After playing in Waterville Valley for five years the New England Wolves Eastern Hockey League U20 Premier team is moving 40 miles south to join their U19 Elite team, U16 and U18 teams in Laconia, NH. “We loved playing in Waterville Valley for the past 5 years but are super excited to move our Premier team to Merrill Fay Arena and play in front of the devoted fan base in Laconia”, said team owner Steve Jacobs. “We already have successful teams playing out of Laconia with a strong staff led by U19 Elite Head Coach/GM Andrew Trimble. It makes sense that we should have both Eastern Hockey League teams together. We will also continue on with our U16 split season team, and have added a U18 split this season. We will now be able to develop from within and work more cohesively,” Jacobs continued. “The vibrant community of Laconia and the Lakes Region is also very attractive. Our Life Coach/Academic Advisor Emily Clement has the players entrenched in the community with community service projects and events, and she is a great ambassador of our program who has built strong relationships in the community.”
The Wolves had a successful 5 year run in Waterville Valley compiling a 140-93-record and placing 58 players into Division 1, 2 and 3 college hockey. “We plan on building on our success in Laconia by providing maximum exposure to college recruiters with our primary goal of placing our players into college hockey programs that are the right fit for our players, both academically and athletically. Our players will receive world class on-ice and off-ice instruction from an elite team of coaches and mentors unsurpassed at this level who are focused on developing our players in all areas through our instruction, support, and guidance,” said Jacobs.
Former Plymouth State University Head Coach Brett Tryder will lead the Premier team into their 3rd EHL season. “We are fortunate to have Brett take the Head Coach position of our Premier team,” said Jacobs. “He is a high-level coach who built the Plymouth State hockey program and has been a successful coach for over 15 years. I have worked closely with Brett and have been impressed with his knowledge of the game, coaching philosophy and techniques, passion, and determination to help players get to the next level. “I am looking forward to coaching in the EHL for the New England Wolves,” said Coach Tryder. “The Wolves have a strong record of placing student athletes into outstanding college programs. I am also looking forward to being in Laconia where the community has a strong history of supporting their hockey teams. It is a tough decision for a college bound player, and there has been a long standing argument in junior hockey whether it is better to play in the mid-west with fan support or the Northeast where a high percentage of the colleges are. We will have both in Laconia, making it a very desirable place to play. The Merrill Fay arena holds 800 fans and we plan to pack the place for home games", Tryder concluded.
