Gamblers Acquire Bruender from Sioux Falls

Mason Baptista

The Green Bay Gamblers have named Mason Baptista as the team’s new assistant coach. Baptista’s focus will be skill development and special teams.

Prior to being hired by the Gamblers, Baptista was an assistant coach in the ECHL with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, an affiliate of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. The North York, Ontario Canada native joined the Swamp Rabbits ahead of the 2022-23 season after a stint as the Video and Skills Coach for the Chinese Women’s National Team which competed at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

As a player, Baptista played six seasons professionally in the ECHL and Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL). Throughout his ECHL career, Baptista appeared in 297 career games and posted 187 points (79g, 108a) between five different teams.

Collegiately, Baptista starred at local St. Norbert College, winning a pair of NCAA Division III national championships in 2012 and 2014 with the Green Knights. In his four years with the Green Knights, Baptista collected 104 points (29 goals & 75 assists) in 117 games. Baptista was a teammate of Gamblers Associate Head Coach Pat McCadden at St. Norbert.

Patrick McCadden

The Green Bay Gamblers have promoted Pat McCadden to Associate Head Coach. McCadden was hired as an assistant coach on Mike Leone’s staff prior to the 2022-23 season.

Prior to his time with the Gamblers, McCadden spent five seasons with Lawrence University where he served as the associate head hockey coach.

McCadden played three seasons in the professional ranks between the SPHL and the ECHL. He finished his professional career with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL. During his collegiate years he spent two seasons for the St. Norbert Green Knights where he was part of the 2014 National Championship team. Before St. Norbert, he spent two years playing for the Michigan Tech Huskies.

McCadden played three years of junior hockey. He won the Robertson Cup in 2008 with the St. Louis Bandits and then made the move with former Gambler’s coach Jon Cooper to Green Bay in 2008. Under Cooper, he served as team captain when the Gamblers won the Clark Cup in 2010.

Jeremy Morin

From 2010-2015, Morin appeared in 82 NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets, collecting 10 goals and 12 assists. The Auburn, New York native also appeared in 333 American Hockey League games, scoring 113 goals.

Morin is a product of the U.S. National Program (2007-2009). Internationally, Morin won gold for the United States at the 2009 U18 World Championships and 2010 World Junior Championships and bronze at the 2008 U18 World Championships and 2015 World Championships.

Danny Rafalski

1st year as the Gamblers Strength & Conditioning coach. Native of Waupaca, Rafalski is a graduate of Clemson University. Worked at the Champions Center in Appleton providing off-ice training. Spent this past summer, in Michigan working with GVN Performance. Father, Brian is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a former Wisconsin Badger. Brother, Matt is a member of the 2022-23 Gamblers.

Colter Gilbert

This will be Colter Gilbert’s first season as the Gamblers Equipment Manager. Colter was the Equipment Manager at Bowling Green State University for 4 years (2016-2019).

Kirk Luedeke

Kirk Luedeke has more than 20 years of experience in professional and junior hockey as a scout, general manager and prospects analyst.

He spent six years in the United States Hockey League (USHL) as an assistant general manager and director of hockey operations for the Omaha Lancers (2017-21) and area scout with the Chicago Steel (2010-12). He was also a U.S. scout in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Moncton Wildcats from 2016-17.

Additionally, Kirk was on area staff at the Red Line Report, an independent scouting service, from 2010-17. He was a draft and prospects analyst with the New England Hockey Journal from 2000-17. From 2011-13, he provided unique analysis and updates on Boston Bruins prospects for the team’s official website. Most recently, he returned to Seamans Media in the Boston area as managing editor of the New England Hockey Journal and New York Hockey Journal for the 2021-22 season.

Kirk is a graduate of the Citadel and Georgetown University. He is a retired U.S. Army armor officer with more than 20 years of active duty service. A native of Hudson, N.H., he has two daughters, Kalen (20), and Kendal (15).

Mike Leone

Mike Leone will join the Green Bay Gamblers Hockey team as head coach and general manager for the 2022-23 season.

Leone brings previous experience coaching at the junior, collegiate and professional levels as he was an assistant at NTDP U17 (2019-2022), Bowling Green State University (2018-19) as well as with the ECHL’s Quad City Mallards (2017-18). Additionally, Leone served as an assistant coach at the IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship.

The Dearborn, Michigan native skated three seasons at Western Michigan University before embarking on a four-year professional career that took him through the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings and Toledo Walleye, in addition to one season with Villard-de-Lans in France.

Dave Stahlke

David Stahlke returns to the Gamblers for his 19th year as the team’s Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coordinator. Stahlke is employed by Aurora BayCare Medical Center Sports Medicine Division and Athletic Republic Program.

Prior to his time with the Gamblers and Aurora, Stahke was the head Athletic Trainer for the Colorado Gold Kings in the West Coast Hockey League. With the Gold Kings, Stahlke also served as the sports committee liaison for the WCHL to the NHL Professional Hockey Athletic Trainers Society and assisted the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche medical staff in training camps at the World Arena in Colorado Springs. Stahlke was also selected for a one-year fellowship to work with the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. During his year with the red, white and blue, Stahlke accompanied the USA Men’s Volleyball team to the World Championships and worked with the athletes who competed in Speed Skating, Weight Lifting and Basketball.

On the international hockey scene, Stahlke traveled with the United States U-18 National Team to Slovakia in 2000 and was the Athletic Trainer for the United States U-20 National Team at the World Junior Championships in Massachusetts in 1996. Stahlke has been involved with USA Hockey in some capacity since 1991

Stahlke’s previous experience includes positions with Duke University, Bloomington Jefferson High School in Minnesota, and the Montreal Expos. The Waconia, Minnesota native has also assisted in treatments with the Minnesota North Stars and Minnesota. Twins. Stahlke also has NFL experience as he did his intern work with the Green Bay Packers and the Minnesota Vikings.

Stahlke holds an M.S. in Sports Medicine degree from Illinois State University and a B.S. in Athletic Training degree from Mankato State University.

Stahlke and his wife Pam reside in Green Bay. They have two sons Brock and Kaden.

Dr. Harold Schock

Dr. Schock received both his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Following medical school he went to orthopaedic surgery residency in Chicago, IL and did his fellowship at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Denver, CO. While in Colorado, he helped to provide orthopaedic care to the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies. Dr. Schock is an active member in several state and national orthopaedic and sports medicine societies. During his career, he has published his research on ankle fractures and ACL injuries in book chapters as well as in prominent orthopaedic journals.

Dr. Schock has been involved with the care of athletes, both on a personal and professional basis for many years. While an undergraduate he played ice hockey for the University of Michigan and won a national championship in 1996.

Carl Lackey

When it comes to hockey in Green Bay, Carl Lackey was one of the best to lace up the skates. A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Lackey played his collegiate hockey at Michigan State University under legendary coach Amo Bessone. Serving as the Spartans team captain in 1964, Lackey garnered First Team All-American honors. Selected by the Detroit Red Wings, Lackey played 10 years professionally, seven of which were spent with the Green Bay Bobcats. Lackey represented the United States at the 1969 World Championships in Sweden and again in 1974 in Yugoslavia. A member of the Upper Peninsula Sports Hall of Fame, Lackey retired in 1974. After his playing career, Lackey remained in Green Bay serving as a Guidance Counselor at Green Bay East, Preble and Southwest High Schools.

FUN FACT: Lackey is the inspiration of Carl Rackey, Dean Youngblood’s nemesis in the movie Youngblood (1986). Youngblood was written by Peter Markle, who played professional hockey with Lackey.