November // 2020 Northern Xtreme Newsletter Follow Us! Instagram: @naxhockey Facebook: Northern Alberta Xtreme Academy Twitter: @naxhockey

NAX Alumni Spotlight

The October 2020 NAX alumni spotlight is focused on five players, who were all selected in the 2020 NHL Draft at the beginning of October.

The following NAX Alumni were selected in the 2020 NHL Draft: • Luke Prokop - 3rd round, 73 overall to Nashville Predators • Michael Benning - 4th round, 95th overall to Florida Panthers • Carter Savoie - 4th round, 100th overall to • Ethan Edwards - 4th round, 120th overall to New Jersey Devils • Connor McClennon - 6th round, 178th overall to Philadelphia Flyers

You can read more about the five players and their careers and NAX history by visiting our website and viewing the ‘News’ page.

Around the Rink

Last season more than 100 NAX NAX goalie coaches Allen York and Dave Rathjen have alumni played for junior or been working hard to develop the NAX goalies with a university teams. This number is focus on a lot of tracking mechanics, screens and expected to once again grow deflections, patience on shot release which keeps save when junior and university options available, and some post play (reverse vh rules seasons officially kick off. and usage).

Bonnyville Pontiacs defenseman, and former NAX Midget Prep student-athlete, A.J. Macaulay has committed to the University of Alaska Fairbanks Nanooks for the 2022/23 season. A.J. spent one season at NAX winning a CSSHL League Championship.

Salmon Arm Silverbacks forward Nathan Morgan committed to Dartmouth College for the 2021/22 season. Nate spent the 2017/18 season with the NAX Elite 15s, recording 55 points in 33 games and winning a CSSHL League Championship.

Nick Leyer has been named captain of the . Nick spent two seasons at NAX, winning a CSSHL Championship in 2015/16, the first season in the programs history.

Another NAX alumni, Myles Hilman, was named captain of the just days before his 17th birthday. Myles won a CSSHL Championship with the NAX Elite 15s in 2018/19 and would join the Dragons for his 16 year old year, last season.

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Four NAX alumni were named to the 2020-21 NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Watch List. Dylan Guenther (/WHL) recieved an ‘A’ rating (First round talent) while Lucas Ciona (Seattle Thunderbirds/WHL), Zack Ostapchuk (Vancouver Giants/WHL), and Marc Lajoie (Tri-City Americans/WHL) all received a ‘C’ rating (Fourth to sixth round talent).

Pictured left, Dylan Guenther was the first overall pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft by the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Around the Diamond

Catcher Ryan Ludwig officially committed to Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, New Jersey. The FDU Knights are an NCAA Division I program playing in the Northeast Conference (NEC), as one of the conferences 11 original founding members. Born and raised in Edmonton, AB, Ryan played his minor ball from coach pitch to U16 with the Confederation Little League Club. Now a high school senior, Ryan joined the NAX program for the 2020/21 season, the programs inaugural year. Ryan, an Atlanta Braves fan, models his game after current St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, whom many considered the best defensive catcher in MLB history.

“We’re both really good leaders and I think we’re both really good players on both sides of the ball, both when we’re behind the plate catching and when we’re hitting. He has a really good eye and he hits for average every single year and I think that’s something I pride myself in is hitting the ball for power and for average.”

Visit the NAX website to read Ryan’s full story.

At the Devon diamonds the team continued to work on first and third defense, pickoffs and rundowns, pop up priority and bunt defenses. As the weather has changed, the cold air brought the team inside to 5 Tool Fieldhouse where they have focused on arm actions, hitting drills, defense and footwork, and positional specific work. The team continues to workout with Premier Strength and the athletes have already began to see improvement in their speed, strength, agility, and other physical attributes.

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U15 The U15 team plays their first set of games in November. At practice the U15 defenseman have focused on breakouts, walking the blue line, and netNAX front positioning Academy and battles the in defensive zone. The forwards have focused on attacking offensively, having a good F3/high support, and their defensive responsibility. As a team the focus of their structure has been their penalty kill.

Here is how the November schedule looks for the U15 team: Date Away Home Location Time Fri, Nov 6 NAX OHA Edm Downtown Community Arena 7:00 pm MST Sat, Nov 7 NAX OHA Edm Downtown Community Arena 2:00 pm MST Sun, Nov 8 OHA Edm NAX Downtown Community Arena 12:00 pm MST Fri, Nov 27 Edge NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 11:45 am MST Sat, Nov 28 NAX Edge River Cree Twin Rinks 11:00 am MST Sun, Nov 29 Edge NAX Downtown Community Arena 5:00 pm MST

U15 Prep

At practice the U15 Prep team has focused on walking the blue line for the defense and shooting and quick releases for forwards. As a team the focus has been on breakouts and neutral zone regroups, small area defending and transitioning quickly to offense, continuing to develop 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 decision making, defensemen continuing to activate into the rush and defensemen controlling gap and not giving room for forwards (smothering the offense with tight checking).

Here is how the November schedule looks for the U15 Prep team: Date Away Home Location Time Fri, Nov 6 NAX Edge Edge School - Kyle Stuart Arena 3:45 pm MST Sat, Nov 7 Edge NAX Edge School - Kyle Stuart Arena 2:15 pm MST Sun, Nov 8 NAX Edge Edge School - Kyle Stuart Arena 11:45 am MST Fri, Nov 27 OHA Edm NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 4:45 pm MST Sat, Nov 28 NAX OHA Edm Downtown Community Arena 1:30 pm MST Sun, Nov 29 NAX OHA Edm Downtown Community Arena 7:30 pm MST

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U16 The U16 team played two games in October against OHA Edmonton, winning both games by a score of 4-2 and 1-0. At practice the defenseman have focused on blue line offense, shots past defenders, eyes up mobility, breakout habits and communication. The forwards have been work- ing on finding passing lanes away from the puck, reloading into structure off lost faceoffs, working on powerplay poise, and having urgency to attack, and penalty kill roles and responsibilities. The goalies have focus on stance work and game reads.

Off-ice the team has had a good couple video sessions, with a focus on play without the puck and how to better do their job and eliminate bad habits.

Here is how the November schedule looks for the U16 team: Date Away Home Location Time Wed, Nov 11 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink C 10:30 am MST Wed, Nov 11 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink B 7:15 pm MST Thu, Nov 12 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink C 9:15 am MST Fri, Nov 27 Edge NAX Dale Fisher Arena 7:30 pm MST Sat, Nov 28 NAX Edge River Cree Twin Rinks 2:00 pm MST Sun, Nov 29 Edge NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 11:00 am MST

U18 Prep The U18 Prep team went 3-0 against their rivals OHA Edmonton outscoring them 15-3. At practice the month of October has been focusing on honing in on their odd man rush attacks, powerplay, and penalty kill. Skills practices have been focused on edge control forwards, and backwards for skating. For skills sessions, the team has done a lot of forward and defense specific stations. The defense’s main focus has been on heads up shooting while walking the line, opening up hips, and deception. Forwards have focused on quick release shots and creating offense from the corner and half wall. As a coach, Matt has been very impressed with the dedication of athletes going on the ice to work on their skill before practice. He has loved the work ethic and willingness to get better every day

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Here is how the November schedule looks for the U18 Prep team: Date Away Home Location Time Fri, Nov 6 SAHA NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 2:15 pm MST Sat, Nov 7 SAHA NAX Dale Fisher Arena 5:15 pm MST Sun, Nov 8 SAHA NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 11:00 am MST Fri, Nov 27 Edge NAX Dale Fisher Arena 8:30 pm MST Sat, Nov 28 NAX Edge Downtown Community Arena 6:30 pm MST Sun, Nov 29 Edge NAX Downtown Community Arena 2:30 pm MST

Here is how the November schedule looks for the U16 team: Date Away Home Location Time Wed, Nov 11 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink C 10:30 am MST Wed, Nov 11 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink B 7:15 pm MST Thu, Nov 12 NAX IHA (U17 Prep) WinSport - Rink C 9:15 am MST Fri, Nov 27 Edge NAX Dale Fisher Arena 7:30 pm MST Sat, Nov 28 NAX Edge River Cree Twin Rinks 2:00 pm MST Sun, Nov 29 Edge NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 11:00 am MST

Female U18 Prep The Female U18 Prep team played their first two games at the end of October/start of November.

Unfortunately, due to self isolation instructions for AHS they were unable to practice leading up to their very first weekend. This was an eye opener for many of the NAX players as they played the current CSSHL champions. The pace of the game was difficult for the group to step into and took four periods of play to understand the speed and be able to execute at that level.

One-on-one meetings were facilitated as the staff identified strengths and weakness of the team and the individual players within it. After three practices focused on compete and eliminating time/space and quick transitions, the group took another loss, but for portions of the game were able to show improvement.

The team and staff have been able to reflect and identify what they need to focus on moving forward into their next set of games vs SAHA.

Prior to isolation the team spent a full week on powerplay and penalty kill concepts.

Here is how the November schedule looks for the Female U18 Prep team: Date Away Home Location Time Fri, Nov 6 Edge NAX River Cree Twin Rinks 11:30 am MST

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