Robert Kirchner

Rob Vanwynsberghe otherwise know to his teammates as Vanny hails from the City of London, Ontario.  Growing up in Southwest Ontario, he was the typical Canadian boy; playing hockey at an early age, worked his way up to playing Junior hockey ranks, which is an elite level of hockey for boys between the ages of 16 to 20.  What makes Rob’s story different than most Canadian boys, who turn professional at either the age of 20 or 21, is Rob began his professional playing career last season at the age of 27.  In any league, it is hard to find a 27 year old “rookie.”

With his Junior career over at the tender age of 20, there were professional hockey teams interested in Rob, after playing hockey most of his life, he decided to take a complete year off from playing hockey.  During this time Rob began his university studies, first taking business courses at a local university in Canada, then transferring to Liberty University in Virginia, where he completed bachelor’s degree in business.  While at Liberty he regained his passion for the game, playing for the ACHA Division 1 School.  Again, professional hockey offers came, but Rob was interested in utilizing his business degree and returned home to Canada, where he managed a furniture store in his hometown of London, Ontario.

While working full-time, and establishing himself in the business community, he became a part-time player for a local Senior A hockey team. (For those not aware of senior hockey in Canada, at one time, the senior team that won the prestigious Allan Cup was the representative for Canada in the Olympics and world championships up through the early 1960s).  He kept his hand in competitive hockey, but for the most part he found himself spending more time in the gym working out, than on the ice.  Keeping in shape, probably gave Rob the longevity to get into professional hockey at a later age.

Prior to the beginning of last season, Rob began rethinking the opportunities he was still getting from coaches in professional hockey.  Although successful in his business career, he decided that if he was ever going to play professional hockey, it would have to be now, because at the age of 27, there would probably be not many offers to play in the future.

The 2013-2014 had Rob dividing his time between four teams.  He attended camp and made the roster for the Danbury Whalers played 13 games for them while scoring 13 points, however he was waived, although scoring a point a game.  Danville picked up the talented forward immediately, this time playing 11 games for the Dashers scoring 6 points.  In late January, Coach Trevor Karasiewicz made some roster moves and traded for the 6 foot, 2 inch, 200 pound power forward, finding immediate results with Vanwynsberghe in the Demonz line-up.  The center/left wing added speed to the Demonz, and created more time and space for the Federal Hockey League’s leading scorer Ahmed Mahfouz.  But Vanwynsberghe would play himself out of the Demonz line-up by scoring 36 points in just 17 games, and the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) offered and signed Rob to a contract where he would finish the season with Peoria Rivermen of the SPHL.  The Demonz loss was the Rivermen’s gain, as Rob would add depth to the Rivermen, and helping them attain a SPHL play-off spot.

This season, his second professional hockey season, Rob decided he would like to play for one team and signed with the Dayton Demonz during the summer, just prior to training camp.  When asked what attracted him to the Demonz, he stated “I played here last year and I really enjoy the guys on the team”, Rob went on to say he enjoys playing for coach Trevor Karasiewicz stating “Trevor is a fair coach who expects his players to compete every game, he relates to the players very well, and the players will go to the wall for him.”  When asked what Rob brings to the team, assistant coach Jack Collins said “Rob is a big body, has a high hockey IQ, moves the puck well, and has nice speed” describing the team’s power forward. So, we welcome back Vanny with great expectation and look forward to his strengths on the ice.

Photo Credit: Josie Colwell.