Category Archives: Youth
Grand Junction’s Cloutier finding second life with Thunderbirds, signs NAHL tender with Springfield
January 13th, 2021Carter Cloutier began the 2020-21 season with the BCHL’s Wenatchee Wild, but the Wild withdrew from playing the season when government travel restrictions to Canada took hold. Cloutier decided to head back to Colorado and rejoin the Colorado Thunderbirds’ 18U team with an eye on seeing what other opportunities may come up for next season….
Harvard commitment secured, Parker native Hejduk plans for ’21-22, signs with BCHL’s Wild
December 30th, 2020David Hejduk is on a roll. Over the summer, the 2004-born Parker native committed to play NCAA Division I hockey at Harvard University. He has followed that up with a solid first half of the 2020-21 season on the blue line with the Colorado Thunderbirds’ 16U AAA team. And just last week, Hejduk signed with…
Thunderbirds goaltender Chaffe makes future plans, signs NAHL tender with El Paso for ’21-22 season
December 9th, 2020Erik Chaffe is an Iowa native who has played between the pipes for the Colorado Thunderbirds since 2017. Next season, Chaffe hopes to move up to the junior ranks and will have at least one solid option after recently signing an NAHL tender with the El Paso Rhinos, a team that will be joining the…
Thunderbirds products Smilanic, Peterson, Holm see NHL dreams get closer at 2020 draft
October 8th, 2020A trio of former Colorado Thunderbirds AAA standouts became NHL property this week at the 2020 NHL Draft, which was held virtually Tuesday and Wednesday due to COVID-19 restrictions. Elizabeth native Ty Smilanic was selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round (74th overall), while fellow forward and USA Hockey’s NTDP teammate Dylan Peterson…
Mustangs, Ice Wizards welcome developmentally-disabled athletes
February 20th, 2017There’s a new hockey team in Colorado for people with developmental disabilities. The Denver Mustangs held their first practice Nov. 19, only a few weeks after the team’s formation, and played in an American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) tournament in California in January. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE Team organizers want to get the word out…
From youth player to coach: Ayers comes full-circle with Tigers
February 19th, 2017All it took was a phone call with the lone promise of a cup of coffee. Last summer when Kevin Holmstrom was named the head coach of the Colorado Springs Tigers’ 18U AAA team, he knew who he wanted behind the bench with him: Cody Ayers. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE “I received a message during…
Mainland Tournament features unique Canada-USA Showcase
February 10th, 2017The concept went over so well last year that tournament organizers couldn’t possibly not bring it back, and they decided to one-up themselves in 2017 by expanding it to a second division this year. The Canada vs. USA Showcase was the highlight of last year’s Mainland Tournament, and it is expected to be even more…
Setting goals, setting expectations: What’s the difference?
February 9th, 2017In the early 1970’s while dreaming of playing for the Finnish team Jokerit, Jari Kurri was collecting NHL cards with dreams of stardom. Over a decade later, my best friend and I regularly teamed up in his cul-de-sac as the most dynamic duo in NHL history – he was No. 99 (Wayne Gretzky) and I…
RoughRiders taste home cooking as 13Us take NAHL FPT crown
February 3rd, 2017There was no place like home for the Rocky Mountain RoughRiders’ 13U AAA team during the North American Hockey League’s Future Prospects Tournament (FPT) from Jan. 13-16. Playing most of their games at the Sport Stable in Superior, the 13Us ran the table, going 6-0 over the weekend. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE “This is really…
Tigers’ sled hockey program shares important life lessons
January 31st, 2017The Colorado Springs Amateur Hockey Association is unique. As the only association in Colorado to provide all levels of hockey, including adaptive hockey, the Tigers youth (above) and adult (below) sled hockey teams have practice every weekend and a game every fourth weekend at Sertich Ice Rink. READ OUR LATEST ISSUE Most Saturday afternoons, you…