Posts by TPH
TPH Alum has Sights Set for the NHL
CAN PAUL MCAVOY BECOME KENTUCKY’S FIRST NHL PLAYER?
Kentucky has been home to minor-league ice hockey teams, and the sport has a growing club presence around the Bluegrass State.
Still, it’s one of 10 states including Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wyoming believed not to have ever produced an NHL player.
Photo: Surrey Eagles
Paul McAvoy, an incoming freshman for the Division I Colgate University hockey team in Hamilton, NY, would love to be the player to end the drought in his home state.
“I’m trying to show that my roots from Kentucky are not by accident or by chance, that Kentucky is what molded me into a hockey player,” said McAvoy, a 20-year-old Richmond, Kentucky., native. “That’s what I would want to get across to the country if I had a chance to play at a higher level than I am now.”
Though hockey has led him around North America, it was in Kentucky that he fell in love with the game.
“When I was around 5 years old we had the Kentucky Thoroughblades for like a year or two – the AHL team – and my dad took me to a game and I loved it,” McAvoy said. “It sparked my interest right away.”
So instead of a basketball, he opted for a stick and skates, carrying on his father’s love for hockey at the Lexington Ice and Recreation Center by playing for a local youth team called the Lexington Lightning.
It wasn’t long before McAvoy and his parents could see that he was talented on the ice. He played as much as he could at the rinks in Lexington and Louisville, however, limited practice time and lower-level competition prevented McAvoy from growing his game once he reached his teens.
After gaining attention from TPH Thunder AAA, an elite-level all-star team, during his last year playing for the Louisville Stallions, McAvoy left Richmond at age 13 to move to Huntsville, Alabama. It was the biggest commitment he had ever made because he had to leave behind his family and also embrace the lofty expectations of a program known for developing NCAA-caliber players. TPH Thunder boasts 51 NCAA commitments on its website.
“I missed my family a lot, that was No. 1,” McAvoy said. “It was a tough transition for me — being 13 and all. I ended up moving home halfway through the season because I was homesick, but it was a nice thing for that team to have players from all over the Southeast because I could still live (in Kentucky) and play for them.”
From there, his nomadic lifestyle would begin. Ever since, McAvoy has lived in Cleveland, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Hamden, Conn.; Surrey, British Columbia; and now Hamilton, NY. At each stop, he stayed with a host family, known as a billet family.
Photo: Colgate Men’s Hockey Twitter (@Colgate_Hockey)
“After the first year in Alabama I got used to it,” McAvoy said. “The billet families are so important in that process of easing you into your new environment, and teammates help, but every year was a struggle at first to get acclimated to a new place and a new school. … After the first couple of weeks, it’s awesome because you get to see a new city and a new place that you wouldn’t get to see normally without hockey.”
The most noteworthy stops along his journey came after his junior hockey years. Hamden and Surrey are where McAvoy played for the Connecticut Oilers in the Eastern Hockey League and the Surrey Eagles in the British Columbia Hockey League. Those two leagues are widely known as developmental leagues for some of the most talented players in North America and have produced a long list of NHL players. It was there where he began to catch the eye of college hockey coaches.
“It’s interesting because my newly hired assistant coach (Juliano Pagliero) knew of Paul from a camp that he worked in Nashville when Paul was probably around 14, but then we lost track of him,” Colgate coach Don Vaughan said. “Then he resurfaced again when he was in the EHL in Connecticut. So we were once again aware of him when Pagliero joined our staff, but it wasn’t until he got to Surrey that we really zeroed in on him.”
McAvoy won the 2014-15 EHL Championship with Connecticut in his lone year with the Oilers. He followed that up with two years in Surrey, tallying 32 goals and 48 assists through 98 games. Along with his statistical contributions, he also served as the Eagles’ captain and was named the team’s 2015-16 MVP.
“He’s a leader,” Vaughan said. “He was the captain of Surrey for two years. When you see that in a player … that said a lot to me about the type of person that he is and the kind of kid we want in our program.”
There is no doubt his success at the previous levels has raised the expectations from his college coaches for his first season with the Raiders. However, nobody puts more pressure on McAvoy than himself.
“When I first noticed (McAvoy is from Kentucky) was on his recruiting visit with his father,” Vaughan said. “It is a fascinating story, and one that I wanted to hear more of. He has the drive to do it and an unbelievable support system at home based on what they had to do to keep Paul in the game. … He’s not coming from a traditional hockey area, so I’m sure every time he walked into a new organization people were looking at him funny out of the corner of their eye.”
With his NHL aspirations, McAvoy has now become one of Kentucky’s best chances to land a player at the highest level of the sport. Even if it takes him a few years after college, he won’t give up his dream until he’s content with time he’s spent around the game.
“I think hockey is one of those things where you have to play until the fun wears out,” McAvoy said. “All sports are supposed to be fun, so once the fun stops treating me well, that’s the point that I will call it, but I think that’s a long time into the future. I’m trying to have fun with every day that I have here at Colgate, and if a professional opportunity comes along it should be even more fun.”
Whether he reaches the professional level or not, McAvoy hopes children in Kentucky with interest in hockey will notice his rise in the sport and continue to pursue their dream the same way.
“It’s been a long ride, but it’s been fun,” McAvoy said. “Anybody in Kentucky that’s thinking about hockey should know that it’s a sport that not only prepares you for high-level athletics, but it’s also about life. The lessons you learn growing up, from being mature, to being on your own, to teamwork, to work ethic are incredible.”
Avalanche Training Camp: Compher Stands Out!
Hello from Magness Arena, where a Zamboni is out there right now resurfacing the ice following the Colorado Avalanche annual Burgundy-White game. This, after J.T. Compher wiped the competition on the same ice Sunday.
Compher, no question about it, was the No. 1 star of the game. He scored two goals – one a hard-to-the-net rebound putback against a rusty-looking Semyon Varlamov, and the other a pinpoint slap shot to the top left corner from the right circle. He helped his White team to an easy 6-2 win.
Compher was his usual “I don’t want to talk about myself, just about my team” unsmiling self after the game. “Intense” is definitely the word to best describe the ginger-haired 22-year-old from Northbrook, Ill. Compher’s idea of fun this summer was to punish himself every day in the Michigan area under the auspices of a new trainer and skills coach, Brandon Naurato. Compher was never slow, but he looks noticeably quicker than during his first season split between San Antonio and the Avs.
“I skated with (Naurato) for about eight weeks, working on a lot of stuff to help create space for myself, and a lot of shooting. It definitely helped pay off today,” Compher said.
Compher skated on lines with several players, but started the day centering a line with A.J. Greer and Nail Yakupov.
“J.T. is skating noticeably well,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “He had two perfect shots today. He’s moving real well and that’s why he’s getting a few more chances.”
Yakupov, who is on a one-year “prove-it” contract with the Avs (for more on his thoughts of making the team, click here), was another shining star on the day. He finished with two assists, both of the high-skill variety. He slipped a nice little lead pass to Compher for his right-circle snipe and dished some sweet sauce to Travis Barron on a 2-on-1 that the prospect finished off.
Other news, notes and observations from the game:
- Andrei Mironov, the former KHL defender, did himself a lot of good Sunday. He scored a goal on a big slap shot and nearly scored on a similar shot, and generally looked steady in his own end. Bednar said Mironov seems to be slowing the game down a little better in his mind, not quite the scrambly, nervous-looking guy of the rookie showcase last weekend in San Jose.
- Bednar said Chris Bigras, vying for a depth spot on the Avs’ defensive group, was just “OK” in the game. Bigras had a couple of turnovers and mishandled the puck a couple of other times. Bednar seemed more upbeat about the play of fellow rookie hopeful Duncan Siemens, who was very physical and jumped into the play offensively at times too.
- Barron scored two goals, including an empty-netter, and has looked solid so far in camp and in the showcase. He won’t make the club out of camp, but he’s shown well as a big winger.
- D-man David Warsofsky had a good day, scoring one of Burgundy’s two goals and playing a fast game with the puck.
- Varlamov looked, well, not great. He allowed five goals on 28 shots and just seemed rusty. But he seemed to move well enough, and he was hung out to dry a couple of times by a Burgundy defense that struggled.
- Sven Andrighetto scored the other Burgundy goal and was slippery with the puck most of the day.
- Brady Shaw needed some help off the ice after taking a big hit. He seemed to have suffered a possible head injury, but there was no immediate word on this condition.
- Alex Kerfoot had a quiet day on the score sheet and nearly gave Burgundy a gift goal when a back pass in his own zone was intercepted for a mini-breakaway. He did make a couple of nice passes, but overall he probably won’t remember the day with great fondness.
Click here to view the article on BSNDenver.com.
TPH CoE Alum Commits to Ferris State
Photo courtesy of Total Package Hockey
By @MichaelCaples –
Total Package Hockey Detroit is proud to announce that Jake Transit has accepted a scholarship offer from Ferris State University.
The new Bulldogs commit and Center of Excellence alumnus is a ’99 birth-year skater currently with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, the USHL club that drafted him last spring.
He spent the 206-17 season with the TPH Center of Excellence before making the jump to juniors.
“TPH was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made,” Transit said. “The staff is committed to making you the best player and person you can be day in and day out.”
A Royal Oak native, Transit has skated for the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Belle Tire and Honeybaked.
“I Picked Ferris State because of how well I connected with the coachs as soon as I met them,” Transit said. “The Bulldogs seem like the perfect fit for me.”
TPH Takes the Ice at All-American Prospects Game
Total Package Hockey Detroit is pleased to announce that eight TPH-trained players will be participating in the 2017 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects game tonight in Buffalo, NY.
“On behalf of TPH, we congratulate these players on being selected to compete in an event that is truly one of a kind,” TPH Director of Hockey Brandon Naurato said. “This is a testament to both the talent of these young men, as well as their willingness to go above and beyond to hone their craft over the years in various TPH programs.”
Five of the eight TPH-trained All-American Prospects Game participants, which includes defensemen Cole Krygier (Novi, MI), Christian Krygier (Novi, MI), Bode Wilde (Birmingham, MI) and Jacob Semik (Canton, MI), along with goaltender Drew DeRidder (Fenton, MI), attended the TPH Center of Excellence in Detroit, MI, honing their skills in a unique environment that combines both academics and on-ice training. Four of these five players join forwards Paul Cotter (Canton, MI) and John Gruden (Rochester Hills, MI) along with defenseman Alec Regula (West Bloomfield, MI) who participated in TPH’s 8 Week On-Ice Summer Training Program. Regula also donned the TPH colors for both the Michigan Hockey Advancement and OHL Cup programs. In all, four TPH programs are being represented at the event, which features forty-two of the best US-born players, all eligible for the 2018 NHL draft.
Interestingly, no other players in Thursday’s event hail from the state of Michigan, highlighting TPH Detroit as the destination for the future stars of tomorrow, something Naurato and his staff take great pride in.
“The goal of Total Package Hockey as a whole is to positively impact the lives of all of our athletes through the game of hockey. We are proud of the platforms we offer our players and feel incredibly fortunate to play a role in their development, both on and off the ice. It has been a thrill to coach and mentor these eight players. We all look forward to cheering them on tonight in Buffalo,” Naurato added.
For more information on the 2017 CCM/USA Hockey-All American Prospects game, visit www.allamericanprospectsgame.com.
’02 THUNDER PLAYER AIDAN FLYNN COMMITS TO UAH CHARGERS
THUNDER WANTS TO CONGRATULATE 16U AIDAN FLYNN.
Thunder would like to congratulate ’02 Forward Aidan Flynn on committing to play DI College Hockey for the University of Alabama-Huntsville.
Aidan has been with the Thunder family for five years will begin during the ’21-’22 season. He is one of six Thunder players to commit to UAH.
Michigan Hockey Advancement Enjoys Successful Blaine Showcase
Total Package Hockey is pleased announce that the Michigan Hockey Advancement U16 and U18 programs finished a combined 8-0 in the midget division of the 2017 NAHL Showcase this past weekend in Blaine, MN. With their victories, the U18 team has improved their overall record to 5-0-1 and the U16’s moved to 4-2.
“While winning is certainly not the main goal of the MHA program, it is nice to see the players get rewarded,” TPH Director of Player Development and MHA U18 Head Coach Brandon Naurato said. “Michigan Hockey Advancement is about providing our players with a platform to be seen by the top junior and collegiate programs. That was the real win this past weekend.”
In addition to their perfect record, the U18 MHA squad led the entire event with a goal differential of +15. The U18’s were also the only team in their age group to finish a perfect 4-0 on the weekend. The U16’s were one of three teams in their division to finish 4-0, joining Honeybaked and the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.
As Naurato mentioned, the goal of Michigan Hockey Advancement is just that- advancement. Perhaps the highlight of the weekend came when U18 defenseman Sam Brennan of Brighton High School committed to play Division I hockey at the Air Force Academy and dress for the NAHL’s Lone Star Brahmas in their Saturday morning game against the Philadelphia Rebels.
“We are proud of the steps the MHA program continues to take, and we were thrilled to be able to wear our colors at an event like the NAHL Showcase,” Naurato added. “We look forward to once again exposing our players to the Blaine experience next September.”
To learn more about Michigan Hockey Advancement, visit https://totalpackagehockey.com/mha-hockey-tph-detroit.
MHA 18U defeats Meijer 18U 4-1 to capture Compuware – Honeybaked Invitational Title
MICHIGAN HOCKEY ADVANCEMENT 18U TEAM BACK TO BACK COMPUWARE – HONEYBAKED INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONS
NOVI – For the second time in program history the Michigan Hockey Advancement 18U team has won the Compuware – Honeybaked Invitational Championship, after defeating the Meijer 18U AAA Hockey Club 4 – 1 at the Novi Ice Arena on Sunday.
Plymouth High School Senior Andrew Garby started the scoring for the MHA 18U’s before Meijer fought back to tie the game at 1, early in the second period.
Brighton High School Senior Sam Brennan’s power play goal broke a 1-all tie at 6:54 of the second period giving the MHA 18U’s the lead. Brennan an United States Air Force Academy Commit ended the night with three points (1 goal and 2 assists).
Novi Catholic Central Senior Jared Lee scored the third goal on a nice feed from fellow Shamrock Mitch Morris. Morris a Novi Catholic Central Junior, got the puck from Brennan in the neutral zone, drove wide and fired a pass to Lee who tipped the puck past the outstretched Meijer goaltender.
Novi Catholic Central Senior Brenden West sealed the win with fourth goal. Lake Orion Junior Gabe Potyk and Hartland Senior Josh Albring applied heavy pressure on the Meijer defense, winning a 50-50 puck battle before sliding the puck to a wide open West who fired a high blocker side shot for the goal.
West lead the MHA 18U’s in scoring on the weekend with 7 goals and 5 assists good for 12 points.
Ann Arbor Huron Senior Ethan ST. Pierre registered the win in net for the Michigan Hockey Advancement 18U team.
The MHA 18U team will continue their Fall Season October 20th when they compete in the Bauer Motown Classic.
For more information on the Michigan Hockey Advancement Program please visit:
CoE Student-Athlete Tanner Kelly Commits to MSU
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that Center of Excellence student-athlete Tanner Kelly has committed to Michigan State University.
Kelly, a student at Hazel Park CoE, is a forward currently playing for the Little Caesars 15U team.
“I chose Michigan State because I’m really excited to play for Danton Cole and the awesome program that he is putting together,” Kelly said in an interview with MiHockey. “Also, playing in the Big Ten is going to be awesome because there is so much good competition so there will be many rivalries and I love playing in big games like that when the pressure is on.”
The ’02 birth-year skater moved to Michigan from California three years ago, and he has been a fixture on a Kris Draper-led Little Caesars team ever since.
MHA 18U Team captures second-straight Bauer Motown Classic
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that for the second straight season, our Michigan Hockey Advancement 18U Team has won the prestigious Bauer Motown Classic in Metro Detroit.
The MHA 18U squad secured the title in their respective division with a 4-2 victory over the Ted Reeve Thunder Sunday afternoon in Fraser.
The championship-game victory was the sixth of the tournament for the MHA team; they out-scored opponents 39-10 en route to a perfect 6-0 record.
On the season, the 18s are 15-1-1. The team now heads to Boston this week for the Beantown Fall Classic – the final event before the players depart for their respective high school hockey programs.
16U Team finishes second
While the 18U Team won their division, the 16U Team had an impressive showing, as well, finishing in second place.
The 16s finished with a 4-2 record after falling to Belle Tire 16U in the championship game.
Spending their weekend in Novi, the 16U Team recorded wins over the San Diego Gulls, the Cleveland Wildcats, the Cleveland Barons and Hill Academy.
Thunder Alums Commit to Division I Colleges
SINARD AND GORDON COMMIT TO PLAY DIVISION I HOCKEY
Thunder Alumni Andrew Sinard commits to play at Miami University. Sinard spent time in the USHL and the NAHL following his time with the Thunder.
Thunder Alumni Erik Gordon commits to play at the College of the Holy Cross. Gordon has spent time in the USHL, NAHL, and the AJHL following his time with the Thunder.
