OUR COACHES

Professional hockey player with 8 seasons of experience, including over 500 games in the AHL and ECHL. Prior to his professional career, Ty began his junior career in the USHL, where he played for one season, followed by three seasons in OHL, where he played in over 200 games. With the foundation of being an inaugural Pittsburgh Predator, he has proudly given his time as a player and representative to the organization. In addition to playing for the Predators, Ty spent his freshman & sophomore years of high school playing for the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils varsity team, where he was a member of the undefeated 2006 PA State Championship team while leading the PIHL in scoring. As a lifelong student of the game, Ty has helped countless players launch and advance their careers with exposure to high-level hockey and off ice training. This unrivaled access to a facility has allowed many professional players and hundreds of elite players from the area to base their off season training at the Ice Castle. Combined with a relentless pursuit of development, Ty’s work ethic, love of the game and creativity provides young players with the tools necessary to reach their athletic goals. Ty currently is the Director of Hockey Operations for the Pittsburgh Predators in additon to coaching. In the summer months, Ty also plays in 3ICE - Team Mullen (2022) and Team Carbonneau (2023).  Last summer, Ty founded the Ice Castle 3v3 Elite League which features high level current & former professional, collegiate and junior hockey players and the Ice Castle Prospects league which showcases collegiate, junior and midget AAA players.

• Former Pittsburgh Predator (2001-2006) and Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil (2004-2006)
• PA High School State Champion and PIHL Scoring Leader (2005-2006)
• Junior Hockey: 3 Years and Captain with the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) (2007-2010); Chicago Steel (USHL)(2006-2007)
• NHL Rookie Camps: Pittsburgh Penguins (2008) Columbus Blue Jackets (2009 and 2010)
• NHL Training Camp: Columbus Blue Jackets (2009 and 2010)
• AHL: Syracuse Crunch, Springfield Falcons, Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Hamilton Bulldogs, Iowa Wild
• ECHL: Reading Royals, Wheeling Nailers, Orlando Solar Bears, Atlanta/Gwinnett Gladiators
• ECHL: Gwinnett Gladiators 10 Year Anniv. Team 2013
• ECHL: Silver Skater All-Star (2011-2012 & 2015-2016)
• Assistant Captain Orlando Solar Bears (2013-2014)
• Assistant Captain Gwinnett Gladiators (2014-2015)
• Assistant Captain Atlanta Gladiators (2015-2017)
• 3ICE Bryan Trottier League MVP Finalist & Patrick Cup Championship Finalist (2022)

Mason has been a lifelong contributor to the family business at the Ice Castle, which has included developing and maintaining IC Fitness and Ty-M-Up Hockey Supplies. He is an inaugural Pittsburgh Predator and spent his entire amateur career with the organization since the Ice Castle opened in 2001. During his high school years he also played varsity hockey for the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils. At the Junior A level, he is a graduate of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) with Corpus Christi and Port Huron. He also attended Major Junior training camp in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Saginaw Spirit and London Knights. In the summer of 2022, Mason was added to the 3ICE tour. Mason has coached continuously since 2011 for both IC Hockey and the Pittsburgh Predators. He has collaborated with Coach Ty to build the on and off ice training regimen since the program’s inception. He has also created content for IC Hockey that generated over 7 million views on YouTube.

Nicholas is an 8 year professional with 374 games of experience. He spent his last season with HK Budapest in the Erste Liga and the prior season in Austria with the Vienna Capitals. Nicholas won a championship in the previous season with DVTK in Hungary. He also was an assistant coach at the U14 and U16 levels in addition to playing in both of these organizations. In North America, he played in the ECHL, CHL, and SPHL and prior to his professional career as a student-athlete at UW-Eau Claire while earning an economics degree. A graduate of Mt Lebanon High School he played 2 years of Junior A in Ontario after playing AAA for the Pittsburgh Hornets and Vipers. He has coached extensively across Pittsburgh in the off-seasons from 2010-2018 during his playing career and continued for years after to date. Nicholas has been coaching and developing players with IC Hockey since the program's inception. Also, Nick has coached in the Pittsburgh Predators organization over the last six seasons in addition to two seasons with Mt. Lebanon High School.

Alexander "Zander" Kuqali currently plays profressional hockey in the United Kingdom for the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL, where hes has spent the past three seasons. In the off-season, Zander is a lead instructor at IC Hockey camps and clinics in addition to private lessons and playing in the Ice Castle 3v3 Elite League. Prior to playing in Coventry, Zander played five full seasons in the ECHL. Prior to his professional career, Zander played at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) Division I NCAA hockey where he was team captain his senior season and an assistant captian in his junior season. Prior to his collegiate career, Zander played junior hockey in the USHL (2009-2012) and NAHL (2008-2009). Zander was an inaugural Pittsburgh Predator and a member of the first Predator team to advance to the Tier I USA Hockey National Championship (2006-2007) after he was called up to the 18U AAA team from the 16U AAA team earlier that season.

Jake has been coaching with IC Hockey for the past 7 years. Jake began coaching while attending and playing college hockey at Indiana University of Pennsylvania during the off-season. He joined the development staff full-time in 2022 in addition to assistant coaching AAA hockey with the Pittsburgh Predators. In addition to coaching with the Predators, Jake has been an off-ice trainer with the organization. Jake played his midget AAA hockey with Pittsburgh Selects (2015-2017) and Chartiers Valley varsity team (2014-2017). After high school and prior to college, Jake played in the NJPHL, NA3HL and USPHL Premier leagues.

Mark recently joined our team and trains high level athletes at IC Fitness, located on the second floor of the Ice Castle. Mark has extensive experience as a Strength & Conditioning Coach. Has over ten years of skating and skills coaching, specializing in return to play skating mechanics. He has a long list of impressive clients that includes NHL, AHL, ECHL, KHL, collegiate, junior and AAA players. He also currently is the S&C Coach with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL where he has worked for four seasons previously. Prior to working with the Nailers last season, Mark worked with the Florida Panthers in the NHL in 2022-2023 as the team made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. Mark is a Precision Nutrition certifed coach, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist and Bachelor of Exercise Science from California University of PA.

Adam joined IC Hockey after a long career as a Head Equipment Manager for 11 seasons in the ECHL, CHL, SPHL and USHL. In addition to on-ice lessons and coaching IC Hockey tournament teams, Adam joined the Pittsburgh Predators as a head coach last season and currently is the head coach of both the 2010 AA and 2011 AA teams at the Predators in addition to assisting with the AAA teams. Adam is also currently a Scout with the Madison Capitols of the USHL.

Carter graduated from Long Island University where he played NCAA Division I hockey for the past two seasons. Prior to attending LIU, Carter attended and played two seasons at Air Force Academy. After his playing career, Carter coached IC Hockey events throughout the on and off seasons. He also coached at the AAA level for the Pittsburgh Predators.  In addition to his collegiate playing experience, Carter played four years of junior hockey for the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL and the Janesville Jets of the NAHL. Carter played his amateur hockey for the Pittsburgh Predators, Pittsburgh Hornets, Esmark Stars and Peters Township Varsity team. Carter currently assists with our summer clinics over the off-season.