The Fort Wayne Showcase Powered by Exposure Series is set for this weekend, October 7th to 9th, at the SportOne/Parkview Icehouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This eagerly anticipated event will feature competitive action in the 9U-13U divisions, with teams from across the region converging to vie for glory. Among the participating teams are the Tri-State Spartans, Biggby Coffee Hockey, Indiana Elite, Madison Capitols, Team Maryland, Pittsburgh Predators, and Oakmoor Patriots. The action-packed weekend will kick off with an exciting showdown between the 10U Madison Capitols and Indiana Elite at 8 am on Saturday morning.
To stay up-to-date with all the thrilling moments of the THF Showcase Weekend, be sure to follow us on all our social media channels, or head to the Game Center to access schedules, scores, and stats in real-time.
For the week ending on October 1st, the Tier 1 Hockey Federation rankings are in. KRACH is a team’s win/loss ratio multiplied by strength of schedule. You can view all rankings on the THF KRACH page here.
The teams that are in first in each division are Wolfpack (9U), Revolution Elite (10U), CT Jr Rangers (11U), Wolfpack (12U), Wolfpack (13U), Pittsburgh Predators (14U), PAL Jr Islanders (15U), Esmark Stars (16U), and Team Maryland (18U).
In the world of youth hockey, stories of friendship and camaraderie are as common as the sound of skates on ice. However, some stories stand out as exceptional examples of how the sport transcends borders and brings young athletes together from across the globe. The tale of Anton Psotka and Erik Zahradnik is one such inspiring story of international hockey fostering lasting friendships and fulfilling dreams.
In the summer of 2022, Anton Psotka, a player from the Pittsburgh Predators 2010 team, embarked on a remarkable journey to Bled, Slovenia, to represent CCM USA in the prestigious Bled Euro tournament. Anton’s father, Dalibor, a former hockey player himself from the Czech Republic, accompanied him on this memorable trip. Little did they know that this adventure would lead to the creation of an enduring friendship and pave the way for Erik Zahradnik’s pursuit of a lifelong dream.
While in Bled, Anton crossed paths with Erik Zahradnik, an exceptional player hailing from Brno, Czech Republic. Erik not only showcased his impressive hockey skills but also expressed a heartfelt desire to come to the United States to play Elite AAA hockey. The Pittsburgh Predators organization, under the leadership of owner Ralph Murovich and Club Director Tyler Murovich, welcomed Erik with open arms, seeing an opportunity to unite young talents and create a unique international dynamic within their team.
The journey to bring Erik to the United States was no small feat. The Pittsburgh Predators organization worked diligently to facilitate Erik’s club transfer from Kometa Brno through USA Hockey, ensuring a seamless transition. They also provided support for Erik’s schooling and housing, demonstrating their commitment to nurturing his talent and fostering his dreams.
Anton Psotka and Erik Zahradnik not only became teammates but fast friends. Anton speaks passionately about the experience, stating, “Our entire team is happy to have Erik here, and as we get older, we know we will play with international players, and that makes us all better people and athletes.” Their bond on and off the ice exemplifies the power of sports to bridge cultural gaps and create lasting connections.
For Erik, his journey to the United States to play AAA hockey at the Pittsburgh Predators is the realization of a lifelong dream. He expresses his gratitude, saying, “I am so happy to be here in the United States playing AAA hockey at the Pittsburgh Predators so I can make my dreams come true!” Erik’s dedication and enthusiasm inspire not only his teammates but also anyone with a passion for the sport.
As the 2010 Predators team joins the THF (Tier 1 Hockey Federation) and looks to compete at a high level, their story serves as a shining example of how international hockey can bring young athletes together, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. It reminds us of the quote, “If you have an opportunity to do amazing things in your life, bring someone with you.”
Anton Psotka and Erik Zahradnik are proof of the extraordinary possibilities that can arise when we embrace the global nature of sports and the bonds and friendships hockey creates on and off the ice.
In an exciting development for junior hockey players, the Tier 1 Hockey Federation (THF) has solidified an enhanced partnership with the United States Prospects Hockey Leagues (USPHL), specifically with its top division, the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), for the upcoming 2023-24 season.
Under this expanded collaboration, all NCDC teams will now have access to two tenders, allowing them to select players from the THF for potential inclusion in their rosters for the upcoming season. The addition of tenders is aimed at bolstering player advancement opportunities, aligning with THF’s core objective of facilitating players’ progression within the realm of junior hockey.
Moreover, the partnership with the USPHL ensures that players on Tier I teams affiliated with an NCDC team are safeguarded by the organization, reinforcing their commitment to nurturing talent and fostering growth within the sport.
It’s important to note that while securing a tender does not guarantee an immediate spot on the team, it does provide the player with rights owned by the NCDC team for the subsequent season within the USPHL. This initiative is expected to generate more opportunities for players to transition into the highly competitive landscape of junior hockey.
THF Commissioner, Tony Zasowski, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasizing the primary goal of player advancement. “One of the primary goals of the THF is player advancement, and the NCDC/THF tendering relationship gives all of our players more opportunities to make the jump to junior hockey,” Commissioner Zasowski stated.
Echoing this sentiment, USPHL Commissioner Bob Turow highlighted the continuous efforts to expand player recruitment, especially with the THF’s nationwide growth and expansion. “The NCDC/USPHL is always looking to expand its player recruitment, and with the growth and expansion of the THF nationally, it made perfect sense for the NCDC to create a tender to be used on players in the THF,” Commissioner Turow remarked.
The strengthened partnership between THF and the USPHL’s NCDC division is poised to reshape the landscape of junior hockey, presenting a host of exciting opportunities for aspiring athletes and affirming the organizations’ dedication to elevating player development and progression in the sport.
Here are your Tier 1 Hockey Federation Players of the Week and Peak Performer ending October 1st, 2023. This weekly feature, running throughout the 2023-24 season, pays tribute to outstanding players across all divisions. Our honorees are selected from player nominations submitted by their respective coaches. You can now commemorate their achievements with customizable Player of the Week merchandise available in the league store.
9U Division: Nominating Coach: Roy Scott
- Team: Woodbridge Wolfpack
- Player’s Name: Mark Douglas
- Jersey Number: 95
- Position: Defense
- Mark had some really nice passes to set up his teammates’ goals…very unselfish plays by him
10U Division: Nominating Coach: Neil Leone
- Team: Red Bank Generals
- Player’s Name: Garrett Hurley
- Jersey Number: 28
- Position: Wing
- Garrett’s ability to continue to play hard regardless of the situation or score of the game puts him in a position to contribute consistently. His play this weekend forced OT against the Revolution and helped win a game late against the Arrows.
12U Division: Nominating Coach: Craig Iannacone
- Team: Mercer Chiefs
- Player’s Name: Alex Mozuraitis
- Jersey Number: 69
- Position: Center
- Alex had 3 goals and 3 assists, including a game-winning goal and 2 shorthanded goals, and was plus 7 while continuing his overall dominant play to help his Mercer Chiefs go 3 and 1 on the weekend.
13U Division: Nominating Coach: Julie Lenz
- Team: NY Arrows
- Player’s Name: Robbie Fenn
- Jersey Number: 14
- Position: Goalie
- We don’t call him Robbie the robber for nothing. This kid has the ability to steal games!
14U Division: Nominating Coach: Vincent Caruso & Frank Inzano
- Team: Mercer Chiefs
- Player’s Name: Owen Thedinga
- Jersey Number: 25
- Position: Forward
- Being one of the few returning players from last year’s 2009 Chiefs team comes with additional pressure, but Owen has worn that badge and really stepped up his hard work and effort this past weekend. Three goals and one assist in three games was a big contributing factor.
15U Division: Nominating Coach: Vincent Cacciatore
- Team: Arrows
- Player’s Name: Michael Calvi
- Jersey Number: 10
- Position: Forward
- Mikey averaged a point per game but also proved it’s not only about the stat sheet. He had a 100% PK percentage, dominated puck battles, and helped the team’s puck possession in all games with his strong physical play.
16U Division: Nominating Coach: Keif Orsini
- Team: American Hockey Academy
- Player’s Name: Patrick Laforge
- Jersey Number: 89
- Position: Left Wing
- During our THF match-up vs. Tahoe Prep on Friday and Boston Little Bruins on Sunday, Patrick Laforge led the way with 6 goals in those 2 games. His contribution led to our team finishing with a 2-0 record over the weekend.
18U Division: Nominating Coach: Russ Demariano
- Team: American Hockey Academy
- Player’s Name: Nicholas Nele
- Jersey Number: 13
- Position: Goalie
- Nicholas Mele was outstanding in net as AHA u18 took down #8 team in the country, the little bruins 4-2.
Honorable Mentions
All players nominated by a coach receive an Honorable Mention
| William Phillips | CP Dynamo | 9U | 8 | Right Wing |
| Vincent Valvano | New Jersey Jets | 9U | 25 | Center |
| Luca Patsey | Red Bank Generals | 10U | 79 | Goalie |
| Noah Lamonte | Woodbridge Wolfpack | 12U | 4 | Defense |
| Eli Ferrell | Tri-State Spartans | 12U | 71 | Wing |
| Hunter Wendt | PAL Jr Islanders | 12U | 43 | Left Wing |
| Landon Brownlie | Hartford Jr Wolfpack | 12U | 17 | Goalie |
| Aiden Honan | Red Bank Generals | 12U | 13 | Center |
| Kolton Harris | Tri-State Spartans | 13U | 12 | Right Wing |
| Deverin Warner | Woodbridge Wolfpack | 13U | 88 | Center |
| Nicky Woodward | Team Maryland | 13U | 19 | Defense |
| Joey Magnin | Flyers Elite | 13U | 27 | Center |
| Brendan sheykevich | NJ Rockets | 14U | 10 | Center |
| Artin Tahmasbei | Team Maryland | 14U | 7 | Forward |
| Aiden fazekas | Utica Jr Comets | 14U | 3 | Center |
| Jack Broderick | Westchester Express | 16U | 65 | Center |
| Jovanni Smeriglio | Atlantic Coast Academy | 18U | 15 | Center |
| Brendan Shaughnessy | NJ 87S | 18U | 7 | Forward |
| Hleb Subach | Esmark Stars | 18U | 90 | Goaltender |
Join us for the THF Game of the Week, an exhilarating live-streamed hockey match every weekend on the Federations Hockey YouTube Channel. Throughout the season, family, friends, coaches, and scouts can tune in to catch the action-packed U18 THF matchups via the THF Mobile App or Website.
This week’s featured game showcases the Boston Jr. Bruins U18 team as they face off against the Premier Mercer Chiefs U18 team. Be sure not to miss this exciting showdown, scheduled for Saturday at 3:00 pm ET, and taking place at Ice Land Skating Center in Hamilton Township, NJ.
In case you missed the thrilling matchup from last Saturday on September 30th, where the Atlantic Coast Academy went head-to-head with Westchester Express, you can still catch the highlights and the full game replay right here.
The THF has partnered with Play-by-Play Productions of Princeton, NJ to produce the HD telecasts. Play-by-Play is an industry leader in Live-Streaming elite youth and amateur sporting events, serving dozens of clients from throughout the U.S. and overseas.
For the week ending on September 24th, the Tier 1 Hockey Federation rankings are in. KRACH is a team’s win/loss ratio multiplied by strength of schedule. You can view all rankings on the THF Game Center here.
The teams that are in first in each division are Wolfpack (9U), Revolution Elite (10U), CT Jr Rangers (11U), Wolfpack (12U), Wolfpack (13U), Arrows (14U), PAL Jr Islanders (15U), Esmark Stars (16U), and Team Maryland (18U).
The excitement is building as the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) teams up with Tier 1 Hockey Federation to present the highly anticipated Boston Jr. Bruins Shootout Showcase. Set to take place this weekend at the New England Sports Center in Massachusetts, this event promises a thrilling display of hockey talent.
Spanning multiple age groups from 14U to 18U, the Boston Jr. Bruins Shootout Showcase will bring together teams from various regions, including Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Maine, and beyond. With the THF endorsing this event, participating THF member teams will see their games count towards the THF standings.
The Boston Jr. Bruins Shootout Showcase kicks off with a matchup between the 16U Elite Academy and the host team, the Boston Jr. Bruins at 8:40 am on Friday.
The tournament’s schedule, which promises a jam-packed lineup of games, can be found on the official website here.
Tier 1 Hockey Federation is excited for its first Federation Education Series guest this season. This series will feature presentations for our players, families, and coaches on the landscape of hockey and Player Development. The first presentation will feature Ken Martel from USA Hockey.
With over 25 years of experience in player development and a long history as a coach with USA Hockey, Ken Martel was named senior director of player and coach development in November 2022. He is charged with helping provide a framework for associations nationwide to follow for optimal athlete development.
Martel has made appearances behind the bench of nine U.S. teams that have competed in International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships, including four times with the U.S. National Under-18 Team (2000-04), four times with the U.S. National Junior Team (2004, 2006, 2008-09) and once with the U.S. Women’s National Team (2007).
All are welcome to attend however, the presentation is targeted toward 8U to 12U ages. The presentation will cover player development, growth in hockey, what makes for a great youth sports experience, learning in an athletic context, and more.
“Intro to Hockey”
Date: Tuesday, October 17th
Time: 7:00 pm EST
RSVP: Register here!
This webinar will take approximately 30 minutes with time for a Q&A
Here are your Tier 1 Hockey Federation Players of the Week and Peak Performer ending September 24th, 2023. This weekly feature, running throughout the 2023-24 season, pays tribute to outstanding players across all divisions. Our honorees are selected from player nominations submitted by their respective coaches. You can now commemorate their achievements with customizable Player of the Week merchandise available in the league store.
9U Division: Nominating Coach: Alex Beatrice
- Team: Jersey Mustangs Elite
- Player’s Name: Corey Skowronski
- Jersey Number: 37
- Position: Left Wing
- Quote: Corey used his size, speed, and skill every shift this weekend to help the team in 2 big league games. He will be a major part of our team’s success all season.
10U Major Division: Nominating Coach: Joseph Taglia
- Team: PAL Jr Islanders
- Player’s Name: James Ciancimino
- Jersey Number: 15
- Position: Left Wing
- Quote: James played great all weekend. He had a few big goals and showed up. He showed great hockey IQ, and it paid off with the puck in the net!
11U Division: Nominating Coach: Alex Ufberg
- Team: Revolution Elite
- Player’s Name: Mark Morav
- Jersey Number: 91
- Position: Defense
- Quote: Mark Morav helped his team achieve 3 victories this past weekend. He tied the game against Pal Islanders with only 17 seconds left in the game and then scored the winning goal in OT.
12U Division: Nominating Coach: Ryan Williams
- Team: Woodbridge Wolfpack
- Player’s Name: Brayden McCree
- Jersey Number: 88
- Position: Center
- Quote: Brayden is unselfish, leads by example, cares about the game and his teammates, plays the game the right way, and always does the right thing when no one is looking.
13U Division: Nominating Coach: Bob Criscuolo
- Team: Flyers Elite
- Player’s Name: Gunnar Hanzl
- Jersey Number: 17
- Position: Defense
- Quote: Gunnar continues to quietly lead our defense and also provided a goal and three assists, including the primary assist on both game winners this weekend!
14U Division: Nominating Coach: Vincent Caruso/Frank Inzano
- Team: Mercer Chiefs
- Player’s Name: Brendan Rooney
- Jersey Number: 17
- Position: Forward
- Quote: Brendan has continued to work hard every game, no matter what the situation, and his two goals this past weekend were a product of his efforts.
15U Division: Nominating Coach: Dean Whittingham
- Team: PHA Icemen
- Player’s Name: Chris (CJ) Gworek
- Jersey Number: 24
- Position: Center
- Quote: Raised his compete level to another level, scoring 6 goals including 3 pp and 1 shorthanded goal to help his team go 3 and 1 on the weekend.
16U Division: Nominating Coach: Brian Gratz
- Team: Indiana Elite
- Player’s Name: Hudson Kutchma
- Jersey Number: 29
- Position: Goalie
- Quote: 2-1-0 record that included 2 shutouts. Stopped 58 of 62 shots on the weekend and registered an assist.
18U Division: Nominating Coach: David Kosick
- Team: Esmark Stars
- Player’s Name: Alex Thomas
- Jersey Number: 85
- Position: Forward
- Quote: Alex had a solid weekend for the Stars as they went 3-1-0-0 in four games at the T1HF Pittsburgh event including registering a three-goal hat-trick and adding two assists to record 5 points in an 8-1 win over the New Jersey 87’s. For the weekend, Thomas recorded 3 goals and 5 assists.
Honorable Mentions
All players nominated by a coach receive an Honorable Mention
| William Bodine IV | NY Arrows | 9U | 28 | Right Wing |
| Joey Mazza | Revolution Elite | 9U | 98 | Forward |
| Niko Cobos | Woodbridge Wolfpack | 9U | 80 | Goalie |
| Luca Iuliano | Connecticut Chiefs | 9U | 78 | Center/Right Wing |
| Logan Kelly | Palmyra Black Knights | 10U | 37 | Center |
| adam davino | Mercer Chiefs | 10U | 29 | Goalie |
| Jax Summers | Tri State Spartans | 10U | 34 | Right Wing |
| Kendall Annetts | Tri State Spartans | 10U | 87 | Center |
| Nicholas Oppedisano | NY Arrows | 11U | 8 | Right Wing |
| Ian McGrath | Jersey Hitmen | 11U | 72 | Left Wing |
| Colton Iannacone | Mercer Chiefs | 12U | 30 | Goalie |
| David Turkowitz | NYC Hockey Club | 13U | 33 | Forward |
| Brandon Lever | NY Arrows | 13U | 23 | Forward |
| Kyle Lenz | NY Arrows | 13U | 21 | Defense |
| CJ Young | Flyers Elite | 13U | 41 | Goalie |
| Quinn Leonards | Flyers Elite | 13U | 8 | Right Wing |
| Ronnie Ziegler | Rockets Hockey Club | 14U | 23 | Forward |
| Nick Ferrara | NH Hitmen | 15U | 13 | Forward |
| Nick Desderio | Rockets Hockey Club | 15U | 2 | Center |
| Timothy Barrins | NY Arrows | 15U | 91 | Forward |
| Sean Porter | Tri-State Spartans | 15U | 81 | Forward/Defense |
| Jacob McCullough | New Jersey Jets | 15U | 6 | Defense |
| Charlie Wilson | Springfield PICs | 16U | 6 | Left Wing |
| Brendan Dalton | NY Arrows | 16U | 9 | Center |
| Gleb Subach | Esmark Stars | 18U | 90 | Goalie |
| Edward Kienzle | NJ 87S | 18U | 19 | Forward |
| David Serdyukov | Mercer Chiefs | 18U | 81 | Left Wing |
| Matt Ketcham | Northern Cyclones | 18U | 32 | Goalie |
| Zander Lipsett | Tri-State Spartans | 18U | 17 | Center |