Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Former Metro goalie Williams being watched by NHL


Courtesy NA3HL.com 

Devin Williams, a former goalie in both the North American Prospects Hockey League and the North American 3 Hockey League, has been selected to the 2013-14 NHL Central Scouting Futures List.

The selection comes after Williams, 17, spent the entire 2012-13 season with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League.

The NHL Central Scouting Futures List is a preliminary list that highlights future ‘A’ and ‘B’ rated players, who are projected to go in the first three rounds of the 2014 NHL Draft. The 2014 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 27-28, 2014, and will be hosted by the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Williams played the 2010-11 season in the NAPHL for the Motor City Metal Jackets 16U team, putting up a 2.17 GAA over 10 games during the regular season. After being a late cut at the end of the Erie training camp, Williams continued his development, starting the 2011-12 season with the Metro Jets of the NA3HL. While playing with the Jets, Williams went 9-9-0 with a 3.88 GAA and a .896 save percentage in 19 games.

Williams was first called up to Erie in early October and served as a backup for Erie starter Tyson Teichmann. When Teichmann was traded at the OHL trade deadline in January, Williams was up for good with Erie and got a win in his first start beating the Sudbury Wolves 7-4 on January 28, 2012.

In his first full season with the Otters in 2012-13, Williams played 33 games, attaining an 8-17-1 record with a 4.64 GAA.

Accolades are nothing new for Williams as he has been selected to many prestigious teams such as the gold medal-winning USA-17 team at the 2011 Under-17 Five Nations tournament and was also selected to the 18U USA team that participated in the 2012 Ivan Hlinka Memorial tournament, in which he shared the net with another former NAPHL goalie, Thatcher Demko.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Jets and Fitness 19 come to working agreement


WATERFORD, Mich. – The Metro Jets are aiming to have a talented team this coming season in the North American 3 Hockey League.

They’re also looking to be the most fit squad in all of the NA3HL and with today’s announcement that the team has come to an agreement with Fitness 19 in Commerce Township to train at their facility during the 2013-14 season, the Jets are well on their way.

“We would like to thank the staff at Fitness 19 for working with us on this agreement and look forward to working with them once our players get to town,” said Metro GM Butch Wolfe. “Having our players in the best shape they can possibly be is a philosophy I share with our coaching staff and with this working agreement with Fitness 19, the players will have more than adequate access to all the training tools they need.”

Jets’ players will be going to the gym twice a week as a team with supervised training by the coaching staff and Fitness 19 staff.

For more information on the Fitness 19 Commerce Township location, click HERE.

The Jets continue to gear up for their 25th junior hockey season in 2013-14. The team’s main tryout camp is scheduled for August 9-11 at Lakeland Arena in Waterford.

Follow the Jets all season long at their official website, on Twitter and on Facebook.

Friday, July 12, 2013

And the accolades continue for ex-Jets' goalie Nedeljkovic

Courtesy NA3HL.com 

It has been quite a year for former Metro Jets' goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

The netminder from Parma, Ohio, who appeared in nine games in the NA3HL with the Jets during the 2012-13 regular season, just had two incredible honors to add to his growing list of accomplishments.

Nedeljkovic, 17, is one of 21 players, a just two goalies, who participated at the USA Hockey Boys’ Select 17 Player Development Camp that have been chosen for the U.S. Under-18 Select Team that will compete at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament Aug. 5-10 in Breclav, Czech Republic, and Piestany, Slovakia. The Boys’ Select 17 Player Development Camp took place from June 28-July 3 at the Northtown Center at Amherst in Williamsville, N.Y.

Following the National Team announcement, Nedeljkovic was then listed as a part of the 2013-14 NHL Central Scouting Futures list. The NHL Central Scouting Futures List is a preliminary list that highlights future ‘A’ and ‘B’ rated players, who are projected to go in the first three rounds of the 2014 NHL Draft. The 2014 NHL Draft is scheduled for June 27-28, 2014 as will be hosted by the Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

It capped off quite a year for Nedeljkovic, who spent the majority of the season playing in the major junior Ontario Hockey League for the Plymouth Whalers. Not only did Nedelkjovic make the first-team OHL Rookie Team, but he was also named as the Whalers Rookie of the Year, posting a 2.28 goals-against average and a. 923 save percentage in 26 games.

He was also named the Whalers high school Academic Player of the Year. Nedeljkovic spent the majority if November and December with the Jets in the NA3HL. He made an immediate impact as he was named as the NA3HL Goaltender of the Month in November.

He was in goal for all four of the Jets wins in November as he posted a perfect 4-0 record along with a .942 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average. During the month of November, he stopped 129 of a possible 137 shots on goal. He went on to play five more games in the NA3HL during December and January.

In total, he posted a 5-3-0 record with a 2.49 goals against average and a .933 save percentage.

Jets head coach Jason Cirone said that it is all part of the learning and growth process for the young Nedeljkovic.

“He was in our league to get some experience and he faced quite a few shots in the games he played,” said Cirone. “I think our team fed off his confidence while he was here and everyone played a little more inspired. I think he brought a certain level of exposure to the team. He has a very bright future ahead of him that hopefully one day, includes playing in the NHL.”