News
Joel Kwiatkowski Named Director of Hockey for Grand Rapids CoE
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce that Joel Kwiatkowski has joined the staff of the new Center of Excellence in Grand Rapids, Mich., as the program’s first Director of Hockey.
Kwiatkowski brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the new staff for the GR CoE as an 18-year professional hockey player, a coach and a hockey parent.
“What drew me to TPH was thinking about how great this would have been for me when I was growing up,” Kwiatkowski said. “To have a situation where you can work on your education and your hockey skills each and every day, with people right there alongside you to help you both on and off the ice, it’s a tremendous opportunity for kids in West Michigan. We have such a great community here, and I’m incredibly excited to start this new chapter at Southside Ice Arena as a coach and a mentor for our future CoE student-athletes.”
Kwiatkowski, a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was a draft pick of the Dallas Stars in 1996. He appeared in 282 National Hockey League games over the course of seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Atlanta Thrashers. Kwiatkowski competed in the Western Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the International Hockey League and the highest professional leagues in Switzerland and Sweden. He played in more than 1,000 professional hockey games over the course of his career.
Two of those seasons took place in Grand Rapids, as he played for the Griffins during their last season with the IHL in 2000-01 and their first season with the AHL in 2001-02.
During that time, he built ties to West Michigan, and a relationship with Southside Ice Arena co-owner and TPH GR partner Travis Richards.
“Joel was a tremendous teammate during our time together in Grand Rapids,” said Richards, still the only player to have his number retired by the Griffins. “He has a great knowledge of the game and a passion for teaching and helping players. We couldn’t be more excited to have him joining us as we begin the Center of Excellence for the next school year.
“We are very excited to officially add him to our TPH GR team- he will be a great leader and role model for our kids.”
Following his retirement from professional hockey, Kwiatkowski and his family returned to West Michigan. He accepted an assistant coach position with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL while also joining the Fox Motors Hockey Club as an assistant coach.
“I’ve gotten to know Joel over the last few seasons through our Fox Motors Hockey Club, and I’ve been impressed by how he conducts himself at the rink as a coach and a parent,” said Mike Slobodnik,” Southside Ice Arena co-owner and TPH GR partner alongside Richards. “The TPH CoE model is here to help young student-athletes develop into good people, not just hockey players. With Joel, we know that these students will not only be improving crucial hockey skills on a day-in, day-out basis, but that they will be learning how to be leaders and students and good teammates and friends at the same time.”
TPH Grand Rapids invites all interested families to meet Joel Kwiatkowski and other members of the team at our upcoming open house on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 PM at Southside Ice Arena. To RSVP and secure your spot for the open house, please click here.
If you’re ready to apply to the Grand Rapids CoE, we invite you to click here and start the registration process.
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-Ricci Hockey Partner to Launch 7th Center of Excellence in Colorado
Total Package Hockey is pleased to announce that it will be bringing its hallmark Center of Excellence model to the thriving state of Colorado for the 2019-2020 school year. TPH will launch its seventh CoE in the south suburbs of Denver and will partner alongside Angelo Ricci, a name synonymous with player development and advancement in both the state of Colorado and beyond.
“We are very grateful for the opportunity to partner with Angelo and his entire team,” TPH CEO Nathan Bowen said. “We met several years ago through the Tier I Elite League and his commitment to personal and athletic development with his players is how he has built one of the top programs in the country. He has strategically constructed and grown a performance-oriented club and the results have followed. He is extremely passionate about helping young people grow and consistently raising the standards for all involved in his programs. Colorado is an awesome hockey state and Denver is one of the healthiest metropolitan cities in all of the U.S. While excitement is high to bring a CoE to Denver, we are most looking forward to partnering with Angelo who serves as a positive role model for young aspiring student-athletes. His track record for developing next level hockey players, athletes and people speaks for itself.”
While TPH prides itself on its Study-Train-Play Center of Excellence model and what “it” can do for the aspiring elite student-athlete, Bowen says it is the leader, or “face” of the actual CoE that drives the model. In Ricci, TPH is teaming up with an individual who brings 20-plus years of true player development experience to the Denver area Center of Excellence. Angelo is the founder and head instructor for Ricci Hockey Consulting, a company he formed back in 1996. The Chicago native is also the Director of Hockey Operations for the prestigious Colorado Thunderbirds Hockey Club and has held leadership positions with the Arapahoe and Littleton Youth Hockey Associations.
Ricci is quick to point out that while he is excited about partnering with TPH to bring a Center of Excellence to an area he now calls home, TPH’s commitment to excellence in the areas of on and off-ice training, academic success and mentorship is what sold him on forming a partnership.
“The TPH mission is to exceed expectations of student-athletes, their families and all entities of the hockey world,” Ricci said. “That’s essentially what I have tried to do throughout my career. Being involved with this model is a perfect next step for me, and the model is a perfect next step for hockey in the Denver area. TPH’s methodical approach to the training of The Hockey Athlete, along with their academic partnership with Edmentum puts the needs of students-athletes first. Development is a delicate thing, especially in the classroom. TPH has the plan, and in the Denver area, I believe TPH now has the perfect place.”
While coaching in that “perfect place” Ricci references, the former University of Denver Pioneer has guided teams for 22 seasons, 16 of which have been at the Tier I level. To date, he has posted a Tier I coaching record of 803-192-53. Since 2005-2006, Ricci’s Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AAA squads have won 13 state championships and have made eight appearances in the National Tournament. His teams have finished no lower than 5th place at Nationals, and in 2009-2010, his group achieved a first-place finish.
In addition, Ricci’s leadership has led him to a successful coaching and on-ice instruction career at all levels. Since 2003, the 47-year-old has worked with numerous professional players as a skills coach. He has consulted and worked with big-name players such as Seth Jones, Caleb Jones, Nick Shore, Paul Stastny, Tyler Bozak, Drew Shore, Kyle Quincy, Gilbert Brule, Matt Donovan, Gustav Olofsson, Brandon Carlo, Scott Mayfield, Ben Holmstrom, Troy Terry, Dylan Gambrell, Dominic Turgeon and Jack Skille. For the past nine years, Ricci has been a skills consultant for the Assabet Valley Girls program, which has won 42 USA Hockey Tier I National Championships. Ricci was also the Head Skills Instructor at the NHL Fantasy Skills Camp during the NHL All-Star Games in Denver in 2001 and Los Angeles in 2002.
Since 2014, Angelo has been a part of the Buffalo Sabres organization, serving as a Skills Development Consultant for the NHL club. In addition, Ricci has worked directly with the Sabres’ prospects in the AHL, where he is a Skills Development Coach for the Rochester Americans.
In conjunction with his coaching, Angelo shares his passion, skill and knowledge as a USA Hockey Coaching Education Program presenter. He served as a USA Hockey District Festival Head Coach from 2004-2009 and has conducted multiple coaching seminars and clinics. In 2003, Ricci attained his certification with USA Hockey as a Master Level 5 Coach.
“History and track record are both proof that a partnership between TPH and Ricci Hockey will be successful,” Ricci added. “I am extremely proud of the number of players I have been able to work with who have advanced to the highest levels of hockey. TPH shares that same level of pride and passion. In five years, the CoE model alone has produced four NHL draft picks, 33 NCAA Division I commitments and has helped over 50 players reach the USHL and NAHL. The Denver CoE looks forward to putting our stamp on the growth of those very impressive numbers.”
TPH will be announcing more information in the coming weeks about its Denver Center of Excellence model, including location, open house dates and staffing. In the meantime, TPH invites all interested Denver Center of Excellence candidates to click here and visit the CoE webpage on totalpackagehockey.com, to learn more about the CoE model and the meaning of Study-Train-Play.
If you wish to receive updates on the Denver Center of Excellence, please click here and select “Colorado” for all the latest news and information on the CoE.
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.
Southern New Hampshire University Wins NE10 Conference Championship
Congratulations to four Thunder hockey alums Dylan Sobczyk (96), Jake Cox (97), Kyle Galloway (97) and Cole Stewart (97) on being a part of Southern New Hampshire’s NE10 Conference Championship team.
TPH squad begins play at the OHL Cup
Total Package Hockey is proud to congratulate the players selected to represent TPH at the OHL Cup, and wish them luck as they begin competing in the prestigious annual tournament.
The TPH Hockey team is a collection of #TPHTrained players from across the country, coached by Francis Anzalone, Scott Nichol, Chris Lipsett and Greg Austin.
TPH is competing against the Halton Hurricanes to start the tournament; later today, they will play the Toronto Nationals.
On Thursday, they will compete against the North York Rangers, and their Friday foe is yet to be determined.
For more info on the tournament, click here.
Good luck to the players on the roster below as they compete against some of the world’s best:
13 #TPHTrained players selected in OHL Draft; nine from TPH OHL Cup team
Total Package Hockey is proud to congratulate and celebrate the 13 #TPHTrained players who were selected by Ontario Hockey League teams Saturday during the league’s annual OHL Priority Selection.
“Our TPH family is incredibly proud of these players for this outstanding recognition and opportunity,” said TPH owner Nathan Bowen. “The hard work is just beginning, but we know from their mindset and their character that they’re up to the challenge, and they will continue to make us proud at the next level – wherever that may be.”
Nine of the players who heard their names called were part of the TPH team that competed in the OHL Cup. Nearly half of the roster being selected in the OHL Draft just weeks after the event took place adds to the accomplishment list for the group, after they reached the quarterfinals of the prestigious tournament in March.
Meanwhile, five student-athletes from the TPH Detroit Center of Excellence were selected in the 2019 OHL draft, as well. Congrats to the following players:
TPH OHL Cup Team
Gibson Homer – Fox Motors – Owen Sound Attack
Austin Clark – Honeybaked – Guelph Storm
Ryan Humphrey – Honeybaked – Hamilton Bulldogs
Connor Miller – Honeybaked – Sault Ste. Mary Greyhounds
Sutter Muzzatti – Meijer – Windsor Spitfires
Riley Rosenthral – South Florida Hockey Academy – Mississauga Steelheads
Jared Mangen – Buffalo Regals – Peterborough Petes
Logan Heroux – Christian Brothers Academy – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Yuri Ushakov – CP Dynamo – Peterborough Petes
TPH CoE student-athletes
Ryan Humphrey – Honeybaked – Hamilton Bulldogs
Jack Stolicker – Compuware – Flint Firebirds
Finnegan Kilbride – Honeybaked – Hamilton Bulldogs
Eddie Shepler – Honeybaked – London Knights
Kevin Perrott – Oakland Jr. Grizzlies – North Bay Battalion
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.
Eight #TPHTrained players featured in ‘Michigan names to know’ list for OHL draft
Each spring, MiHockey produces a ‘Michigan names to know’ list for a particular birth-year heading into the OHL Priority Selection with the assistance and commentary of OHL scout Kevin Hess.
This year, eight of the players on the list are of the #TPHTrained variety.
Five attend the TPH Center of Excellence in Bloomfield, while three others competed for the TPH team at the recent OHL Cup.
TPH wishes these players, and the rest of the ’03 class, the best of luck heading into Saturday’s OHL draft.
Center of Excellence student-athletes
Ryan Humphrey (Honeybaked U16) – Smaller, highly skilled winger that plays with a bit of an edge. Shows no problem going to the tough areas. Good skater who has very good edge control. Does a good job of shifting his weight and changing speeds to gain time and space. Has a quick release, showing a good scoring touch. Sees the ice well and playing the puck possession style of game that teams crave.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Mitch Marner
Kevin Perrott (Oakland Jr. Grizzlies U15) – The most improved player I have watched this season, especially in terms of his skating. Protects the puck well. Good shot with a quick release. Plays a very unselfish game, doing what it takes for his team to win.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Tom Wilson
Eddie Shepler (Honeybaked U16) – Powerful skating forward who can play all three forward positions. Gets up to top speed quickly and plays with pace. Plays an honest 200-foot game. Competes at a high level. Heavy shot with a quick release.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Matthew Tkachuk
Nicholas Sofikitis (Compuware U16) – Puck-moving style defenseman that plays with some jam to his game. Competes at a high level. Has the skating and skill set to escape pressure. Makes strong outlets.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Torey Krug
Jack Stolicker (Compuware U16) – Good skating forward, with a powerful stride. Tough to contain once he gets going. Is good on the cycle, protecting the puck and getting it to the net. Possesses a heavy shot, with a quick release. Uses size and skill effectively to make plays on the rush and off the cycle.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Nathan MacKinnon
OHL Cup participants
Gibson Homer (Fox Motors U16) – Athletic goaltender with a strong fundamental base. Moves well in and around his crease. Controls rebounds well. Plays a cool, calm game, with a quiet confidence.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Carey Price
Connor Miller (Honeybaked U15) – Good skater with good balance and knee bend that allows him to maintain a top speed for an extended period of time. Does a nice job of using his edge work and skill to create time and space off the rush. Has a scoring touch around the net. Can score goals in a variety of ways. Has a heavy shot, with a quick release that allows him to score from beyond the tops of the circles. Also has the skill and strength to score the gritty goals at the net front. Is learning to play on the defensive side of the puck and has shown improvement in this area as the season has progressed.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Blake Wheeler
Sutter Muzzatti (Meijer U15) – Raw prospect that has the physical tools to be an effective power forward at the next level. Has improved in almost every aspect of his game throughout the season. Competes at a high level, doing a good job of winning his 1-on-1 puck battles. Has a heavy shot with multiple release points. Has shown good touch from tops of the circles down. Has solid puck skills that have continued to evolve over the course of the year.
NHL Player he reminds me of: Brian Boyle
TPH Detroit’s Jack Stolicker shines at OHL Combine
This past weekend, Jack Stolicker represented TPH Detroit at the OHL Combine, an annual event that showcases top OHL Priority Selection-eligible players for scouts and teams.
Along with playing in scrimmages, players were put through on and off-ice testing, and there, Stolicker excelled in both.
The Compuware 16U forward ranked No. 3 among all forwards in both the off-ice and on-ice testing.
He also competed for Team Ekblad in the games, helping his squad win the 2019 OHL Combine Championship as a combination of game-play and physical testing.
“It was awesome,” Stolicker said. “I was able to get a better understanding of what it’s like to play juniors. The off-ice and on-ice testing was a blast – it was similar to what they do at the NHL Combine. It was awesome being able to work with other highly skilled players that I’ve only had the opportunity to play against, and it was great to learn from coaches and staff that work within the league.”
Stolicker now prepares to compete for Compuware in the 2019 USA Hockey National Championships in Grand Rapids, Mich., later this week.
He credits TPH and training partner 2SP in helping him prepare for big moments like these.
“TPH and 2SP both, they are always preparing us for moments like this – they help us become better athletes on and off the ice so that we can have success in whatever we’re doing.”
Kassie Whitaker to Lead Academics at Huntsville CoE
Total Package Hockey is pleased to announce that Kassie Whitaker will serve as the Director of Academics for its new Center of Excellence in Huntsville, AL for the 2019-2020 school year. Kassie brings twelve years of classroom experience to the TPH team.
“I am excited to welcome Kassie to the TPH-Huntsville team,” Director of Operations Ryan McCormack said. “She will bring a wealth of knowledge to the classroom setting and will be instrumental in fostering a culture that promotes student success.”
Kassie graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. After that, Kassie pursed her Master’s Degree from the University of West Alabama, and earned a graduate degree in Elementary Education. She brings a wealth of experience to the Huntsville team, specializing in instructing elementary and middle school level students in particular.
In addition to her experience in the classroom, Kassie spent two years working as a Reading Specialist, assisting teachers in developing and implementing instructional goals for all students.
I am extremely excited to have this opportunity. I hope to use the experiences I have had in the classroom and as a Reading Coach to help student-athletes reach their full potential in all areas of their lives.
-Kassie Whitaker
On behalf of everyone with TPH, we join Ryan McCormack in welcoming Kassie to the TPH-Huntsville team.
To apply to the TPH-Huntsville Center of Excellence for the 2019-2020 school year, please click here.
Four Thunder alums set to compete in 2019 NCAA Tournament
Total Package Hockey would like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to the four TPH Thunder alums who are set to begin competition in the 2019 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament this weekend.
Good luck to the following players:
Matt Jennings
Ohio State – Freshman
Buford, Ga.
Topeka RoadRunners and Minot Minotauros (NAHL), Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) alum
Josh Wilkins
Providence – Junior
Raleigh, N.C.
Austin Bruins (NAHL), Sioux City Musketeers (USHL) alum
Zach Solow
Northeastern – Sophomore
Naples, Fla.
Janesville Jets (NAHL), Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) alum
Nathan Krusko
Harvard – Sophomore
Alpharetta, Ga.
Minnesota Magicians (NAHL), Omaha Lancers (USHL) alum
TPH Grand Rapids announces hiring of Kyle Gagneau, Joe Messina
Total Package Hockey is proud to announce the additions of Kyle Gagneau and Joe Messina to the growing team at our new Center of Excellence in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Gagneau will be the GR CoE’s strength and conditioning coach, while Messina is the new director of goaltender development for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year.
“We are very excited to welcome both Kyle and Joe to the TPH team in Grand Rapids,” said Joel Kwiatkowski, the director of hockey for TPH Grand Rapids. “They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge of the West Michigan hockey community to our core group of leadership, and we know they will do great things with our inaugural class of student-athletes.”
To apply for the GR CoE, click here
About Gagneau
Gagneau brings 12 years of experience in the fitness industry to TPH. A lifelong hockey player himself, Gagneau holds a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. HE is a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Gagneau has also earned performance enhancement, corrective exercise and fitness nutrition specializations from NASM to better serve his athletes and clients.
About Messina
Messina is currently the vice president of operations for Bandits Goalie School. A Shattuck St. Mary’s and SUNY Brockport (NCAA Division III) product, he oversees goaltending for numerous programs in Grand Rapids, including the Fox Motors Hockey Club and ACHA programs Davenport University, Aquinas College and Calvin College, among others.
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