The Pasadena Maples Leafs youth hockey organization is the longest standing club in Southern California, having been in existence since 1964.

Over the years the club has had some notable alumni like Nick Robertson of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, Brett Sterling, who played 13 seasons in the NHL, and Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero.

In 2016, Pasadena brought tier hockey back into their regimen, fielding a 16U AA team. Three years later, they had a 16U AA and an 18U AA team that both made strong pushes in CAHA Playdowns.

Fast forward to the 2020-21 season, and the Leafs have rebranded their tier program to the newly named Rose City Pats, a program to prove that small clubs can bring a winning culture and help kids achieve their hockey goals.

In a season like no other because of the pandemic, the Pats fielded a 14U AA and 18U AA team that was accepted into and played in the NAPHL. The Pats also made a strong run in the 2020-21 CAHA State Playoffs led by head coach Curtis Fisher. Skating under the Rose City Pats has been great exposure for the players as some have been scouted and accepted into prep schools like Salisbury School, Bishop’s College School, and Portsmouth Abbey.

Fisher was appointed as tier director in 2019 and led the charge into the rebrand. Picking the new eye-catching colors of Kelly green and white, the Pats were modeled after the historic Ontario Hockey Association St. Pats of 1919 which later became the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1927.

Pasadena’s history with the Rose Parade lends Rose City a natural pick to complete the program’s new name. Since the Pasadena Ice Skating Center’s reopening after COVID restrictions, a newly painted rose has made its way to center ice.

Fisher had a career in junior hockey from 2009-11, playing for the Portland Jr. Pirates and Long Beach Bombers, where he was a WSHL All-Star. From there, he played and graduated from New York University. In the 2011-12 season, he was named a Freshman All-Star and in the 2012-13 season, was named a Team East All-Star. He led NYU to a national championship in 2015.

Fisher has been a tier hockey coach for the Maple Leafs and Pats since his return to California in 2016. In 2020-21, he was named NAPHL 14U Coach of the Year.

Looking forward to the coming year, the Pats are fielding 14U AA, 16U AA and 18U AA teams for the 2021-22 CAHA season.

Along with skating in other affiliations like the NAPHL and the Chowder Cup, their focus and goal is to create a hockey program that gives opportunities to players to be seen along with honing the needed skills to make it to a higher level of play.

For more information, visit www.rosecitypats.com.

(May 20, 2021)