Minnesota Blue Ox – Thin the Herd – Volume 5 – 2022-2023

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By Michael Russo

By John Sumner Photos

By Greg Symicek By Joe Ruhland

By Dan Myers

By Dayna Landgrebe

By Mark Jendro

By Shiela Gibson

JAY WITTA

Head Coach Jay Witta is in his 9th year of Junior A’ hockey and 7th year with the Blue Ox. Jay’s career junior A’ coaching record is 302-114-14 and he has helped guide the Blue Ox to three National Tournament appearances in the first six years. Witta has also helped promote over 20 players to the TIER 2 LEVEL as well as 40+ players onto NCAA/ACHA college hockey.

Prior to purchasing the Blue Ox, Witta had been the head coach of the NA3HL’s Junior A’ hockey team – the New Ulm Steel. Witta completed a 67-33-10 two year record with the Steel, a Silver Cup semifinal appearance 2015/16 and a Western Division playoff final loss to the eventual National Champion, Granite City 2016/17.

Jay worked daily with the Steel ownership in all aspects of the business – budgets, league communications, recruiting, trades, facilities, core value accountability, parent communication and player advancement.

2017 is when Jay, Bruce and Crystal Boudreau decided to purchase a United States Premier Hockey League franchise in the Midwest West Division. The rest is history.

Jay is a Minnetonka, Minnesota native, played three years for the Minnetonka Skippers from 1985-87 where he was named captain his Senior season and helped guide the Skippers to their first ever Lake Conference Championship and was honored with an All-Conference Team selection. Witta was recruited by Herb Brooks at St. Cloud State University in 1987 to play on the inaugural SCSU Division 1 squad.

After entertaining offers from various Division 1 & 3 programs across the country, Witta chose to stay close to home and attend St. Cloud State University as a walk on defenseman. Witta also played Junior A’ hockey in Humboldt, Saask. for the Broncos (SJHL) before an undetected heart issue caused him to retire and return back to Minnesota. Witta has been coaching youth for the past 25 seasons and served on the Minnetonka Youth Hockey Board for 2 years. Witta resides in Minnetonka with his wife Sara and their four boys. Bennett, Brody, Brooks and Griffin.

Please reach out to Jay jay@blueoxhockey with any questions, comments or Blue Ox stories you would love to share! And better yet, pull him aside at the rink when you can as he love to talk youth sports and hockey with any and all parents and fans!

MINNESOTA BLUE OX OWNER / PARTNER / GM / HEAD COACH

GARY HEGENES

MINNESOTA BLUE OX OWNER / PARTNER

Gary joined the Blue Ox team by acquiring a percentage of the Boudreau’s ownership shares in February of 2021. Jay and Gary have known each other through business and youth sports circles for the last 10 years, and when the opportunity arose for Gary to become part of the Blue Ox organization, well the timing could not have been better. He is a lifelong hockey player and hockey fan!

Gary is also a Founder/Owner in Breakaway Hockey Academy in Edina, Minnesota which specializes in furthering education for school kids with a passion for hockey excellence. Breakaway Academy has helped develop NHL drafted players such as Bobby Brink, MIke Koster, Drew Helleson, Jackson Lacombe, Rhett Pitlick and many more high end college and international players. www.BreakawayAcademy.net

Gary also has a passion for real estate development as well as giving back to many local youth charities. Organizations include: The Boys and Girls Club (clubs for inner city youth), CCTP (helping felons reenter the work force), Student Venture (developing student leaders), and Big Brothers Big Sisters (pairing youths with adult mentors – 40 years of involvement).

Gary is an avid hockey fan as well as former coach and hockey dad. He still skates at least once a week if not more and he can be found throughout the winter attending many local high school hockey games.

Be sure to reach out to Gary and say hello when you see him roaming the rink at home Blue Ox games. He will always have a smile and time to talk and catch up. Always.

A UNIQUE OWNERSHIP

By MICHAEL RUSSO

Bruce Boudreau’s ambition is simple: To keep kids playing hockey. The hockey lifer began his Golden Horseshoe Hockey School in Ontario 40 years ago and it was purely because he didn’t want young hockey players to quit once they realized they probably wouldn’t fulfill their dreams of one day making it to the NHL.

There are so many other places players can strive to play competitive hockey, whether that’s juniors, colleges, a myriad North American pro leagues and, of course, throughout Europe. He wanted to keep kids learning the game. He wanted to keep kids loving the game. “I really believe I was put on the Earth to promote the game, so everywhere I’ve gone I’ve tried my best to promote hockey and make it bigger,” said Boudreau, who behind only Hall of Famer Scotty Bowman owns the second-best points percentage (.654) as a coach in NHL history. “And this was an opportunity that really allowed that to happen.” Boudreau’s ties to Minnesota only included a brief stint decades ago with the WHA Fighting Saints and one year coaching the Wild.

But he still had a desire to give back to the State of Hockey. So, the opportunity Boudreau is referring to? Helping launch the expansion Blue Ox into the United States Premier Hockey League in 2017 with his wife, Crystal and local marketing business owner and hockey coach Jay Witta. Witta used to coach the New Ulm Steel in the NA3HL. In April 2017, Witta met up with Boudreau and broached the subject of going in together on a junior team.

“He looked at me and goes, ‘Find us a team, and I’m in,’” Witta said. A week later, Witta called Boudreau and said, “I found a team. ”Months later, the Tier III expansion team was debuting in Coon Rapids with Witta serving as head coach and general manager and Crystal Boudreau running pretty much the entire business operations. Bruce’s role besides the financial commitment? King cheerleader.

During the Blue Ox’s season, Boudreau often attends games and sometimes even collects tickets. When Blue Ox games conflict with Wild games, he’s getting constant text updates from his wife and hilariously updates local Wild reporters on just how the Blue Ox are doing. “I want to just promote hockey, and I think we’ve done that,” Boudreau said.

“We started the Blue Ox really fast last year, but the second year, especially in the offseason, it has gone so much easier than the first season because people didn’t know.

“They didn’t know if we were staying, coming or going, but I think from sponsorship and everything else it’s gone up by a lot. And the people know who the Blue Ox are. Name recognition is so much greater this year. This time last year people were asking, ‘What are you smoking?’” The Blue Ox rosters 25 players ranging from Minnesota, North Dakota, all throughout the United States and Canada and even Europe.

A UNIQUE OWNERSHIP

“Our team has become a destination for players,” said Witta. “It’s because of how we run the team, the culture from the top down. All the things that are kind of lacking in junior hockey, that’s not the case here. Our goal, is not to just run a Tier 3 Junior A’ hockey team. We want to run a mini-NHL team, do it right and make the player experience off the charts. The players here know they will be treated well and be given an honest chance to develop their game, that is rare in Junior A’ hockey.”

Boudreau’s hope is to one day add a youth program, an Under-16 and Under-18 team and a Tier II team like other programs across the USPHL. In the summer of 2018, Boudreau’s youngest son, Brady, a goalie on the Blue Ox, launched an off-shoot of his dad’s hockey school right at the Coon Rapids Ice Center. “The city here has worked tremendously with us,” Boudreau said. “It’s become a family thing, too, and I’m real proud of it. For six bucks, kids can get in to a Blue Ox game. That’s pretty good in today’s world, you can’t get anything for six bucks.”

Junior hockey’s landscape has changed rapidly in the last 20 years, so even Division III college programs want their incoming freshmen to have a few years of junior hockey under their belt, Witta said. “Our younger kids are looking to move up a tier and still maybe dream of Division I and the rest of them want to play Division III or ACHA D1 college

hockey,” said Witta, who once upon a time captained the Minnetonka High School Skippers. “These are guys out to prove something or maybe they were a late bloomer. It’s a great level. They’re hungry. “Advancement is one thing that is awesome, but a great hockey experience is priceless.” And, there’s always success stories.

Before Boston University, the Wild’s Charlie Coyle played in the league as a 17-year-old for the South Shore Kings in Foxboro, Mass. He finished fifth in league scoring and called it a “great experience.” In fact, Coyle says he still uses the Kings’ strength and conditioning coach, Brian McDonough, as his personal trainer. A few years ago, Witta had a Swiss player named Yannick Zehnder play Tier III hockey in White Bear Lake. Two winters ago, Zehnder lit it up with eventual No. 1 overall NHL pick Nico Hischier for Switzerland in the U20 world junior championships. Goalie Adam Carlson, who never even played varsity hockey at Edina, played for the Steele County Blades, ultimately got a full ride to Mercyhurst and recently signed with the Washington Capitals. This past summer, the Wild brought 20-year-old Finnish Blue Ox defenseman Oskari Halme to development camp on a tryout.

“Scouts go everywhere to find players,” Boudreau said. “Somebody that might not be ready at 17 may all of a sudden flourish in a league like this at 18, 19 or

20. You can at some point catch that diamond in the rough or can go on to Division I or bigger and better things. “This is the State of Hockey, and my family wants to be Minnesotans. So if we can get involved in the minor and junior hockey level, I think that’ll be great for long after I’m done coaching.”

As important as teaching the players and letting them get a grand experience, Blue Ox fans are having a ball, too. “It’s so good for the community,” said Todd Bushy, a Coon Rapids resident and father of six boys. “It’s just great. Tailgating in the parking lot, and such a good atmosphere inside.” Bushy loves the commitment from Boudreau and the ownership. “Right from the news conference, Bruce got on the ice and took pics with the kids and signed my son’s goalie stick,” Bushy said. “He’s been just first class all the way. He even walked for miles and sat on our Coon Rapids Youth Hockey float at our parade last summer. He didn’t have to do that, but he signed every autograph ever asked. He was just unbelievable.”

Michael Russo covers the Minnesota Wild and National Hockey League for The Athletic. He has covered the NHL since 1995. He co-hosts the Russo-Souhan Show on talknorth.com and can be heard on KFAN (100.3-FM) and seen throughout the hockey sea- son on Fox Sports North. Follow Russo on Twitter at @RussoHockey. Please consider a subscription to The Athletic go to theathletic.com/michaelrussohockey

OH WHAT A NIGHT IT WAS...

NHL LEGENDS VETERANS OUTDOOR GAME TO HELP FIGHT PTSD AND CELEBRATE THOSE THAT SERVED OUR COUNTRY

#WELOVECOONRAPIDS

WHEN AN OLD FRIEND COMES BACK AROUND AND YOUR LIFE CHANGES FOR THE BETTER

BY GREG SYMICEK

Once upon a time our family was all about hockey. Everyone was involved. Our son Aaron played youth hockey and then played for Armstrong High School. Finally, he played 4 years of club hockey for Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa.

Our daughter Adrianna played youth hockey as well, but a chronic hip injury forced her to retire at U12 girls. She continued with lacrosse and Olympic weightlifting in high school and then 4 years being on the University of Iowa Rowing team. Greg coached for 27 seasons and many of his former players played juniors, college, and pro hockey; including two who played for the Blue Ox. Paula was a onetime Board member and was involved with the SKATE academic program.

When our daughter stepped out of hockey, we jumped off the hockey bus. What ruled our daily schedule had now dried up. When that happens, you do not miss the missed meals; the 9:30 games on the other side of town; where is Thanksgiving at so we can get back in town for the holiday tournament or the mileage going up on the vehicles. But there is a lot of regret in not being around others. The thrill of an exciting game or idea that what we are doing has a future purpose.

With the free time we had we decided that we wanted to explore have a foreign exchange student. How fun to learn what it’s like to see things through the eyes of someone from another place. We could show them new things and watch as they grew from when they first came to that regrettable point when their time with us came to an end and they moved on with life. It sounded like an interesting undertaking.

THE SYMICEK BILLET FAMILY

When our first student came, we had to deal with things like integrating them into our household and lifestyle. Where were things around the house. What store you needed to go to get what they needed. Where to meet new friends and places where they could go. How does the washer and dryer work. Once our first student left, we signed on the dotted line for year two. All good so let’s go for three. Again, set out onto year 4 but that was not a pleasant year as we had two different students. That was a learning experience. Year 5 was regrettable, and it was time we threw in the towel. With just two of us in the house Paula still said we should try one more time. With that they were not finding a student to much up with the still athletic minded household. While sitting at a restaurant on Father Day 2019 Greg was bored and looked at his Facebook app. In paging through he saw this message posted by a former assistant coach of his.

Ahhh, a Hockey Player! Now that would be the best of both worlds. Paula said let’s check and email was sent immediately. Our guess was we were too late and that this would go nowhere. Then 15 minutes later this email appears from Crystal Boudreau stating that we would love to have us join in.

A new chapter if you will begins. We are back in hockey! Mind you there is also a pandemic going on and we do not know how this all goes. The season gets going but masks and all we are off and running. We are lucky this is a marriage of two things we know well about. Then comes the shutdown of the arenas.

THE SYMICEK BILLET FAMILY

Then off to Somerset Wisconsin for practices and games. When you encounter adversity in hockey you just go ahead and figure it out. A lot of the of misgivings and requirements fell by the wayside but when the season was over we could not wait to go for it again. Season two was bumpy but we could handle anything thrown at us. Our player coming to us dropped out before camp. So much for buying a XL bed for the 6-5 goalie.

THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAMILY

Thankful we got another player who was local but wanted to billet. When he decided to just stay at home, we now became the next available billet family in waiting. At mid-season he decided to stay home. Then came a call that someone was coming in 2 days. We could finish a season. And we did as the Ox went on to nationals. How good is that to have two players we help chase the dream.

Year 3 was all good from start to finish. An entire season in the books with a player who did not know anything about snow.

THE SYMICEK BILLET FAMILY

Besides the billet portion of being around this team it was what we could to make a difference in the community. The Blue Ox have taken pride in how the team is thought of in the area and what we can do off the rink. That is when we started the Holiday bell ringing. The players may have groaned about do it but to see young men out with their uniforms on making a difference. With year two done this past year the players have come to see no matter how cold it may be memories that you gain from this is priceless.

Since we could not stop there the Holiday toy buying spree came about. Not only do we as billets help a player chase their dream but help them realize that you can help make someone’s else’s dream of a holiday much brighter for those who are not as fortunate as you. You also host pasta feeds so that players realize that it takes a team to get together and enjoy each other’s company. However, it gives you as a billet parent a chance to interact with the players in a casual setting. It allows you to forge relationships that are more than a simple “Hi” when you see them in the lobby after a game. It does mean something when a player who could not care less searches you out and calls you by first name. We also have enjoyed going on the longer road trips to Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Rapids and this season the Tampa Florida Showcase. The players know if means something that you take the time to come along for the trip.

Then comes the flip side. They leave and go back to their families. But it has not ended there. Kole Latusick (202021) has kept in contact and has stopped to see us on a few occasions when he has come into town.

Tyler Kulesa (2021-22) has returned to the family business, and we recently met him for dinner. We talked for hours like old times.

Daniel Abbott (2021-2022), who was with us towards the latter part of the season was at the Tampa Showcase this season so we were with him on multiple occasions.

As Joseph Rosenberg (2022-23) embarks on his time of life for college we will see how his world changes and we see what the future develops.

These are the times when you watch young men who came for hockey grow to be adults in the world beyond. Seeing if we all put enough tools in their toolbox to take them to conquer life after hockey. All of what we learned from one track to another has come together. In combining our experiences, we put tools in our own toolbox. Good things happening for us now because of our old friend. Thanks Paul.

2014 35 Passenger Blue Ox Coach Bus

MN BLUE OX 2022-23 PLAYER ROSTER

GENERAL MANAGER/HEAD COACH: JAY WITTA ASSISTANT COACHES: ERIC THOMPSON, MARK SCHIFFMAN

BLUE OX OWNERSHIP: JAY WITTA , GARY HEGENES, BRUCE & CRYSTAL BOUDREAU HOCKEYTV: JOE RUHLAND SECURITY: TIM LEACH

GAME DAY OPS: CARTER MASLOSKI, FRED CRIMMINS, DOMINIC LEGO, TRAVIS BENNETT, ANNIE & JACK JENDRO STRENGTH: POWEREDGE

CORP. SPONSORSHIPS: JAY WITTA MUSIC & LIGHTS: JON HEATH PHOTO: JOHN SUMNER POWER SKATING: KATIE MCDONOUGH

GAME SCHEDULE: DAN MASLOSKI BILLET COORD: LANA JENDRO PHOTO: ERIC WICKLUND SKILL DEVELOPMENT: RUSS BARONE

ATHLETIC TRAINER: ALLINA HEALTH ORTHOPEDICS VOICE OF THE OX: TED MILLER COLLEGE INTERN: DYLAN DUMOULIN

FUN & FREE PRIZES EVERY HOMEGAME...

2 FOR 1 BEER AFTER EVERY OX GOAL!

ALLOY BREWING GROWLER OF THE GAME!

LULU’S PIZZERIA FANS OF THE GAME!

DROOLIN’ MOOSE CHOCHOLATE

ZOE’S GONE BANANAS FANS OF THE

ALLINA CHUCK A PUCK $25 GIFT CARDS!

TSHIRT GIVEAWAYS ALL GAME LONG!

#3 ARSENIY MALYUTIN #4 GABE MYERS

#8 GRIFFIN BOURASSA (C)

#11 RYLEE LUEBBERS

#17 JAMESON CLARK

#21 MARC ABREGO #22 HARRISON FOSS

#23 JACOB ULLSTEN

#24 GAVIN GORDON

#29 KARL GRAFELMANN #30 ELI MARCHESE (A)

#33 ELIAS JOHANSSON

#39 JUSTIN GARSTECKI

#40 JOSEPH ROSENBERG #70 DYLAN SMITH

#71 MIKE ABREGO #72 PRESTON CLOUTIER #76 DYLAN HENDER #88 JACK WALLACE

COACH THOMPSON COACH WITTA

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLUE OX AT BLUEOXHOCKEY.COM

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BLUE OX AT BLUEOXHOCKEY.COM / WATCH THE THINTHEHERD 8 EPISODE DOCUSERIES ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

#5 NOAH SCHERFF

#18 BRENDAN SHANER

#6 NATE CHENEY (A)

#14 TOMMY BABB

SHOPPE FANS OF THE GAME!

GAME!

#92 CHASE MANN

#9 ZACH LAMOTTE (A)

Zach LaMotte // ’02 Forward Maryville University ACHA D1 Committ

Elias Johansson // ’02 Goalie / Univ. of Purdue Northwest ACHA

Commit

Griffin Bourassa // ’02 Dman // Univ. of Jamestown ACHA D1 Commit

Marc Abrego // ’02 Dman // Univ. of Purdue Northwest Commit

THE VOICE OF BLUE OX PLAY BY PLAY

BY STAFF

NEED

TO KNOW ABOUT JOE: A MOMENTUM CATALYST!

When not at the rink with Mn Blue Ox, Joe also does play-by-play for the Big Ten Network for most sports and for QCTV as well. Joe is also Managing Partner of YourTime Performance Agency, a company focusing on Leadership and Sales Development, infusing his “Batteries Included” Momentum Mindset in leading various initiatives and launches for medical device, healthcare and software companies.

Joe’s connections and experience of 20-plus years, has an engaging presence and skill to elevate talent, team effectiveness and sales revenue. His sustained success, and proven results are the reason companies have Joe involved with merger integrations or leading leadership launches for their teams.

Joe Ruhland, Minnesota Blue Ox, playby-play announcer, brings extensive broadcast to the Blue Ox. His broadcast career began while attending St. Cloud State University, when he covered hockey, along with football and basketball for several radio stations in the St. Cloud area and working closely with the sports information department.

With a passion to capture the energy and the speed of the game during his call of a great goal, a spectacular save, a bigtime check or a key play, Joe’s

commitment is to bring excitement to his play-by-play and reward the players, the team, fans and families with momentum in his voice. These are key moments that remain with players, family members and fans for years to come. By conducting interviews with players in the moment, moments after their achievement, Joe believes it elevates and enhances the experience of the event, which is a key reason he created his YouTube channel, MoJoeMoments as a hub to share and retain these moments.

Following college Joe joined the New York Rangers, as their Playby-Play announcer and PR/Media Relations Director for the Rangers top development team in Denver, During his three-year stint with the Rangers, he was an instrumental resource in the start-up of the Rangers IHL topdevelopment team, which also included hosting a hockey talk show on KBYGAM, a 50,000 watt sports network. The Denver Rangers rostered future Hall of Famers, Mike Richter and Marcel Dionne and coached by Peter Mahovlich. A couple of players from

the Denver Rangers who became NHL coaches were Tony Granato and Peter Laviolette. The GM of the New York Rangers during that time was another Hall of Famer, Phil Esposito who led the league with 48 recalls and reassignments throughout the 1988-89 season.

In the offseason, Joe was a play-by-play announcer for college football on Prime Sports Network and radio play-by-play for the Denver Zephers, formerly the Milwaukee Brewers Triple A team.

After the Rangers moved their top development team closer to New York, then Albany Joe decided to stay in Colorado vs head east, taking a role with Team USA Hockey in Colorado Springs, as a PR consultant and the Public Address announcer for many of their Pre-Olympic games many hosted at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. It was during his time with Team USA Hockey, Joe became involved with leadership and neuroscience performance and as a speaker/trainer at the Olympic Training Center for many athletes.

Listen and catch the Joementum this season during his Blue Ox Hockey TV broadcasts.

Elias Johannson // ’02 Goalie // Nick Mueller ‘For Love of the Game” Award Winner

FROM THE USPHL TO THE NHL

BY DAN MYERS / NHL.COM

Oskari Halme’s North American ascent continues in Minnesota.

Defenseman starred for Wild coach Bruce Boudreau’s junior team in Coon Rapids, took part in this year’s Wild development camp

To say Oskari Halme’s transition to North American hockey went well would be quite the understatement.

A defenseman from Tampere, Finland, Halme played his entire career in his home country until an opportunity to suit up for the Minnesota Blue Ox last season. The Blue Ox are, of course, owned by Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, and the chance to play for a team owned by an NHL coach was simply too much to pass up.

“It was pretty fun, and everything [with the team] is amazing,” Halme said. “Everything was us for amazing; the food, our own locker room. It’s a good organization with Bruce.”

After a difficult season in Finland, one where he scored one goal and five points in 29 games with his junior team in Tappara, Halme was ready for something different.

First, he tried Boston, but nothing came of his visit there. Then he talked to Blue Ox coach and general manager Jay Witta. Immediately, it felt right.

“It was an amazing organization,” Halme said. “I liked to be [in Minnesota] a lot. I love being there.”

Halme’s offensive flair immediately caught the attention of many, including Boudreau, who became one of Halme’s biggest supporters.

“When I watched him play for our team, his skating was excellent,” Boudreau said. “He was the best player on our team.”

In 35 games with the Blue Ox, Halme’s offensive numbers were staggering; he scored 26 goals and added 36 assists, averaging more than 1.7 points per game.full seasons with the Kings in the USPHL’s top tier.

Those numbers come in part from his experience as a forward. He didn’t become a defenseman until his was 14 years old.

“I like to be with the puck and stickhandling and scoring goals,” Halme said.

FROM THE USPHL TO THE NHL

Not only was he the best player on the Blue Ox, he was arguably the best player in the entire USPHL. Despite playing nine fewer games, Halme scored 11 more points than the next best defenseman in the league, finishing 19th in the USPHL in overall scoring.

Opponents took notice, as well, often trying to take issue. Despite his slight frame -- Halme is listed at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds -- he never backed down, piling up a couple fighting majors among his 54 penalty minutes.

“Maybe sometimes, they tried to get me [out of my game] on the ice,” Halme said. “I played a lot last year, so they tried to get me off the ice.”

In the second half of the season, Halme transitioned to the National Collegiate Development Conference -- a part of the same USPHL as the Blux Ox but one level higher.

In 13 games with the P.A.L. Islanders in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, Halme chipped in six assists and played top-4 minutes on a club that won the league championship.

“It was a little bit harder,” Halme said. “It was a little bit faster. The hardest part was going to a new team because they had been together and I was new. It took one or two weeks to know everybody.

“But we won the championship. It was a very good team.”

Despite leaving in the middle of the season, Halme had remained on Boudreau’s radar and the coach helped get the Wild to extend him an invite to its development camp last week. Halme, who said his goal is to play Division I college hockey next season, remains without a home. But he but didn’t look out of place against drafted players and chosen invitees.

Noticeably nervous at the beginning of the camp, Halme calmed down and was back to his normal play-making ways by the end of the week.

Boudreau wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

“I hope somebody would notice him and say, ‘You know what? That kid could be a good addition to our team,’” Boudreau said. “You let him grow for a couple years, I think he’d be a really good player.

“He’s one of those guys that, if he played at high levels and had that kind of coaching, he’d become a really good player.”

NCDC EXPANSION TO 2O TIER 2 TEAMS

BY JOSHUA BOYD / USPHLNCDC.COM

The United States Premier Hockey League and its Tuition-Free Tier II National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) are proud to welcome the ownership of an NCDC team in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to the NCDC for 2023-24, joining the NCDC West Division.

The NCDC is a step up from Premier division in the USPHL and Rock Springs fans will see a higher brand of hockey with players who are destined to be NCAA Division 1 players and NHL draft choices.

Longtime colleagues Wes Mussio and Darren Naylor, who bring extensive Tier II experience from the British Columbia Hockey League, have purchased the franchise of the former Rock Springs Prospectors and will elevate the franchise from the USPHL Premier to the NCDC for the coming season.

“This is a joint venture, a partnership. We will be naming the team the Grizzlies and bringing Tier II junior hockey to the town,” said Co-Owner Wes Mussio, who previously owned the BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers from 2017 through 2022.

“When researching markets in the NCDC West’s footprint, Rock Springs stood out”, GM and Head Coach Darren Naylor stated. “Current USPHL Prospectors’ Governor David Amonti’s assistance was instrumental in making the jump to NCDC happen and the City officials have been welcoming.”

Mussio was the President of the Burnaby Winter Club in British Columbia for 5 years which is one of the top development programs in North America and includes many current NHL players including Ryan NugentHopkins, Matthew Barzal and Dante Fabbro.

Naylor, originally from White Rock, B.C., played in the WHL and then 10 years of professional hockey before transitioning to coaching. Naylor was a coach at BWC and together with Mussio, they won over 54 championships at every level and then the two guided Nanaimo to success in the BCHL.

“Having an experienced hockey team like Wes and Darren who sent 12 or more players a year to NCAA Division 1 hockey is a great addition to our NCDC West division.” Commissioner Bob Turow added. “This is an ownership group that also gives back to the community through charity, time spent in local schools, hospitals and alike. Wes and Darren are about great hockey and a better community.”

Rock Springs is a community that puts a lot of pride in its hard-working populace, most working in the energy sectors of oil or natural gas drilling in the surrounding area.

“When you come down to the statistics of it, you want to get into a market where we are the only show in town, and not competing with university sports or football. We wanted an arena with a certain seating capacity, and we just had a feeling that this town is really starving for something like this,” said Naylor.

“That is the first sign that you have a market where you will have success. At the Tier II level, the NCDC is doing a great job and it’s expanded already, and it will expand more over time,” added Mussio. “We did quite a bit of investigation on the league and the market, and so far the city of Rock Springs has been unbelievably receptive to junior hockey.”

A GROWING TIER 2 PATH

NCDC TUITION FREE DIVISION - 20 TEAMS

The NCDC is the USPHL’s Tier II TuitionFree Level that will feature nearly 20 teams in the northeastern U.S. as well as the Rocky Mountain States, with the debut in 2023-24 of the NCDC West. The world’s top players now have both Eastern and Western U.S. options for development towards an NCAA Division I career, as well as potential pro hockey beyond college.

With the unmatched USPHL Showcase Series, NCDC players have several opportunities each season to play in front of several scouts at well-attended multiday, multi-tiered events.

There were more than 700 former players from the USPHL’s top division skating with NCAA hockey teams during the 202223 season, and more than 200 have committed to NCAA Division I schools. More than 150 players committed to college hockey out of the 2021-22 NCDC season alone.

The NHL has also taken notice as the League saw three players selected directly out of the NCDC in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the best for any North American Tier II league.

Alumni of USPHL organizations currently skating in the NHL include players such as Jack Eichel, Charlie Coyle, John Marino, Jimmy Vesey, and Stanley Cup Champions Zach Sanford, Trevor Van Riemsdyk, Ross Colton and Brian Dumoulin.

Most recently, five NCDC alumni helped Quinnipiac University win their first-ever NCAA Division I National Championship.

The USPHL Premier Conference of 2023-24 will see 61 teams competing across nine divisions, located across the country - from New England to Florida, from the Pacific Northwest to the Southern California coast. Through late May, there were 166 college commitments to NCAA and ACHA schools and Premier teams have also seen more than 40 players tendered to the NCDC for the 2023-24 season.

The United States Premier Hockey League of 2022-23 is the nation’s largest junior amateur ice hockey league and the only league to span the continental United States and parts of Canada. From Seattle to San Diego, and from Maine to Florida, the USPHL has a home for student-athletes with the skill and determination to play college hockey.

Overall, across all its divisions, the USPHL has more than 3,100 alumni playing college hockey each year, plus 250 more alumni in pro hockey, including the NHL. VISIT

TIER 3 PATHWAY

PREMIER DIVISION - 61 TEAMS

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION HELP WALSER BECOME AN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY TRAILBLAZER

BY DAYNA KLEVE

There is nothing more thrilling than variety in the world of sports. Diversity of game, talent, skill, and, most importantly, of player. It’s the uniqueness of a player’s ability, perspective, grit, background and determination that can turn even the most expected outcomes on a dime. One good hit. One incredible save. One legendary act that can make or break the win.

It is true in sports, and it’s true elsewhere— our differences don’t divide us; they are the only thing that unite us. The playing field might look different, but diversity and inclusion are an essential way to a win at Walser Automotive Group, too.

It’s been a focus for the Edina-based dealer group for years, and Chief Human Resources Officer Sherry Schultz said the reasons are many.

“First and foremost, it’s the right thing to do. Asking our employees to bring their whole selves to work matches our Core Values. Life doesn’t stop when you enter our four walls no matter who you are. We know people who are authentic at work are considerably happier, more satisfied, and less stressed. It’s a winwin,” Schultz said.

Schultz, who joined Walser in 2018, started an inclusive transformation for the company with the launch of Women of Walser—an Employee Resource Group (ERG) focused on the recruitment, retention, and ascension of women at Walser and into the automotive industry. Today, Women of Walser focuses on areas of business development, career progression, personal growth and community outreach initiatives.

There is also a business case to the notion of being yourself.

“It is our total intention to represent the customers we serve every day. Our customers come to us from all corners of the state and beyond. We aim to look like the marketplaces we serve to better understand and support the needs of our sales and service clients. It’s critical that our customers feel understood and heard when buying a car, no matter their race, religion, gender or orientation,” Schultz said.

It’s a game plan Schultz has studied before. With executive diversityexperience from Fortune 500 companies like PepsiCo, Goodyear Tire & Rubber, and Sears Holding Company, Schultz has championed the practice of supportive employee engagement.

“It’s about incorporation, not accommodation,” she said. “Diversity in thought and action should be a driver for any community business.”

The desire for inclusion quickly grew at Walser and expanded to form both an ERG for Walser’s LGBTQ+ employees, aptly named Drive With Pride, and, most recently, Mosaic, an employee-run digital resource library focused on race equity and education.

It’s a calling and a mission for the company that wouldn’t have taken root without the support of Walser CEO Andrew Walser.

Walser, an Edina native, took the helm as Walser’s CEO in 2017. He said he’s watched the automotive industry begin to make more incremental changes in areas of employee inclusion over the years but said there’s still much room to grow.

“The growth of diversity and inclusion at Walser has never been more important and we’ll continue to dedicate resources to it,” Walser said.

Meanwhile, Walser Chairman Paul Walser spotlighted the issue of diversity on the national stage last month during the 2021 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show. Walser is serving as the 2021 Chairman for NADA.

“This is an important moment for dealers everywhere, because the truth is that we don’t live in the same world we used to,” Walser said during his keynote address. “This year I want to challenge all of us to make this a priority. Let’s find the path to attract a more diverse workforce. Then let’s implement training to help them succeed.”

NADA represents nearly 16,500 franchised new car and truck dealerships across the U.S., both domestic and foreign.

“Andrew and Paul Walser care deeply about this topic and our employees know it. Our goal has consistently been to grow and support better people, not just salespeople,” Schultz said.

Pictured: CEO of Walser Automotive Group, Andrew Walser, growing up playing hockey for the Edina Youth Hockey Association and High School team.

Walser Automotive Group Chief Human Resources Officer Sherry Schultz

4OXEN TACTICAL GROUP MN BLUE OX BOOT CAMP 2022-23

BY MARK JENDRO

This years’ bootcamp started like any other. The Cadre showed up on Friday night to get everything ready for the boys to show up on Saturday morning. However this year seemed a little different. It would be the first year of 4 Oxen Tactical Group (4OTG) as such we felt it needed to start with a bang so to kick everything off Friday night we had a bonfire that could be seen from the international space station. Feeling like everything was ready to go the Cadre were able to relax, the calm before the storm if you will.

Saturday morning came and the boys started to arrive. Right away the cadre could tell this was going to be a different year. With the small number of returners this season all the tricks would be on the table, especially the ones expertly thwarted by Last Year’s Captain Hayden Maslowski. The boys were warned about taking favors and the need to work together from the start, as no one was up for donuts and coffee while waiting for their team mates, or early morning 4-wheeler rides. They all waited in the designated parking area and walked in as a team grounded their gear. The day began with a quick formation to allow the cadre to pass out guidons and to go over a few rules for the bootcamp. Those rules included the safe keeping of Babe the stuffed ox, as well as the baby Bjorn carrying a toddler sized troll doll “Crosby”. Each element was also required to provide care and accountability for one of the 4 Oxen, each with their own carrying case.

After the formalities were out of the way the “fun” could begin. The first event was the ‘Murph’ , a hero workout in honor of Lt. Michael Murphy. The perfect introduction to the weekend and an amazing way to honor an American Hero. The workout was modified due to lack of equipment. Players all had to complete a 1-mile run, 200 pushups, 200 sit ups, 300 air squats finished with a 1-mile run. Yes, all of this had to be completed while carrying Babe and Crosby and the Oxen. Once the Murph was completed and the players had been tested physically it was time to test their brains. Captain Griffin Bourassa was given a very specific packing list along with a diagram of how it was to be laid out for inspection. The team was put into formation and told to lay out the packing list as instructed. This was to test both attention to detail, even the smallest details matter, and how quickly they could lay everything out and work together to ensure everything was dress-right-dress. As the cadre inspected the squads for mistakes, which would require corrective training, pushups or sit-ups, something of that sort. We again were surprised by the preparedness of this group. We were quickly able to move to the next order of business, setting up the Blue Ox flag pole and the team’s sleeping area for the night.

Krist Francisco, Mark Jendro, Jon Albert, Nick Leach, - NHL Legends Game 2022-23

4OXEN TACTICAL BOOT CAMP

CONTINUED

After camp was set up it was time to again attack them physically. The Ox Gauntlet was next; this was a taxing event consisting of Bear Crawl, Crab Walk, Railroad Timber Flip, Tire Pull, Fireman Carry, and Sauce Shot. Everyone in each squad must complete each part of the event. First one wins and gets an item that would benefit them latter in the weekend. After the Ox gauntlet was lunch. What would bootcamp be without MRE’s for lunch? Eat up boys, they are delicious. During lunch the boys were able to recuperate a little bit but also visit with the cadre and relax. This year’s lunch entertainment was a short course in traumatic injury management, Israeli Bandages and Tourniquet application. Ya never knows when you may need that skill, insert menacing villain laugh here!

After lunch we continued to test them physically and mentally. We started with some nice relaxing music after lunch introducing the players to Flowers by Moby and Roxanne by the Police. We thought they could use the culture. Oh yeah,

we made them do Air squats and Burpees too. Now that lunch has had a chance to settle its right back at it with the Seal Team Shuffle. Each squad is split into 2 teams and have to complete each task twice. Team A would complete cadre instructed exercises while team B would do 5 alternating overhead presses with the railroad timber followed by ½ mile shoulder carry. Then the teams would switch. Brand new this season was a Shoot Move and Communication event testing each group’s ability to decoding messages using a cipher, shooting cans, decoding more messages, all leading to a solution to a scrambled message. Also new this season was series of relay events involving racing between stations completing tasks like trivia, building a stretcher out of logs and rope, more trivia, and building ladders. Each platoon would then have to combine their ladders and stretchers into a structure allowing every member of the team to crossover the structure. Whew, lots of improvisation and team work was required to ensure each member was able to complete the task.

Finally, dinner had arrived, as everyone began to relax and prepare for dinner it was at that moment that fatigue showed up and attention to detail began to suffer. After some “gentle” reinforcement of expectations from the cadre in the way of calestetics, clarity of expectations for the weekend was gained. Once dinner was ready everyone settled down for some fun and team bonding around the campfire. Cadre, coaches, and players all shared some stories about who they were, where they came from, why they were here and their goal for the season.

Then it was bedtime, the players had 1 task, maintain the fire overnight and

make sure they had someone awake throughout the night to protect camp and stoke the fire.

Then it was bedtime, the players had 1 task, maintain the fire overnight and make sure they had someone awake throughout the night to protect camp and stoke the fire. As the evening progressed and players started to make their way back to the campsite the cadre fun kicked up a notch as night operations began. Secretly moving through the woods and making sure the players were maintaining camp guard and fire watch. It was during these night ops where exhaustion really kicked in. The

opportunity to provide lived experiences with late night and early morning bunker runs due to enemy indirect fire could not be passed up. A few opportunities to practice their bunker runs and accountability exercises were conducted to reinforce accountability of team mates and equipment. Everyone was woken up at about 6 am and the real training session began and continued right into the first event of the morning, the 101st Smoke Session consisting of 101 in cadence or 4 count push-ups, sit ups, and flutter kicks, finishing just in time for breakfast at 7 am.

After breakfast was a capstone exercise which would draw on all of the mini-classes taught by Cadre during the weekend.

It would also rely on all the rewards or punishments earned during the course of the weekend. Rewards were nice even length poles for stretchers, rope or duct tape. Punishments came in the form of distance to the final end location and 20lb sandbags. The whole team participated in a 1-mile road march, and upon reentering the exercise area the platoons were directed to take up positions on the property, directly related to their demonstrated platoon teamwork and level of cohesion observed by the Cadre. Upon reaching their designated locations

each platoon was issued an injury to which they needed to treat. Then each platoon had to build a stretcher to transport the injury to a designated location for treatment. Unfortunately for the group, a mass casualty event would be initiated and now multiple of their teammates would need treatment and evacuation. A true example of adapting to chaos and caring for each other to achieve results for the group rather than individually. After cleaning up it was time for one last talk with players. This was a different talk than the campfire talks the night before. This is the time we share our military stories, our struggles, deeper meaning of teammate, friends, brother

and the messages we hope they take with them after this experience. This grueling weekend ends with a blue and white smoke send off. For the cadre, players and coaches it is not goodbye but see you later because we are all now one family.

If you want to see some of the fun for yourself or to learn more about 4Oxen Tactical Group, check us out at our website www.4oxentacticalgroup.com or on our Social Channels

Facebook: @4OxenTactical, Twitter: @4oxtacgroup

TikTok: @4oxentacticalgroup.

MINNESOTA BLUE OX JUNIOR A’ HOCKEY CLUB

THE 6TH BLUE OX SEASON IN COON RAPIDS, MINNESOTA

Row: Rylee Luebbers, Noah Scherff, Nate Cheney, Dylan Smith, Marc Abrego, Dylan Hender, Griffin Bourassa, Jacob Ullsten, Arsi Malyutin, Jack Wallace, Gavin Gordon, Jameson Clark, Preston Cloutier, Brendan Shaner, Joseph Rosenberg

Row: Mike Abrego, Zach LaMotte, Gabe Myers, Tommy Babb, Coach Thompson, Elias Johansson, Eli Marchese, Justin Garstecki, Coach Witta, Harrison Foss, Karl Grafelmann, Chase Mann, Coach Schiffman

Back

Front

thanks to John Sumner our Minnesota Blue Ox Photographer!

Your

Logo design, branding, web site development, search engine optimization, social media marketing, digital video production and much, much more.

While casting traditional design, web and print methods aside.

HOCKEY CHANGES LIVES.

Advertisement donated by a Yontz Valor grant

The Minnesota Blue Ox is proud to have partnered with the Minnesota Warriors and The Hendrickson Foundation this season to help hockey change the lives of our fellow soliders and disabled Veterans. #thintheherd #weLOVEour veterans

TO SUPPORT THE MINNESOTA WARRIORS VISIT | MNWARRIORS COM

TO SUPPORT THE HENDRICKSON FOUNDATION VISIT | HENDRICKSONFOUNDATION.COM

- Larr y Hendrickson | Founder Hendrickson Founda tion

3 NATIONAL TOURAMENT APPEARANCES IN 6 SEASONS.

Captains /Zach lamotte /nate cheney / eli marchese / GRIFFIN BOURASSA

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

—John Maxwell

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down.”

– Arnold H. Glasgow

LEGENDARY HOME SERVICES THAT LAST A LIFETIME

BY HEIDI GEDIS

Thank you to Blue Ox Heating & Air for their loyalty and partnership the past five seasons! Our fans love our Mascot Babe! We are grateful for you all!

Blue Ox was founded in 2013 when the McGuire, Gavic and Foschiatti families combined their 100 collective years of experience into one talented company. We are fully licensed, bonded, and insured to provide our Minneapolis-St. Paul area customers with outstanding heating, cooling, and indoor-air quality services to make your home as comfortable as possible. Blue Ox Heating and Air is North American Technician Excellence certified and a member of the Minnesota Heating & Cooling Association. We want to be your go-to heating, cooling and air quality company.

When we say we can handle whatever problem you have, we say it with total confidence. Whether you have a small problem or a huge problem, know that the timely tech who shows up at your door will know exactly what to do. You don’t even need to know what your problem is! That’s what we’re here for.

HOME SERVICES MADE EASY

We serve you the way you want to be served. If your furnace stops working at 2 a.m. — call us! We’ll be there to fix your problem with a smile on our face and shoe covers on our feet, regardless of what the clock says. It’s our mission to quickly take care of your heating and cooling emergencies. In addition to repair, replacement, and emergency service, we’re passionate about air quality. If you’re suffering from allergies or itchy skin –let’s problem solve together. Our comfort advisors will explain numerous options fitting a range of budgets to improve your indoor air quality. We offer expertise in humidity management, air cleaning, and particle removal to keep your family healthy and comfortable.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM BLUE OX TECHNICIANS?

Blue Ox believes professionalism is about more than just doing a great job. It’s about how we do a great job. Our technicians aren’t here just to fix your heating, cooling, and air quality system, they’re also here to answer your questions and make sure you’re comfortable. We accomplish all three goals by emphasizing courtesy, punctuality, and attentive customer service. Our job isn’t just about the work we do; it’s about making sure the people we work for, YOU, are as happy and satisfied as possible.

OUR SERVICE PROMISE TO OUR CUSTOMERS

3We value your comfort and happiness.

3We will cheerfully refund your money if you are not 100% satisfied.

3Our technicians will treat your home like it was their own.

3We will be on-time, professional, and polite.

3We will wear shoe covers in your home, never use foul language or use tobacco while on the job.

3To ensure your peace of mind, our employees are background-checked and drug-tested.

3We only use quality heating and cooling products to make our repairs and installations.

3We never cut corners on products and parts and take pride in providing efficient and long-lasting results.