Posts by Colleen Lynch
13 #TPHTrained players on NHL Central Scouting’s first 2019 Draft list
Total Package Hockey is proud to congratulate the 13 #TPHTrained players who have been recognized by NHL Central Scouting on the organization’s first ‘players to watch’ list for the upcoming 2019 NHL.
Five of the players are alumni of the TPH Center of Excellence, while eight others took part in the summer Eight Week Progressional Program or competed for teams organized by TPH – either at the OHL Cup or the World Selects Invitational.
“We are incredibly proud of all these players,” said TPH CEO Nathan Bowen. “Being included on the Central Scouting’s first list of the season in your draft year is a great honor – a great first step. Obviously they will all need to continue working hard and training hard, and we’re confident that they will as they continue to chase their hockey dreams.”
Congrats to the following players:
Arthur Kaliyev – Hamilton Bulldogs – OHL – CoE
Andrew Perrott (pictured) – London Knights – OHL – CoE, Eight Week Program
Caleb Everett – Saginaw Spirit – OHL – CoE, Eight Week Program
Mack Guzda – Owen Sound Attack – OHL – CoE
Hunter Skinner – Muskegon Lumberjacks – USHL – CoE, Eight Week Program
John Beecher – NTDP Under-18 Team – USHL – OHL Cup
Cameron Rowe – NTDP Under-18 Team – USHL – OHL Cup
Nicholas Robertson – Peterborough Petes – OHL – World Select Invite
Tag Bertuzzi – Guelph Storm – OHL – OHL Cup
Grayson Ladd – Windsor Spitfires – OHL – World Select Invite
Nicklas Andrews – Odessa Jackalopes – NAHL – Eight Week Program
Declan Carlile – Lincoln Stars – USHL – Eight Week Program
Egor Afanasyev – Muskegon Lumberjacks – USHL – OHL Cup
ABOUT TPH: Founded in 2001, Total Package Hockey is a hockey service provider with the vision to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the game of hockey. TPH prides itself on operating at a standard that exceeds expectations of players, families, coaches, advisors and all other entities of the hockey world, one choice at a time. Our staff is committed to providing positive, energetic, hands-on instruction and mentorship, in an effort to develop each individual on and off the ice. If each individual develops as a player, athlete and person, he or she will be better prepared to advance to the highest levels of junior, collegiate and professional hockey, while learning the skills necessary for success in the ultimate game: the game of life.
Dalton Norris to play with NTDP; Thomas Stift also practicing in Plymouth
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that Center of Excellence student-athlete Dalton Norris has been invited to practice with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, and will skate with the Under-18 Team in their game against the Muskegon Lumberjacks Thursday.
Norris, the younger brother of NTDP alum Josh Norris, is currently a defenseman with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies 18U team. He is the son of Dwayne Norris, TPH Detroit’s director of hockey.
“The TPH team is super excited for Dalton, one of our new student-athletes at the TPH CoE in Bloomfield, Mich.,” said TPH CEO Nathan Bowen. “He’s been working incredibly hard both on and off the ice, and he’s getting a nice reward for it.”
Dalton Norris is working towards becoming the third sibling to play college hockey; Josh is a sophomore forward with the Michigan Wolverines, and Coale is also a sophomore forward with the Ferris State Bulldogs.
He’s not the only CoE student-athlete earning opportunities with the NTDP; Thomas Stift has been practicing with Team USA in Plymouth, as well.
Stift, a native of Chino Hills, Calif., has moved to Michigan to join the CoE and play for Belle Tire 16U.
He has skated with the NTDP numerous times over the last few weeks.
Stay tuned for more…
ABOUT TPH: Founded in 2001, Total Package Hockey is a hockey service provider with the vision to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the game of hockey. TPH prides itself on operating at a standard that exceeds expectations of players, families, coaches, advisors and all other entities of the hockey world, one choice at a time. Our staff is committed to providing positive, energetic, hands-on instruction and mentorship, in an effort to develop each individual on and off the ice. If each individual develops as a player, athlete and person, he or she will be better prepared to advance to the highest levels of junior, collegiate and professional hockey, while learning the skills necessary for success in the ultimate game: the game of life.
For more information about TPH, click here
For more information about the TPH Center of Excellence, click here
Thunder Alum Zack Conner Tenders With The Austin Bruins in NAHL
Total Package Hockey’s #TPHTrained numbers at pro, college and juniors continue to grow
- NHL – 40
- NCAA – 151
- USHL – 163
- NAHL – 104
- OHL – 92
- NTDP/Team USA (international) – 11
ABOUT TPH: Founded in 2001, Total Package Hockey is a hockey service provider with the vision to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the game of hockey. TPH prides itself on operating at a standard that exceeds expectations of players, families, coaches, advisors and all other entities of the hockey world, one choice at a time. Our staff is committed to providing positive, energetic, hands-on instruction and mentorship, in an effort to develop each individual on and off the ice. If each individual develops as a player, athlete and person, he or she will be better prepared to advance to the highest levels of junior, collegiate and professional hockey, while learning the skills necessary for success in the ultimate game: the game of life.
For more information about TPH, click here
For more information about the TPH Center of Excellence, click here
Bode Wilde first TPH Center of Excellence alum to sign NHL contract
Total Package Hockey is proud to congratulate Bode Wilde on signing his entry-level contract with the New York Islanders.
In doing so, Wilde becomes the first TPH Center of Excellence alum to sign with an NHL franchise.
A Birmingham, Mich., native, Wilde was a second-round pick of the Islanders in the 2018 NHL Draft after concluding his two seasons with USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program.
The 6-foot-2, 192-pound defenseman is in the midst of his first season with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit; Wilde has 22 points in his first 21 games.
Twenty-three Thunder AAA alums currently on NCAA D1 rosters
Total Package Hockey is proud to acknowledge and congratulate the Thunder AAA organization for its latest achievement in advancing players to higher levels of hockey.
Twenty-three Thunder alums are currently on NCAA Division 1 rosters.
“Having 23 Thunder alums currently on DI NCAA rosters is a testament of all the hard work that players, families, and coaches have poured into Thunder Hockey over past 15 years,” said Keith Rowe, the Thunder AAA director of hockey. “It’s exciting to look toward the future knowing these student-athletes have paved the way for current and future Thunder players.”
A look at the boys representing Thunder Hockey at the D1 level:
In addition to the updated NCAA roster count, check out these other Thunder advancement numbers:
- 2 NHL Draft Picks
- 45 NCAA DI Commits
- 54 NCAA DIII Commits
- 19 OHL Draft Picks
- 39 USHL Drafts, 2 Tenders
- 16 NAHL Drafts, 61 Tenders
For more on Thunder Hockey, visit the organization’s official website.
Three #TPHTrained players invited to USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
Total Package Hockey is proud to congratulate the three #TPHTrained players who have been invited to the 2019 USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
Congrats to the following players:
Hunter Skinner – Muskegon Lumberjacks – Detroit Center of Excellence, 8 Week Program, OHL Cup
Logan Stein – Waterloo Black Hawks – TPH Thunder alum
Egor Afanasyev – Muskegon Lumberjacks – OHL Cup
The USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game is an annual event that showcases top USHL players eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft. The rosters are selected by both USHL and NHL Central Scouting representatives.
The 2019 edition of the showcase event takes place on Jan. 8, 2019 in Lincoln, Neb.
About Total Package Hockey: Founded in 2001, it is TPH’s vision to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the game of hockey. Through academics, mentorship and athletics, TPH prides itself on operating at a standard that exceeds expectations of student-athletes, families, coaches, advisors and all other entities of the hockey world. With platforms that include association management, elite prospects programs, tournaments and showcases, camps and clinics and its hallmark Center of Excellence academy model, Total Package Hockey has assisted in the academic, athletic and hockey development of over 600 players who have advanced to junior, collegiate and professional hockey. Since inception, 45 #TPHTrained student-athletes have been selected in the NHL Draft, while 280 have committed to the NCAA level – 189 of which are Division I. In addition, 99 players have been selected in the OHL Priority Selection and 353 have signed tenders or been drafted in the USHL and NAHL. While TPH is proud of its student-athletes who have achieved success on-the ice, it is the process of developing young men and women as people, first and foremost, that our world-class team of coaches and mentors take the most amount of pride in. While it is our responsibility to prepare each individual for success on the ice, it is our mission to prepare each and every individual for success in the ultimate game – the game of life! To learn more about TPH, visit www.totalpackagehockey.com.
TPH’s Brandon Naurato named to The Athletic’s Top 40 Under 40 in hockey
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that TPH partner and director of hockey Brandon Naurato has been named one of the Top 40 Under 40 in hockey by The Athletic.
Naurato founded the Detroit branch of TPH in 2012, spearheading the creation of Michigan Hockey Advancement, the summer 8 Week Progression Program and the Center of Excellence hockey academy.
This past summer, the Livonia, Mich., native and University of Michigan alum was hired by his hometown Detroit Red Wings as a player development consultant.
“This is an incredible honor for Nar when you look at the list of people, and he has certainly earned this recognition,” said TPH CEO Nathan Bowen. “He is a great example to all the players he works with – regardless of what level – of what hard work can generate. Effort and a relentless desire to improve daily creates opportunity, and there is no doubt in our mind at TPH that we will continue to see Brandon climb.
“He has a mind for the game that is elite. He has a gift, but not one that has been given to him, rather one that he has worked for and earned. He puts the time into the game, studying video, forming thoughts and ideas, and what is truly revolutionary is how he has figured out how to train players with what he has coined “relevant skills” which translates into greater probabilities of success in today’s game. I have witnessed it first hand, his ability to create and generate offense through skill development that feeds into team systems directly to produce greater rates of success.”
The Athletic article featuring Naurato can be seen here (it is behind a paywall). Writer Craig Custance says that Naurato, listed at No. 35, is “the perfect mix of video, analytics and former player who is experienced enough to navigate effectively in all three worlds.”
Naurato has played a significant role in the ever-growing number of #TPHTrained players reaching the highest levels of hockey. As director of hockey, he has overseen the training of an incredible amount of hockey players.
Total Package Hockey total numbers:
- 54 Signed or Drafted NHL Players
- 189 NCAA Division 1 Commitments
- 91 NCAA Division 3 Commitments
- 99 OHL Draft Picks
- 150 USHL Draft Picks, 32 Tenders
- 61 NAHL Draft Picks, 111 Tenders
- 47 Players Competing For International Teams (NTDP, Hlinka-Gretzky, Junior Olympics, Etc.)
Naurato worked with the likes of Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, JT Compher of the Colorado Avalanche, Andrew Copp of the Winnipeg Jets and Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens, and now he plays an active role in assisting both the Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins.
“(Naurato is) the most knowledgable guy I have ever met in hockey,” Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski told The Athletic’s Tom Reed. “I am starting to realize that more than ever.”
Stories about Naurato:
Brandon Naurato hired by Red Wings in player development role
“What Brandon Naurato has built for TPH is being implemented across the board in all of our TPH Centers of Excellence and into our overall TPH player development curriculum for all of our #TPHTrained players,” Bowen said. “We are thankful to be able to share his knowledge and his passion with all of the players who come through TPH programs.”
About Total Package Hockey: Founded in 2001, it is TPH’s vision to become the world leader in positively impacting the lives of student-athletes through the game of hockey. Through academics, mentorship and athletics, TPH prides itself on operating at a standard that exceeds expectations of student-athletes, families, coaches, advisors and all other entities of the hockey world. With platforms that include association management, elite prospects programs, tournaments and showcases, camps and clinics and its hallmark Center of Excellence academy model, Total Package Hockey has assisted in the academic, athletic and hockey development of over 600 players who have advanced to junior, collegiate and professional hockey. Since inception, 45 #TPHTrained student-athletes have been selected in the NHL Draft, while 280 have committed to the NCAA level – 189 of which are Division I. In addition, 99 players have been selected in the OHL Priority Selection and 353 have signed tenders or been drafted in the USHL and NAHL. While TPH is proud of its student-athletes who have achieved success on-the ice, it is the process of developing young men and women as people, first and foremost, that our world-class team of coaches and mentors take the most amount of pride in. While it is our responsibility to prepare each individual for success on the ice, it is our mission to prepare each and every individual for success in the ultimate game – the game of life! To learn more about TPH, visit www.totalpackagehockey.com.
TPH announces new Center of Excellence location in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Total Package Hockey is pleased to announce the opening of its fifth Center of Excellence in Grand Rapids, Mich. Grand Rapids will join Bloomfield Township as the second CoE in the state of Michigan, and will be housed inside Southside Ice Arena in Byron Center, a southern suburb of Grand Rapids.
TPH will enter into a partnership with Southside Ice Arena and its co-owners Travis Richards and Mike Slobodnik. Both Richards and Slobodnik bring extensive hockey backgrounds to the TPH family. The two serve as coaches and leaders of the Fox Motors Hockey Club, a Tier I and Tier II organization they founded in 2013 that features 29 teams from the mite through midget age groups.
“Grand Rapids is a terrific location for a Center of Excellence,” TPH Chief Operating Officer Nathan Bowen said. “The venue is exceptional, the location is populated with rising hockey talent and our partners share our values. Both Travis and Mike have great passion for mentoring student-athletes. They are the definition of what it means to be fully ‘invested’ in what they do. We couldn’t be happier about this announcement.”
Built in 1996, Southside Ice Arena is a two-sheet facility located 13 miles south of downtown Grand Rapids. In 2013, the facility underwent a $1 million renovation. The venue will feature a newly constructed classroom (equipped with up to three different learning spaces), a recently renovated off-ice training center, ample locker room space and on-site dining facilities. The Grand Rapids CoE will allow student-athletes to Study, Train and Play all under one roof, maximizing each individual’s hockey, athletic and academic development.
Partners Richards and Slobodnik have not only spent most of their adult life working in and around the game of hockey, but they have established roots in the Grand Rapids area. Slobodnik, a Grand Rapids native, currently coaches at both the pee wee major level for Fox Motors and at the high school level for Grand Rapids Catholic Central. Slobodnik brings 20 years of youth, high school and junior playing experience to TPH, and he has also coached at five USA Hockey national camps.
Richards played ten seasons for the Grand Rapids Griffins and holds the record for most career games with the franchise at 655. Following his retirement, his No. 24 was raised to rafters of Van Andel Arena, becoming the first Griff to enjoy such an accomplishment. Travis brings a lifetime of dedication to the game of hockey, which also includes four seasons as a member of his hometown University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Richards and Slobodnik both believe the Grand Rapids market as a whole is ready to offer an ‘academy-style’ model for its hockey players and feel fortunate to have their venue house the Center of Excellence.
“Both Mike and I are deeply passionate about the growth and development of the hockey players involved in all programs at Southside Ice Arena,” Richards said. “The CoE model will provide the ultimate development opportunity for local players who have a desire to be the best they can be on the ice, in the gym and most importantly, in the classroom. Mike and I take great pride in doing things the right way and giving our best to shape young kids into young men through the game of ice hockey. Hockey is who I am; it is where I made almost all my friends. My goal is to share my wonderful experiences with as many kids as possible. The CoE model provides us with yet another avenue to do that.”
For Mike Slobodnik, “classroom” and the commitment to the academic portion of the CoE model is what he found most impressive when learning about the CoE. Slobodnik believes TPH’s commitment to academics is what prospective student-athletes and their families will appreciate most.
“TPH’s reputation for developing hockey players is extremely positive and well-known throughout the hockey community,” Slobodnik said. “Nathan Bowen and his team didn’t have to do much to convince us that their training methods are cutting edge and transferrable to today’s game. What impressed Travis and I most is that so many of our questions about the academic side of the CoE model were answered in the early stages, without us even having to ask. TPH has invested many resources to ensure that its student-athletes are getting an academic experience that prepares each individual so that he or will be successful in college and in life. They love answering the tough questions about academics and we are excited to put the TPH team in front of our families so they can show our market just how committed they are to the academic experience at the Center of Excellence.”
Brandon Naurato is the director of player development for all of TPH; he founded TPH’s first Center of Excellence in Canton, Mich. in 2014. Naurato, who also serves as a player development consultant for the Detroit Red Wings, takes great pride in the “positive reputation” Slobodnik references, he and believes Grand Rapids is an emerging market – one that fits perfectly in TPH’s Michigan blueprint.
“Grand Rapids is on the rise as a hockey market,” Naurato said. “Travis, Mike and the Fox Motors group are building their hockey program the right way, no different than how we have tried to approach the growth of the CoE model over the past five years.”
In addition, Naurato also hopes TPH’s track record for player advancement will excite dedicated hockey players in the Grand Rapids market.
“The Center of Excellence model alone has produced four NHL draft picks, 33 NCAA Division I commitments and over 60 USHL and NAHL players,” Naurato added. “This has been accomplished because of the hockey, academic and social environments we have tried to foster, and most importantly, because of the passion and commitment shown by the student-athletes. The bottom line is it’s their stage. We just try and help them dance. Travis, Mike and the staff we hire on the ground in Grand Rapids will be totally committed to positively impacting the lives of student-athletes.”
With the 2019-2020 school year right around the corner, TPH will be hosting an open house for interested student-athletes and their families on Jan. 9 and 10 at Southside Ice Arena. For more information on the Center of Excellence model and the upcoming orientation, please visit the links below.
- Click here to download a copy of the CoE brochure
- Click here to visit TotalPackageHockey.com
- Click here to RSVP for the upcoming Open House events in Grand Rapids
Nashville Jr Predators and Thunder AAA Hockey Club merge to create more opportunity for youth hockey participants
NASHVILLE YOUTH HOCKEY GETS STRONGER
– Nashville Jr Predators and Thunder AAA Hockey Club merge to create more opportunity for youth hockey participants –
Nashville, Tenn. (December 20, 2018) – The Nashville Jr. Predators and Thunder AAA Hockey Club announced today that the two entities will merge together and operate under the Nashville Jr. Predators Hockey Club emblem starting in 2019. This merger affords children a clear path from learning to skate to participating in Tier I AAA hockey and every level in between.
“Hockey in Tennessee and the Southern Amateur Hockey Association (SAHA) region is only getting stronger with the merger between the Nashville Jr. Predators and Thunder AAA Hockey Club,” said Danny Butler, General Manager of Ford Ice Center. “With two new sheets of ice at the Ice Center in Bellevue opening in the Fall of 2019, youth hockey players will have additional opportunities to participate in hockey programs and receive valuable ice time with elite coaches.”
Growing the game of hockey in Tennessee and surrounding states, is a very important initiative of the Nashville Predators. For every new hockey family that is created, provides more opportunity for life-long Nashville Predators fans. “With the newly formed Nashville Jr. Predators, there will be more spots available for kids who want to play, learn to play the game and compete on several different levels,” said Nat Harden, Senior Vice President, Tickets / Premium Sales & Youth Hockey. “More tournaments will be hosted at Ford Ice Center, which will create additional revenue for the surrounding businesses in Antioch, Bellevue and across Middle Tennessee.”
The Nashville Jr. Predators will enlist Total Package Hockey as the administrator of all hockey operations and coaching. One of the main driving forces behind the merger is to help families take advantage of one of the best development programs in the country that does not require them to move.
“We are extremely grateful for the positive leadership and growth of the game in Nashville, Huntsville, and Atlanta from the Nashville Predators. The NHL-backed Little Preds program being ran in each market is introducing the game to the next generation of players and is critically impacting grassroots growth of hockey. We would also like to thank the Nashville Jr Predators Board for their support in this merger. By working together, teams at the Tier I level will immediately be more competitive on the national stage, which will alleviate the pressure often felt by some families to move. In turn, this will increase the number of players that are drafted and/or tendered by junior hockey programs and commitments made to NCAA Division I schools, while playing youth hockey in the Nashville Jr. Predators Hockey Club. Perhaps the most important part of this new program is the addition of the Nashville based AA teams that will provide more development options for players” said Nathan Bowen, CEO of Total Package Hockey. “We have a long history of providing outstanding positive mentors and we look forward to staffing the Jr Preds with world class professional coaches and managing the day-to-day operations of the hockey club in a professional, cost-effective and efficient manner. “
“The Nashville Predators continue to do an outstanding job growing the game for players at all levels of hockey and they support this next step in creating a clear path for youth hockey families to follow. Our board unanimously
supported this merger in the long-term best interest of hockey in Nashville. We also recognized that consolidating the two clubs only strengthens every level of play for the kids. Adding the AA program creates one homogenous development program for every player. They can begin in the Little Preds program, move along to House League, Preds Select A, now AA and lastly AAA. A family can now come into the game, develop here in Nashville until they are ready physically and mentally for junior hockey.” stated Nashville Jr Predators President Matt Goudy.
Total Package Hockey held these same responsibilities for the past 15 years with the Thunder AAA Hockey Club. During that time, the club provided a path for student-athletes to develop and advance to junior hockey while living at, or close, to home. The program became a member of the prestigious Tier I Elite League, the only national Tier I Youth Hockey League in the country that produces the most junior, college and professional players in the country.
Thunder AAA Hockey Club Player Advancement Summary:
– 4 NHL Draft Picks or Signed
– 45 NCAA DI Commits
– 56 NCAA DIII Commits
– 39 USHL Drafts, 2 Tenders
– 16 NAHL Drafts, 61 Tenders
– 19 OHL Draft Picks
– 4 International (2 NTDP, 2 Hlinka/Gretzky)
Former alumni include Mitch Eliot who signed just last week with the Vancouver Canucks, Nic Dowd from Huntsville Alabama, now with the Washington Capitals, Bjorn Krupp from Atlanta Georgia who played with the US National Development Team Program and now with Grizzlys Wolfsburg in the DEL, Nathan Krusko from Atlanta Georgia at Harvard University and national honors student, Andrew Sinard from Nashville Tennessee who is a freshman at Miami of Ohio playing NCAA DI and attended Nashville Predators Prospect camp in 2017.
Former coaches for the Thunder AAA Hockey club include:
- Chris Luongo – Current AC Michigan State Spartans, USA National Development Team Program, Team USA World Championships,
- Scott Gordon – Current HC Philadelphia Flyers, Team USA World Championships and Olympics, Former Assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs and HC New York Islanders
- Jim McKenzie – Current Scout Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL and Muskegon USHL
- Steve Briere – Current Goalie Coach Toronto Maple Leafs NHL, Fargo Force USHL, Topeka RoadRunners NAHL
- Uwe Krupp – Current HC Sparta Praha DEL and Team Germany World Championships and Olympics
- Karlis Zirnis – Current AC University of Alaska Fairbanks, Shreveport Mudbugs NAHL, Team Latvia World Championships and Olympics,
- Darren Eliot – Current Detroit Redwings NHL and Atlanta Thrashers NHL
- Danny Geoffrion – Former player Montreal Canadiens and Winnipeg Jets
- Jay More – Former player Nashville Predators
- Jay Leach –Former NCAA DI Maine Black Bears and Washington Capitals NHL
- Paul Flache – Former associate head coach Flint firebirds OHL
For more information about the NEW Nashville Jr. Predators program, please call Jordan French at email to info@jrpredators.com or Keith Rowe at keith@totalpackagehockey.com and visit nashvillejrpredators.com.