CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – The ownership group of the Chicago Cougars is proud to announce the introduction of the Cougars for the 2015-16 inaugural season in the USPHL Elite Mid-West Division.
The Chicago Cougars ownership group, comprised of Joe Dibble, Head Coach/GM of the NAHL’s Janesville Jets, Craig Anderson, goaltender for the Ottawa Senators, and John Schwarz, owner of the Dells Ducks and Wisconsin Riverkings, will provide a unique combination of talents to give each Cougars player the best opportunity to further their hockey career.
Joe Dibble led the Janesville Jets to the best record in NAHL history last season with 100 points and will be involved with the Cougars taking on a new role in junior hockey as a team owner. Owning a team in close proximity to Janesville will allow players a unique experience to work closely with an NAHL organization.
Chicago native Craig Anderson joins the group showing his dedication to young players in his hometown and provide them an opportunity to succeed beyond Youth and High School hockey.
In just four seasons as an owner at the junior level, John Schwarz’s vision of helping young players move on to college hockey has come to fruition. Over 60 players from his Dells Ducks (4 years) and Wisconsin Riverkings (1 season) teams have moved on to the next level of hockey. In those four seasons, the Ducks have earned two trips to the USA Hockey Junior National tournament and in 2015 the Ducks won the Minnesota Junior Hockey League’s Bush Cup as league champions. With the addition of the Chicago Cougars there will be more opportunity than ever for local players to continue developing their talents and earn opportunities to play college hockey and beyond.
The Cougars name is not new to Chicago hockey. From 1972-1975 the Chicago Cougars were an original franchise in the
World Hockey Association(WHA), playing their home games at the International Amphitheater. In their final season, after finishing fourth in the division, the Cougars advanced to the division finals against the Toronto Toros.
After an exhaustive search, the Chicago Cougars are excited to announce Brad Stoffers as the first Head Coach and General Manager in franchise history. Stoffers comes to the Cougars by way of the Springfield Jr. Blues of the North American Hockey League.
Prior to joining the Jr. Blues, Stoffers was an Assistant Coach for two seasons at NCAA Div. I RPI and coached the Nashville Predators U14 AAA team. Earning his Master’s degree in Education from Boston University in 2010, Stoffers has also worked as an Evaluator, Coach, and Team Leader for various USA Hockey regional and national player development camps. Stoffers is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and will be a tremendous asset to guide the Chicago Cougars in their inaugural year of competition.
With the hiring of Stoffers, the Cougars franchise now has two members of management with extensive experience at the Tier II Junior level. Co-owner Joe Dibble is currently the Head Coach/GM of the Janesville Jets in the NAHL. Fellow co-owners include Ottawa Senators goaltender and Chicago native Craig Anderson and John Schwarz, owner of the Dells Ducks and Wisconsin Riverkings also in the USPHL Elite Midwest Division.
The Chicago Cougars will be participating in the USPHL Elite Mid-West Division. The United States Premier Hockey League was founded in 2012 after a merger of a number of east coast hockey leagues. With over 60 organizations from all across the Eastern Seaboard, including the new Midwest Division, the USPHL is the largest junior hockey organization in the country, made up of the Premier, Elite, US3PHL, U18 and U16 divisions.
Website: www.chicagocougarshockey.com
Player Opportunities, Email Coach Stoffers: [email protected]
