Category Archives: Youth
Guttman, Herrman earn opportunities with NTDP
January 3rd, 2016Cole Guttman, who began the season with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings’ 16U AAA Major team, has joined USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program’s (NTDP) Under-17 Team. Guttman, a forward from Northridge, ranked second in Tier 1 Elite Hockey League scoring in the 16U division with 18 goals for 37 points in 24 games before…
Four-sheet ice facility in Irvine on the horizon
January 3rd, 2016In a state starved for more ice time, the late-November announcement of plans to develop a massive four-sheet ice-skating and training facility at the Orange County Great Park in Irvine has the potential to be a game-changer for grassroots hockey. Three of the Great Park Ice Complex’s rinks will have room for 500 spectators and…
Jr. Kings’ Tier I coaching dynamic gets results
December 31st, 2015When it comes to Tier I coaching staffs, few compliment each other better than those within the Los Angeles Jr. Kings organization. After all, when you bring together a handful of some of the most revered professional youth hockey coaches in all of North America, along with a few individuals who’ve sustained longevity and success…
Jr. Sharks’ 14U AAA team sparked by top trio
December 31st, 2015When the San Jose Jr. Sharks’ 14U AAA team has needed a jumpstart this season, one line in particular has become a go-to for assistant coach John Beaulieu. The trio of Barak Braslavski, Sami Hakkaranian and Coalson Wolford has been red-hot for the Jr. Sharks, and with all three players averaging over a point-per-game Beaulieu…
Jr. Ducks’ Pee Wee AAA1 team readies for Quebec
December 26th, 2015Jean Labbe grew up in Montreal and played in the Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament as a youth, but the longtime coach has never stood behind the bench at the legendary event. That will change in February when his Anaheim Jr. Ducks Pee Wee AAA1 team takes the ice in Quebec City. “I’m very excited…
Renovations give Lakewood rink a needed facelift
December 4th, 2015Though hockey in Southern California had been around for a number of years prior to his arrival, it can be argued that Wayne Gretzky’s trade to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988 was when it truly established itself locally. Since that time, California has added two NHL franchises in the San Jose Sharks and the Mighty Ducks…
Jr. Duck’s coach Johnson represents U.S. in Germany
December 4th, 2015Not long after his playing career ended in 2008, Craig Johnson got into coaching youth hockey, in part because of his sons’ interest in playing. Now the Anaheim Jr. Ducks’ director of coaches as well as the head coach of the program’s Bantam AAA1 team, Johnson’s coaching journey took him on another path earlier this…
Jr. Sharks giving goaltenders more guidance
December 2nd, 2015The San Jose Jr. Sharks have expanded their network of coaches this season to include some specialized training for the organization’s goaltenders. Former goalies Rick Cazares and Evgeni Nabokov – the latter an ex-San Jose Shark who spent parts of 14 seasons in the NHL – have both been brought on board to help out…
Champs crowned at Jr. Kings’ Thanksgiving tourney
December 1st, 2015Fifty-four teams from Northern and Southern California, Nevada and Winnipeg competed in this year’s Los Angeles Jr. Kings-hosted Thanksgiving Extravaganza Tournament, which was showcased from Nov. 26-29 at three Southern California rinks. Champions were crowned in nine divisions: High School (Shaftesbury Titans); Bantam A (Pasadena Maple Leafs); Pee Wee AA (Anaheim Jr. Ducks); Pee Wee…
Golden State Elite boasts electric Bantam line
November 26th, 2015Most teams usually have a go-to top forward line. This season, the Golden State Elite (GSE) Eagles nest one of the most dangerous in all of California’s Bantam AAA ranks. Benjamin Biester, Dalton Garcia and Kaleb Ross have pooled their vastly diverse talents to form a line that rang up 18 goals and 36 points…