Washington Little Capitals Season Program 2016-17

L I T TL E CA P S







TIE R 1 H O CK E Y 2 0 16 - 17 s e a s o n p r o g r a m





NHL VETERAN

JEFF HALPERN
ON HIS LITTLE

CAPS CAREER









FORMER LITTLE
CAP SAM ANAS

SIGNS WITH THE
MINNESOTA WILD









VISITING

TEAMS GUIDE

The best hotels,
restaurants,

shopping and
entertainment

near the rink






LITTLE CAPS IN INTERVIEW: ANDREW PANZARELLA:
HOW LITTLE CAPS HELPED
EUROPE BRENT JOHNSON ME REACH THE PROS

WLC alumni are lighting the lamp The former Caps goalie PLUS: WHAT ARE
in pro leagues from Norway to is sharing his secrets SCOUTS LOOKING FOR?
Austria, Sweden and Britain with today's Little Caps


2003 LITTLE CAPS RETURN TO QUEBEC! www.littlecaps.com



L I T TL E CA P S







CON T E N T S : TH E S TA R TIN G L IN E - U P
6
11


Former LITTLE CAP

sam anas signs with

the minnesota wild



INTERVIEW: JEFF HALPERN
ON HIS LITTLE CAPS DAYS



15 2 0 3 0













LITTLE CAPS ALUMNI Light interview: Former cap what scouts are
the lamp across Europe goalie brent johnson looking for: character



andrew panzarella: 2 0

2 2 how the little caps helped

me reach the pros



Former Little CAP J.P. 2003 little caps return to
20
34
2 6 KASASCK JOINS TEAM USA quebec pee wee TOURNAMENT




LITTLE CA PS PA RTNERS
VISITING TEAMS GUIDE:
3 2 the best Food, hotels and
things to do near THE RINK



MEET THE 2016-17 LITtle caps
3 6
PLAYERS and coaching staff

A M ESSA GE

FROM THE

HOCKEY

DIRECTOR



Welcome to the 2016-17 Little Caps season program.
The Little Caps philosophy is simple: We are
committed to helping every Little Cap reach their full
potential as Tier 1 hockey players. We believe this
focus on player development is the key to building a
competitive program. To this end, the Washington
Little Capitals provide the best coaching available in
the Washington, DC area. We offer our players
well-organized, intense, and competitive practice
sessions each and every day. Players improve by being
pushed out of their comfort zones. We will offer the
latest skill training techniques that are proven to
enhance performance.
Once players become Little Caps, we are committed to
continuously evaluating and supporting them, so that
they know where they are making progress and where
they still need to improve. We will show patience and
commitment to the players we select for our teams. In
turn, we expect our players to demonstrate hard work,
commitment and dedication to excellence at every
practice and every game. With that each and every
player will be able to show tangible progress over the
course of the season.
Our goal is to develop not just elite hockey players, but
young men and women of character. As an elite sports
program, we expect our players to maintain high
standards both on the ice and in the classroom.
We want to help our kids become the best hockey
players they can be. We will provide our players with a
great hockey experience, but also a great environment
that promotes values of discipline and hard work. We
will develop our players, and give them exposure
opportunities so they can advance beyond our
program. And we will instill habits of excellence in our
players that will help them to be successful not just in
hockey, but in life. We want our players and our
program to develop the reputation so that coaches at
any level ? from juniors to college ? know that when
you recruit a Little Caps you are not only going to get a
great player, but a great kid as well -- so that when a
scout in a showcase watches one of our kids on the ice,
see their habits, fundamentals and character, they can
say: ?That?s a Little Cap. ?

DAN JABLONIC

4
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

JOHN OSIDACH MEMORIAL GRANT






John ?Osi? Osidach (1944 ? 2016) inspired
competitive hockey players from the Washington, DC
area for over 40 years. A tough but fair coach, his
teams embodied his attributes: gritty, innovative,
hard working, smart and team oriented.
Established in 2016, The John Osidach Memorial
Grant is awarded annually to a Washington Little Caps
player with the enthusiasm and esteem for hockey
that would win Coach Osidach's respect.
The candidates should be:
- Receptive to coaching;
- Passionate about hockey;
- Dedicated to team goals;
- Respectful of hockey rules and traditions;
and
- Able to demonstrate exceptional
sportsmanship on and off the ice.
We hope that John Osidach?s legacy will live on in the
hearts of the many players he influenced and through
the John Osidach Memorial Grant.
About Coach Osidach
John began playing hockey in elementary school,
toting his stick and skates on the streetcars of
Toronto, Ontario. He played during his high school
years at Humberside Collegiate and later at St. Mary?s University in Halifax, Nova
Scotia. After moving to Washington DC, John?s knowledge and enthusiasm for ?For when the One Great
the game of hockey led him to a coaching position at the Chevy Chase Club in
the Capital Beltway League. Scorer comes to write
As the Washington hockey scene developed, Osi recognized the need for a against your name, he
select/travel team and co- founded what would become the nationally
recognized Washington Metros Hockey Club (1978). The Metros?
accomplishments, headed by Osi?s recruiting and coaching, led to the marks not that you won
establishment of the Washington Little Capitals (1983) in the Atlantic Youth
Hockey League (AYHL). With Gary Sampson (USA Olympian in 1984 and retired or lost, but how you
Washington Capital), Paul Mulvey (retired Washington Capital), and Bob Siblo
played the game.?

- Grantland Rice



(Boston College '56), Osi guided select teams to
Vancouver, Chicago, Toronto, and to the respected
Quebec PeeWee tournament. John was also selected
twice to coach the Southeastern District U16 team at the
USA Hockey Development Camp in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
Many of Osi?s players went on to play both collegiately
and professionally. Notables include Steve Scheifle (1st
DC area player drafted - Boston College '90 and the
Philadelphia Flyers) and Jeff Halpern (Princeton '99 and
the Washington Capitals). Osi?s lasting mark on the
game is seen in the grit, determination, love, and
sportsmanship that his athletes display ? both on the
ice and throughout their lives. He was proud that his
players and colleagues continue to coach at many
levels, sharing his passion for the game with today?s
players.


5
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

INTERVIEW





JEFF HALPERN





















































THE NHL VETERAN REFLECTS ON HIS LITTLE CAPS CAREER




Jeff Halpern played 13 seasons in the "If I could squeeze in 20 games and different junior leagues, I think
National Hockey League, including throughout the school year with the it?s now more of an option now to
seven seasons with the Washington Little Caps, it made me eligible to play locally in this area through U18,
Capitals. But long before he made his play in regionals and nationals. So I still having great hockey and great
NHL debut, he wore the Capitals played at St. Paul?s and rostered with competition.?
jersey for eight season as a the Little Caps for three years,? ?The only difference really is the
Washington Little Capital. Halpern says.
travel,? he says. ?But the way the
?I was ten years old my first year,? he ?When I went to St. Paul?s, there was Little Caps works now, with the
says. ?I played two years of squirts, more incentive to move away,? he showcase tournaments and models,
two years of pee wee, one full year of says. But today there is far less reason it?s providing kids from this area with
bantam.? Then starting his second to leave the D.C. area. ?Now in this every opportunity to succeed. And so
bantam year, he went up to St. Paul?s area, you have access to the amount you are seeing more and more guys
School in New Hampshire, but he still of ice time that kids in Canada and do that ? play for Little Caps and play
rostered with the Little Caps Boston have, that you didn?t have in for their high schools." CONTINUED
throughout his time at St. Paul?s. the past. With the USHL and NAHL NEXT PAGE.


6

"And then if college isn?t an option What are the secrets to his success? wanted to keep playing, Halpern
right away there is still an option to He says the most important thing reached out to power skating
continue their development that coaches and scouts are looking for is instructor Wendy Marco. They met
way,? he says. a player?s compete level. ?My in Ashburn before sunrise as well as
marker, even at the NHL level, was for evening sessions at Kettler, and
Today, Halpern is helping to make it
always when a player loses the puck she helped Halpern make his stride
possible for kids to stay in the area how quickly they go and get the puck more efficient and explosive. It
and still get great instruction. Since
back. I use more
retiring from the NHL last season, he colorful words
has been working local players as a
usually, but it?s
skills instructor with ColdRush basically ?who wants
Hockey. At the same time, he spent
to go get the puck
10-14 days a month last season back?? That?s stuff
training the Tampa Bay Lightning?s
that can be taught
top prospects as player development into guys, bred into
coach for the Syracuse Crunch, the
guys, but that still
team?s AHL affiliate. The Lightening remains the biggest
recently announced that he has been
difference between
named assistant coach for the the elite players and
Crunch for the 2016-17 season.
everyone else. Their
Halpern credits his Little Caps ability to compete and
coaches with teaching him how to perform in those tight
relate to younger players. For most competitive battles.?
of his time with the club, Jeff?s
By the time he
coaches were Little Caps founders reached the NHL, he
John Osidach and Bob Siblo, both of
was six feet tall, but
whom recently passed away. He also he hit is growth spurt
played for former Washington
late. ?I think there
Capital Gerry Sampson, who coached are a lot of good
his bantam team. ?I had very good
examples of players
coaching. John Osidach and Bob Siblo that are six foot four
are, to this day, two of the best
when they are 15 and
coaches I ever had.?
the game becomes
He has great memories of his Little easy. I was small added years to his NHL career.
Caps days. ?The biggest memories I growing up so I always had to ?Trying to develop those things, and
had was going into tournaments in compensate in other ways and find not saying ?this is what I?ve been
places like Buffalo and Ontario and ways to succeed.? given,? but saying I?m going to be
overhearing everyone talking how
He says it?s never too late to improve better and set your sight out to do it.
there was a team from Washington There?s always
there and how things that you
that would be the "The Little Caps are providing kids from this can add to your
easy team to beat. skill set.?
We would usually area with every opportunity to succeed. You can
win those What advice does
tournaments and now play locally through U18, still having Halpern have for
people were today?s Little
dumbfounded great hockey and great competition." Caps? Simple: Put
that a team from in the work and
Washington could - Jeff halpern you?ll be
even tie up their rewarded. ?The
own skates.? standard answer
or add to your game. ?One of the
is always have fun,? Halpern says,
He?s still close to his teammates things I take the most pride in during ?but the more work you put in the
from those days. ?Some of my best my career was revamping my skating more fun it will be.?
friends today are teammates from stride when I was 32 or 33 years old,?
playing Little Caps and the hockey he says. After Los Angeles Kings Also, he adds, ?work on your
guys I grew up with,? he says. coach Terry Murray told him that he skating.?
needed to work on his skating if he
It worked for him.
7
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

8
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



LITTLE CAPS






TRyouts







are you ready for


the next level?





2017-18 season tryouts will take place april

2017 for teams from pee wee 2006 through u18




To join the interested players list Go TO:

www.littlecaps.com

















































10
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

SAM ANAS




SIGNS WITH




MINNESOTA




WILD












































W hen Sam Anas played youth hockey for the Little
Caps and Team Maryland, he wasn?t the kid everyone
said would one day play in the NHL. Each season, he
says, ?I just worried about making the AAA team the next
year.?
One year he didn?t make it. ?I played for Little Caps for
three years, squirt major then pee wee minor and pee wee
major,? he says. When Little Caps went dormant for a few
years, he moved to Team Maryland ? where he faced the
first major setback of his hockey career.
?As a freshman in high school, things didn?t really go my
way for a year or two,? he says. ?I didn?t make Team
Maryland and I also didn?t make the Landon Varsity team.
Those were the first two times I?d ever been cut from a
hockey team in my life.? It was devastating.
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE


11

and that is when Quinnipiac be able to do it in the USHL and he
spotted me,? he says. ?It was flourished. He was told he wasn?t going to
my only Division 1 offer and be able to do it in college and he was an
the only school I was really absolute superstar. I?m sure he?s been told
talking to.? Despite his again that it?s going to be hard for him at
obvious talent, every other the next level."
Division 1 school overlooked
Looking back, he says, ?There are some
him because of his size. Anas
guys, when I was 14 years old, they were
committed to Quinnipiac,
the best players around, and now they are
where he was named 2014
not even playing hockey. Me, I didn?t even
NCAA Rookie of the Year,
make the team and I?m still playing. I used
and led his team in scoring
it for motivation.?
over his first three seasons,
with 69 goals and 63 assists in Not only is he still playing, he?s the first
121 games. This year he was player born in the Washington, DC area
named First Team All who played hockey locally through high
American and helped take the school and then signed with an NHL team.
Bobcats to the Frozen Four He has great memories of his Little Caps
championship game. days. ?My dad was my assistant coach
when I was playing Little Caps so it was
The lesson, Anas says, ?It
always cool to have him around and on the
really only takes one
bench teaching me things,? he says. ?My
opportunity to get noticed.?
best memory was my pee wee major year
Yet despite that impressive when we went to the Pee Wee Quebec
record, he still went undrafted tournament. We just had so much fun. The
and his NHL dreams seemed family we stayed with had a lake in their
out of reach. Then, in April, back yard so we?d come back from a game
during his junior year at and go to their house and we?d be on the
Quinnipiac, he opened his backyard rink all night playing hockey. It
email to find a 2-year contract was just so much fun.?
offer from the Minnesota
What has been the key to his success? ?The
Wild. Despite having a year
first thing I?d say is perseverance,? he says.
Sam Anas as left of NCAA eligibility, he ?Not making the AAA team, and not
a Little Cap decided to go pro ? but not making my varsity team, I just persevered
before finishing his
and kept working hard and I always knew in
Bachelor?s degree in
I?ll never forget them telling me I was too the back of my mind that I was going to
entrepreneurship a year early that spring.
small? he says, ?but I didn?t want to quit prove some people wrong. I knew that I was
Now he?s getting set to try and make the
because I loved playing hockey so much, so going to be a hockey player.? He says you
NHL squad.
I kept working hard and got back to it.? He don?t need size to succeed in hockey. ?I
played two seasons with the Montgomery He says he will likely have to prove himself learned ways to use my size to my
Blue Devils U16 advantage. When
AA team. ?I you are a small guy,
didn?t talk to one you have to be
school, one junior " Not mak ing the AAA team, not mak ing smarter than other
team, not even a players on the ice,
D3 school,? he my varsity team, I just persevered and and you have to be
says. He attended k ept w ork ing hard. I alw ays k new I'd able to use your
USA Hockey stick. There are so
tryouts, but ?I prove some people w rong." many times when
never made it past you go in a battle in
the Southeast - SAM ANAS the corner against a
Districts. I never guy who is 75
even made it to pounds heavier than
the national you, but you come
camp.? out with the puck
at the AHL level first. At the Minnesota because you anticipated what you think he?s
His big breakthrough finally came when he Wild prospects camp this summer, Iowa going to do -- and then were able to use
made the U18 DC Capitals AAA team, and Wild coach Derek Lalonde said Anas is "a your stick to win that battle. You might not
scored 61 goals in a single season. ?All of a guy that has had a chip on his shoulder at be able to out-muscle them, but you can
sudden within a few months, I played well, every level. He was told he wasn?t going to outsmart them.?

12
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

His advice to smaller players is to have a town to make a junior team.," he says.
high compete level ?whether you are Anas packages so His advice to today?s Little Caps? ?Never
skating to beat out an icing or just win a give up. You might think that just because
short puck race.? many things that you don?t make a team that you might not

?Being a smaller statured player, you can are inspirational: have a future in hockey, but definitely don?t
never back down,? he says. ?If you finish He?s the small guy give up and keep working hard. Never
your check on a [big] defenseman, that forget the people who doubted you so you
might not mean you knock him down, but it w ho didn?t let his can use that as motivation to prove people
might mean you slow him down.? As a size define him; wrong. Use it as that extra little bit of
result, ?they?re not able to jump up in the motivation when you?re working out of
rush or they turn the puck over and we the ?bubble? kid doing some off-season training.?
regroup, now that defenseman has bad gap. w ho struggled to ?And for sure at that age, you?ve got to
You have to be competing every shift and enjoy it,? he says, ?just remember that
not skating away and having turnaways make the team you?re doing this because you love the
from bodies.?
and never quit; game.?
He says players today don?t have to leave the local player Anas packages so many things that are
the Washington area to make it to the next inspirational: He?s the small guy who didn?t
level. w ho didn?t move let his size define him; the ?bubble? player
?I?d gone to Landon since third grade and aw ay from home who struggled to make the team and never
there wasn?t any doubt in my mind that I and still achieved quit; the local DC-area kid who didn?t move
would graduate high school from anywhere away from home and still achieved his
else. I was going to make it happen one way his dreams. dreams. He overcame every obstacle and
or another.? Even as an NHL prospect, he?s now is headed to the NHL.
still training in the DC area. He skates four
helped me in my career and they still do,? ?It?s even crazy for me to think about,? he
times a week with his old DC Capitals
he says. Staying local is an option for says. ?I try not to get caught up in it and
coaches, Jason and Jared Kersner, with
others as well. "You don?t have to leave just keep working hard.?
Pinnacle Hockey. ?Those two guys really






























SAMPLE AD

CLICK IMAGE TO SEE
VIDEO OF SAM ANAS
AT THE MINNESOTA

WILD'S JULY 2016
DEVELOPMENT CAMP


13
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



LITTLE CAPS IN EUROPE
LEFT: James Sixsmith recently scored his
200th goal for Lorenskog in Norway's
GET-ligaen. ABOVE: James as a Little Cap
at the Pee Wee Quebec tournament in
1997.

his last two years, and was drafted by the
Alumni are playing the game they love in pro Washington Capitals in the 3rd round after
his freshman year.
leagues from Norway to Germany, Austria,
After graduating, he says, ?I signed with
Denmark, Sweden, and Great Britain the Caps and played in their minor league
system for two years, but unfortunately
never got called up to the big club.? In his
?I played roughly 100 games in each third pro year, he went to training camp
W hen James ?Bubba? Sixsmith and league and could never quite establish with the Nashville Predators, and played
myself as a big NHL prospect,? he says. for their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee
Stephen Werner tried out for the Little ?So I decided to head to Europe.? Admirals. There he found himself reunited
Caps back in 1994 as squirts, neither with his old teammate, James Sixsmith. ?It
imagined that making that team would be Sixsmith eventually moved to Norway, and was pretty cool to play with one of my first
the first step in a career that would one day signed a contract with Lørenskog where he and favorite line mates I had as a Little
find them playing professional hockey in put up 168 points in his first three seasons. Cap,? he says.
Europe. He then spent the 2014-15 in Sweden?s
Allsvenkan league, before returning to Unfortunately, Werner suffered two bad
Yet more than two decades later, Sixsmith Lørenskog last season, where he scored 50 concussions, and missed an entire season of
is a superstar in Norway?s premier league, points ? including the semi-final series hockey the following year. ?I thought at the
the GET-ligen, where he recently scored his winning goal that put Lørenskog in the time that my career might be over,? he
200th point ? a feat only accomplished by league championship. says. ?But I started to get healthy, and
three other players in league history. heard from a friend that European hockey
Meanwhile his former Little Caps His Little Caps teammate, Steve Werner, was a bit less physical than in North
teammate Werner is a dominant force in followed a similar path across the pond. America, and that a shorter schedule could
Austria?s elite Erste Bank Eishockey Liga ?Bubba was my line mate pretty much the give me a chance to stay healthy and
(EBEL). And they are just two of more whole time I played for the Little Caps,? continue my career.?
than a half dozen former Little Caps who Werner recalls. The two played together
are forging successful careers playing pro until ?I ended up making the National He asked his agent to help him find a
hockey on the other side of the Atlantic. contract in Europe. Werner spent his first
Development Program in Ann Arbor as a
Sixsmith played for the Little Caps from 16 year old and moved away from home three seasons in Germany?s Deutsche
Eishockey Liga (DEL), where he put up
squirts through bantams, before going on to and the Little Caps for the first time.? 133 points. He then moved to Austria to
play for the Canterbury School and then With Team USA, Werner won the U17, play for the Graz 99ers, where he?s scored
with Holy Cross, where he is still the U18, and eventually the World Junior 59 points in the past two seasons. Those
all-time points and assists leader. After Championship in Helsinki in 2003-2004. are impressive numbers considering that
graduating he moved up and down between He went on to star at UMass Amherst, European teams play half as many games
the AHL and ECHL.
where he played all four years, was captain as NHL teams a season. CONT.
15
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

TOP LEFT: Stephen Werner plays for Graz 99ers in the Austrian Hockey League. He
is starting his 5th season in Europe. TOP RIGHT: Nick Petersen plays for Eisbären
Berlin (Berlin Polar Bears) in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). LEFT: Paddy
Cullen with the Fife Flyers in the Britain's Elite Ice Hockey League.
?Being a Little Cap to me at the time was Hockey League (EIHL), where Cullen
like playing for the real Caps,? Werner plays for the Fife Flyers, while Fritsch
recalls. ?I was proud to put the jersey on of plays for the Braehead Clan ? both based in
my favorite team.? Scotland. Cullen played for the Little Caps
organization from pee wee major all the
Sixsmith agrees. ?My best memories of way through juniors with the Washington
being a Little Cap were the road trips. I Junior Nationals. ?The Little Caps when I
lived for those road trips!? he says. ?My was young was the one team you always
family and I still to this day reminisce wanted to be on,? Cullen recalls. ?I loved
about the days in the hotel in various cities; every second of playing for them too.?
when the parents would hang out at the bar
while the kids ran crazy around the hotel. I He says ?the highlight of my Little Caps
made lifelong friends playing for the Little career would be committing to RPI while
Caps and that's something I truly cherish.? playing in the Little Caps system. I always
thought that I needed to leave the area to
As Little Caps, Sixsmith and Werner played get seen, but with good showings at USA
together in Quebec Pee Wee tournament Hockey Selects camp and getting in contact
twice, in 1996 and again in 1997. ?Bubba with college coaches, I eventually was
and I stayed with the same host family and getting seen fairly regularly. Credit goes to
we still talk about that experience until this my dad for keeping me here because in the
day,? Werner recalls. Sixsmith says, ?We end it was the right move.?
were quite good the first year and we
played a few games in front of thousands of "I am still very much in contact with tons
fans, something I had only dreamed about of former Little Caps,? he says. ?I had a
doing as an 11 and 12 year old.? good group of teammates whom are all
Despite all his professional success, Werner Now they play in front of thousands of fans some of my best friends still to this day.
says, ?I would say some of my best every day. And they are not alone in There are about eight of us that have grown
memories as a hockey player were my forging successful careers on the other side up together and have played since mites or
Little Cap years. We really had a fun group of the Atlantic. Former Little Caps Paddy so and continue to talk and hang out.? One
of guys that stayed together for a few years, Cullen and Jaime Fritsch regularly face-off of those former teammates is Mike
and it?s great to see some of those guys like against each other in the British Elite Ice Clemente, who played in 2015-16 for the
Bubba still playing.? Rungsted Ice Hockey Club in Denmark.
16
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

?I played for the Little Caps Junior B team
and Mark Tinordi for two years before
playing with the National Team
Development Program from 2006-2008,?
Clemente says. He went on to play at
Brown University, and after his senior year
signed a tryout contract with the AHL?s
Springfield Falcons, then the affiliate of the
Columbus Blue Jackets. And he spent the
next two seasons playing with the Missouri
Mavericks and the Evansville Icemen, he
decided to give playing in Europe a chance.
?Playing in Europe is a fantastic learning
experience. The culture is different. Being
exposed to the food, language, and the
Danish lifestyle was fun.?
?I still keep in contact with many of my
former Little Cap teammates,? Clemente
says. ?We have organized golf outings,
trips, and get together at least once a year.
They are always a great time.? He has fond
memories of his Little Caps days. ?The
thing I remember most was the road trips,?
he says. ?We had a fun group of guys, and
we spent just about every road trip playing
knee hockey in the hallways of the hotels.?
Clemente recently signed with the
Manchester Storm of the British Elite
League for the 2016-17 season.
Another Little Cap from the Tinordi team
era ho is now playing in Europe is Nick
Petersen. Petersen grew up in Quebec and
then decided the best place for his
development was Washington, DC. ?I took
a different route than most pro hockey
players,? Petersen recalls.
?I went to Washington to go to prep school,
Georgetown Prep, wanting to do the college
route and get a scholarship.? After playing
for the Little Caps, he played juniors in
Canada, got drafted by the Pittsburgh
Penguins and signed a three-year contract,
and played for the Wilkes Barre Penguins
and Houston Aeros of the AHL and
Orlando and Orlando Solar Bears of the
ECHL. TOP: Mike Clemente played 2015-16 season with Rungsted in Denmark's elite
Metal Ligen. This season he will play with Manchester in Britian's Elite Ice Hockey
?After that I decided to go to Europe and League. RIGHT: Garrett Roe is in his third season with Linköping HC in the Swedish
have made a good career in Germany. I'm
signed for the next 2 season in Berlin in the Hockey League (SHL). LEFT: Jamie Frictche plays for Scotland's Braehead Clan in
DEL,? he says. ?I enjoyed playing with the the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Little Caps, Junior Caps and Junior
Nationals,? he says. ?I made a lot of good for Salzburg in the Austrian league, then for remembered the most.? Their stories all
friends. I always go back to DC at least Munich in the German DEL, and finally show that, it?s possible to have a successful
once a year.? Linköping in the Swedish Elite League, hockey career outside the NHL.
where he has enjoyed continued success
Former Little Cap Garrett Roe is currently with 41 points in 41 games last season. As James Sixsmith says, ?it's been a
playing in Sweden?s SHL, the highest lifelong dream to play hockey and travel the
division in the Swedish ice hockey system. ?It's a fun setting to play, the leagues are world for a living.?
After playing for the Little Caps, Roe went just as competitive as anywhere, the skill is He?s now living that dream.
on to play four years at St. Cloud State, off the charts and the quality of life
where he put up 178 points over four compared to a minor league career with
seasons, and left as the all-time assist leader hours and hours on a bus every weekend is CLICK HERE TO SEE LITTLE
and third all-time in points. After two more appealing to me,? he says.
seasons with the AHL Adirondack ?Playing Little Caps was a blast,? he says. CAPS ALUMNI IN ACTION
Phantoms he moved to Europe, first playing ?Wearing the sweater was the thing that I

17
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

ALUMNI ADVICE FOR TODAY'S LITTLE CAPS





JEFF H ALPERN , Washington Capitals

"The standard answer is always have fun, but the more work you
put in the more fun it will be.?



SAM AN AS M innesota Wild
"Never give up. Never forget the people who doubted you so you
can use that as motivation to prove people wrong. Keep working
hard. It really only takes one opportunity to get noticed."




N I CK PETERSEN Eisbär en Ber lin

"For me hard work was a big part in making it to be a pro hockey
player. I can tell any young Little Cap player that it doesn't matter
how you make it to the next level, you just have to believe you
can. "


STEPH EN WERN ER Gr az 99er s, Austr ia
"Be a kid, enjoy every practice and every game because there is
nothing better than meeting at the rink after school, putting
skates on and buzzing around the ice."



PADDY CULLEN Fife Flyer s, Scotland

"Enjoy the ride and work hard. ... As you get higher up, you find
that some days you have to come to work and if you don?t want
to put in the work, then you will never get there. "



JAM ES SI XSM I TH Lør enskog, N or way
"Hockey is about fun, especially when you are young. Don't
always be in a rush to be the best player. If you love the game
and keep working at it eventually you will become good enough
to play at a very high level. "


GARRETT ROE Linköpings H C

"The thing I learned early on was the fact that I had to match my
talent with work ethic and competitiveness... Talent with a work
ethic is what separates players."


M I KE CLEM EN TE M anchester , UK

"Thank your parents! They make everything that you do and will
do with hockey possible. Let hockey open doors for you. I have
been to many places around the country and Europe that I would
have never seen and I got a fantastic education because of
hockey. [But] do not let hockey define who you are, it is
important to have other interests and hobbies because you will
not always be a competitive hockey player.".

19
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

It's such an amazing position in all of sports and it's
opportunity for Little Caps not for the easily rattled. This
goalies to have a chance to position will eat you up and
train regularly with someone spit you out if you don't have
with your experience and the right mindset. Sometimes I
knowledge. You could have have kids freaking out because
brought your coaching a goal is scored IN PRACTICE
talents anywhere. Why did and I know how to calm them
you decide to get involved down in an instant. I tell them
with the Little Caps? What is that I've been through the
it about the organization that whole spectrum of emotions
attracted you? that they go through, but you
have to be strong mentally to
After I retired, I spent a year
survive the game. I truly do
and a half in Pittsburgh and in
empathize for them.
my downtime, I wanted to try
coaching on for size. I Are there different things
INTERVIEW : immediately loved it! It put a you can teach them as a
passion for teaching in me that former NHL player that they
I never knew existed. When we might not get elsewhere?
returned to our home here in
What kinds of inside " tricks"
BRENT DC, I got in touch with my do you share with them?
hockey loving dentist, Tom
Lenz, who told me about the My inside tricks: Read the
shooters eyes. They say more
opportunity with the Little
about what he does then
Caps at the minor level. I anything.
JOH NSON thought it was a great I tell them how to compete in
opportunity to stay close to the
game and give back to the next
generation of goalies in the practice and make those your
games. This will make both the
area. After meeting with Dan goalie and his teammates
Jablonic and Beth Lenz better.
The former Caps netminder is (fantastic bosses), I realized
I also tell them to take the 4-5
training the next generation of this was a great organization of the best shooters and make
and I wanted to help make it
Little Caps goalies better in any way possible. I it their goal not to allow them
have learned a lot in my time to score all practice long. This
is more game like, because you
You come from a storied grandfather, he told me to playing in the NHL, among can't work your hardest 100%
hockey family. Your father always love and respect the other leagues, but I was of the time in practice. It's just
played for the Penguins and game and to always keep my happily surprised at how much not a possibility.
your grandfather is Hall of dauber up, no matter what the I learned from these kids on a
Fame legend Sid Abel. What game was throwing at me. daily basis. They made it Every Little Cap dreams of
was it like growing up with And did you always know possible for me to try and following in your footsteps.
so much goaltending talent you were going to be a perfect my craft and ultimately What advice do you have for
around the family dinner hockey player? they made me a better goalie Little Caps players about
table? What lessons did they coach. reaching the next level?
impart to you? That is a big no! Of course all I What are the main lessons My advice for our youth: Love
ever wanted to do was play the
My family imparted many life game which I have the greatest you try to impart to Little and respect the game, because
lessons on me, so many that it's love for, but there was a point Caps goalies? when that is gone, so too will
hard to just pick a few, but I'll (19 years old) that I thought it I think anyone can go out the game be. Also when you
try. From my dad, he gave me wasn't going to happen. At that there, do some goalie specific are on the ice, be all there.
so much, from how to time, my rights were owned by drills and be done with it. I tell Don't let the outside world
approach the game on the ice, the Colorado Avalanche and the kids why we are doing the distract you. This game is
to how to better myself in the their depth chart was long and drills and what specifically to about having fun and having
weight room after hockey. distinguished. I was traded to work on during them. But I passion for this great game. As
Confidence was always a big the St. Louis Blues in the think the greatest thing that I Tony Gaskins put it, "Doors
part of our talks, but conceit summer of '97 and signed the bring to these kids is the will be opened to those who
was never in our same day and the rest was mental aspect of the game. are bold enough to knock"
conversations. From my
history. Let's face it, it is the hardest

20
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



HOW THE LITTLE






CAPS HELPED ME





REACH THE PROS








BY ANDREW PANZARELLA



I was extremely lucky to even end up playing for the Little Capitals in
the first place. I remember trying out for Little Caps as a first year
Squirt player, and being surprised at how many good players were at
camp. I was never a standout on the ice, but I was always just so
excited to be playing.
On nights before a game I would barely sleep, because I was looking
forward to playing the next day so much. The only thing that could
ever get me out of bed before sunrise was knowing that I would be on
the ice soon after. I think that my enthusiasm for the game translated
into how I played on the ice, and I ended up making the team as a
Squirt Minor.
In a wonderful stroke of good luck, my coach that first year of Little
Caps was Mark Tinordi. Mark had just finished playing a 13 year NHL
career and, as luck would have it, had a son who was my age. His son,
Matt, became one of my best friends, and we would go on to play for
Little Caps together until we left for junior hockey over 8 years later.
Having Mark as a coach for every one of those years was by far the
best thing that could have ever happened to me, as a player and a
person.
As a kid, I idolized Mark. He had an amazing career playing defense in
the National Hockey League, where he was a lethal combination of
toughness and skill. I had a highlight tape of him from his playing
days that I would watch. It?s not often that you get to learn from
someone who has accomplished exactly what you dream of doing.
Mark also taught his players the value of respect both on and off the
ice. He always treated people fairly, and did everything the right way.
I was also lucky to play with the same core group of players throughout
my years with the Little Caps, all the way from Squirt Minor to
Bantam. Growing up, these guys were my best friends. Virtually every
weekend I would be hanging out with someone from my hockey team,
even when we didn?t have any games or practices.
There is a group of around eight former Little Caps players I grew up
with whom I still talk to and see daily. Some of my favorite memories
as a kid include playing mini hockey in hotel hallways, and talking on
walkie talkies as we played ?manhunt." Going to the Pee Wee
tournament in Quebec has to be one of the coolest experiences of my
childhood as well. The players stayed with billet families for the
tournament, which we thought was the coolest thing ever.


After a successful NCAA Division 1 career with University of
North Dakota, where he twice helped his team reach the
Frozen Four, former Little Cap Andrew Panzarella is now in
his second season in the ECHL. Last season, he played for the
Idaho Steelheads and this season for the Quad-City Mallards.

We skated outside every night, went snow St. John?s Newfoundland. The team did not play hockey the past twenty years because I
tubing, and even played in front of fans. make playoffs, so after a few short weeks thought one day it could turn into a
After playing Bantam, I played for the there I went back to North Dakota to finish lucrative career. I played because it was
Junior Capitals and the Junior Nationals for up my classes and graduate. what I loved doing. I can?t tell you how
a couple of years. It was my first glimpse many games I?ve watched on TV, how
into the world of junior hockey. As a young After a long summer of training, I signed many pucks I?ve shot in my driveway with
guy, it was a whole new world. I was 14 with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL, my friends and brother, or how many heated
years old and was playing against guys who where I played this last year. It?s still very games of NHL on Xbox I?ve played.
were up to 21. The pace and physicality strange to me that I am playing hockey for a
were much higher at this Furthermore, all my
level, but it made me years of playing has
adapt and become a "It?s r eal l y an exci ti n g ti m e for taught me to focus
better player. your energy on the
you
things
can
While playing for the youth hock ey i n the DC ar ea. control. It?s a fact of
Nationals, I ended up life that things will
getting drafted by the Des Ki ds i n the Li ttl e Caps system happen along the
Moines Buccaneers of the way that do not
USHL, and by the have am azi n g oppor tun i ty to make any sense.
Peterborough Petes in the However, there are
OHL. I didn?t know two things as a
much about the the OHL r each the n ext l evel ." player you can
or USHL, besides the fact always control: your
that playing in the OHL attitude and your
would void your college work ethic. It?s
eligibility. Shortly after I was drafted, the living now. I feel like the luckiest guy in the amazing how much of an effect enthusiasm
Buccaneers had me come out to Des Moines world that I get to do what I love each and and positivity have on people around you.
to see what the league was all about, and to every day, and somehow get paid for it.
watch a game or two. That year, the Bucs If I have any advice for Little Caps players, One of the greatest qualities a player can
had some great players, including NHLers it is first and foremost to have fun. I didn?t have is positively affecting those around
Matt Read, Jeff Petry, and Aaron him. Every day I make it my
Palushaj. After meeting the guys mission to be a player, and
and going to a game I was person, who has a positive
immediately smitten. impact on others.
In the end, everything comes
The next season, my senior year of
high school, I went to Des Moines down to hard work. In the back
to play for the Bucs. We had two of my mind I am always
poor seasons, after which I was thinking about how hard other
traded to Waterloo. In Waterloo, we players around the world are
had a great team and I was fortunate training to take the same spot I
enough to get noticed by the want. To reach the highest level
University of North Dakota. I you have to train unbelievably
eventually committed to UND, and hard, and then do some more.
had four amazing years there. Our You have to have the mindset
team won a league championship, that every player out there is
went to the NCAA tournament four training to get the edge on you;
years in a row, and went to two don?t let yourself be outworked.
Frozen Fours. This being said, enjoy every
stage of life that hockey offers
When you?re young it can be very
hard to decide whether to play you. As a young player with the
major junior or pursue the college Little Caps, enjoy being a kid.
hockey route. I know players who Play with your friends, play
have gone both routes, and I other sports in the off season.
honestly can?t say which one is There will be plenty of time for
better. In my case, I decided that I grueling workouts, and truly
wanted to get a college education devoting your life to hockey;
first, and if I could get a scholarship youth hockey is not one of
to play hockey somewhere that them. Playing lacrosse,
would be even better. Both routes baseball, and swim team
have their pros and cons, the college growing up made me a better
one is just the way that worked for athlete and hockey player.
me. As you get older, hockey will
bring you to new and exciting
After our season ended my senior
year, I signed a contract to play with places. Take time along the way
the Winnipeg Jets? AHL affiliate in to enjoy the moment you are in.


23
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

THE BY-WORD OF


SWEDISH HOCKEY:



TÅLAMOD


























I coached in Sweden for five years in Junior A
and the Swedish Elite League, and was
fortunate to have assisted in the development
of seven first round NHL draft picks. One of the
by-words of Swedish hockey development is
?tålamod? ? which means ?patience.? That is
the by-word of the Little Caps as well.
Tålamod means not getting overly excited
about star players at the youngest ages, but
focusing on producing the kid who is getting
better each year and developing every player
the right way. We don?t have a crystal ball to
tell us which players will ultimately succeed.
But we want to make sure that the kids who
are working hard at each birth year have the
opportunity to advance and excel.
Success doesn?t just happen. You have to work
at it every single day. Every day is not going to
be a victory. Some teams will have down
seasons, but those can be opportunities to
learn and grow as well. You just have to keep
plugging along and make sure you learn from
your mistakes and use them to get better. You
have to work at it. We are teaching our kids
that hard work is a good thing, that it is the key
to their success ? on the ice and in life.
We will continue to reward players who work
hard ? and show patience as they develop in
their hockey careers.
DAN JABLONIC




24
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

February 7-18, 2018
47t h and 48t h annual

February 8-19, 2017





ALL LEVELS WELCOME!

f r om AAA t o h ouse t eams


TEAMS FROM CANADA, USA, FRANCE,
SWITZERLAND, GERmany & italy
WHO HAS PLAYED IN THE GRANBY
INTERNATIONAL BANTAM TOURNAMENT?
116 TEAMs / 200 PLAYERS / 220 GAMEs /12 DAYS
Mario Lemieux / Luc Robitaille
Steve Yzerman / Mike Modano For mor e inf or mat ion e- mail
Jeremy Roenick / Patrice Bergeron
[email protected]

& many more NHL stars! or PHONE (450) 775- 2253


WWW. TOURNOI BANTAMGRANBY. CA




























Be l ik e Ov i! Beco me a n o v a
Co o l Ca t s men t o r !


"The Li ttl e Caps seek to bui l d n ot on l y gr eat hock ey pl ayer s, but qual i ty
youn g m en an d w om en . So w e en cour age our pl ayer s to com bi n e thei r l ove
of hock ey w i th com m un i ty ser vi ce by m en tor i n g w i th the NOVA Cool Cats"
- DAN JABLONIC, W ASH INGTON LITTLE CAPITALS
Specia l Ho ck ey
No r t her n V ir gin ia
Pr acti ces on Sun days 7:00-8:30 am at the ex ist s f o r t he
Kettl er Capi tal s Icepl ex en r ichmen t o f
"It's fun . It's n i ce to a t hl et es w it h
see them sm i l e."
For m or e i n for m ati on em ai l Coach Ran dy at: dev el o pmen t a l
- ALEX OVECH KI N n ovacool cats@ver i zon .n et disa bil it ies.


25
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

J.P. KASCSAK PLAYS FOR




TEAM USA AT THE 2015




WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES






For mer Little Cap chosen for U.S. team made

up of top ACH A club player s in the countr y



Former Little Cap J.P. Kascsak was any level is a dream come true,
named to the USA Hockey men?s especially in a sport I love and had so
national team for the 2015 Winter much support from family, friends,
World University Games in Granada, and coaches always growing up," he
Spain. The US national team is chosen says.
from among the top players in the
The U.S. team defeated the host team,
American Collegiate Hockey
Association ? an Spain, plus Kazakhstan and Sweden to
make it to the
organization
quarter finals
comprising over
430 college and where they fell to
Canada 4-0. J.P
university affiliated
club hockey scored two goals
and
two
had
programs. Kascsak
assists in the
was named to the
2014 Team USA tournament.
roster as well, but "Being a member
could not travel of the Little Caps
with the team program as a kid
because of injuries. definitely pushed
me and required
Kascsak played me to work harder
three seasons with
as a person and
the Little Caps on
the bantam and hockey player. It
was an eye
U16 teams. He later
played two seasons opening
experience and I
of Junior ?A?
learned so much
hockey in Canada
with the North Bay Former Little Cap J.P. Kascsak being apart of the
this organization
Trappers before scored two goals and two assists for which helped me
attending Iowa Team USA in Grenada, Spain.
State University, so much to carry
on into playing
where he played four seasons of
Division 1 club hockey. Kascsak put Junior Hockey," he says.
up 128 points (73 goals and 55 "At age 25 my senior year of college,
assists) in 136 games over four playing for the Men's US National
seasons with the Cyclones. University Team was the experience
of a lifetime with the opportunity to
Kascsak relished the chance to put on
represent not only our country but my
the USA Hockey jersey and represent
his country in world competition. friends, family, community and
university. It was the best hockey
"Being chosen to represent your experience of my life."
country and wear the USA jersey at

26
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



2003 LITTLE CAPS RETURN TO QUEBEC






After a two year hiatus, the Washington fundraising events, including bake sales, hockey and cultural experience. All the
Little Caps returned to the Quebec Peewee public skates and team blanket sales. They players billeted with Quebec families and
International had a chance to
Hockey learn the customs of
Tournament in French Canadians.
2016. The 2003 They were able to
team played in explore the Winter
the top division Carnival de
of tournament, Quebec, and had
with their first team outings to
game against the experience dog
Detroit Red sledding, snow
Wings (a.k.a. 6th tubing, and visit
ranked Little Quebec?s famous
Caesars) at the Ice Hotel. They
brand new went sledding on
18,000-seat the hill behind
Videotron Centre. Chateau Frontenac,
The Little Caps and had a chance to
fell 5-1 to Detroit go out and play
and then lost 4-1 pond hockey ?
to the Boston Jr. something we don?t
Terriers. But often get to do here
they rebounded in Washington, DC.
with a 2-0 win were thrilled to have Washington Capitals The team has also
over Swiss Eastern Selects and a 2-1 win forward Evgeny Kuznetsov lend his put together wonderful gift baskets for
over the Oakville Rangers. support and signature to the team pin they each billet family filled with items donated
designed for trading at the tournament. from the Kettler Team Store and our Little
The team enjoyed the excitement of
Caps families. It was the experience of a
preparing for the trip by doing several The tournament gave the kids a unique
lifetime.
28
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



WHA T A RE SCOUTS




LOOKING FOR?





By Dan Jablonic comes to play every shift, doesn?t play dirty work, dedication, determination to get
but plays hard? ? The Maple Leafs run better, and being a good person who can get
spread-sheet based programs to generate along with your teammates. We want
A few years ago, the Toronto Star published draft lists based on objectively-rated skills. people who are good citizens first and
an article in which they asked a number of But Dave Morrison, the Leafs? director of foremost. I believe that mindset is why our
scouts what qualities were most important amateur scouting, said his staff spends a program is getting stronger with each
to them in a hockey prospect. The answers great deal of time debating ?intangibles? passing year. There is a lot of talent in the
were not what most might expect. Here?s an ? the subjective side ? when it comes to a world, but character is a much rarer
excerpt: player. ?Things like the work ethic, the commodity. And in the game of hockey,
[OHL Director of Central Scouting] Jack character, the strength of commitment. So character is a difference-maker. Players
Ferguson always knew Tim Brent would with character make their teammates better.
make the NHL. Brent?s not the fastest In the game of hockey When their teammates are better, our teams
skater, the hardest hitter or the best shooter, are better ? and ultimately, our entire
and he?s not particularly big. But Ferguson, today character is a program is better. There are lots of kids out
recently retired after 38 years of scouting, there across the U.S. and Canada who want
saw something in Brent that can?t be judged difference-maker the same things our players do ? the chance
on a report card. Ferguson saw character. to play at the next level. Our players are
?He?s probably got more character than many different things. It may not be competing against them for those chances
ability,? Ferguson says. ?In this day and obvious,? says Morrison. ?The background down the line. What will separate our
age, character is almost as important as of the player, where did he come from? players from the pack is character. And by
playing ability?? [Brent] made it because Where is that potential? Can we work with the way, you may be wondering what
of his character, the kind of person he is, this player? Can we make him better?? The happened to Tim Brent, the kid with more
the student of the game in him who wanted belief is if a player works hard every shift character than ability? He went on to play
to get better every shift, every game, every and every practice ? a sign of character ? more than 200 NHL games for the Maple
season. He didn?t quit. He continued to he has more upside, more chances to Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Pittsburgh
develop his skills. That?s what Ferguson improve. Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, and
saw when he first noticed him and had Carolina Hurricanes, plus three more
Character. It?s what the Toronto Maple seasons in the KHL. He?s still playing
urged the St. Mike?s Majors to take him in
Leafs look for. It?s is what NCAA and today with the AHL?s Lehigh Valley
the midget draft. ?I?m just looking for the
Junior teams look for. Phantoms. Character matters.
kid who just seems to want it more than
anybody else,? says Ferguson. ?Tim Brent It?s not always skill that gets you on a team. That?s the lesson we are trying to teach our
is my idea of a hockey player, a guy that It?s those little things that matter ? hard kids.
30
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM



VISITING TEAMS GUIDE



RESTAURANTS NEAR RINK ENTERTAINMENT
The Melting Pot, 1110 N Glebe Rd, Regal Cinema Ballston, Downstairs
Arlington, VA 22201 from the rink in Ballston Common Mall
COACH NAME
BUZZ Bakeshop, 818 N Quincy St, Rebounderz, 22400 Davis Dr #180,
Arlington, VA 22203 Sterling, VA 20164
COACH TEAM
FRONT PAGE, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Flight Trampoline Park Springfield,
Arlington, VA 22203 7200 Fullerton Rd, Springfield, VA
22150
Dunkin Donuts, 4201 Wilson Blvd
#130, Arlington, VA 22203 ShadowLand Laser Adventures,
5508 Franconia Rd, Alexandria, VA
Mike?s Café, 900 N Stuart St, 22310
Arlington, VA 22203
International Spy Museum, 800 F St
Sweetgreen, 4075 Wilson Blvd, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Arlington, VA 22203 COACH NAME
Chipotle Mexican Grill, 4300 Wilson Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW,
Washington, DC 20001
Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203
COACH TEAM
Taylor Gourmet Sandwich, 4000 Escape the Oval Office, 1322B H
Street E Washington, DC 20002
Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203
ATTRACTIONS
Kapnos Taverna, 4000 Wilson Blvd,
Arlington, VA 22203 The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500
Rustico Restaurant & Bar ? Ballston,
4075 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203 United States Capitol Visitor Center,
COACH NAME
Starbucks, 901 N Stuart St, Arlington, First St NE, Washington, DC 20515
202-226-8000
VA 22203
Supreme Court, 1 First St NE,
Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Washington, DC 20543
COACH TEAM
4250 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203
Cosi, 4250 Fairfax Dr #1, Arlington, VA Air and Space Museum, 6 th &
Independence Avenue, Southwest,
22203 Washington, DC
Sweet Leaf on Glebe, 800 N Glebe Air & Space Musem's Udvar-Hazy
Rd #100, Arlington, VA 22203 Center located near Dulles Airport at:
14390 Air and Space Museum
Jimmy John's, 550 N Quincy St, Parkway, Chantilly, VA 205151
Arlington, VA 22203 COACH NAME
Pepita Cantina, 4000 Wilson Blvd, American History Museum 1400
Suite D, Entrance on North Quincy St, Constitution Avenue, Northwest,
Washington, DC
Arlington, VA 22203 COACH TEAM
Subway, 801 N Quincy St #1A, National Zoo 3001 Connecticut
Arlington, VA 22203 Avenue, Northwest, Washington, DC
Natural History Museum 10th St. &
NKD Pizza, 933 N Quincy St, Constitution Avenue, Northwest,
Arlington, VA 22203
Washington, DC
First Down Sports Bar & Grill, Smithsonian Castle 1000 Jefferson
4213 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203 Drive, Southwest, Washington, DC
COACH NAME
A-Town Bar & Grill, 4100 Fairfax Dr, George Washington's Mount
Arlington, VA 22203 Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial
COACH TEAM
Uncle Julio's Arlington, 4301 Fairfax Hwy., Alexandria, VA 22121
Dr #100, Arlington, VA 22203 Lincoln Memorial, 23rd Street NW
Tropical Smoothie Café Arlington, and West Potomac Park, Washington,
3811 Fairfax Dr, Arlington, VA 22203 DC 20242
Big Buns Damn Good Burgers + Ford's Theater, 511 10th St NW,
Beer, 4401 Wilson Blvd #104, Washington, DC 20004
Arlington, VA 22203
Jefferson Memorial, Tidal Basin
El Ranchero Bar & Grill, 4617 Wilson South End, Washington, DC 20024
Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203 COACH NAME
Washington Monument,15th Street
Buffalo Wild Wings, 950 N Glebe Rd and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20560
#130, Arlington, VA 22203 COACH TEAM
FDR Memorial, 400 W. Basin Dr.
PF Chang 901 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, SWWashington, DC 20024
VA 22203
National World War II Memorial, 17th
IHOP, 935 N Stafford St, Arlington, VA St. & Independence Ave. NW,
22203 Washington, DC 20001

Jimmy Johns, 550 N Quincy St, AIr Force Memorial, 1 Air Force
Arlington, VA 22203 Memorial Dr, Arlington, VA 22204

32
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

VISITING TEAMS GUIDE



























































































33
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

VISITING TEAMS GUIDE














































V I SI T I N G T E A M S:
W A N T A W H I T E
H OU SE OR U .S.
CA PI T OL T OU R ?

















TOURS ARE NOT AS H ARD TO ARRANGE
AS YOU M AY TH INK, BUT YOU NEED TO
PLAN SEVERAL M ONTH S AH EAD. W E CAN
W ALK YOU TH ROUGH TH E PROCESS.










For m or e i n for m ati on go to: w w w .l i ttl ecaps.com

34
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

Congrat ulat es our four Lit t le Caps/Knight s Players



















Alex Vouras U14
Ryan Lenaghan U15

Jack MacKinnon U16
Jake Smith U16
www.bishopoconnell.org
















































35
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

2005 PEE WEE MINOR




# 1 Aiden Hopewell
# 2 Patrick McNeice
# 6 Teagen Pratt
# 7 Ethan Skowronek
# 10 Jackson Barbieri
# 11 Jack Cook
# 13 Braden Pohlman
# 18 Roberto Cisneros
# 44 Kameron Khazai
# 47 Blake Montgomery
# 63 Jack Bainbridge
# 70 Benjamin Skowronek
# 77 Iain Mirilovich
# 87 Aleksander Behrens
# 91 Andrew Fou
# 92 Lucy Thiessen









2004 PEE WEE MAJOR



# 4 Ethan Boyagian
# 5 Joshua Stoner
# 12 Dylan Thorn
# 18 Tim Glenmark Wallen
# 19 David Van Iterson
# 22 Jack Pilla
# 25 Kyle Wilson
# 27 Ryan Shiner
# 29 Garrett Cole
# 44 Connor Gnatek
# 66 Tyler Rothermund
# 74 Kareem Alazem
# 76 Kareem El-Bashir

# 87 Michael Miranda
# 91 Noah Eyre
# 94 Tyler Iles
# 98 Chase Hornbecker







WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM 36

2003




# 3 Graydon Schweizer
# 9 Troy Pratt
# 11 Will Schaller
# 15 Ethan Baxley
# 19 Liam Gilmartin
# 21 Jack Irwin
# 27 Trevor Neeb
# 32 Matthew McCarey
# 39 Evan Orloff
# 41 William Staring
# 55 Luke Mattson
# 56 Kevin Scott
# 68 Owen Calderone
# 70 Alexander Emam
# 77 Jack Mowrey
# 90 Zachary Sedlacek
# 91 Anderson Grennan









2002 BANTAM MAJOR



# 1 Aidan Rudolf
# 2 Adam Martin
# 6 Bauer Morrissey
# 8 Tyler Mercier
# 12 Lacey Eden
# 22 Farrell Dinn
# 24 Parker Cole
# 27 Brad Freyberger
# 33 Lincoln Crosby
# 47 Joshuah Park
# 52 Zachary Stoner
# 58 Bryce Montgomery
# 74 Connor Dubberly

# 80 John Sterling
# 88 Jack Rose
# 90 Alex Vouras
# 91 Brandon Davis
# 97 Wesley Crofoot





WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM 37

U15 NATIONAL




# 5 Jacob Brown
# 8 Michael Kramer
# 9 Owen Morgan
# 11 Alton Machen
# 14 Ryan Lenaghan
# 15 Mark Sangster
# 16 Reid Leibold
# 17 Robert Staring
# 19 Mac Robertson
# 20 Andrew Owens
# 28 Ethan Privman
# 30 Connor Leslie
# 38 Kenneth Trinh
# 39 Quinn Calderone
# 47 Victor Hugo

# 65 Frankie Megan
# 67 Adam Varga
# 74 Matthew Perryman
# 92 Max Thiessen


U16 NATIONAL



# 4 Scott Strauss
# 6 Jacob Smith
# 9 Charlie Skinner
# 10 Alexander Barnes
# 12 Billy Murray
# 15 Matthew Hanlon
# 17 William Eden
# 19 Michael Curran
# 22 Nicholas Pumpelly
# 23 Benjamin Pazulski
# 24 Jason Harper
# 27 Gijs De Schepper
# 33 Jack MacKinnon

# 38 Drake Voell
# 47 Jacob Lechner
# 55 Robert Purpuro
# 61 Kieran Gardner
# 63 Jason Kleinhans
# 74 Anish Deena
# 91 Zachary Hughes

WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM 38

U18 NATIONAL




# 2 Jack Turner
# 4 William Gould
# 5 Dawson Black
# 7 Andrew Kurapov
# 9 Cole McDowell
# 19 Matthew Vermont
# 20 Ethan Docking
# 21 Griffin Long
# 22 Jack Good
# 24 Nicholas Zarrilli
# 30 Alec Coakley
# 32 Drew Lorinchak
# 53 Carl/CJ Kline
# 56 Gilman Everitt
# 71 Mitchell Rebholz

# 78 Sam Homick
# 81 Brian Middledorf
# 91 Samuel Dexter




LITTLE CAPS DIRECTORS




DAN JABLONIC Dan Jablonic brings a wealth of experience as both a
Hockey Director and a Professional Hockey Coach Dan
HOCKEY DIRECTOR played for NCAA Div I University of Minnesota, Duluth
before playing professionally and finally pursuing a
career in coaching. Dan spent 5 years as a Hockey
Director in Wisconsin followed by 5 years coaching in
Sweden. He spent from 2005-2010 coachingJunior A as well as the Swedish Elite
League (SEL). During his time in Sweden Dan was fortunate to have assisted in the
development of 7 first round NHL draft picks including Ottawa's Erik Karlsson,
Montreal's Lars Eller, and Toronto's Tim Erixon during his time in Sweden. Dan has also
been a USA Hockey Select National Development Camp Coach since 2004 and has been
invited again for the 2016 USA Hockey National Development Camp.

DOUG PLOCKI Doug Plocki is a Pittsburgh native who began
coaching in 1991 as the State College Youth Ice
Hockey Association Pee Wee Head Coach. He then
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR moved on to coach at his high school alma mater
and worked with the Pittsburgh Stars Tier-1 youth
hockey program as a goaltending instructor. Plocki
began coaching in the DC area in 2006 with the Kettler Capitals Iceplex youth program.
He helped coach Kettler's Tier-1 Development Camps beginning in 2008 before joining
the Little Caps 2009. In the past seven seasons, Plocki has helped win the Tier-1 Elite
Hockey League Atlantic Division Title, 5 consecutive PVAHA titles, 2 consecutive S.E
District Titles, and twice advanced to the USA Hockey National Championships. The
2015-16 U16 National squad finished third in its debut season in the North American
Prospects Hockey League. Plocki is a USA Hockey Level-5 certified coach.



WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM 39

LITTLE CAPS COACHES
















2005 Head Coach: Nick Carso 2004 Head Coach: Flip Collins

Asst.Coach: Scott Kozlak Assistant Coach: Matt Flynn














2003 Head Coach: Simon Roberts 2002 Head Coach: Tom Morrissey

Assistant Coach: Kash Patel Asst. Coach: Mathew Montgomery














U15 National Head Coach: Doug Plocki U16 National Head Coach: Brad Surdam


Assistant Coach: Vic Hugo Assistant Coach: Andy Morales
















U18 National Head Coach: Lyon Messier Goaltending Coaches:

Assistant Coach: Markus Seppanen Brent Johnson & Travis Russell


Skills: H.T. Lenz Athletic Trainer: Ify Achebe






WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM 40

41
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

LITTLE CAPS BOOSTER CLUB
















































Than k You!


W ashi n gton Li ttl e

Capi tal s

The Cr osby Fam i l y


Li n col n U14 - # 33


























42
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM

43
WWW.LITTLECAPS.COM