Hockey / Utica Comets' Robert Esche to Coach 2018 Syracuse Stars Pee Wee Team

Utica Comets' Robert Esche to Coach 2018 Syracuse Stars Pee Wee Team

Date:  Source: Syracuse Stars

 

 

 

Syracuse Stars Announce Coaching Staff for 2018 Pee Wee Quebec Tournament Team

 

 

The Syracuse Stars are pleased to announce our coaching staff for the 59th annual International Pee Wee Hockey Tournament in Quebec held in February 2018. The team will be comprised of 2005 birth year players from Central New York. The highly selective tournament hosts 150 teams from all over the world during the Carnaval de Quebec in Quebec City. The tournament offers over 200,000 fans annually their first chance to watch future pros compete as pee wees. Hundreds of former participants in the tournament have progressed to the NHL, including Guy Lafleur, Adam Graves, and former Stars, Brian Gionta, and Tim Connolly.

 

For the second consecutive year, Robert Esche will serve as head coach. A Whitesboro, NY native, Esche had an impressive NHL career playing for the Phoenix Coyotes from 1998 to 2002 and for the Philadelphia Flyers from 2002 to 2007. Esche represented the United States in international play on several occasions, including the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino. Esche currently serves as the President of the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League. Additionally, Rob is the head coach of the 2005 Utica Jr. Comets pee wee team.

 

Adam Pawlick will return as an assistant coach for the squad. A former player at Clarkson University who turned pro, Adam currently works on staff for the AHL Utica Comets. Pawlick also serves as the Assistant Coach for the Utica Jr. Comets 2005 team. Esche has already begun rounding out the coaching staff, with the appointment of Patrice Robitaille. “Don, Adam, and I have a lot of respect for Patrice, who competed at Clarkson University as well as professionally, and I feel he will bring a high hockey IQ and level of integrity to the team."

 

“It’s an honor to be able to coach a team at this tournament again,” said Esche. “I want to thank Don and the Stars for their faith and trust in me, and for the opportunity to return to the tournament with the knowledge we learned this past year.” Esche, who partnered with Don Kirnan of the Syracuse Stars to organize this year’s team, is already looking forward to the tournament next year. “One thing we learned this year is how beneficial it is for these kids to start playing together at the beginning of the season, rather than just a couple of weeks before,” he recalled.

 

There is a tremendous amount of excitement around the formation of the Syracuse Stars Quebec Pee Wee team. "The tournament is a 'once in a lifetime experience' for the players, coaches, and parents. When you couple that with the opportunity to play for and learn from Rob, Adam, and Patrice, this is going to be a season no one will forget," commented Stars Founder and President Don Kirnan.

 

The Stars will be announcing tryout opportunities for the Quebec Pee Wee in the coming weeks.