Twin City Thunder head coach and owner Dan Hodge communicates with players on the ice in October 2022 at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
Twin City Thunder owner and USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference team coach Dan Hodge hopes the squad can build off the playoff success that the program has experienced the past few years.
The first step toward that came earlier this week when Hodge saw potential players for the upcoming season this week at the United States Premier Hockey League’s Summer Showcase in Wayne, New Jersey.
“I am looking forward to (the new season). It’s a different year, a different dynamic,” Hodge said. “Semifinals two of the last three years. It’s time to push through it to get to the next level, that’s the goal.”
The Thunder reached the final four this past season, before being swept by the South Shore Kings in the North Division final.
The Summer Showcase involved NCDC organizations in the New England (formerly the North) and Atlantic (formerly the South) divisions. The Thunder had two teams, Green and Black, that played three games apiece, facing squads representing the Jersey Hitmen, Utica Jr. Comets and the Junior Bruins.
Both Thunder teams went 2-1, each losing its opening game to the Jersey Hitmen on Monday morning. Green suffered a 7-0 loss to the Hitmen’s Navy team, and Thunder’s Black team fell 8-1 to the Hitmen’s Carolina team.
Jersey had the benefit of having its main camp last weekend ahead of the Showcase on Monday and Tuesday.
“The Hitmen, they were coming out of their camp, and they had their 40 guys, and they had a strong team, strong showing,” Hodge said. “Obviously, we didn’t do well the first two games, but again, that’s early in the morning, and (the Hitmen) have been there all week, working hard and battling against each other. We were coming in not knowing each other, so the first two games were an enigma, but the last four (games), we had some good opportunities and good showings.”
Thunder’s Black team squeaked by Utica’s White team 6-5 on Monday afternoon and defeated the Junior Bruins’ Light team 5-1 on Tuesday. The Green defeated Utica’s Dark team 3-2 Monday afternoon and the following day beat the Junior Bruins’ Dark team 8-0.
Hodge said returning forwards Nolan Leonard, James Tatro and Pat Last had impressive showings.
Pierce and Cole Blaeser also impressed Hodge. Pierce spent time with the Thunder’s Tier III Premier League team and Tier II NCDC team last year, while Cole played for St. John’s Prep in Massachusetts.
“The Blaeser brothers, it’s funny how they are so different in their dynamic, but they are similar players, they both work really hard,” Hodge said. “It was good to see them kind of play off one another.”
Defensively, Cameron Quigley from Tilton Academy in New Hampshire and Liam O’Donoghue of the Richmond Generals, of the USPHL Premier League, stood out to Hodge.
“He’s a smaller, craftier (defenseman),” Hodge said of Quigley. “Liam O’Donoghue had a good showing. There are guys that are going to be battling, and it’s one of those situations where that’s what camp is for.”
Goaltender Brendan Carberry, a fourth-round pick in April’s NCDC draft, also made an impression.
“He’s very good. He’s a smaller goalie, very athletic,” Hodge said.
Carberry, a 17-year-old from Plymouth, Massachusetts, had a busy week. He started last weekend at the Maine Nordiques main camp in Exeter, New Hampshire, before joining the Thunder for the summer showcase on Monday and Tuesday. Maine Nordiques coach Nick Skerlick said Carberry did great at their camp.
Hodge said all the goalies bounced back after struggling in the opening games against the Jersey Hitmen.
“The first games were really hard to judge,” Hodge said. “They all got better as you went along; that’s what you want to see.”
Next up for Hodge is looking at more players at this weekend’s Chowder Cup in Massachusetts and then the Thunder’s main camp Aug. 17-20 in Marietta, Georgia.
“We want to expand the look; there’s a lot of kids in that area and we want to take a look at as many kids as possible,” Hodge said of main camp. “There’s a lot of saturation up here with camps. So, it’s a situation we can get out of the area and go down there and get our team, get back up here, and have training camp.”
Training camp will begin at Norway Savings Bank Arena on Labor Day weekend. The Thunder will have to get their roster to 23 players by their first regular season game on Sept. 30 against the Rockets Hockey Club.
BUSINESS AGREEMENT WITH MADHATTERS
Hodge has entered into a business agreement with the owners of the Atlanta Madhatters of Marietta, Georgia, who play in the USPHL’s Tier III Premier League. Hodge will remain the sole owner of the Thunder.
The agreement does give him some help running the Thunder program.
“To be honest, you can’t run this thing as one person,” Hodge said. “It’s too big, and in order to get where you have to be, you have to have a good staff. These guys down there that we have come to an agreement with, they are helping us.
“… I am excited about it. They are great business people, and they are great hockey people.”
Hodge brought the Thunder to Norway Savings Bank Arena along with former St. Dom’s state championship-winning goalie Ben Gray as an expansion Premier League franchise for the start of the 2018-19 season. The Thunder were awarded an NCDC franchise for the 2019-20 season.
Gray sold his share to Hodge after the 2020-21 season, and Auburn’s Cam Robichaud became a co-owner in 2021. Robichaud sold his stake in the Thunder in early April to take the head coaching position with the expansion New Hampshire Mountain Kings of the North American Hockey League.
“We are trying to make this thing what it’s supposed to be,” Hodge said. “We are now five, six years into it, and it’s time to reset and get back at it and build it the way it should. We have had some hits, and we have had some misses. Now it’s time to capitalize on our positives and move on from the negatives.”
Hodge will again have former St. Dom’s standout Caleb Labrie as an assistant coach this year.
Hodge said it has not yet been decided if the Thunder will field a Premier League team this season.
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