NORTH JERSEY AVALANCHE
JOHN MUSTARD
AN AVALANCHE OF SUCCESS
IT WAS LATER SUMMER IN 2013 when the Avalanche hockey office received an email from a Sheldon Mustard mentioning that his family would be moving from Ontario to New Jersey in the Fall — Sheldon was reaching out to see if their son, John, would be able to find a Mite hockey team to play on for the upcoming season. At that point, hockey tryouts had been completed for nearly seven months, and all of the Avalanche teams were already picked. Since the Mustard family wouldn’t be moving until the end of September, Sheldon mentioned that they’d be willing to drive down earlier so John could be evaluated. Despite the obvious dedication, the hockey office planned to get John on the ice at the beginning of October once the Mustards were officially moved to the States.
John stepped onto the ice at the Ice House for his “evaluation” on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2013. By the following Monday it was official: John Mustard was a member of the Avalanche family.
My time at the Avalanche was amazing. I have not only enhanced my skills and became a better player, I also became a better person, learning how to be a good teammate and a coachable player.
— John Mustard
The Avalanche program prepared me very well to step into a higher level of hockey. The skills that I developed over the years made it a smooth transition to the USHL.
— John Mustard
John, who began in the 8U program and went on to play 10 consecutive years in the Avalanche organization through 16U, has been having an exemplary year — including scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the Chipotle All-American Prospects Game, John has been voted Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 USHL hockey season, along with being drafted 67th overall in the NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. His 60-game award-winning season with the Waterloo Black Hawks included him netting 29 goals and 27 assists for a total of 56 points, where he led the USHL for rookie scoring.
Having played 5 straight years of AAA hockey at 10U, 12U, and 14U, John played a single season at the Bantam AA level after not being selected for the Bantam Major AAA team. Instead of leaving the Avalanche to find another AAA team, John and his family stayed with the program, playing on a competitive Bantam AA for Coach Tom Natoli.
The coaching staff for the 14U AA team was amazing from the beginning … [they] really pushed the team concepts of hockey … totally what John needed at that time. We are tremendously grateful to the coaching staff and fellow families we played with that year for such an amazing season.
Playing 14AA helped John develop different parts of his game that made him a much more well-rounded player. He left 14AA ready to jump back up to the Tier I level with a lot of confidence in his game.
— Sheldon Mustard
— Tom Natoli (Avs 14U AA Head Coach)
Completing the Bantam AA season while leading the team in goals and points, John went on to play two seasons with the Avalanche 15P and 16U AAA teams, where he truly found his stride as a player, again leading the 16U team with both goals and points.
Johnny is dedicated to his craft, extremely coachable and in love with the game - it is no surprise that he has been rewarded for his passion to the game of hockey.
— Anthony Day (Avs 16U AAA Head Coach 22-23)
Congrats to John for all of his success, we are all very proud of him. And congrats to his family for their patience in understanding that player development is a process and is rarely a straight line. His story is truly a lesson for all youth hockey parents: enjoy each year, make great friends, and develop life long memories — if your son or daughter has a love for the game, athletic ability, and the desire to succeed, they will rise to the top.
— Dan May (North Jersey Avalanche President)
Next, John will be heading to Providence College where he will play NCAA Division 1 College Hockey. Yet no matter where John plays hockey, or where the next part of his life and already successful hockey career takes him, he will always be a member of the Avalanche family, and he will always have a home at the Ice House.
For all the younger players with big goals of playing AAA and pursuing hockey at the highest levels, I would emphasize how important it is to stay in the moment and value everyday you have at the rink to enjoy having fun playing the sport you love.
— John Mustard
Avalanche Alumni
Professional
Mustard, John | Waterloo Black Hawks | Providence College | Chicago Blackhawks
Hutson, Lane | USA NTDP | Boston University | Montreal Canadiens
Carroll, Ryan | Tabor Academy | Harvard University | Kalamazoo Wings
Ebert, Nick | Ontario Hockey League | LA Kings
Pesce, Brett | University of New Hampshire | Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils
Radoslovich, Matt | Boston University | Trenton Devils
Ritter, Stephen | Tabor Academy | Providence College | DEL
Division I
Hutson, Cole | USA NTDP | Boston University
Hutson, Quinn | Muskegon Lumberjacks | Boston University
Abruzzese, Nicholas | University of Vermont
Agriogianis, Steven | Delbarton School | USHL | Penn State University
Ammerman, Brittany | NAHA | University of Wisconsin
Ammerman, Brooke | NAHA | University of Wisconsin
Badini, Jack | USHL | Harvard University
Baiocco, John | Yale University
Birdsall, Chris | Boston College
Burns, RJ | EJHL | West Point
Caffrey, Joe | Choate Rosemary Hall | Harvard University
Cameron, Matthew | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Carroccio, Ben | Andover | Yale University
Clare, Kevin | National Team Development Program | University of Michigan
Colvin, Dan | Kent | West Point
Cucci, Joe | Bentley College
DiMurro, Diarmad | Dartmouth College
Goehring, Todd | Sacred Heart University
Grando, Chris | USHL | Boston College
Hagen, Alex | Choate Rosemary Hall | St. Lawrence University
Hampton, Bobby | USHL | Northeastern University
Ivanir, Daniel | Penn State University
Johnstone, Marc | USHL | Sacred Heart University
Jozefek, Grant | Northeastern University
Knowlton, Chris | Des Moines Buccaneers | University of Denver
Kodsi, Cole | Michigan State University
LaScala, Maria | Sacred Heart University
Markison, Colin | Jersey Hitmen | University of Vermont
Matteo, Chris | Penn State University
Melanson, Drew | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Morris, Matt | Dubuque Fighting Saints | University of Maine
Novak, Max | Hill School | Union College
O'Connor, Drew | Delbarton School | Dartmouth College
Orzetti, Charles | Yale University
Palecco, Dante | Yale University
Parker, John | Indiana Ice | Bemidji State University
Privitera, Alexx | National Team Development Program | Boston University
Privitera, Jarrid | The Gunnery School | University of Vermont
Rauter, Alex | Choate Rosemary Hall | Cornell University
Robbins, Justin | Quinnipiac University
Rosenthal, Ryan | Kent School | University of Vermont
Samuelsson, Adam | NTDP | Boston College
Selman, Justin | USHL | University of Michigan
Seyfert, Jordan | Merrimack College
Stephanick, Jason | USHL | SUNY Geneseo
Sternschein, Sam | Cornell University
Stoul, Valerie | NAHA | University of Vermont
Tabakin, Brandon | NTDP | Yale University
Tsangeas, Angelo | Sacred Heart University
Varley, Connor | Penn State University
Wisocky, Evan | USHL | University of Connecticut
Wynne, Conner | Browne University
Wyszomirski, Craig | The Gunnery School | Merrimack College
Yelovich, Anthony | The Gunnery School | Sacred Heart University
Znutas, Mark | Hotchkiss | Holy Cross
Division III
Adams, Dave | Shattuck St. Mary’s | St. Olaf
Barr, Alex | Brighton Academy | Ajax Attack | Curry College
Bertin, Erik | Deerfield Academy | Bowdin College
Bishop, Tyler | UMass - Boston
Bustard, Jordan | UMass - Boston
Carroll, Matt | Salve Regina University
Ciotti, Michael | AJHL | Trinity College
Dipiazza, Carlo | NJ Rockets Jr A | Fitchburg State
Doyle, Matt | Deerfield Academy | Williams College
Goffredo, John | Northwood | Fitchburg State
Janson, Mike | AJHL | Assumption College
Kang, Robert | Andover Academy | St. Anselm
Kinney, Jimmy | Williams College
Kreisinger, Greg | Choate | Hobart College
Latta, Rich | Tabor Academy | UMass - Dartmouth
Leiser, Bobby | Fitchburg State
Lento, John | Cushing | Becker College
Loebs, Sean | Fitchburg State
Lunau, Steve | Williams College
McKillop, Liam | AJHL | St. Anselm
Moore, Drew | Framingham
Perrone, Jenn | Trinity College
Pencinger, Daniel | Suffolk University
Pesce, Tom | Middlebury College
Rausch, Joe | Choate Rosemary Hall | Hamilton College
Redvanly, Andrew | Suffolk University
Rigtrup, Matt | Trinity Pawling | St. Michael’s
Rinaldi, Vinny | Salisbury | Utica College
Soto, Edgar | Johnson and Wales
Spencer, Ian | Nichols College
Stephanik, Jason | SUNY Geneseo
ACHA
Addeo, Vincent | Rutgers University
Androulakis, Chris | University of Delaware
Apidopoulos, Adam | William Paterson University
Apidopoulos, Mark | William Paterson University
Balance, Joe | Montclair State University
Beckman, Lance | William Paterson University
Boniface, Larry | Villanova University
Boomhower, Carl | EJHL | University of Scranton
Calendrillo, Evan | Montclair State University
Celentano, Steve | William Paterson University
Cocozzo, Phil | Connecticut Clippers | University of Rhode Island
Deckenback, Kris | Stony Brook
DiPiazza, PJ | Westchester University
Drago, Jonathan | University of Maryland - Baltimore
Fortino, Jason | William Paterson University
Franzone, Jason | Trinity Pawling | William Paterson University
Garlasco, Kyle | William Paterson University
Jones, Bob | Loyola College
Keough, Tom | EJHL | University of Delaware
Kim, Michael | Hamilton Redwings Jr A | William Paterson University
LaCorte, Ryan | William Paterson University
Lang, Jordan | William Paterson University
Lang, Tyler | Metro Moose Jr A | Wagner College
Latta, Andrew | Tabor Academy | Montclair State University
Latta, Richard | Montclair State University
L'Heureux, Gary | William Paterson University
May, Jason | Trinity Pawling | University of Rhode Island
May, Luke | Choate Rosemary Hall | College of New Jersey
Moy, Don | Army
McDermott, Jason | William Paterson University
Melvin, Ryan | Canterbury | William Paterson University
Negron, Matt | Boston College
O’Brien, Mike | NJ Hitmen | University of Rhode Island
O’Connell, Ian | William Paterson University
Ottstadt, John | William Paterson University
Pirovano, Michael | Montclair State University
Randazzo, Anthony | Trinity Pawling | University of Rhode Island
Sisti, Brian | Siena College
Siuofas, Nick | University of Delaware
Sotsky, Eric | Westchester Universty
Sowinski, Daniel | Sacred Heart University
Tellian, Michael | AJHL | William Paterson University
Vuoncino, Matt | Marquette University
Whitford, Matt | William Paterson University
Zisa, Greg | William Paterson University
Prep/Junior
Carlisle, Chris | Ontario Hockey League
Case, Daniel | Kent School
Crawley, Brandon | Ontario Hockey League | London Knights
Dipiazza, Carlo | NJ Rockets Jr A
Doyle, Matt | Deerfield Academy
Ganss, John John | Taft
Kang, Robert | Tabor Academy
Kennedy, Michael | Hill School
Latta, Andrew | Tabor Academy
Liautaud, Greg | Canterbury
Malysa, Nick | Plymouth Whalers Jr A
McGurdy, Myles | QMJHL
Moore, Brandon | Trinity Pawling | Philly Revolution
Piccinich, JJ | Ontario Hockey League | London Knights
Roche, TJ | Kent School
Thoubboron, Jake | Deerfield Academy
Vorel, Elliott | Milton Academy
Decade Club
Players
The North Jersey Avalanche 'Decade Club' honors and congratulates those players and their families that have been with the organization for 10 years or more. What a fantastic accomplishment. We are so appreciative of your dedication and commitment.
Decade Club
Coaches
It is with great pride that we honor the following 26 coaches into the North Jersey Avalanche's Coaching Staff Decade Club. Whether it was a Learn to Play clinic or taking a team to victory at the US Nationals, many of them simply started out as volunteers with their own children on the ice. We thank you for your dedication to the organization and honor your ongoing commitment to the hundreds of players who are proud to wear the North Jersey Avalanche uniform.
Bryan Amico
John Amico
Carl Antifonario
Jeff Auger
Dave Caminiti
Glenn Carlough
Colin Church
Chris Curtiss
Tom Duhamel
Erich Fleischmann
Ryan Gibbons
Joe Griffo
Pete LaMonica
Tim Lindis
Kyle Long
Ben Mattessich
Brian May
Dan May
Eric May
Jason May
John Picinic
Tom Preville
Rick Proot
Larry Robbins
Brian Sharkey
Rob Vizard
Tom Vizard