By Joshua Boyd / NCDCHockey.com
The NCDC will be previewing each of the 21 teams set to hit the ice during the 2024-25 season in a continuing series up to the Sept. 19 start of the new campaign.
Islanders Hockey Club
New England Division
Home Arena: Skate 3 Ice Arena, Tyngsboro, Mass.
Head Coach: Tim Kyrkostas
The Islanders Hockey Club is approaching this season with a lot of forward momentum given the success in college commitment numbers the team saw following the 2023-24 season. There were a league-leading 19 members of the 2023-24 IHC squad that are moving on to NCAA teams in the coming season. From that point of view, you’d imagine there might have to be some “rebuilding” going on. No such term exists in the vocabulary of General Manager/Head Coach Tim Kyrkostas.
“We actually have no less than 10 guys returning, so I’m really excited for the year ahead,” said Kyrkostas.
In returning veterans Braxton Powers and Samuel Larsson, Kyrkostas sees them respectively as the preseason picks for Forward of the Year and Defenseman of the Year. Larsson was the Islanders’ leader in average ice time (21:09), he tied for the team lead in hits (70) and he was second in takeaways (425), while also putting up 35 points in 52 games.
Powers is entering his third full NCDC season, and he’s proven to be a game-breaker in his first two seasons.
“He was originally a Futures Draft Pick, and he’s played 18U and then NCDC for us,” said Kyrkostas. “He’s going to be one of our captains, and he’s starting to garner some NCAA Division I interest, but SUNY-Plattsburgh could be his home after this season.”
Additionally, the Islanders will bring back forwards Jordan Bezio, Joey Samango, Alexei Filiminov, Philippe Guay, Matt Babineau, Morris Schneider and Miro Keltikangas, as well as ‘04 netminder Ean Badgett.
“All of these players will be looked upon for their experience and understanding of our way of doing things,” said Kyrkostas. “They all will bring leadership to this year’s club.”
What helps keep players in the IHC, he added, was the family-type culture where the coaching staff believes in their players and works with them rather than making lots of moves to change a roster.
“We only had a total of 29 players skate for us last year. We’ve gone away from churning through players and we’ve really done our homework to select the right kids who want to be in the NCDC, and who want to be in our program,” said Kyrkostas. “We won’t give up on players after a week or two of bad performances. We’ll work with them, and that’s created a culture where you’re not always concerned or looking over your shoulder, so hopefully we can continue along this way this season.”
That certainly worked last year, as the Islanders went from seventh in the New England Division in 2022-23 to first in the division in 2023-24, winning the New England Division regular season title.
Kyrkostas is excited about the newcomers joining the IHC for the coming year, as well.
“Our NCDC Draft selections were really for the future,” Kyrkostas added. He points, however, to Giovanni Rhoads, who was the 17th overall pick this year and will get his shot in training camp to make the NCDC team. Rhoads (‘07) is a forward out of the Philadelphia Little Flyers 18U program.
Another ‘07 who is pushing to make the roster this year is Onni Keltikangas, brother of Max Keltikangas and a standout from the South Kent School. “He was a draft pick from a year ago [2023],” added Kyrkostas.
The Islanders are also firm believers in utilizing those already in their organization to provide great success to their NCDC team. David Coughlin and Nick Argento, a pair of ‘06’s from last year’s Islanders 18U team, who are “right on the cusp” of the team. Argento was a Dan K Show Star Of The Game of the NCDC Young Guns event at Boston University last winter and Coughlin is a crafty, mobile skating defensemen.
Among the other newcomers to watch for is ‘04 goaltender Ryan Crowshaw, a top EHL goaltender last year, along with an essentially brand new defensive corps in ‘05’s Owen Young, Jimmy Lawhorne, Luke Clarner and Leo Wites. Young comes from the Milwaukee Admirals AAA program, Lawhorne joins from the Holderness School, Clarner comes from Kimball Union Academy – where he was Captain – while Wites was an Alternate Captain at Phillips Exeter Academy.
Centermen Samuel Myles comes in after being Captain at Phillips Andover Academy, and Troy Hayes from St. George’s School is expected to be “a solid 200-foot center.”
Working with all of these players is an NCDC staff that includes Kyrkostas, Tim Pelletier, Tim Lyons, Dana Janis, Mike Ludwar and Ryan George. Kyrkostas has more than a decade of experience coaching junior hockey, including NCDC head coaching duties from 2019-20. Pelletier has NCAA, Midget and junior coaching experience, while Tim Lyons comes from a playing career at Southern Maine. Dana Janis’ collegiate career included time at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Babson. Mike Ludwar, an IHC scout, was the Captain at Norwich University when they won the NCAA Division III National Championship in 2000, on top of being a two-year All-American Defensemen.
Rounding out the IHC coaching staff is Ryan George who serves as their body mechanics strength coach and nutritionist.
“Ryan has brought tremendous experience to our hockey club, with the education he provides to our players in their understanding of the daily process that they need to commit to so that they all can maximize their full potential,” added Kyrkostas.
The Islanders Hockey Club are poised for another solid season and, they hope, another run at the Dinnen Cup.
