Latest news with #ECHL
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Why the Blackhawks brought back Jared Nightingale to shape their future with AHL IceHogs
Jared Nightingale has lived in more homes in Rockford, Ill., than he ever could've imagined. He started in an apartment when he was captain of the AHL's Rockford IceHogs in 2013. He lived in another apartment when he returned as an IceHogs assistant coach in 2021. He later purchased a house in Rockford while in that position and then sold it when he departed to become the coach and general manager of the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays in 2024. And just recently, Nightingale bought another house in Rockford after being named IceHogs head coach. Advertisement 'Between that and (staying in Rockford's) Residence Inn, I've bounced around,' the 42-year-old Nightingale said with a laugh during a recent phone interview. Nightingale's latest return to Rockford was the most unexpected. He left the IceHogs after the 2024-25 season because he wanted to be a head coach, and the Stingrays provided that opportunity. His goal was to work his way back to the AHL as a head coach, but he never could have predicted that it would come so soon or that it'd be in Rockford again. For that to happen, a few things needed to fall into place. When Anders Sörensen was promoted from IceHogs head coach to Chicago Blackhawks interim head coach last season, Mark Eaton stepped into the IceHogs' position. At that point, IceHogs president of hockey operations and general manager Mark Bernard started thinking about permanent coaching candidates and kept close tabs on Nightingale in South Carolina. Bernard took notice when Nightingale's team went 52-15-5 in the regular season and he was named the ECHL's coach of the year. As Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson ran an NHL coaching search after the season, he put Bernard, Blackhawks associate general manager Norm Maciver and hockey operations adviser Brian Campbell largely in charge of the IceHogs' search. They looked at other candidates, but Nightingale made the most sense. 'He really just checked a lot of boxes for us — his ability to teach, his communication skills, he's detail-oriented,' Bernard said. 'I love the fact that he has that relationship with a lot of our prospects already and the ones that he didn't coach, he had met them through our development camps and rookie camps. So he's familiar with our prospects. He's familiar with how we do things in Chicago and Rockford. We're familiar with him. He knows all of our staff members. So it just made for a really easy transition. It's almost like we assigned him to the minors one year to become a head coach and we're bringing him back. It just really unfolded very well for us.' Advertisement Davidson said: 'Learning from some of the players and the management in South Carolina, just getting a sense of how he was as a head coach, came back very, very positive and a lot of really, really good references on his time as a head coach. It's a credit to himself to invest in himself and take that opportunity.' Nightingale found the season in South Carolina to be priceless. He finally got to run his own ship. There are challenges to also being the general manager at that level, but he said he learned so much from managing his own team's time. 'It's basically your schedule, kind of your blueprint of how you want to map out a day or a week and kind of the vision of what you want to work on as a team,' Nightingale said. 'I've always had my thoughts and what I thought was really important, but you never know until you actually have to live it and do it and present it to a team. So I'd say I learned a lot, just scheduling and what to get done in a week or a day for practice and helping the players ultimately have success. Then, as a head coach too, you got all those tough decisions of ice time and the roster. It was a good situation for me to live through, and I think that's really helped me for my first head coaching job.' Coming back to the AHL, Nightingale understands his job is different. The IceHogs want to win and be successful as a team, somewhat like the Stingrays, but it's much more about player development and answering to the Blackhawks' NHL needs and wants. It does help that Nightingale has some familiarity with new Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill. Nightingale played briefly for Blashill with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2014-15 season, and Nightingale's older brother, Adam Nightingale, was an assistant to Blashill with the Detroit Red Wings. Advertisement Nightingale's three years as an IceHogs assistant also gave him insight into what Davidson is seeking from player development in Rockford. From Davidson's perspective, that was important, too. 'He believes in the things that we believe in,' Davidson said. Nightingale, a former defenseman, worked with Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic with the IceHogs during the 2022-23 season and prepared him for the NHL. Training camp will determine whether Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinski or any of the Blackhawks' other early-round draft picks start the season in Rockford or Chicago, but Nightingale has a feel for who's in the pipeline and what his responsibility is with those prospects. 'Obviously you look at where the Blackhawks are right now in their rebuild and a lot of young, talented players,' Nightingale said. 'I want to be on the same page and on board with Blashill's vision and Kyle's vision and all the management's vision. I understand, I've lived it and coached it to just how important it is to help these guys develop so that when they do get the opportunity, they're ready to help the Blackhawks have success. I think that you look at any of the best teams in the NHL, I think a majority of roster guys are seasoned in the AHL, and it's a job that I don't take lightly. I think it's a privilege to have that opportunity to help in any way that I can in a player's development.' One question that Blashill was asked in his introductory news conference also happens to be one Nightingale has been asked lately: What's the correct balance between player development and team success? 'I think it's a good question,' Nightingale said. 'You get asked that a lot. I really think we're not just developing to make them better players. We want them to be executing at a high level to win games and to have success on the ice. So, I think it goes hand in hand. … I think part of development is winning and being successful. I think that's what we're going to try to create in Rockford and I think that's crucial.' Nightingale saw how that could work when he played for the Syracuse Crunch, the Tampa Bay Lightning's AHL affiliate. Advertisement 'I was in Syracuse, and we lost in the finals, and almost half our roster went up to Tampa, and they had a long career and they won in Tampa,' Nightingale said. 'They placed a priority on winning. I don't necessarily talk about winning, but just developing winning habits. More times than not, you see the results on the ice.' Those are the type of results Nightingale would love to give the Rockford community. Having spent so much time in Rockford, Nightingale has developed a relationship with more than just the IceHogs. 'I know the Rockford area and the community and a lot of good friends,' Nightingale said. 'Obviously, that always makes it more enjoyable. You have a sense of pride for the city and for the organization, and that always is fun. That's why in those few years that we had some good teams and felt like we could make runs in the playoffs, there's nothing better. You see how that community rallies behind the IceHogs, and I'm excited to hopefully bring them a product that they can be proud of.'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Stingrays Forward Re-Signs With Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears announced on Tuesday that the club has re-signed former South Carolina Stingrays forward Grant Cruikshank to an American Hockey League contract for the 2025-26 season. The announcement was made by Hershey vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer. Advertisement Cruikshank, a left-shot center, started the 2024-25 campaign with the Stingrays. Before being recalled to Hershey on Nov. 19, he led the club with 13 points (6-7-13) in 12 games. The 26-year-old Cruikshank appeared in 31 games for Hershey in 2024-25, putting up seven points (5-2-7). He made his Hershey debut on Nov. 22 at Rochester against the Americans, and scored his first goal as a Bear the next night at Syracuse against the Crunch. Cruikshank notched his first career AHL shorthanded tally on Jan. 7 versus Lehigh Valley and finished with a pair of game-winning goals for the Chocolate and White. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound native of Delafield, Wisconsin has skated in 53 career AHL games with Toronto and Hershey, recording 11 points (6-5-11). He's posted 56 points (27-29-56) in 47 career ECHL games with Newfoundland and South Carolina. Advertisement Before turning pro, Cruikshank finished his NCAA career at St. Cloud State in 2022-23, leading the team in goals with 23, which ranked tied for third in the nation. St. Cloud State players celebrate a goal by Grant Cruikshank during the first period of the game against MSU-Mankato Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. © Dave Schwarz/dschwarz@ / USA TODAY NETWORK
CBC
13-06-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Mistissini, Que. athlete helps win pro minor hockey championship after injury comeback
Social Sharing Israel Mianscum, recovering from injury, helped Trois-Rivières, Quebec clinch its first Eastern Collegiate Hockey League (ECHL) championship, proving to himself that he can achieve wonders with hard work and discipline. Mianscum, 22, is from the Cree Nation of Mistissini in northern Quebec. After a knee injury in training, he wasn't sure when he'd play next. "It was hard for sure. It was one of the first major injuries I've had. It was hard not being able to walk for a couple of months on crutches and especially during the season," said Mianscum. Mianscum had been hoping to join the Laval Rocket team in the American Hockey League (AHL), but after the injury, joined the Trois-Rivières Lions in the ECHL, a professional league that also serves as a stepping stone to the AHL and NHL. Joining the Lions provided Mianscum a chance to both regain his form and keep his professional career on track and with a 4-1 win over the Ohio-based Toledo Walleye in Game 5 on June 8, the Lions secured the Kelly Cup on home ice. "I think the best way to describe it for myself was it felt like a movie," Mianscum said. "You grow up watching the Stanley Cups or big games like that and just to be a part of it was crazy." For Mianscum, the victory meant even more knowing his family had traveled hours to witness the moment firsthand. "It meant a lot. I think just having them there experiencing the same atmosphere, I was just really glad they were there to enjoy it too." By season's end, Mianscum had tallied seven goals and 11 assists over 57 games. Mianscum intends to keep training in Montreal and hopes to make the jump back to the AHL next season, aiming to join Laval's roster. It was a hard fight back to the ice, but Mianscum says he's learning just how much he can accomplish by staying focused and working hard. "I learned is you just gotta stick with it all the time, work hard and take care of your body," said Mianscum.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lions Announce Plans For Kelly Cup Championship Parade
The Trois-Rivieres Lions are still reveling in their Kelly Cup Championship after a 4-1 victory over the Toledo Walleye on Saturday. They took the series in five games en route to their first title since entering the ECHL prior to the 2021-22 season. The Montreal Canadiens affiliate is inviting fans to join the celebration on Sunday, June 15 for the official Championship Parade. Advertisement The parade will begin at 12:15 Pm ET, departing from rue du Stade near Stade Quillorama, then continue along rue de l'Hippodrome, turning onto rue des Forges, followed by rue Royale, and finally heading toward the port area via rue St-Georges. The procession will conclude near the banks of the St. Lawrence River at approximately 1 Pm . A stage will be set up on site where members of the organization will address the crowd. Fans in attendance will have the chance to meet the players from the Lions' championship-winning roster and see the three trophies hoisted by the team: The E.A. "Bud" Gingher Trophy, awarded to the Eastern Conference champions. Advertisement The June M. Kelly Playoff MVP Trophy, presented to goaltender Luke Cavallin. And, of course, the Kelly Cup, which will parade through the streets alongside the players. The Lions became just the second Canadian team in ECHL history to hoist a Cup, joining the Newfoundland Growlers in 2019. They won the Central Division, swept Reading in the opening round of the playoffs, then downed Norfolk and three-time defending champion Florida each in six games before taking the Final against Toledo. Photo Courtesy of the ECHL
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ECHL Announces Strategic Partnership With Business Advisory Agency
The ECHL and Sports Business Advisors (SBA) have announced a strategic partnership with focus on driving the league's revenue generation, enhanced branding and league awareness, as well as avenues of new inventory in pursuit of innovative corporate sponsorship opportunities. SBA will also support ECHL crown jewel events including the All-Star Game and Kelly Cup Playoffs. ECHL teams will have the opportunity to utilize the services of SBA. Advertisement "The ECHL is pleased to welcome Sports Business Advisors as a consulting advisor and the official sales agency on behalf of the League " Ryan Crelin, ECHL Commissioner, said in a statement. "SBA stands out for its many years of experience at the highest level in different sports across all business functions that impact pro sports teams and leagues." With more than a century of experience, respected sports industry executives Mark Piazza, Mike Santos and Steve Violetta founded SBA in 2024. The trio leverages their vast experience in areas including revenue growth/retention, operations, marketing, facility management and financial/legal matters for leagues, teams and brands. "We are truly excited to have this opportunity to work with the ECHL," Violetta stated. "For over 35 years, they have built a strong brand that represents quality on the ice and a loyal following for all hockey fans across North America. We look forward to supporting the growth of both the league and its teams in their mission to provide affordable, fun family entertainment." Mark Piazza has extensive executive experience in sports & facility management, team operations and public/media relations. His career includes roles with the New York Rangers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Liberty and the NBA's G-League (WC Knicks). Advertisement Michael Santos has vast experience in managing events, operations and legal affairs in professional and amateur sports. His career includes roles with the NHL, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, and various hockey leagues. Steve Violetta uses his deep strategic sales acumen to maximize revenue, profit and brand growth. He has negotiated five Facility Naming Rights agreements for sports venues. His career includes roles with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville Predators, Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres. Photo Courtesy of the ECHL
