Dad to 2 amazing men, love to travel, golf, play hockey, coach hockey🇨🇦, entrepreneur, founder H2T, hockey player family advisor with Avenue Sports Management
Jackson Blake was an elite mid-round find by the Canes, and he took the hard road to get there
Shattuck cut him from its U16 team in favor of 4 other forwards
Now:
• 2 play D3
• 1 retired out of the NAHL
• 1 plays USPORTS
Blake just led his Stanley Cup-winning team in scoring.
How you handle adversity is everything.
The NHL, CHL, USHL, and USA Hockey joined college hockey coaches and commissioners pushing back against the NCAA's 5-year eligibility proposal.
🔗: https://t.co/Vx8SYYCJWa
With the 2025-26 NCAA hockey season now over, I pulled the data.
Here is a (long) deep-dive story from me into what the first year of CHL eligibility taught us about scoring rates in college hockey.
(Unlocked for all)
https://t.co/yB1qw8vG1X
Spoke to D1 Coach today who had some succinct youth hockey advice:
“Take your time signing & DONT pay full tuition. There’s open spots everywhere. If a team wants you, they will do what it takes. Teams made $ hand over fist for years. Shoe’s on the other foot now. Enjoy it.”
With the 2025-26 NCAA hockey season now over, I pulled the data.
Here is a (long) deep-dive story from me into what the first year of CHL eligibility taught us about scoring rates in college hockey.
(Unlocked for all)
https://t.co/yB1qw8vG1X
"We didn't start at the top and trickle down. The opposite. We started at the bottom."
USA Hockey's secret to Olympic gold? They changed their youth program FIRST. More good players come from more kids having good experiences.
Why don't more sports get this?
Both of my brothers, both successful DI hockey coaches, are products of @HurstMHockey I am also an alum of @MercyhurstU and former GA coach in the @HurstAthletics department …I have some thoughts on recent news regarding the men’s hockey program please read and share ⬇️⬇️
“You guys make it about the wins and losses. 25 years from now, I want them to pick up the phone and call me because they need me. I’m there for them.”
The life of a coach is an investment in people, not just points.
Build a legacy that outlasts the jersey.
Agree. Been saying for years kids don’t watch enough hockey. In the 80’s we watched all the time and if we weren’t we were playing road hockey. Thats how creativity expands. #watchandlearn
A great perspective! Couldn’t agree more. As a father of an OHL drafted player and now an NCAA player (pre the rule change) and a both paths and perspectives have value. But, the Who you learn from and what program develops you does really matter the most.
It's been fun watching the discourse on this today. Something to throw into the conversation:
There are tradeoffs and differences in each path. I'm a believer in the college model having lived it. But honestly we get way too caught up in "what path" and we don't talk enough about the "who" of the path.
There are programs and coaches in college hockey that do a phenomenal job preparing kids for pro. There are some that don't. There are programs and coaches in the CHL that do a phenomenal job preparing kids for pro. There are some that don't.
While I'm a believer in college hockey's model, if I'm an NHL team who invested a draft pick on a kid - I'm way more worried about who their coach is and what role they're playing on the team than if they play in the CHL vs. college.
Mike is a great hockey guy and runs a great program in Kitchener. I'd love if my player had the opportunity to go there. There are plenty of programs like that in the CHL and others that aren't.
I worked with Nar at Michigan, Schafe at Cornell, and Rico at Miami. All three programs I'd be thrilled to send a player to for developing them into a pro. There's also programs I wouldn't feel comfortable sending a kid to.
It also depends on the player. Some would thrive in a CHL environment and may not in a college environment. Some would thrive in a college environment and may not in a CHL environment. And with the rules now, many will do both which I think is a huge value add to a vast majority of players in their development.
Who is the coach, what resources does the program invest into development, and what is the player's role on the team? My opinion is those are way more important questions to ask than which path is better.
If an NHL 1st round draft pick can stay at home to play for his teammates, in a sport he wasn’t even drafted in, than why are we telling players they should leave high school early to play juniors?
We focus way too much on sending our kids away for better opportunities than trying to make our hometown programs better.
The answer is home. The answer is family. Let’s create better opportunities in our backyard instead of sending our kids away.
So much respect for Mason West and his family. You never get to play for your community again after high school. So unique.
The 2027 Memorial Cup will mark the 107th edition of the tournament and the Royal City’s third time hosting junior hockey’s premier championship!
Read More | https://t.co/WTlqP5VOiT
#StormCity | @KubotaCanadaLtd
Pretty easy to know what the consequence should be here. An opportunity to ensure that respect for your opponent regardless how upset you may be you don’t dare cross the line. Compete but don’t do this it’s just wrong on so many levels.
One of the dirtiest plays in a long time in the OHL last night. Luke Dragusica slashes Brady Blaseg across the face, leaving him gushing blood on the ice.
The kind of thing that merits a season-long suspension, or more.