The Green Bay Gamblers are set to hit the ice for their 30th year of competition in the United States Hockey League. Since their inaugural season in 1994, the Gamblers have been a model of success, raising the Clark Cup four times, while being one of the largest draws in junior hockey in North America.
Head Coach Mike Leone returns for his 2nd season behind the Gamblers bench. In his first year, Leone led the Gamblers resurgence, as the team accomplished the following:
• Nine (9) more regular season wins than the previous year (2021-22)
• 20 more regular season points than the previous year (2021-22)
• Most points (71) since the 2016-2017 season
• Most wins (32) since the 2016-2017 season
• First playoff home game since 2018
Expectations are sky high for this season and for good reason. Roster features six NHL draft picks, 15 players with USHL experience and several high-end newcomers. Players report to Green Bay on September 1 for a 3-week training camp. Roster finalized prior to the team’s regular season opener at the Fall Classic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Thursday, September 21. Stay tuned to the Gamblers website and social media platforms for the roster and exhibition game schedule.
With Gamblers Assistant Coach Jimmy Spratt leaving to become the assistant coach at Northern Michigan University, the team was in the market for both a new assistant and goalie coach. Leone did not need to look far, hiring former St. Norbert standout Mason Baptista and Green Bay native Chris Nell. Baptista will focus on skill development and specialty teams and Nell will work with the goaltenders, which includes 2023 Chicago Blackhawks 2nd round pick Adam Gajan.
In other coaching news, the Gamblers promoted Pat McCadden to Associate Head Coach. McCadden, who is in his second year with the organization, captained the Gamblers to the 2010 Clark Cup. McCadden was also a teammate of Baptista at St. Norbert.
On the business side, the Gamblers hired Ryan Cuniff to serve as the team’s Business Development Coordinator. Ryan comes with great experience, having worked for the Green Bay Blizzard and most recently the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
The home opener at the Resch Center is Saturday, October 7. New this year, Saturday home games will start an hour earlier, 6:00 PM. Stay tuned to the Gamblers social media platforms for the latest team news. Thank you, Northeast Wisconsin for 30 amazing years.
