women’s Hockey Team from 2014-2017 and worked for USA Hockey as a Video Coordinator for the 2014 U18 girls and 2015 U15 Girls’ Summer Development Camps. While in the Capitol Region, he also served as a Hockey Coach for the Schenectady Youth Hockey Program from 2012-2017 from mites through bantam age groups.

Along with his role at Buffalo State, Cathcart III also works with the Canisius College men’s club hockey team as an assistant coach, a position he’s held since 2019.

Cathcart III, a Buffalo native, graduated from Boston College in 2008, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2008. While at Boston College, he worked with the school’s athletic department, helping with game day and event operations. He also held the same role at the KeyBank Center, home of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres. He earned a master’s degree in Sports Administration from Canisius College in 2015.

Lennie Childs returns to the Janesville Jets for the 2024-2025 season as Head Coach and General Manager, bringing a wealth of experience from both his playing and coaching career. A former Jets forward, Childs was a fan favorite during his time in Janesville before transitioning behind the bench as an associate head coach.

Following his tenure with the Jets, Childs expanded his coaching resume at the highest levels of junior and collegiate hockey. He spent time as an assistant coach with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL), an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Union College, and most recently, as head coach of the Omaha Lancers (USHL). His coaching journey has included working with top hockey minds such as Parker Burgess (Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL) and Josh Hauge (Union College, NCAA).

Now back in Janesville, Childs is eager to lead the team forward, emphasizing player development, a strong team culture, and a commitment to excellence. He is passionate about helping Jets players reach their full potential and preparing them for success at the next level.

Marquise Cotten started playing in Washington, DC, for coach Neal Henderson, then went on to play at Gonzaga and Bridgton Academy. He then played his college hockey at Lebanon Valley College and Rowan University.

For the past year, Cotten has been coaching in Mason City, Iowa, for the Toros (NA3HL) and helping with the bulls (NAHL). His journey began at his alma mater, Gonzaga College High School, and the Washington Little Caps U18AAA team. Cotten is constantly learning and growing as a coach and a person. His ultimate goal is to help every kid grow, continue to grow as a coach, and be the best version of himself every day.

The 2024-25 season will be Zack’s second as head coach of the Griffins men’s hockey program, but he served as interim head coach of the Griffins in 2022-23 and was previously an assistant coach under Mike Ringrose from 2017-22. He has also served as an on-ice instructor at Vimy Ridge Academy, working with junior high and high school athletes. Zack had a decorated playing career, logging 373 Western Hockey League games with the Everett Silvertips, where he served as team captain for two seasons. He was also a part of two national championship teams with the University of Alberta Golden Bears during a five-year U SPORTS career.

Anuj Dobriyal currently serves as the Hockey Operations and Video Assistant for the Guelph Storm (OHL). He is a Computer Engineer by trade and aspires to work in the NHL one day. He started his hockey career going through the ISS mentorship program and then did a little freelance scouting before finding his way in Video and Data for the Halton Hurricanes u16 AAA (2007) team. After one season with Halton he made the move to Guelph and currently works part-time building on the experience.

Ryan Dumoulin is in his first year as Video Coach and Team Services Specialist for the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. Ryan spent three years working as Video Analyst and Director of Analytics for the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL between 2021 and 2024. Ryan is from Cochrane, Ontario and is a proud member of Taykwa Tagamou Nation, a Cree First Nation located just outside of Cochrane.

Cameron Fernandez currently serves as the assistant boy’s hockey coach at the Millbrook School. A 2019 graduate of the school, his main responsibilities with the team include recruiting, practice planning, game management, and goaltender development.

Prior to returning to Millbrook, Fernandez graduated from Connecticut College with a degree in Economics. As a goaltender, he played 4 years for the Camels who compete in the NESCAC at the NCAA III level. In the summer of 2023 he worked for the Pittsburgh Penguins as Data & Video Analytics intern with their hockey operations department.

In addition to coaching hockey, he works in Millbrook’s math department and academic center while also serving as a dorm parent. He is originally from Fairfield, Connecticut.

Max Fortunus was hired as assistant coach of the Texas Stars on May 20, 2021. It is his first coaching position held following a 17-year professional career that spanned more than 1,100 regular season games in the NHL, AHL, DEL, and ECHL. Six of those seasons were spent with the Stars including a three-year stint as team captain.

Fortunus, 38, moves behind the bench after spending the previous three seasons with Fischtown of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), Germany’s top professional hockey league. He recorded 50 points (7-43=50) in 139 career DEL games with Fischtown, serving as an assistant captain for all three seasons with the club from 2018-21.

Prior to his time in Fischtown, Fortunus spent 15 seasons in the AHL where he amassed 286 points (76-210=286) in 882 career games with Houston, Manitoba, Texas, Iowa and Springfield. The former defenseman recorded 167 points (44-123=167) in 402 career games with Texas over six seasons from 2009-15. Fortunus was named an assistant captain for the 2011-12 campaign before serving as Texas’ captain from 2012-15. He ranks third in Texas Stars history in games played (402), fourth in assists (123), sixth in points (167) and 16th in goals (44), while he ranks first among defensemen in club history in each category.

Fortunus made 10 trips to the Calder Cup Playoffs in his AHL career, logging 31 points (6-25=31) in 118 career AHL postseason games. Of his 10 career playoff appearances, five came with Texas, recording 15 points (2-13=15) in 63 Calder Cup Playoff games in a Texas sweater. Fortunus won the 2014 Calder Cup with Texas, while he also reached the Calder Cup Final in 2009 with Manitoba and again in 2010 with Texas. He was also named to the 2014-15 AHL All-Star Game.

The native of La Prairie, Quebec, appeared in nine career NHL contests with Dallas during the 2009-10 and 2013-14 seasons, recording one assist (0-1=1). Additionally, he spent parts of two seasons with Louisiana of the ECHL from 2003-05, registering 42 points (11-31=42) in 123 games. Prior to his professional debut in 2003-04, Fortunus logged 148 points (40-108=148) in 285 career games in five seasons with Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL, earning QMJHL First All-Star Team honors and winning the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s Defenseman of the Year in 2002-03.

Chris Gibson is a Stanley Cup champion and former professional goaltender with 14 years of professional hockey experience across North America and Europe. He currently serves as a Goaltending and Video Coach with the EC Kassel Huskies in Germany.

A native of Finland, Gibson moved to Canada at age 15 to continue his hockey development and represented Finland at both the IIHF U18 and U20 World Championships. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round, 49th overall, of the 2011 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut with the New York Islanders in 2015. Gibson spent five years in the Islanders organization before joining the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he was part of the organization’s 2021 Stanley Cup championship season.

Over the course of his professional playing career, Gibson appeared in 254 AHL games and 16 NHL games before continuing his career in Europe, including stops with Lukko in Finland’s Liiga and HC Nové Zámky in Slovakia. Now transitioning his extensive playing experience into coaching, Gibson brings a detail-oriented and team-first approach to goaltender development, video analysis and player performance.

Born in Cuba and growing up in France, Léo played hockey until the age of 23, then decided to follow his passion and started coaching.

After traveling in Europe to visit and learn from successful organizations and coaches, his career started in Norrtälje IK, Sweden, where he worked as an assistant and skills coach for the U18 team. Then he had the opportunity to be the head coach of SDE J18, playing at the highest level in Sweden.

From 2020 to 2022, Léo coached in Switzerland. He started as a video coach for the Lausanne HC and is currently an assistant and video coach for the SC Bern, one of the most renowned clubs in Europe.

Most recently, Leo became Head Coach of Sollentuna (Swedish J20 Elit League).

Léo is known for his positive energy and soft skills, which allows him to connect with coaches and develop players from all age groups (junior to a veteran) and level (U18 to NHL).

Leon Hayward joined The University of St. Thomas In June of 2021 for the Tommies’ inaugural Division I season. The school’s transition directly to Division I NCAA hockey from the Division III level has never been done before. Hayward leads UST’s recruiting efforts and works with the team’s forwards and penalty kill.

The Seattle, Washington, native served as an assistant coach for four seasons at Colorado College, working with defensemen and penalty kill on the ice while coordinating the Tigers’ recruitment processes. Hayward helped Colorado College’s Division I recruiting class rankings to move to 4th Nationally from 39th and 13th, along with bringing in three players who were NHL draft selections. Hayward, who has his master’s degree in Leadership from Northeastern, is currently in his 16th coaching season.

For nine seasons, Hayward coached high school hockey in Connecticut and Massachusetts at Avon Old Farms, Governors, and Taft prep schools. While coaching at Avon Old Farms, he would coach four future USA Hockey WJC players and 5 NHL draft picks, including 1st round selections Trevor Zegras and Spencer Knight.

In his only season coaching professionally, Hayward helped lead the Texas Wildcatters to historic single-season ECHL records. In 2007-2008 the Wildcatters would rank among the top single-season teams in ECHL history. Fewest Losses (9) and Fewest Road Losses (6) 1st ECHL all-time, 23 Consecutive games without a regulation loss (18-0-5), and Most Road Wins (26) tied for 1st ECHL all-time, Best Points Percentage (.799) tied 2nd ECHL all-time, and Fewest Home Losses (3) 3rd ECHL all-time.

He played in 132 college games as a forward at Division I Northeastern (1998-2002), scoring 30 points (15 goals), and as a senior, received the team’s Unsung Hero Award. He scored 85 goals and had 88 assists in six pro seasons, including four in the American Hockey League. He led Trenton to an ECHL Kelly Cup championship in 2005 and was named Kelly Cup Finals MVP as he finished with 11 points over 20 playoff games.

Hayward and his wife, Jessica, have two sons, Ellison and Harlan.

Derrick Henderson is a native of Levittown, PA and got his start playing street and roller hockey.

After high school, Derrick attended Bowling Green State University, where he began taking ice hockey classes. His passion for hockey led him to an opportunity to become a student equipment manager for the Falcons’ NCAA Division 1 team. During his time in this role, Derrick would learn from the BG coaching staff led by the longtime college coach, Buddy Powers.

After college, Henderson would continue playing in roller hockey leagues in Michigan and Arizona before returning to Bowling Green and beginning his coaching career – working with goalies for the BGSU Women’s ACHA hockey team as well as  BG Youth Hockey Travel teams.

After moving to Columbus, OH, Derrick immediately began working with the Columbus Ice Hockey Club and the Easton Youth Hockey Association, eventually becoming EYHA’s Director of Goalie Development. From there, he began working with several area high school programs, working his way from goalie coach to assistant coach to head coach.

Derrick is currently a Video Coach with the Columbus Mavericks in the USPHL. 

Derrick lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, Yana.

Aaron J. Hernandez, born in Minnesota, is a strong connector and strategic leader with almost two decades of operations management, coaching, and scouting experience in Ice Hockey. He has vast experience working across the high school, AAA, junior, and Canadian major junior levels with a proven track record in skill development and player advancement. Driven by his passion for continual growth and development opportunities, Hernandez has volunteer/professional development experience within both the NCAA DI and AHL levels.

Hernandez is known for his cerebral and data driven solution approach. He has made direct impact in different footprints and spaces throughout his career. His ability to establish rapport quickly aides in fostering and building lasting relationships. He was awarded the Minnesota Junior Hockey League (MnJHL) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2012-2013 and Honored Educator for Canton South High School in 2019.

He has been involved with the USA Hockey Development Camp Mid Am District since 2010, as a Coach and Evaluator. Hernandez, holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Boston University.

Michael Hutton has devoted more than 25 years to the game of hockey as a player, scout, coach, official, and hockey operations professional, working across Junior A, collegiate, professional, Tier I AAA, and elite youth levels.

Born in Michigan and raised in the Charlotte, NC area, Hutton spent his formative years with the Charlotte Jr. Checkers, earning recognition as a Team South All-Star and competing in events including Hockey Night in Boston, the Chicago Showcase, and USA Hockey Under-17 tournaments. He went on to play Tier 1 18U AAA hockey in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, before advancing to junior hockey — first in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers, then in the NAHL with the Springfield Jr. Blues, the Bismarck Bobcats, and the Texas Tornado. His play drew scholarship interest from NCAA Division I programs including the University of Michigan and Ferris State University, along with attention from professional scouts, before a serious car accident at age 20 cut his playing career short.

After his recovery, Hutton transitioned into coaching and scouting, spending seven seasons with the Texas Tornado (NAHL), where the program won four championship seasons, including three consecutive NAHL National Championships, and helped develop future NHL players Ben Bishop and Al Montoya.

His coaching career expanded into the collegiate ranks as Head Coach at UNC Charlotte, and continued at the Tier I 18U AAA level with the Connecticut Jr. Whalers and the New Jersey Colonials. He later served as Associate Head Coach of the Delaware Thunder (FPHL) during the franchise’s expansion season. Returning to the Carolinas, Hutton rejoined his childhood program, the Queen City Royals, where he coached 18U AA/A teams to eight tournament championships across two seasons.

Since 2001, Hutton has also served in Professional Hockey Operations as an Off-Ice Official with the Charlotte Checkers (AHL), working across 1,000+ professional games and with NHL organizations including the Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Hutton is a USA Hockey Level 5 Certified Coach, a member of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Association since 2022, and has participated in the NHL Coaching Focus Group with the New York Rangers. He is currently in his first season with the Danbury Hat Tricks (NAHL) as Director of Business and Game Day Operations and Assistant Coach.

Roshen Jaswal is the Head Coach & Assistant General Manager of the Cranbrook Bucks in the BCHL.

Prior to joining Cranbrook, Jaswal served as an Assistant Coach with the Swift Current Broncos of the WHL. Before that, he was Head Coach of the U15 AAA Vancouver North East Chiefs, where he oversaw all aspects of team operations, culture and player development. He also served as Director of Skill Development for the Chiefs, designing organization-wide skill curriculum and leading skill sessions across the U15–U18 levels.

Roshen is the founder of the VNE Knights, a spring and summer development program based in Vancouver that operates multiple elite teams and training programs to help athletes further their growth both on and off the ice. He has also worked alongside Ron Johnson at Elite Hockey Science for more than a decade, training NHL, NCAA and Junior players.

A former professional player, Jaswal competed in the ECHL and SPHL from 2020–23, winning an SPHL Playoff Championship in 2023. He was a top-scoring defenseman at St. Olaf College, where he earned all-conference honors three consecutive years, completed a degree in Kinesiology and a minor in Management Studies. Roshen also holds a Hockey Canada High Performance 1 (HP1) certification.

Off the ice, Roshen is passionate about mentorship, character development and creating environments that prepare athletes to become elite players while also helping them grow into well-rounded, high-character people.

Frantz Jean was born in Montreal and played his junior hockey with St-Hyacinthe and Victoriaville of the QMJHL. He received a scholarship to the Université de Moncton, winning the National Championship in 1995. Frantz began coaching at the young age of 14, having worked under the supervision of notable coaches like Francois Allaire and Phil Myre.

He was a goaltending consultant for Hockey Canada in the summers of 2009 and 2010 winning a Gold Medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and is also a member of Hockey Canada’s National Goaltending Consultants Team. His big break came with the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL where he coached for 12 years before joining Tampa Bay in 2010. With Moncton, Jean’s goaltenders allowed the least number of goals in four different seasons, been named defensive player of the year or goaltender of the year three times, named first or second all-star teams on five occasions, and had six goalies drafted or signed as a free agent in the NHL.

In 2010,Jean joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as the team’s goaltending coach where he works with all goalies throughout the organization winning the Stanley Cup in 2020. To date some of his most notable accomplishments with the Tampa organization include, Jean has coached their goaltenders to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, 2019 Presidents Trophy, 2015 Stanley Cup Final, 2013 Calder Cup Final, 2012 Calder, and Kelly Cup Championships. Additionally, Jean coached Andrei Vasilevskiy to the franchise’s first Vezina Trophy in franchise history in 2019 having produced four Vezina finalists in Ben Bishop (2014 & 2016) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (2018 & 2019).

Mikkel joins the Green Bay Gamblers after two season at Trinity College under Head Coach Matt Greason. During his time at Trinity, the Bantams won 1 NESCAC conference title and had 1 National Championship Game appearance in 2023.

Prior to coaching Mikkel played 5 seasons of professional hockey in the SPHL and across various leagues in Europe. Before playing professionally Mikkel spent four years at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin where he majored in French and German. Before his collegiate career he spent time in Saskatchewan, Boston and Denmark in his junior career.

Aaron Kaatz is a high-performance hockey coach with experience developing elite athletes across CJHL Junior A, AAA, CSSHL Prep and Hockey Canada Program of Excellence environments. He has led high-level programs, implemented structured player development plans and worked to build competitive, accountable team cultures.

Kaatz’s coaching approach emphasizes player progression, combining modern skill development with team systems to help athletes advance to higher levels. He places a strong focus on professionalism, resilience and consistency while fostering strong relationships with players, staff and management.

Through his work in high-performance hockey, Kaatz remains focused on player development, team performance and contributing to organizational success.

Suneil Karod grew up on Vancouver Island and began his coaching career in minor hockey in Nanaimo. With nearly 20 years of experience in junior hockey, Suneil has built his career around player development, skill acquisition, hockey IQ, and preparing athletes to compete at the next level. He currently operates his own skills development business, working directly with players to improve their individual abilities, decision-making, and overall performance.

Suneil’s coaching background includes championship success at both the Junior A and Junior B levels, including winning the 2018 RBC Cup National Junior A Championship with the Chilliwack Chiefs. He has helped numerous players advance to NCAA Division I programs and the WHL and spent five years coaching with BC Hockey’s Program of Excellence at the U16 and U17 levels. In 2011, he was appointed an Assistant Coach with Team BC for the Western Canada Challenge.

In addition to his coaching experience, Suneil holds two bachelor’s degrees in History and Political Science from the University of Victoria, with a focus on Second World War studies. He is passionate about helping players become more skilled, confident, and intelligent competitors. Beyond the rink, he is committed to growing the game and giving back to the South Asian community. His contributions to growing hockey have been recognized by the Vancouver Canucks and Hockey Night in Canada.

Born and raised in Michigan, John Kennedy J’s Career in hockey has taken him to the other side of the world. Following a successful NAHL career, which included winning a national championship with the St. Louis Bandits under head coach Jon Cooper, John was recruited to play for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers. He captained the team in his Junior and Senior season leading the school to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Following his collegiate career, he played semi-pro in the CHL before moving to Australia in 2012. John won two AIHL national championships with the Newcastle Northstars and began coaching the team in 2019 being named Coach of the Year for the league.

John is responsible for co-founding the National Sport Academy (NSA) Hockey – Australia’s leading development academy helping and advising the top players to get recruited overseas and advancing their hockey journey. With NSA, John works with the local hockey community to introduce people to the game, develop players’ abilities, and help provide resources to coaches.

Sam Kim had a different path to joining the coaching fraternity than most in the NHL. He began his career in hockey as Sparky the Dragon, the New York Islanders mascot. A graduate of Boston College with a degree in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Sport Management from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Kim has held many roles throughout his journey to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs as the team’s video coach in 2020. Kim was the first coach to lead Columbia to the MCHC Championships in 2010 as the team’s head coach before he joined the American International College as the video coordinator and later the Director of Hockey Operations. He went on to spend three seasons in the AHL, one season with Springfield as the team’s video and statistical coordinator (2015-16) and two seasons with Bakersfield as the Video Coordinator (2018-20). Additionally, Kim was the video coach with the Korea Ice Hockey Association, where he won a silver medal at the D1A World Championships and a gold medal at the D2A World Championships both in 2017. Kim also holds his Coaching Education Program Level IV Certification from USA Hockey.

Video coach Nigel Kirwan is an original member of the Lightning organization. He is responsible for breakdown of pre-scout and game film, formulation of scouting reports on opposing clubs and the creation of highlight and specialty film for use by the Lightning coaches and players. Additionally, Kirwan previously coached Lightning prospects during team rookie and development camps.

Kirwan coached amateur hockey at various levels in both Canada and the United States for 17 years. He is very active in youth hockey camps and clinics, including Tampa Bay’s “Lightning Made” youth camps. He also served as the video coach for Team USA at the 2009 and 2008 World Championships in Switzerland and Canada, respectively. Kirwan also joined Team USA for the 2016 World Cup. Kirwan was also part of the Lightning Stanley Cup Champion teams in both 2004 and 2020.

A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Kirwan attended the University of Western Ontario and the University of Tampa. He started with the Lightning as a member of the front office staff for four years before then-coach Terry Crisp hired him prior the start of the 1996-97 season.

Ryan Kuwabara was most recently the Head Coach of the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of three Major Junior hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), which is known as the premiere player development league in the world for the NHL.

On the ice, Kuwabara, 51, was a second-round (39th overall) selection by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1990 NHL Draft, prior to signing a three-year NHL entry level contract with the Canadiens that season. In the OHL, Kuwabara was a first-round (8th overall) draft pick by the Ottawa 67’s and notably amassed 100 points (43G, 57A) in just 66 games in one season with the 67’s. He earned the honor to represent Japan both on home-soil in the 1998 (XVIII) Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and again as a captain for the Japanese National Team at the 2001 IIHF Men’s World Championship.

A proven winner, Kuwabara earned seven championships throughout his 18-year professional hockey playing career, 15 of which were spent playing in Japan and Asia. He was also a member of the Saginaw Spirit staff that secured the 2018-19 OHL West Division title. Off the ice, Kuwabara won the community service award for the Montreal Canadiens’ AHL
affiliate, the Fredericton (N.B.) Canadiens (now the Laval Rocket), during the 1993-94 season and was the recipient of the Bobby Smith Trophy during the 1989-90 season, which is awarded to the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year.

Kuwabara and his family reside in Hamilton, Ont.

Samson Lee was born and raised in British Columbia and graduated from Boston College with a degree in accounting in 2012. While studying at Boston College, he worked as the video coordinator for the varsity men’s hockey team for four seasons working under Hockey Hall of Fame member Jerry York. After graduation, he joined Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL as the Video Coach for three seasons. Lee made the jump to the NHL with the LA Kings in 2015, where he serves as the Kings Video Coordinator for Todd McLellan’s staff.

Malcolm Lee Georges began his hockey journey in Quebec, playing all the way up to the M17 AAA level before deciding to pursue a football career, where he competed at the college level. After his football days, Malcolm returned to the rink with a renewed passion for coaching and has dedicated the past 12 years to developing players in Montreal.

Since 2013, Malcolm has coached at every AAA caliber within the Hockey Montréal Élites program, earning a reputation for his ability to prepare athletes for the next level. In addition to team coaching, he has worked as a Skills Coach for Collège de Montréal since 2021, helping student-athletes refine their technical abilities.

Malcolm is entering his fourth season with the Concordia University Stingers (USports) as an Assistant Coach with the men’s team. Throughout the last 3 seasons he served as an Assistant Coach and Video Coordinator for both the men’s and women’s teams. During this time, he contributed to the women’s team winning both Provincial and National Championships.

Malcolm also plays a key role with the Team Québec Program, working with the province’s top talent to help them achieve their goals and assisting in the selection process for the upcoming Canada Games. His dedication, experience, and commitment to player development have made him a trusted leader in the Quebec hockey community.

Jessie Leung is entering his 6th season at the Okanagan Hockey Academy, where he serves as Head Coach of the U15 team.

Leung spent several seasons in the BCHL, first as an Assistant Coach with the Trail Smoke Eaters before moving to the Prince George Spruce Kings, where he served as an Associate Coach. Prior to his time in the BCHL, Jessie spent six seasons with the Valley West Hawks in the U18 AAA league, first as an Associate Coach before taking on the role of Head Coach. In 2016, he guided the Hawks to a league championship.

Jessie has also been involved with the BC Hockey Program of Excellence, serving as both a Video Coach and Assistant Coach with the U16 program. As an Assistant Coach, he was part of the silver medal-winning Team BC squad at the 2016 Western Canada Challenge Cup. In 2015, he served as Video Coach for Team BC at the Canada Games. In 2024 Jessie worked with Canada’s National Women’s Development team finishing 2nd at the Euro Women’s Hockey Tour in Tampere Finland. He is currently a Regional Scout with the Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL).

Jared Levine grew up in Binghamton, New York after being adopted out of Wichita, Kansas. Levine started his playing career in Cortland, New York eventually making his way up to Syracuse to play for the Syracuse Stars for two seasons under Head Coach Scott Montagna. After Syracuse he went to play for the Florida Eels under Jason Bloomingburg in 2015-2016.

Levine started goalie coaching at the age of 14 for a camp called Rock Solid Goaltending in St John’s, Newfoundland. After his playing career ended, he didn’t go into coaching right away and instead went to flight school. After flight school, Levine was unable to find a job due to the coronavirus pandemic and picked up odd jobs until he moved to Fort Wayne in 2022.

Since his move to Fort Wayne in 2022, he has since founded Aviator Goaltending. He began his coaching career with the Indiana Tech Women’s Hockey Team and is currently the Goaltending Coach for the Fort Wayne Spacemen of the USPHL.

Levine plans to continue growing Aviator Goaltending to its fullest potential over the years.

Taylor is a Southern California native whose passion for hockey began at a young age playing roller hockey. He quickly learned that hard work, dedication, and a strong work ethic were essential for success both on and off the ice.

Taylor played five seasons of professional hockey in North America, competing in the ECHL, SPHL, and FHL, and winning a championship with the Carolina Thunderbirds in 2018. Before turning pro, he developed his skills in AAA hockey in Southern California, played two seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League, and spent four years playing NCAA Division III hockey at Elmira College.

A USA Hockey Level 4–certified coach, Taylor’s approach to player development goes beyond skills and systems. His comprehensive philosophy focuses on fostering a love for the game while using hockey as a tool to build character, discipline, and values:

“Have fun playing the game we love. Use the game of ice hockey to develop young athletes, and, more importantly, to strengthen one’s character and values.”

Sudarshan Maharaj is a native of Trinidad and grew up in Toronto. He attended York University where he played on the 1984-85 Championship team before spending six seasons playing professionally in Sweden. He joined the New York Islanders organization from 2003 to 2006 as the team’s goalie coach before returning to the team as the goaltending consultant from 2009 to 2012. During this time away from the Islanders, he helped develop the National Goaltending Training Program for Hockey Canada. Since 2013, Maharaj has been with the Anaheim Ducks organization, spending three seasons as a goaltending consultant for the team’s American League affiliate San Diego (formerly Norfolk) and in 2016, took over as the goaltending coach for the Ducks.

Harry Mahesh joined the Abbotsford Canucks in August 2024 for his first coaching season in the AHL, having spent the 2023-24 season as a Coaching Development Associate for the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to joining the Maple Leafs, the Vanderhoof, B.C. native was previously an Assistant Coach with the BCHL’s Powell River Kings as well as serving as both General Manager and Head Coach of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s Winnipeg Freeze. Mahesh became the first ever General Manager of South Asian descent in Canadian Junior A hockey when he was hired by the Freeze in 2021.

Manny Malhotra was hired as the Head Coach of the Abbotsford Canucks on May 24, 2024. Malhotra has spent the past four seasons working as an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs after joining Toronto at the start of the 2020 NHL Season. Before that, the Mississauga Ontario native also spent time on the Canucks coaching staff working as a development coach in 2016-17 and as an assistant coach from 2017 to 2020.

As a player, Malhotra played 16 seasons in the NHL across seven organizations after being drafted in the first round (seventh overall) by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL Draft. Through his NHL career, Malhotra recorded 295 points (116 goals, 179 assists) in 991 regular season games while also skating in 35 career Stanley Cup playoff games. He also won a Calder Cup championship in 2000 with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), playing in all 23 postseason games for the club. Prior to beginning his professional career, he won an OHL Championship in 1998 with the Guelph Storm.

Internationally, Malhotra represented Canada at the World Championships in 2002 after playing for his country at the World Junior Championships in 1998 and 2000. He served as captain for Canada at the 2000 World Juniors, capturing a bronze medal. He was also a member of Canada’s Spengler Cup championship team in 2015-16.

Former hockey player turned coach. American born with roots from Jamaica now living in Stockholm Sweden. Today working as a Player Development Coach for Massop Hockey Sweden where we train individual players to hone their hockey skills and personal attributes to take their game to the next level. Players include professional end elite athletes. Currently also Head Coach for a J20 Elite team in Stockholm Sweden.

Jose Matamoros, a Waupun, Wisconsin native, most recently served as an Assistant Coach for the NCAA Division III Men’s Hockey program at Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) from 2022–2024. During his two seasons at CUW, he worked extensively with the team’s goaltenders, created and implemented team systems and game plans, led recruiting efforts, live-coded games, and coordinated the team’s travel and meals on the road.

Prior to CUW, Jose spent the 2020–22 seasons as Associate Head Coach for the Marquette University High School hockey team, where he oversaw the defense and special teams units. He also coached in junior hockey with the Milwaukee Power (NA3HL) during the 2020–21 season, running the defense and assisting with recruitment. Several players from that team advanced to play collegiate hockey. Earlier in his career, Jose served as Head Coach of the Beaver Dam Golden Beavers High School Varsity Hockey program, where he led the team to a 30-17-4 record over two seasons, including the program’s second-ever sectional final appearance in 2019 and its first back-to-back winning seasons in more than 14 years.

As a player, Jose grew up competing in the Waupun Youth Hockey Association. Originally a defenseman, he transitioned to goaltending at the bantam level and continued playing the position through college. He played high school hockey locally before helping revitalize the ACHA Division II program at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he played four seasons and also served as the team’s Treasurer and Scheduler. In addition, he was instrumental in creating UWM’s Sport and Recreation Program for all club sports. He graduated in 2013 with a degree in Accounting and Finance.

After college, Jose pursued a career in professional baseball umpiring, advancing through the ranks of Minor League Baseball and serving as a crew chief at the Triple-A level before concluding his on-field career in March 2024. Following his time in professional sports and collegiate coaching, Jose now serves as the inaugural Director of Advancement – Athletics and Parent Relations at Concordia University Wisconsin, where he connects his background in athletics, leadership, and relationship-building to strengthen support for CUW student-athletes. Alongside this role, he is currently pursuing his MBA in Leadership at CUW, further developing his expertise in organizational leadership and strategic development.

David May brings more than 20 years of experience in hockey as a player, coach and scout. Most recently, he served as the Head Boys Hockey Coach at Farmington High School in 2025 following six seasons as an assistant high school coach, including during Farmington’s historic first appearance at the Class AA Minnesota State Tournament in 2016. He has also coached at Burnsville High School and has worked with NHL draft picks, NCAA Division I commits and numerous Division III student-athletes.

As a player, May competed at Augsburg University from 2001 to 2004 and served as a team captain before concussions ended his playing career prior to his senior season. While currently stepping away from coaching to focus on his three children, he remains actively involved in the game as the Minnesota scout for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers, where he continues to evaluate and support high-level players.

May’s perspective has been shaped by his experiences as a minority player, coach, scout and father. His mother is Indonesian and was born in Jakarta, and he began playing hockey in California in the mid-1980s when the sport was still developing in a non-traditional hockey market. After moving to Minnesota in 1991, he experienced a different hockey culture built around tradition, structure, access and established development pathways.

These experiences have given May a strong appreciation for the importance of representation, mentorship, access and opportunity in hockey. He is passionate about supporting players and coaches who may feel like outsiders in the game while helping them navigate opportunities at higher levels. Through the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program, May hopes to continue developing as a coach while supporting underrepresented coaches, expanding opportunities for BIPOC players and helping grow the game.

Alfie was born in Selkirk, Manitoba, where he played all his minor hockey until he left for Saskatchewan to play his Jr hockey. He then earned a scholarship to play for the Maine Black Bears.

During his playing days with the Black Bears, Michaud helped guide the University of Maine to its second NCAA National Championship in 1999, earning the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player accolade and an NCAA All-Tournament team recognition. In 1998 Michaud was named to the Hockey East All-Tournament team.

Following his graduation from the University of Maine in 1999, Michaud spent parts of 15 years as a goaltender in the professional ranks, including stints with the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch and Manitoba Moose.
After retiring from playing, Alfie was hired by the Arizona Coyotes to work with their AHL affiliate, the Portland Pirates. After one year with the Pirates, Alfie went back to his Alma mater to be the goalie coach for the Maine Black Bears. After a year of goalie coach, Alfie was promoted to full-time assistant coach, which he has been doing for the last six seasons.

T.J. Millar’s coaching experience spans 12 exciting seasons at the Junior level and above. The Calgary, Alberta native is currently the Associate Coach with the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League.

During the 2021-2022 Season, T.J. was appointed as the inaugural associate with the Toronto Maple Leafs as part of their Management and Coaching Development Program.

Prior to joining the Maple Leafs. Millar spent 5 Years between the Alberta Junior Hockey League (2018-2021) and the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (2016-2018) winning an SJHL Championship in 2018.

Millar began his coaching path as a student at the sports institute of Finland, located in Vierumäki, Finland. Acquiring a degree in Sports Management with an emphasis in Ice Hockey Coaching.

David Kyu-Ho Min started his hockey journey in Seoul, South Korea before his family immigrated to Coquitlam, British Columbia and then to Washington. He grew up playing hockey in Bellevue, Wash. before joining Sno-King Amateur Hockey Association as their Head Skills Coach and Assistant Hockey Director. David has a thorough Skills Coaching background, serving beginner players all the way to the NHL, and has extensive knowledge of the youth hockey scene in the PNW. He also has experience running Coaching Education Program clinics and serving as an on-ice skills instructor and evaluator for USA Hockey.

Currently – David helps develop players, teams, and coaches for the Kraken Youth Hockey Association throughout the season as well as Head Coaches the 14u AAA team.

Kamerin Nault is a Winnipeg, Manitoba native who has been immersed in hockey throughout his life. After seven years of professional playing experience, he is transitioning into the coaching and business side of the sport, bringing with him the perspective and experience gained through his playing career.

A proud member of the Red River Métis, Nault is passionate about using his personal experiences and the challenges he has faced to support athletes from all backgrounds. He is committed to helping players develop, overcome adversity, and reach their full potential within the hockey community.

Tim Ohashi grew up in Washington, DC and went on to graduate from Brown University with a plan to become a middle school teacher. His plans changed when he suffered a serious injury, leaving him with nothing to do which is when he enrolled in sports management graduate classes at Georgetown University. This program fuelled his desire to get his foot in the door and started his career path to working in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and now the Seattle Kraken. In Washington, he worked under coach Barry Trotz who heavily relied on video as a coaching tool and provided Ohashi with the opportunity to work in the NHL. Ohashi recently became the first coaching hire for the Seattle Kraken, the newest expansion team in the NHL in fall of 2020.

Christopher Pascall started his coaching journey in 2017. He was given the opportunity to start off in Junior AAA with the Chambly Forts a team based out in Quebec. After a successful season he received an offer to join the Lac St. Louis Lions in the prestigious Midget AAA league. Both of these seasons were crucial to the development of Christopher’s video coaching journey. 

Once those two seasons were complete Christopher made a return to Junior AAA where he began a new chapter with the Montreal East Rangers this time as a scout and video coach.  Along with learning how to become a scout, Christopher was also learning a new software with this club called Catapult Thunder which many teams are currently using in the NHL.  It would serve as a great skill that he was able to use as he continued climbing the ranks firstly with McGill University where he spent two seasons as their video coach. 

McGill was also a huge milestone in Christopher’s journey as he credits this time period where he grew immensely as a video coach. Finally just before starting his third season with the Redbirds of McGill, Christopher got an opportunity to climb the ranks once more and joined the Trois Rivieres Lions in the ECHL. Christopher remains passionate and always looking for opportunities to grow as he continues to move forward in this industry. 

A native of Toronto, ON, Payne is entering his third season with the Cyclones and most recently was hired as the first black Head Coach in North American professional hockey. Payne is also the Director or Hockey Operations alongside his Head Coaching duties. During his two years with the Cyclones they have gone 89-30-16 including a regular season best 51-13-8 record in 2018-2019. Prior to coming to Cincinnati, he served as the Player Development coach of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as well as General Manager of the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). He also coached both the Toronto Patriots of the OJHL and the Mississauga Sens AAA program. Payne is also the owner of the Precision Skating School in Toronto where his program focuses on the key dynamics of skating, puck handling techniques, defensive tactics, and other game related skills. He has worked with all levels of hockey players – from pee wee all the way to professional players.

Zach Perkins is an NCAA women’s hockey coach and athletic administrator with a passion for developing student-athletes, building strong hockey programs, and continuing to grow as a coach and leader. He currently serves as an Assistant Women’s Hockey Coach at Brown University.

Previously, Perkins helped transform the Anna Maria women’s hockey program, contributing to the most successful stretch in its history. With coaching experience spanning collegiate hockey, goaltender development, recruiting, video analysis, special teams, and athletic administration, Perkins brings a well-rounded perspective to the game.

His work has centered on creating positive team cultures, developing players both on and off the ice, and helping student-athletes reach their individual potential. Perkins is passionate about continuing to challenge himself professionally, learning from coaches at the highest levels of the game, and expanding his network within the hockey community.

He hopes to use the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program as an opportunity to gain new perspectives, strengthen his coaching and leadership skills, and build meaningful relationships with coaches and hockey professionals across the sport. Ultimately, Perkins’ goal is to continue advancing his career while helping create greater opportunity, representation, and pathways for the next generation of coaches and players in hockey.

Malcolm Pharr was born and raised in Washington, D.C.’s Ward 8, in communities shaped by large immigrant populations. He got his start in the sport the way many kids in his neighborhood did — playing street hockey — long before he ever set foot on the ice. That background is part of why he coaches the way he does: building access and opportunity for athletes who don’t start out with the traditional pipeline.

Today, Malcolm serves as Associate Coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), where he helped elevate the program from unranked to No. 9 nationally among 43 independent ACHA programs in his first season on staff. Before UTSA, he served as Head Coach and Age Group Director for the San Antonio Jr. Rampage and spent five years as Hockey Program Director and Varsity Head Coach at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, MD, where he rebuilt a 75-player program into a state champion and back-to-back USA Hockey Nationals contender.

Malcolm has coached hockey since 2014 across youth, high school, and collegiate levels. His coaching career has run alongside more than 20 years of leadership in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a Colonel, combat/instructor pilot, academy director, and diplomat — experience that shapes a coaching philosophy built on developing the person before the player, daily habits, and honest, metrics-based feedback.

Paul Plaisir is in his 9th year at Culver Academies in Culver Indiana. He is in his first as the 16U AAA Head Coach and prior to that, spent 8 years as the U18/Prep Hockey Assistant Coach. He has been dedicated to the development of his players and helping them achieve their goals, with players moving on to Juniors, NCAA, and professionally. In addition to hockey at Culver, he is also an Anatomy & Physiology and a Wellness Education Instructor, and served as a dorm parent for three years before moving off-campus. In 2021-22, he was also a member of the initial Boston Bruins Diversity & Inclusion Scouting Mentorship cohort, and in 2024 attended the Boston Bruins Development Camp as a guest coach.

Paul grew up playing in Quebec in Laval’s structure before moving to St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire for three years. He then went on to play DIII hockey at Lake Forest College for two years before transferring to Concordia, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in biology. He earned his Master’s degree in Secondary Education. After his transfer from Lake Forest to Concordia, Paul got right into coaching and has coached a variety of age groups at a highly competitive level over the past 13 years, and is always looking to learn from the best in the sport. He aspires to open doors at the next level while building connections with fellow BIPOC coaches.

Also, an owner/operator of RISE Sport Test, Kyle has worked closely with a premier list of clients, including the Calgary Flames, Beantown Classic Showcase, WHL Prospect Combines/Okanagan Hockey Group, and the MJHL. Testing events have also included the likes of QMJHL US Showcase, QMJHL Gatorade Excellence Challenge, Hockey BC U-15 Provincial Camp, Western Prospects Showcase, and more.

• Manager, Programming: Manitoba Junior Hockey League – 2020-Present
• Chair, Junior Hockey: Hockey Manitoba Board of Directors – 2021-Present
• Skills Support: University of Manitoba Bisons (Men) – 2022 (Summer & December Break)
• Head On-Ice Testing: Calgary Flames, Development Camp & Rookie Training Camp – 2018, 2019
• Director of Operations: U-17 Team Canada Black (Hockey Canada) – 2015 World U-17
• Director of Operations: U-16 Team Manitoba (Hockey Manitoba) – 2011-2017 WHL Cup
• General Manager: U-16 Team Manitoba (Male), Canada Games – 2015 Prince George
• Director of Operations: U-18 Team Manitoba (Hockey Manitoba) – 2008-2011 National U-18
• General Manager: U-18 Team Manitoba (Female), Canada Games – 2011 Halifax
• Local Liaison: U-18 Team Canada Pre-Tournament Camp – 2016 Winnipeg (2016 IIHF Worlds)
• Media Apprentice: Hockey Canada, National U-17 Program – 2014 World U-17
• Team Services Chair: True North Sports + Entertainment Host Committee – 2011 World U-17
• Director of Operations: MB High Performance 1 Coach Seminar – 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015

Kareem is a sports professional dedicated to creating more opportunities in hockey. His career started as a Data Tracker with the OHL’s Brampton Steelheads, and later served as a Statistician for Sheridan College’s varsity sports programs. He currently leads operations for the Toronto Maple Leafs Youth Hockey Schools with MLSE, running clinics to grow the game at the grassroots level.

Through the Boston Bruins’ Diversity and Inclusion Scouting Mentorship Program, he gained hands-on experience on how professional teams evaluate and develop talent. Currently, he also works as a North American Cross Over Scout for Dobber Sports Network, evaluating emerging talent.

As a graduate of Humber College’s Sport Management program, he is particularly passionate about expanding hockey’s reach in underrepresented communities and helping diversify the sport’s future.

Coach Wayne brings a lifetime of hockey experience to the rink, with a diverse background spanning multiple levels of the game. From his time in SCAHA and Tier 1 AAA to junior hockey in both the NAHL and AJHL, and professionally in Sweden’s Division 1, Coach Wayne has seen the game from all angles. His extensive experience has shaped his coaching philosophy, which emphasizes a fun, encouraging, and inclusive environment for all players. As the coach of Tahoe Hockey Academy team this season, Coach Wayne’s goal is to help each player improve their skills both on and off the ice, while fostering a love for the game that will motivate them to continue growing and developing their hockey abilities for years to come.

Bryce Reddick was named an assistant coach of the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL on July 1st. Prior, he was an assistant coach with the Wisconsin Windigo in the NAHL.

Reddick recently just finished a 12 year pro career which saw him spend time in the ECHL, CHL, and various leagues across Europe. For two seasons he was able to get his feet wet in coaching while being a player assistant coach with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits under current Ontario Reign head coach Andrew Lord. Reddick spent three seasons with the Cardiff Devils while in Europe. During those three seasons he was tasked with helping the coaching staff recruit during the off season. In 2017-2018 the Devils won the regular season title and back to back playoff titles in 2018 and 2019.

Before he turned pro he spent four years at Michigan Tech, where he earned a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Coaching. Before his collegiate career he spent 2 years playing in the BCHL with the Cowichan Capitals.

Reddick’s father is Stanley Cup champion Eldon ‘Pokey’ Reddick, who played a total 19 years professionally and spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, and Florida Panthers.

Mike Rivera enters his second full season as Head Coach of the El Paso Rhinos in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), after taking over the team mid-season in 2024-2025. Rivera, a native of El Paso, led the Rhinos to the 2025-2026 South Division finals – their best finish as an organization since joining the NAHL in 2021-2022.

Previously, Rivera was the Head Coach at his Alma Mater, University of Central Oklahoma (UCO), where he led the Bronchos to three Conference Championships, two Final Fours, and finished as National Runner up in 2021-2022. Rivera earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration, while attending UCO. Additionally, Rivera was a big piece on the ice in the University’s first National Championship in 2014-2015.

During his collegiate coaching career, Rivera was also an Assistant Coach for Team USA at the World Cup of University Hockey, which was composed of the top USA born players in the American Collegiate Hockey Association D1 level (ACHA D1). Team USA would go on to win gold in Carta, Romania, going undefeated in the tournament.

Rivera looks to build on early success in El Paso and lead the organization to their first championship in the NAHL. Rivera resides in El Paso with his wife Alexis, daughter Palmer, and soon to be born son.

Dennis Ruppe, 26, is currently in his first year as Manager of Hockey Operations for Hockey in New Jersey. Hockey in New Jersey is a non-profit hockey organization that proves underserved youth the opportunity to play hockey and learn various life skills for free.

Prior to his time at Hockey in New Jersey, Dennis grew up playing and coaching in the Atlantic District. Playing his youth hockey for the New Jersey Rockets before moving on to play junior in NY and finally PA for the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers where he was an EHL Champion in 2016-17. The following season he would commit to Becker College (NCAA III) before transferring to The Ohio State University.

While at Ohio State University, Dennis graduated with a degree in exercise science while playing for 3 years for the Buckeyes ACHA II team where he would help lead the team to league titles and their first National Championship birth in over 30 years. His final semester on campus he served as an assistant coach on the women’s ACHA II team helping lead their offense and special teams to an undefeated first half of the season.

Dennis has been coaching since he was 15 years old in various roles including private skills coaching individuals from mites to professional players, power skating instructor, lead camp instructor, and behind the bench for various spring and summer teams.

Paul joins the Bantams staff after serving as an assistant coach at Curry College for the past two seasons. With the help of Russell, the Colonels posted a 43-12-2 record, including a pair of 20-win seasons, with a 31-7-1 mark in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play. The Colonels advanced to the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Quarterfinals twice while Russell was at Curry, earning a Top-10 ranking both seasons, including being ranked sixth in the nation at the end of the 2023-24 season. Before joining the Curry staff, Russell spent two seasons with the Crimson Hockey Club as a skills coach and U16 head coach.

As a student-athlete, Russell was a member of the Norwich University Men’s Ice Hockey program for four seasons. Russell registered 54 career points with 35 goals and 19 assists in 95 career games. Rusell and the Cadets made three trips to the NCAA Division III Men’s Ice Hockey Championship Tournament, and won the program’s fourth National Championship during his senior season in 2017. Russell led the Cadets in goals as a junior and helped Norwich to a pair of East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) East Championships (2014, 2015) and a New England Hockey Conference (NEHC) Title in 2017. Russell was a two-time NEHC All-Academic Team selection, and earned NEHC Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week honors. Russell graduated from Norwich in 2017 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications.

Rocky Thompson was named an Assistant Coach with the New York Islanders on May 5, 2026, following one season as Head Coach of the organization’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. In his season behind the Bridgeport bench, Thompson led the team back to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021-22, posting a 34-30-8 record.

Prior to joining the Islanders organization, Thompson spent three seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Philadelphia Flyers and the 2020-21 season as an Associate Coach with the San Jose Sharks. He previously served as Head Coach of the Chicago Wolves, then the AHL affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, from 2017-20. During that tenure, he compiled a 113-71-29 regular-season record and led the Wolves to the 2019 Calder Cup Finals.

Thompson also spent five seasons in the Edmonton Oilers organization, serving as an Assistant Coach with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons from 2010-14 before joining the Oilers’ NHL coaching staff for the 2014-15 season. He earned his first head coaching opportunity with the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, where he posted an 81-40-15 record over two seasons and led the club to the 2017 Memorial Cup championship.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Thompson played 10 professional seasons, including 25 NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers. He was selected by Calgary in the third round, 72nd overall, of the 1995 NHL Draft.

Thorne is set to continue his coaching career at the professional level after being named Assistant Coach of the Indy Fuel for the 2025–26 ECHL season. The Canada-born coach transitions to the U.S. following multiple seasons behind the bench in the Ontario Hockey League, continuing a steady progression through elite junior and professional hockey.

Prior to joining Indy, Thorne served as Assistant Coach of the Brampton Steelheads during the 2024–25 OHL season, after spending the 2023–24 campaign with the Mississauga Steelheads. His time in the OHL followed a successful 2022–23 season in junior hockey, where he held dual roles as Head Coach of the Mississauga Senators U14 AAA team and Assistant Coach of the Senators’ U16 AAA program in the GTHL, while also serving as an Assistant Coach with the Toronto Patriots of the OJHL.

Across each stop, Thorne has been heavily involved in player development, practice planning, and day-to-day bench operations, working closely with athletes as they advance through the junior and professional hockey pathway.

Chi-Yin Tse grew up in Livingston, NJ, and began playing hockey at the age of 13. He played high school hockey before continuing with college roller hockey at Northeastern University. In 2010, he launched his coaching career as an assistant coach for Northeastern’s ACHA men’s team, a role he held until relocating to California.

In 2017, Chi-Yin became the Hockey Director in Oakland, where he expanded access to the game by founding a street hockey program in Chinatown. In July of 2022, he took a position as General Manager of the Minnesota Whitecaps of the Premier Hockey Federation, prior to the league’s acquisition.

Chi-Yin remains actively involved with USA Hockey, regularly participating in Regional, District, and National Camps. Since 2020, he has also served as a Coach Developer for USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program. That same year, he joined the Carnegie Initiative as a U.S. Board Member, helping to promote inclusivity and diversity within the sport.

Tse moved to Tulsa in October 2023 to become the Director of Hockey Operations for the Tulsa Ice Centers, where he is focused on growing the game at all levels, with an emphasis on street hockey, and expanding girls’ and women’s hockey programs. In December of 2024, he was appointed General Manager of the NA3 team; he was named Head Coach in April 2025. Tse is dedicated to fostering an inclusive hockey community where every player has the opportunity to participate and thrive.

Joel Ward was named Head Coach of the Henderson Silver Knights on June 25, 2026, marking his first professional head coaching position. He returned to Henderson after spending three seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Vegas Golden Knights from 2023-26. Ward began his coaching career with the Silver Knights, serving as an Assistant Coach from 2020-23.

Before moving behind the bench, Ward enjoyed an 11-season NHL playing career and developed a reputation as a reliable two-way forward. He appeared in 726 regular-season games with the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks, recording 133 goals and 304 points. He also played in 83 Stanley Cup Playoff games and represented Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.

Ward’s playing career also included time in the AHL and Canadian university hockey. He played four seasons at the University of Prince Edward Island, where he was named CIS Most Valuable Player in 2005 and earned the R.W. Pugh Award as the CIS Most Sportsmanlike Player.

Perry Wilson was born on June 23rd, 1960 in Truro Nova Scotia and moved to Ontario in 1970. He graduated from Forster Secondary School in 1978 and started working at the Chrysler Corporation in 1979. Following his passion for hockey, he started coaching the varsity Women’s team at the University of Windsor in 1998. In 2008, he retired from his job at Chrysler to pursue a career in hockey and in 2009, he attended the very first Goaltending Coach Program of Excellence. In 2010, he won the first of 5 gold medals with the U18, U22 and the Senior Women’s programs and in 2012, he was on the staff for two World titles. He was invited to start the development process in New Zealand in 2013 and after 2 months of development, he began working with their National teams. In 2017, he realized his dream was to work with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League as the team’s goaltending coach. In 2018, he moved over to coach the Men’s U17 program with Hockey Canada.

Perry continues to help develop goalies in the Windsor area while also working with A-21 prep school. He has two daughters and 4 grandsons!