2014 Duluth Coaching Staff

Team Northwest continually strives for excellence in providing our players with challenging drills, competition and overall experience. Our passion for excellence is further delivered by the outstanding coaches that have embraced our program. This year we continue to demonstrate that passion and we are excited to announce the 2014 coaches!

1997/1998 Team Dusty Collins -Member of the United States National Team Development Program (2001-2003)
-Member of the Team USA Word U-17 Challenge Gold medal winning team (2001)
-Four year letter winner with Division 1 Northern Michigan University Men’s Ice Hockey Team (2003-2007)
– First Native Arizonan drafted into the National Hockey League. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 5th round 163rd overall (2004)
-Played Professional Hockey in the AHL, ECHL and CHL (2007-2011)
– Member of the President’s Cup Central Hockey League Champion Arizona Sundogs (2008)
-Member of the American Hockey League Calder Cup Finalist Manitoba Moose (2009)
– Co-Captain for the 2009 Vancouver Canucks NHL Rookie team
– Co-Captain of the 2009 Manitoba Moose pre-season team
-13 years as a Head and Assistant Coach for the Team Northwest AAA hockey organization
– Co-Owner/Co-Instructor of Collins Hockey Camps
– Volunteer Strength and Conditioning Coach for Northern Michigan University Division I Men’s Ice Hockey team (2011-2013)
– Assistant Coach of the Marquette Senior High School Varsity Hockey Team (2013-2014)
– USA Hockey Coaching Certification seminar speaker for Levels 1 to 4. (2012- present)
-Attending Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (2014-2018)
Mike Hensdell ~ 15 years experience Professional hockey instructor, coaching private lessons–learn to play hockey instructor for child thru adult players. Top US Juniors including WHL and USHL prospects, also worked with players in AJHL and Nor-Pac. Assisted Puget Sound Kings Junior B and Eastern Washington University. Power Skating Instructor/Bobcats AAA Season Staff Power Skating Instructor
1999 Team Scott Pionk~ Has been involved with Team Northwest for 5 years. Coached Waterloo Blackhawks, Omaha Lancers/USHL. Runner up for USHL Coach of the Year honors in 1997-98! Head Coach of the State Champions in 2000 Minnesota Project Prep Fall High School league! ead Coach of the 1995 North Team at the Minnesota selects Tournament that finished a 5 year run undefeated th 19-0-1, something only accomplished on other time in 22 Years!
Neal Pionk ~ Neal plays defense for the Souix City Musketeers in the USHL and now has committed to the University Minnesota Duluth in the Fall of 2014. In addition, Neal was selected for Team USA in the World Jr. A Challenge and helped win the Gold medal.  Neal is from Duluth, MN and we are very excited to have him on staff!
 2000 Team Steve Johnson ~ Played for University of North Dakota. Played Minor Pro and Juniors in United States and Canada. Coached for the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. Has been a valued coach with Team Northwest for 20 years.
Paul LaDue~  Plays for University of North Dakota and a Team Northwest player for 5 years. LaDue was named the USHL’s Defenseman of the Year following his second season with Lincoln. He led Stars defensemen in scoring with 12 goals and 37 assists in 62 regular season games and was +27 with 20 penalty minutes. Paul was drafted for the LA Kings in 2012.
2001 Team Brendan Flaherty ~ Coach Flaherty is a three time Section Coach of the Year. He has won 4 Conference Championships, 8 Section Championships, is a 3 time State Championship finalist, and has placed 3rd in a State Championship. He has coached 9 Division I players and 19 Division III players, among them Jack Connolly, UMD, Hobey Baker recipient 2012. The Hilltoppers have appeared in 7 state tournaments, and most recently finished 5th in the state tournament (2013).
Pete Stauber ~ Played Lake Superior State CCHA and Redwings AHL. This is Petes 2nd year with Team Northwest.
 2002 Team Todd Collins~  Todd is a Minnesota native who is now an elite hockey coach in the state of Arizona. Todd has now instructed and coached for over 26 years, with his expertise being in Power Skating and Stick handling. Todd has also coached hundreds of players that have now moved on to Division 1, Major Junior or the NHL. Since coaching in Arizona he has coached at all levels varying from Mite Novice AAA to Midget AAA and Tier 2 Juniors in the WSHL. In addition, Todd carries his Level 4 Advanced Coaching Certification and from 1999-2012 Todd was a USA Hockey Arizona State Camp Evaluator. Todd has always had an extreme passion and knowledge for the game of hockey. Playing since he was a child, he then introduced the game to both of his sons. Currently, Todd is the Executive Director/GM of Team Northwest AAA hockey in addition to being a scout for the Prince George Cougars in the (WHL), Minot Minotauros (NAHL) and Lincoln Stars (USHL). Todd is currently coaching for the DYHA Midget AAA  hockey team in Tempe, Arizona.
Max Mobley~ Max has been on the  TNW coaching staff for over 8 years. He is a Graduate and Assistant Coach at St. Lawrence University. Max is from Arizona and grew up playing hockey there.  He is a  huge asset to Team Northwest. 
 2003 Team Jimmy McGroarty~ Jimmy is currently the assistant coach for the Lincoln Stars, USHL, has been head coach for Lincoln also and assistant for Omaha Lancers, USHL. He’s played in the WCHL and ECHL.
Mark Vichoreks~ After retiring form Professional hockey Mark started his coaching career as a General Manager/Head Coach of a minor professional team. Mark became an Assistant Coach at Michigan Tech University of the WCHA. After a coaching change at MTU he returned home to coach his High School Team for 6 years in Moose Lake Minnesota.
2004 Team Jimmy Livanavage~ Jimmy has been involved in player development for the past 15 years.  He is a USA Hockey level 5 coach.  He has coached every level from mite to junior A.  Jim won a National Championship in 2003 as an Asst coach and a Silver medal in 2002 with the Phoenix Polar Bears junior team.  Jim also won a National Bronze medal in 2009 as head coach with the Phoenix junior Polar Bear Peewee AA 96 team.  Jim owned the Wichita Falls Rustlers and the Central Texas Blackhawks of the NAHL from 2002-2005.
Nick Fuher~ Nick Fuher is a Team Northwest 1981 birth year alumni. He has been with the program for many years as a player and coach. We welcome Nick back to the program! Nick is now an assistant coach for the Winkler Flyers in the MJHL He played one season with the Flyers in 1998-99, scoring 10 goals and earning 55 points. He received All-Rookie team and second team All-Star honors and was the runner-up for Rookie of the Year and defenseman of the year.
He moved on to the Lincoln Stars in the USHL the following year and went on to play four years for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. He played three games with the Utah Grizzlies of the American Hockey League before his pro career was shortened due to injury.

 

 The 2014 Team Northwest program is shaping up to be one of best programs yet!