About JBHT
The Staff
JOHN "BUZZ" BAZZACHINI
After two years of Division I hockey at the Air Force Academy and two years at St. John's University in Collegeville, Buzz ended his playing career with a tremendous desire to coach and work with young hockey players.
Buzz coached boy’s hockey for over 17 years at the high school level. He spent a year at Hamline University as the Assistant Coach for the Men’s Team. He will begin his 6th season as Head Coach of the St. Olaf College Women's hockey team where he led the Ole’s to their fourth trip to the MIAC play-offs last year. Buzz was voted 2006-07 MIAC Coach of the Year.
As a student of the game, Buzz was discouraged by the lack of fundamental skills being taught at the youth levels of hockey. As a result, Buzz began John Bazzachini's Hockey Training. Since 1986 he has built his business and is currently running out of three different arenas in the Twin Cities area. The growth of the schools is directly related to the ongoing emphasis of teaching the fundamental skills correctly and teaching those skills in combination with sprint interval drills that will increase strength and speed.
Buzz has assembled a staff of top players and coaches who have not only played at a high level of hockey, but have the ability to teach. Buzz sets the curriculum and is on the ice with every session, every day, throughout the summer. He is joined on the ice by a second Head Coach and a minimum of two Assistants.
JACK BLATHERWICK
I have known Jack since 1983 and credit him with inspiring me to train young athletes in the proper mechanics of skating, the development of speed and the use of dry land training to enhance on-ice technique.
As the foremost authority on training for hockey, Jack will be consulting our program on both our on-ice and dry land training curriculum. He will also be conducting a classroom session for our coaches and participants to introduce them to his new DVD entitled Skating Practice For Hockey and making the DVD available to our participants.
Jack holds a Ph.D. in physiology from the University of Minnesota. He is a physiologist for the Washington Capitals, and has held the same post for the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers and Minnesota North Stars. He was also a coach/physiologist on the U.S. Olympic hockey teams in 1980, '84 '88, '92 and '94.
Jack has authored several articles on training, hockey, and coaching philosophy. He is the author of one of the most widely read hockey books, Overspeed, and is a columnist for Let's Play Hockey.
RYAN MCKELVIE
After completing his second season as Graduate Assistant Coach at Bemidji State University, Ryan was named the Associate Head Coach of the Wenatchee Junior A hockey franchise of the NAHL for the 2008-09 season. Ryan just completed his second season, making it to the national tournament this year.
Before joining the staff at Bemidji, he was a three time Alternate Captain for the Minnesota State Mavericks at Mankato. He will continue in our summer program as part of the Head Coaching staff.
Ryan played two years in the AWHL for the Bozeman Icedogs before joining Mankato. The Icedogs captured the AWHL regular season title in 2001-02... Ryan played only 18 games and recorded 10 goals and 10 assists (had injury problems that caused him to miss 4 months) ...Accounted for 20 goals and 17 assists in 60 games with Bozeman in 2000-01...
As a Senior Captain at Irondale High School in 1999-01, was their leading scorer with 20 goals and 19 assists in 15 games... Two-time all-conference pick.... Selected to the Minnesota Great Eight All-Star Game as well as the all-conference team.
ZACH MCKELVIE
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Zach graduated from West Point in 2009.
Zach won the prestigious Army Athletic Association Award, given to cadets who display the most valuable service to intercollegiate athletics during their career as a cadet. He is the only player in West Point history to be a 2 time AHA First Team Allstar. He was also named the AHA's Defensemen of the Year. Last season with Army, he skated in 33 games, scored a career-best 5 goals, added 12 assists and matched a personal high with 17 points.
In the Spring of 2009, he signed a contract with the Boston Bruins and was slated to attend their training camp in the fall of 2009. The military agreed to give Zach two years to pursue a professional career, however, the DOD later made the determination to not grant his deferment. Zach is currently serving his military duty in Georgia and will likely be deployed to Iraq in the fall of 2010.
Zach ended his Army career by being a 4 year letterwinner, appearing in 134 games and amassing 56 points. West Point describes Zach as a "fantastic skater, tough, physical player, hates to lose, great role model...leads by example, made an impact since freshman year."
Before West Point, Zach played two years of Junior A hockey for the Bozeman Ice Dogs in Montana after his high school career in New Brighton for Irondale High School. He was coached by John Bazzachini and was named All Conference and selected to be a part of the Advanced Select 17's and Great 8 teams.
Whenever Zach is home, he usually stops in to get some ice time at BUZZHOCKEY or catch up with the some of the kids. Zach began skating in BUZZHOCKEY when he was a mite. Beginning in high school, he worked on staff with his brothers, Ryan and Chris for several years. Even though he's only a "part-timer", Zach will always be a part of the BUZZHOCKEY family!
CHRIS MCKELVIE
2010 was a pretty good year for Chris. He graduated from Bemidji State, was married in May of 2010 and signed a minor league pro contract with the Hartford Wolf Pack of AHL (minor league affiliate of the New York Rangers). Chris was also one of 32 men and women selected to compete in the 2010 Frozen Four Skills Competition, however, he was unable to participate due to his signing a pro contract. Chris will be with us for another summer starting June 14, then will be leaving for Connecticut in late summer to begin his pro career.
Chris was a 2 time Captain of the Bemidji State team last season. He played in the Frozen Four in the 2008-09 season after the Beavers defeated Notre Dame and Cornell in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Men's Divison 1 Championships. Beavers' Coach Tom Serratore says Chris was the team's fastest skater using his speed to create scoring chances for himself.
Previous to playing D1 hockey, Chris was the Co–Captain of the Bozeman ICEDOGS. In 2005–06, he led the team on and off the ice, and was second on the team in scoring. Chris played a big part in Bozeman’s 20 game winning streak and was a key player on the power play and penalty kill.
Chris is a great role model. He has exceptional speed and hands. He has been on our staff for the past eight seasons and motivates and inspires young players to work hard and push themselves to their next level of ability.
KEVIN GORG
Kevin Gorg was the winning goaltender on the 1985 State Championship team for Burnsville High School after which he played a full season for the Des Moines Buccaneers. Kevin played from 1987-90 at the University of St. Thomas where he was All-Conference his final two seasons and won three conference titles. Kevin returned to St. Thomas in 1991 as a Graduate Assistant for Terry Skrypek as the Head JV Coach and Varsity Goalie Coach. He left St. Thomas to head back to Burnsville to coach the Boys High School team. After two seasons with Burnsville, Kevin moved to MoundView to coach the boys high school team for three seasons. Finally, in 1998 Kevin was named the first Head Coach for the University of St. Thomas Women’s hockey program. He held this job nine seasons posting a 143-75-13 record, including two M.I.A.C. Championships.
Kevin just finished his third season as a hockey analyst for FSN North, covering the Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Gophers and local high school hockey. Kevin also just returned to the bench as an Assistant Coach at St. Olaf this past season.
JAKE HANSEN
Jake Hansen joins us this summer after completing his sophomore season playing for the Gophers. Jake competed in 38 of 39 games, scoring seven goals over seven different contests. Three of his seven goals were the first goal of the game. Jake played both left wing and right wing and appeared on all four lines during the season. He was also named to the WCHA All-Academic team and earned his second letter this season.
Jake played two seasons with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL and was ranked second on the team and ninth in the league in scoring during 2007-08 season. Jake played high school hockey at White Bear Lake and we are happy to have him part of the staff this season!
LINDSAY VAUGHAN
Lindsey will be returning to our head coaching staff this summer.
JOE CARNEY
Joe Carney will be back for his fourth as an assistant coach for Buzzhockey.
BREANNA JOHNSON
Breanna has been on staff for the past four seasons and will return again this summer after completing her junior year at St. Olaf College. Breanna will be a Senior Captain for the 2010-11 Oles.
Breanna has developed into one of the top penalty killers in the MIAC and played an integral part in St. Olaf's return to the playoffs this past season. Breanna is a terrific two way player with great speed and a good shot. Her work ethic and attitude are second to none.
Breanna played for Wayzata high school and was the Trojans Captain in her senior year.
LAUREN ZUREK
Lauren will return to BUZZHOCKEY this summer after completing her junior year playing hockey at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. She is majoring in Biology and is a Junior Advisor for the class of 2013. She hopes to attend medical school after graduating from Williams.
Lauren was a three year letter winner for Wayzata High School and the Captain of the Trojans (with Breanna Johnson) in her senior year. Lauen is a terrific defensemen with superior skating skills. Her speed and agility are assets that make her very good defensively, and a threat offensively.
