/MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – The Metro Jets and MJDP teams played three games at home this past weekend, picking up three wins at Mount Clemens Ice Arena.

Friday night, the MJDP team knocked off the Battle Creek Kernels 3-0, while the Jets beat the Toledo Cherokee 4-1 Saturday night and then finished the weekend with a 5-2 victory Sunday afternoon over the Columbus Mavericks.

“We’ve got a young group with a lot of turnover from last year,” said Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “It’s going to take these guys some time to get used to our expectations and what we think they should be doing at this level.”

In the season opener Friday night for the MJDP, Andrew Parmentier stopped all 24 shots he faced and Robert Grasso, Jacques Lavrack and Josh Boze all scored in the win over the Kernels, who were playing their first-ever game since joining the USPHL over the summer.

“It feels absolutely amazing,” said Parmentier. “Coming to the rink, I definitely didn’t expect to get a shutout in my first junior hockey game. Big shout out to my defense – they played unbelievable and shout out to the forwards for putting pucks in the net.”

Liam Donnelly made 43 saves for Battle Creek along with stopping Anthony Worley on a penalty shot in the first period.

“It was a good win for the guys and good to see a lot of guys get their first junior hockey game under their belts,” said Jets associate coach Adam Morrison. “They were a little nervous at first and came on towwards the end of the game. All-around good effort from everyone.”

Saturday night, Steven Miller and Ugo Lollier each posted a goal and an assist in helping the Jets down Toledo.

Yarne Vaerwyck and Josh German also scored to back Freddy Soderberg’s 38 saves between the pipes.

“I felt really good, wasn’t overthinking anything,” said Soderberg. “I just kind of relied on instinct more than anything else.”

Jason Crossland tallied Toledo’s lone goal and Frank Murphy finished with 30 saves in suffering the loss for the Cherokee.

“Obviously, this was a very competitive game with about 30 years of history there,” Morrison said. “These are the types of games you want to play in. It was fun, fast-paced and physical from both teams. It was a good game and I’m happy we came out on top.”

Wrapping up the weekend Sunday afternoon, Braydin Lewis, Andreas Fleutot and Joey Mocnik all registered a goal and an assist for the Jets.

German and Jadon Barron added goals, while Seve Litz and Alex Schaumburger each had a pair of assists.

In goal, Rocco Stolz started and stopped all three shots fired his way before an injury forced Dylan Eliason into action making his Jets’ debut. Eliason made 19 saves the rest of the way for the win.

Brandon Kididis scored both Columbus goals and Kyle Diehr and Matthew Powell combined to make 38 saves in the Mavericks’ net.

“We’ll take the two points, but we have a lot of learning to do still,” Lovell said.

The Jets host the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones Saturday at 5:30 p.m. from Mount Clemens Ice Arena, while the MJDP squad hosts Battle Creek Friday at 7:30 p.m.

All USPHL games are streamed on HockeyTV.com.

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – The Metro Jets opened the 2022-23 season this weekend with a home-and-home sweep over the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones.

The Jets took a 6-2 win Saturday night at Mount Clemens Ice Arena and then recorded an 8-1 victory Sunday afternoon at the Heritage Bank Center.

Opening up on home ice, Joey Mocnik registered a goal and two assists, and Freddy Soderberg made 17 saves between the pipes.

“It was the first junior game for a lot of guys,” said Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell. “We had a lot of turnover and a lot of new faces, but our veterans stepped up and our power play looked pretty good, so we’re happy with those things, for sure.”

Alex Schaumburger, Yarne Vaerewyck, and Bryce O’Rourke all had a goal and an assist, while Josh German scored and Chad Noetzel and Andreas Fleutot rang up two assists apiece.

Braydin Lewis, who has been battling cancer since the later part of last season, scored in the game as well.

“I’ve been through a lot, obviously, but this was my goal, to be here, and I achieved that goal,” Lewis said. “When I got the goal on the ice, oh man. It’s a lot, but it was awesome. I got the best guys around me all the time.”

Kyle Burke tallied both Cincinnati goals, Brady Talaski had two assists, and John Rampe made 43 saves in taking the loss in net.

In the finale Sunday, Mocnik scored three goals and added an assist for a four-point game. Schaumburger added two goals with an assist, while goaltender Rocco Stolz made 12 saves in goal for his first junior hockey win.

“It’s a good to start the season with some wins, and although we didn’t play to our full potential, it feels good,” said Mocnik. “(For the goals) I was in the right place right time and made myself available in the slot for two of them. And the other was a breakaway on the penalty kill, just shot the puck low blocker. After a tough year (a year ago), it feels amazing to be back out there doing what I do.”

“I thought we did a good job using our speed to support pucks and take away time and space away from them when they had possession,” added Jets associate coach Adam Morrison. “Their goalie played well and saw a lot of shots in the game. It’s still early and we have some things to work on as a group, but it was a step in the right direction.”

Fleutot and Noetzel each had a goal and an assist, Ugo Lollier scored, and German chipped in three assists and Dakota Kott garnered two helpers.

Jordan Winrod spoiled Stolz’s shutout bid in the third period, and Rampe took the loss in goal.

Next weekend, the Jets host the Toledo Cherokee Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and the Columbus Mavericks Sunday at 3:30 p.m.

The MJDP teams hosts the Battle Creek Kernels Friday at 7:30 p.m.

“We have to come to practice ready to work this week, amp up the intensity a little bit,” said Mocnik.

All USPHL games are broadcast on HockeyTV.com.

When it comes to USPHL franchises, there has been a little bit of change in the Midwest East in 2022-2023. The league has welcomed two new members in the Battle Creek Kernels and Chicago Crush to maintain a seven-team league. Coaches across the board expect the levels of parity and competition to increase in the Midwest East significantly this season, here’s the scoop on each team prior to puck drop.

Order is 2021-22 Finish

Chicago Cougars

We kick things off with the defending champs, who open play on Saturday against the Motor City Gamblers. Josh Dallman’s club has made Nationals for five straight seasons and have won the division during all but one of those years. The Cougars’ recent history somewhat parallels that of the New England Patriots’ early Belichick days, with a strong emphasis on discipline and team-first culture. At Fifth Third Arena in downtown Chicago, they do things The Cougar Way.

“We have a decent amount of returners carrying the load and explaining things to the newer guys,” said Dallman, “All our 20-year-olds played here last year and can show the younger guys the ropes.”

The returning contingent contains a group of solid players that will help the team as a whole. Defenseman Peter Drake (‘02) returns for his second year in the green and yellow, and ‘03 T.J. Haas is back for a third campaign. Haas has 58 career points (23-35–58) as a Cougar. He and Drake are expected to be two of the bigger leaders on this team.

The group they’ll be leading is really young. Coach Dallman believes the team’s average age will hover around 18.

“We’ve got five or six 20-year-olds, a handful of ‘03s, and then a good chunk of ‘05s.” recounts Dallman. As an adamant “team is greater than the individual” coach, he stood pat when asked to rattle off talented newcomers, instead telling us that they’ve got “a good lineup as a team.”

Team-first hockey has been and will continue to be the standard in Chicago, but will that change now that the Cougars are sharing the city with the expansion Chicago Crush?

“Since I’ve been here, the division has gotten better and better every year. [The expansion] continues that trend.” said Dallman. He’s happy to welcome the Crush aboard, as their proximity will be mutually beneficial in terms of travel. The cross-town foes will meet for the first time Sunday, Oct. 2, on Cougar ice.

Splitting the talent pool is another adjustment that needs to be made, but it’s what’s best for the division: “Any program can win any given night.”

Fort Wayne Spacemen

On paper, this 2022-23 Spacemen team looks to be the best in Fort Wayne’s four-year USPHL history. Coach Lincoln Kaleigh Schrock’s club finished second in the division last season and will return top scorer Noah Maine (‘02). They will open on Saturday, Oct. 1 against the Chicago Crush.

Maine is one of the best offensive-defensemen in the league. He led Fort Wayne with 50 points (20-30–50) a year ago, which was also fourth most of any Premier defenseman. Maine will again be this team’s cornerstone blueliner, but unlike last year, he won’t be the only Knoxville, Tenn.-born Spaceman filling up the stat sheet.

Forward R.J. Rollman (‘03) is a former teammate of Maine’s and one of the biggest gets for FW this offseason. He’ll join a forward group that brings back scorer Logan Robins (‘02) and veteran winger Cam Perry (‘02). Rollman will likely contribute offensively off the bat, but don’t overlook the experience that Robins brings. The 5-10 center out of Detroit led all Spacemen forwards in assists (24) and total points (42) in 2021-22.

Former Midwest Blackbird Forward Tucker Tone (‘04) will also join the Space party this fall. Tone registered eight points (1-7–8) in his first Premier season last year, and is expected to become a bigger factor offensively as he’s now a year older, bigger, and stronger.

Schrock spoke emphatically about Tucker’s speed and skill earlier this week, calling him a “waterbug” out on the ice. Tone is one of a handful of Fort Wayne natives on this year’s roster, a testament to Schrock’s dedication towards hockey in Northeast Indiana.

After spending his playing days with the Komets, Schrock began serving as GM at Parkview Icehouse and became a mainstay in the FW hockey community. He wants to keep kids in Fort Wayne, and believes that the city is becoming a destination for prospective players.

“It feels like a true junior hockey program,” said Schrock. “[Fort Wayne] is one of the best places at the Tier III level.”

Metro Jets Development Program

Sustained success is the goal in Mount Clemens, but with all the roster turnover that the nature of the Jets’ organization brings it’s easier said than done.

MJDP finished third in the division last season with 56 points and made it to Nationals for a second straight year. If they want to make it three in a row, a lot has to go right – but the MJDP and Jets organization overall usually finds a way to make that happen.

Luckily for Coach Justin Quenneville, the 65-man tryout roster for both the Jets (of the Great Lakes Division) and MJDP was deep.

“(We’re) still trying to determine team and lineup stuff, potential players, and where they fit,” said Quenneville, whose MJDP squad starts on Sept. 30 against the first-year Battle Creek Kernels.

He added that, as always, MJDP wants to emphasize individual development this winter, and that the team will be faster and more dynamic than they’ve been in the past. Rosters had not yet been finalized during the organization’s media availability, but Quenneville believes that the 2022-23 MJDP will be one of the younger teams in the division.

In terms of the competitiveness of the division, “Coach Q” as he is affectionately known across the league, is excited for what 2022-23 will bring. He feels that in recent years the top half of the division has gotten stronger. Now, exciting operators and organizations (Battle Creek and Chicago Crush) will likely make the circuit better and competitive in a different way all the way through.

Decatur Blaze

The 2021-22 season was one Blaze fans are ready to put behind them with a brighter view on the new campaign, which begins Oct. 7 against the Chicago Cougars.

GM/Head Coacb Zac Pearson has chosen to remedy the situation via rebuild.

“We’re going to be young and are only returning six veterans,” said Pearson, adding there will be plenty of new faces in Central Illinois this winter.

Two in particular stand above the rest 0 forwards Lukas Verstegen (‘05) and Duke Kersting (‘04).

Kersting hails from the St. Louis suburbs and played AAA puck in the AYHL and NAPHL last winter. In his last full season, he scored 20 points on an even 10 goals and 10 assists with Fort Zumwalt East in Missouri high school hockey.

Verstegen also comes to the Blaze with AAA experience. The Dallas, Texas, native played high school hockey in California prior to signing with Decatur. Although he’s young and will be just 16 on opening night, Pearson believes Verstegen’s athleticism will make him a key player immediately.

Veteran and returning Midwest East All-Star Walker Smith (‘02) is expected to add poise and experience up front yet again. Smith registered 29 points (17-12–29) a year ago and looks to average above a point per game this season. Jeff Shirkey (15-20–35) will also be back with the program as an ‘02.

On the blue line, Decatur returns ‘03 Brendan Hirliman, who led the team with 26 assists last season.

Although the overall talent level and depth of the Blaze are relative unknowns at this point in time, Coach Pearson says we can bank on one thing right now: the Blaze are going to work hard.

“Hard work will beat skill any day,” said Pearson. “We’re going to work hard and let skill take over after that.”

Motor City Gamblers

A new name, a new logo and a new outlook. It’s a whole new era for Jason McCrimmon and the Motor City Gamblers, and he expects that the Chicago Cougars will see a Motor City more resembling the team that made the 2018 and 2019 Nationals when the puck drops Saturday.

“[We want to] get back to what we were a couple years ago, making back-to-back Nationals,” said McCrimmon, team owner and Assistant GM who will be serving as Associate Coach on new Head Coach Sam Shaheen’s staff.

Shaheen most recently served in the same role with the Detroit Fighting Irish from 2020-22 and was brought to Fraser Hockeyland to build a team that’s “strong from top to bottom.”

On the back end, the Gamblers will carry three new goaltenders in Michael Massaro (‘03), Grant Williams (‘03) and Devin Williams (‘05).

At defense, they return lefty Zack Domanke (‘03) and ‘05 righty Brett Trevino. New defensemen Zach Hudson (‘02) and Jace Weimer (‘05) will serve as captains for the Gamblers this season. Both spent last year with Coach Shaheen in Detroit and are familiar with his system. Do not be surprised if these two serve as Motor City’s top pair, given their on-ice experience against Midwest East foes.

The forward stable will also have a new look in 2022-23. The only returner up front is ‘02 Maxx Sabel (8-7–15). Former MJDP winger Owen Ott (‘02) will also serve as a captain for the Gamblers. Owen Wilson (‘04) and Preston Stenzel are another pair of forwards expected to contribute immediately.

With a largely new roster, consistency may be hard to achieve at first in Motor City, but it’s what McCrimmon and Shaheen are looking for. They’re worrying about themselves, and their focus is centered on “the Motor City Gamblers. That’s it.”

Battle Creek Kernels

The USPHL’s footprint in the state of Michigan deepened with the Midwest East division’s addition of the Battle Creek Kernels. BCK will be led by Co-owner and Head Coach Triston Jensen in their first season in Premier.

Cobbling together an expansion team can often keep coaches up at night, but Jensen isn’t worried. He has a plan in place and feels confident in his process.

“I think the biggest thing as an expansion team coming together is we didn’t just go out and get anybody – we got the right guys,” said Jensen, whose team starts the season on Sept. 30 against MJDP.

When asked about who these “right guys” may be, Jensen immediately jumped to his netminder, Liam Donnelly (‘03).

Donnelly is a 6-3 Canadian who already has a pair of USPHL Premier campaigns in the Midwest West and Pacific Divisions. Donnelly also has some Canadian Jr. A experience, and Jensen viewed him as a must-have signing because of his resiliency. Watching Liam battle back from an injury has been inspiring to say the least.

In front of Donnelly is a defense corps highlighted by ‘02’s Joe Blair and Connor Trankina, USPHL veterans both. They will be making the journey east from Wisconsin. Expect points from offensive-minded blueliner J.D. Lemonds (‘03) as well.

At forward, Max Hoffman (‘03) and Will Haggerty (‘03) are the headliners. The pair were teammates with defenseman Luke Tinker (‘04) and the aforementioned Lemonds at Rockford (Mich.) High School, and their chemistry is something Jensen is hoping to capitalize on immediately.

“[We] have a lot of rookies on this team. There’s the Rockford High group and then locally Owen Miller (‘05),” added Jensen. “I’m very excited about this group, could talk about them all down the road.”

The puzzle is by no means put together, but all of the built-in Michigander relationships make grouping the pieces together much easier. Hopefully they’ll know who fits where by end of season, as Jensen expects to still be playing come March.

“We want to try and host a playoff series,” said Jensen. “We’re coming in strong and will be a surprise to a lot of people.”

Jensen’s confidence stems from his deep coaching staff. At a minimum, the Kernels are going to make it hard to beat them right off the bat. They’ll be #BattleReady come puck drop indeed.

Chicago Crush

The USPHL’s billet model is tried and true. In order to enhance their careers as hockey players, oftentimes these young men leave home, and live with billet families in their team’s city. The billet system provides players the experience of living in a new location, and it allows teams to recruit without geographical barriers.

This mutually beneficial system has been used by many Midwest East coaching staffs in the past, but the new expansion club, the Chicago Crush, have focused on local talent.

“We’ve taken the approach of focusing our scouting efforts on Illinois players. Our vision comes from our Owner, Pete Olson whose heart is solely dedicated to the development and growth of Illinois hockey,” said Head Coach Jon Varga, whose team opens at home on Oct. 1 vs. the Spacemen.

“It’s a different brand and theme where players can live at home and have the ability to attend school. There is nothing better than being able to play high level hockey in front of your family and friends while maintaining academic excellence, creating a well-rounded young man.”

With this mindset, the Crush roster for their inaugural season contains all but two Chicago-area players. Nick Zehelein (‘03) from Hoffman Estates, Ill., played with the NAPHL’s Northwest Chargers last season and recorded seven points (3-4–7) in eight games. Nick performed very well at preseason camp and the Crush staff is particularly excited to see him perform and develop this season.

The Crush do have one international player, Finnish-born ‘03 Johan Karjalainen who is billetting with fellow Crush teammate and netminder Jeff Wasco. The 2022-23 season will be Karjalainen’s first season in North America and is expected to bring a certain European flavor to the Crush attack. Karjalainen averaged a point per game last season in Finland.

The Crush will play many of their home games at Addison Ice Arena, on an Olympic-sized rink. Given the larger playing surface, the Crush coaches were looking for specific strengths during tryouts. They put a premium on players who have the skill sets and speed to work their way around the ice well. The personnel decisions for the lineups may be dependent on whether a given game is home or away:

“It’s a versatile group. We will dial in our strategy, according to the ice sheet” added Varga.

He is assisted by former NHL and 10-year Chicago Wolves captain Steve Maltais. Their strategy may be considered unconventional but at the end of the day, it’s all about player development in the Windy City.

“We are developing the player’s experience, local Illinois hockey, and aiming to improve the Crush everyday,” Varga added. “It’s all about the daily process.”

The USPHL’S Great Lakes Division is tough from top to bottom. There aren’t many easy games for these teams, especially this year with the division moving to five teams. With more games played within the division, it will be that much tougher to predict just which team will come out on top.

Order is 2021-22 regular season finish.

Metro Jets

Last year’s season for the Metro Jets was one of the better seasons they have had since winning their last National Championship in 2018, prior to entering the USPHL. With their season last year ending with a loss in the National Championship, and winning the Great Lakes Division for the past five years, they are excited to get to that first game on Sept. 24 vs. Cincinnati.

They are returning a strong core of their players and the next season has a good outlook for the Jets.

“We are younger up front and in net, but are fortunate that our model provides a good transition for players to the best version of themselves,” said General Manager/Head Coach Justin Quenneville. “Like everyone else, we like to play fast, and have added some good pieces to add to that element.”

The Metro Jets are returning their top scorer Alex Schaumburger, as well as fellow All-Star forward Andreas Fleutot. Both scored 75 points, so the Jets return 150 right off the bat. All-Star defenseman Braydin Lewis, who fought cancer throughout his off-season and going back into last season, returns after a 45-point season on the blue line.

Also returning is forward Chad Noetzel and defensemen Josh German, Dakota Kott, and Devon Mastay. They also will be adding some talented and hungry first year players to the roster.

“This division is a unique one because there is a ton of history between the organizations. Everyone is invested and wants to get better,” Quenneville said.

One way that the Jets make sure that they see all different kinds of competition is that they make sure to play in several showcases throughout the season so they know they are seeing the best lineups.

Toledo Cherokee

Each year the Cherokee get better and better hoping to beat out the Metro Jets winning the Great Lakes Division. That quest begins this Saturday when they open against the Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones.

Last year, they got closer to winning that National Championship but had a tough loss in the quarterfinals to their division rivals the Jets. They know what it takes and are hoping to have another good season to get there and move further to that National Championship title.

The Cherokee had an older group of guys last year, so this year they are going to have a younger team.

“Some of our younger guys will have to fill the roles of the guys we lost to guys aging out and moving to the collegiate ranks,” said head coach Kenny Miller.

With those that are coming back, Coach Miller “would like to keep continuing to play a fast-paced game and push the offense like they have in the past years.”

A few of the top returners are Nicklas Millhorn, Ryan Stanley, Hunter Hatcher, and Dominik McNamara. Some newcomers to watch include Jason Crossland, Frank Murphy, and Kolin LeDuc, all of whom have previous USPHL experience. Justin Lang and Brett Logelfo come in off strong Midget careers, while Santino Multari joins with a year of college hockey under his belt already.

“I know the five remaining teams have worked hard this off-season to put together rosters that are going to be competitive,” said Miller, “and as a team we know we are going to have to be on our game each and every night we go out and play a game in the Great Lakes division in order to have success.”

Columbus Mavericks

Last season, the Columbus Mavericks showed their opponents they aren’t someone to mess with, tripling their prior year win total. After finishing off the last season in third place, just 10 points behind the Cherokee, they are showing that they have what it takes to compete with the top teams in the league. Columbus opens Friday against the Mid-Atlantic Division’s Buffalo Stampede.

When looking at the roster for the Mavericks this year, we’ll be seeing some returning players that helped them be a successful team last year with Colin Crowley, Carson Johnston and Roman Boffa.

The Mavericks are also adding Charlie Friel, Dan Schmidt, Bryce Kolpien, and Matt Scott to the roster, all of whom are gritty veterans that will be able to add some experience and leadership to the team.

With each year comes differences between teams in years past, but Coach Nate Handrahan is encouraged about this year’s team.

“Personnel changes over time, so this year’s group will be a new version of our club,” Handrahan added. “Last year’s team set a standard of play that has been rooted into our culture that this year’s edition must live up to and exceed.”

“We have been able to recruit some quality guys who have experience as well as some talented younger players,” Handrahan added. “Each year is a new story and I think this year’s version will be a fast group that plays hard.”

Cincinnati Jr. Cyclones

The Cyclones, who open against Toledo on Saturday, had an up-and-down season last year. However, the team was missing its planned No. 1 goaltender. They have Blake Mitchell back, but now have to replace one of the USPHL Premier’s all-time top scorers in Drake Barnish, now at Utica College.

Mitchell went out in January with a hip injury. He had hip surgery in the off-season and is already back to full potential and took the Number 1 spot during camp. It’s not going to be an easy task replacing Barnish, because a player like that is irreplaceable, but with the returning players getting a full year of juniors under their belt, GM/Head Coach Jim Mitchell already loves the character of the team.

“I think we have a great mix of guys that will be able to play different roles on the team. I feel our defense will be a great strength this year for us, a lot more depth than last year,” said Mitchell. “I hope to be a gritty team that plays hard for 60 minutes.”

Some of the new guys we will be seeing on their roster this year consist of defensemen Carson Migulia and Eli Prather who should add an offensive impact for the Cyclones on the back end. Forward Hayden Kieltyka should be a legitimate offensive threat in the league.

Returning with starting goaltender Mitchell, the Cyclones have Kyle Burke, who was third in scoring for them last year, along with Jordan Winrod, Mitch Elliot, Jake Lamm, Jaden Perkins and J.T. Hosack.

Wooster Oilers

After a tough season last year, Wooster feels that they are going to have a breakout season with the returning players and a good group of newcomers that are showing dedication and the desire to bring a winning season to Wooster.

The Oilers start the season at the USPHL Southeast Showcase on Sept. 22, making their first appearance in that annual event.

Looking at this season early on, Head Coach Jordan Roemer is already seeing a big difference in this year’s team to last.

“We have asked a lot of our guys physically and mentally the first few weeks of camp,” said Roemer. “Our players have bought into our culture in Wooster and we’re excited to get going in a few weeks.”

Some guys returning to Wooster this season include goalie Brenden Cobb, hometown 20-year olds Tony Ramani and A.J. Kandel, along with Jordan Huffman and Elijah Krause, both of whom Coach Roemer is looking to for big impacts this season. Two notable newcomers are Aiden Waters and Bradyn Neundorfer.

“Playing in a smaller division this season, games are going to mean more every night,” he added. “Whichever two teams from this division are in the National Tournament in March will be considered favorites.”

Miami University head hockey coach Chris Bergeron has announced that Jonathon Elliott will be joining his staff as the Director of Hockey Operations.

Elliott comes to Miami from Saint Mary’s University (Minn.), where he served as an assistant coach for the past four seasons at his alma mater.

During the 2009-10 season, Elliott played for the Metro Jets, tallying 15 goals and 26 points in 48 games.

Elliott graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in sports management and played four years of NCAA Division III hockey for the Cardinals from 2012-2016. He recorded 22 points in his college career (10-12-22).

After graduation, Elliott worked for a year with the Onyx Ice Arena in Rochester Hills, Michigan and then spent the 2017-18 season on staff with the Texas Brahmas of the NA3HL. Elliott’s time in Texas included a brief stint as the Brahmas’ interim head coach.

“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to join such a storied hockey program here at Miami,” said Elliott. “Thank you to the entire staff for giving me the opportunity and believing in me. I’m very excited to get the season started!”

“We are excited to add Jonathon to our staff,” Bergeron said. “His personality, work ethic and hockey experience make him a great addition to the Miami Hockey family.”

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Louis-Pierre Fortier came to the Metro Jets ahead of the 2020-21 season from Montreal.

After two years of development in the crease, Fortier is off to play professional hockey in France after agreeing to terms with the Champigny Hockey Club for the 2022-23 season.

“For next year, I will try to adapt to playing with men, and I know the game will be faster,” Fortier said. “Also, the ice in Europe is bigger so I will have to adapt my game accordingly.

“I will do my best to give my team a chance to win night after night.”

During his two seasons playing for the Jets, Fortier went 31-4-2 with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage with seven shutouts. He added three more victories in the USPHL playoffs.

“We want to congratulate LP on his contract and opportunity,” said Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville. “He was in a unique position with his college offers, but since he was already far ahead academically, this was an opportunity he wanted to explore. LP is a very talented and athletic goalie who won a lot of big games and faced some of the most difficult teams in the country for two straight years. He loves to compete and always holds himself to the highest standard.

“We wish him the best of luck and continued success.”

In reflecting on his time in the United States with the Jets, Fortier leaves with nothing but lifelong memories.

“The Jets helped me a lot to develop as a person as well as a player,” Fortier said. “I was surrounded by excellent coaches and players. I would like to thank the Jets for giving me two awesome junior years. I’m also very grateful to the Augustine family and the Naiman family for the past two seasons for taking me in and making me a part of their families.

“I’ll never forget my time with the Jets.”

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Anders Grongstad came to the Metro Jets during the 2020-21 season and quickly found a spot on the top forward lines.

He returned for the 2021-22 season and after averaging about a point and a half per game, had NCAA schools itching to get him on to their roster for 2022-23.

Earlier this offseason, Grongstad committed to Worcester State University, a Division III school in Massachusetts that is part of the MASCAC conference.

“The school is in a great area and has an ideal school size with a good hockey program with a coach (Bob Deraney) that I believe can help take my game to the next level,” said Grongstad, a Salt Lake City, Utah, native now residing in Troy, Mich. “It feels great being able to continue playing hockey at the college level. It has always been a dream to play college hockey and it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders being finished with the process to get here.

“I hope to be able learn and adapt to the college level of play. I also hope to be able to help the team as a new player and contribute in any way I can to improve the team.”

Grongstad is also excited to get back into the classroom.

“My goal is to keep my grades as high as possible to get the most opportunities available,” Grongstad said. “It will be an adjustment after not being in school for a couple years, but I think I’ll be able to get back into the swing of things quickly as it will be my main priority.”

During his two seasons with the Jets, Grongstad posted 38 goals and 86 points in 70 regular-season games, adding four goals and eight points over 12 USPHL postseason games.

“We are thrilled about ‘Gronger’ and his decision to commit to Worcester State,” said Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville. “He took advantage of our program here the last two years and was a big part of the team’s continued success. He drew a lot of attention because of his skating and skill set. It was always impressive how strong he was with the puck and ability to drive offense for his linemates.

“We don’t doubt for a second that he will continue his success at the NCAA level like so many other Jets. He is deserving of this opportunity, and we wish him the best of luck.”

Getting the chance to play NCAA hockey was something Grongstad began to realize was a possibility once he came to the Jets.

“The Metro Jets have played a major role in allowing me to move on to the next level,” said Grongstad. “The organization is a family the second you join, and everyone is always looking to help each other out in any way possible, whether on the ice or outside of the rink. I’d like to thank all the coaches for everything they did for us and really pushing us to be the best we can be. I’d like to thank my teammates for making the last two years so special and making the experience unforgettable. What I’ll remember most about Metro is all the lifelong friendships that I created and the maxing memories. Metro will always be an organization I look back at as a family.

“I’d also like to thank my parents as this dream would never have been possible without them. They sacrificed day in and day out to be able to ensure I could continue pursuing the hockey path. I’d also like to thank all my past coaches and mentors that helped me develop into the player and person I am today.”

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – After two successful seasons with the Metro Jets, Ryan Messing is going back to his roots for college hockey.

Last week, the Buffalo-area native (Hamburg) committed to attend and play hockey at NCAA Division III Buffalo State College, a school that is part of the SUNYAC conference.

“I am extremely excited to be staying home and attending Buff State,” said Messing, who served as an alternate captain in 2021-22. “They have a fantastic program, a great staff, and a sweet setup. It’s been a very exciting and also relieving time for myself and my family. It was a stressful few months, but I’m beyond thankful that I will be going to my No. 1 school in the fall. The years of hard work paid off for sure, but this is just the beginning. Now it’s really time to go to work.

“I am hoping for a smooth transition into freshman year and being so familiar with the campus and facility is going to help a lot. I can’t wait to meet all the boys and get settled in at Buff State.”

Messing said he hasn’t decided on a major, but it will be something along the lines of Business Management/Finance.

“I would be lying if I said the transition into the school aspect will be easy, but I’m ready for any challenges that are thrown my way and the late nights up studying,” Messing said.

Over his two seasons with the Jets, Messing accumulated 44 goals and 94 points in 85 regular-season games, adding nine more points in 13 USPHL playoff games.

“We would like to congratulate ‘Mess’ on his commitment,” said Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville. “Not only is he deserving of this NCAA opportunity but worked hard to continue to grow his game here the last two years. He’s a competitive player who wants to be involved every shift. He’s passionate and a great leader as well. It’s only fitting that he committed to SUNY Buffalo State because he had several other NCAA opportunities, but now he gets to stay close to home. They will love his versatility and every conversation with their staff, it was evident it would be a good match.

“We wish him the best of luck.”

Like many players that graduate from the Jets program, Messing said the memories will always be cherished.

“I will never forget any of the memories I’ve made with the Jets, and I wouldn’t change any of it,” said Messing. “(Jets owner) Pete Cammick, Q, (Jets associate coach) Jamie (Lovell), (Jets assistant coach) Randy (Wilson), and the rest of the staff at Metro severely developed my game but also made us all better men off the ice. You can’t ask for anything more than that. Metro is highlighted as a player development and advancement program, and I couldn’t agree more. Everything they have to offer is extremely appealing to a player. I’d like to thank the whole staff of the Jets for a surreal experience and the opportunity to represent the logo.”

Messing also took time to thank those that have had his back during his hockey journey.

“My family has been my No. 1 supporter since I put the skates on for the first time when I was a toddler,” Messing said. “To be able to stay close to them and be able to have them at my games is an amazing feeling. There’s no amount to all the sacrifices my parents had to make to be able to get me to where I am today, so I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I’d also like to thank all of my teammates because they always will be my brothers.

“A special thank you goes out to my billet family, Rick and Mary Kay Osgood, for welcoming me into their home and family with open arms and having a great environment to live in because without them, life in Michigan would not have been what it was.”

All that said, Messing said playing for the Jets helped mold him into the college hockey-ready player he is today.

“I don’t think I can narrow it down to one thing that I will remember most about the Jets,” said Messing. “Every moment that was shared was special, and every single one of the boys are like my brothers. Being a part of a team like that was something I’ve always wanted. When everyone bought in to the process, it was a crazy, fun ride that I will never forget. From the bus trips all over, the hotels, the early mornings and late nights, all of the laughs and moments we shared was something I will hold with me the rest of my life.

“I can’t wait to start the next chapter in life as a Buffalo State Bengal.”

With college hockey back in full swing in 2021-22, the revitalized (and expanded) landscape reopened to some of the best USPHL alumni in the nearly 10-year history of the league. The 2022-23 season will, in fact, mark the 10th anniversary of the USPHL’s inaugural season of 2013-14.

More than 3,100 USPHL alumni – from all levels of USPHL Midget and Junior Hockey – hit the ice for teams at all divisions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), College Hockey Federation (CHF) and USports, of Canada.

Several hours of research were undertaken by USPHL Media staff that involved reviewing college hockey rosters and utilizing the fantastic “Where Are They Now” tool on EliteProspects.com. From there, USPHL staff removed duplicate players, those who played in more than one USPHL league, in order to count each individual college hockey player only once.

The Tuition-Free Tier II NCDC featured more than 390 individuals who had played exclusively in the NCDC prior to moving on to college hockey for 2021-22. Including players who had also played in other USPHL levels, that number climbs to 754.

Just over 1,000 individuals who had only played in the USPHL Premier skated in college hockey in 2021-22, and another 500 came out of the USPHL Elite only. Including players who had played in other USPHL levels, the combined number for Premier and Elite was closer to 2,400.

There were more than 1,360 advancements by players who have skated in any or all of the USPHL Midget Divisions (18U, 16U and 15U – as well as the 15U predecessor, 16U Futures) to skate in college hockey in 2021-22. Removing duplicates of players who moved between leagues, the number of individuals playing college hockey who played in just the USPHL Midget Divisions tops 1,000.

For the 2021-22 season, there were over 300 college commitments from all levels of the USPHL, including more than 90 from the NCDC, including 32 advancing to the NCAA Division I level.

To learn more about how you can become part of the USPHL, go to USPHL.com/tryouts for contact information for every Member Organization as well as information on upcoming camps.

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. – Seth Francois joined the Metro Jets organization prior to the 2020-21 season, leaving his small-town home in the Upper Peninsula town of Pelkie, Mich., to continue his hockey career.

Two seasons later, Francois is on the move again after recently committing to play college hockey for Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“I love that Concordia is a small school,” said Francois. “I also know a couple of the guys on the team, and I really liked the coach and his style of hockey. It was pretty nerve racking committing to Concordia, and I just hope I can bring to the table what the team needs and get a degree out of it, too. I am glad that I will have a couple of familiar faces to be with (former Jets Nick Twombley and Brayden Tayles). I already know that I have a couple people on the team that have the same aspirations as I do, and that is very reassuring.

“I just wish to meet some new friends and hope that they will understand what I have to bring to the table. I plan on assisting Concordia to give them what they want and set a good example for the other students to come.”

In the classroom, Francois is undecided on a major, but is looking at pursuing a degree in radiology, computer science, or accounting.

“I am willing to do anything, in terms of school, as long as I can support a larger family,” Francois said. “It will be exciting to go back to school for the first time in three years.”

With the Jets, Francois skated for both the MJDP and Jets teams, rattling off 16 goals and 34 points in 60 games, with another five points coming in 13 USPHL playoff games.

“We couldn’t be more proud of Seth and his commitment,” said Jets coach-GM Justin Quenneville. “He was great to work with and a coach’s dream player – great attitude, work ethic, teammate, and played the game hard every shift. He’s a throwback and hard to come by these days. His story is special as well because he played AAA, got nothing from it, came here and played with the MJDP, loved it, played for the Jets this season, and now has a college commitment. He was on the fence of continuing his hockey after 18U and every year loved coming back to junior. He is deserving of this opportunity, and we wish him the best of luck.”

“Off the ice, I don’t think I have met a better human being,” added Jets associate coach Jamie Lovell. “Seth is truly a genuine kind-hearted young man, but on the ice, you would never know. Seth is an absolute beast. He didn’t care who you were, if the puck was there, he was going through you to get it. And if the puck was on his own stick, he was still going through you get to where he needed to go, but he played clean and between the whistles. He never said a word, just put his head down and outworked you. A coach’s dream, loved by his teammates, and hated and feared by his opponents.”

Francois also said that coming to the Jets gave him the tools needed to advance to the college ranks.

“Metro has helped me develop as a player drastically,” said Francois. “All the ice time they provide is amazing and if you are willing to learn, the coaches are ready to teach you in a nutshell. The coaches excel at what they do, and I was blessed to have them as my coaches.

“I also want to thank my family for supporting me while playing hockey and all my teammates who pushed me to be the player I am now.”

Looking back, Francois’ two seasons with the Jets will never be forgotten.

“What I will remember most about my time with the Jets is this past season, losing in the championship game at nationals,” Francois said. “I will use that as motivation to win a national championship at the collegiate level. I will miss hanging out with my brothers who fought with me to the end, even though we didn’t come out with the ring.”