The Junior Everblades announce the hiring of Goaltending Development Coach Mike Buckley and the GDS Elite Development Program.  

A two-time Stanley Cup Champion, Mike has developed over 40 division 1 college goaltenders, 17 professional goalies, and 6 NHL draft picks. During Buckley’s eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he amassed two Stanley Cups and mentored four AHL All-Stars and two AHL rookie of the year award recipients. 

Along with Coach Buckley, Steve Mastalerz will be working with Junior Everblades goalies. Mastalerz, a North Andover, MA native, played collegiately at UMass-Amherst before playing professionally. He is the Vice President of GDS and head instructor.

The GDS Elite program was designed to give goalies the best individual training curriculum for elite organizations. A GDS Elite program has been designed for Junior Everblades goaltenders, utilizing the same formula and structure Mike Buckley uses to develop the area’s top youth, NHL, and collegiate goalies. GDS Elite is designed to bridge the gap between parents, coaches, and goalies to promote long-term success within the Junior Everblades organization.  It will provide coaches and parents with educational tools to get the most out of their development. Buckley’s coaching model involves a systematic approach to positioning and play reading with a significant emphasis on the mental game. Each goaltender will be coached to their strengths and weaknesses, not a cookie-cutter approach.

Please help welcome Coach Mike and Steve to the program this Saturday, August 6th at 4:30 pm for a presentation and Q&A session in the Old Florida Room at Hertz Arena. This will be followed by a free Jr. Everblades goalie clinic at 6:00 pm! Please RSVP to Tony Lessel, tonyl@floridaeverblades.com, no later than Thursday 8/4 at 5:00 pm.