Doug Holewa added to LSSU hockey staff as assistant coach

Lake Superior State hockey head coach Damon Whitten has confirmed the hiring of Doug Holewa to his coaching staff. Holewa served as an assistant coach for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. He fills the vacancy left by Peter Aubry, who left in August for a position in the Chicago Blackhawks organization.

Holewa spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Tigers working under head coach Brent Thompson. During that time Holewa assisted in the development and promotion of over 20 players to the National Hockey League, including 11 who made their NHL debuts.

During his tenure with the Tigers, the Bridgeport, Conn., native was responsible for preparing scouting reports and game strategies based on analyzing opposing teams’ game film. He was also responsible for managing and analyzing their own film from games and practices.

This past summer, Holewa was invited to the USA Hockey  National Player Development Select 15 Camp held in Buffalo, N.Y. Holewa was responsible for evaluating, scouting and ranking camp participants in preparation for the 2016 Youth Olympic Games, as well as the U.S. National Team Development Program’s Selection Camp.

Holewa also served as an amateur scout for the New York Islanders prior to being promoted to their AHL team’s coaching staff. Selection of players for the Islanders’ prospect camps, evaluating draft eligible players and advising the assistant to the general manager during the draft were all responsibilities of Holewa’s as an amateur scout.

Holewa began his coaching career while earning a master’s degree in social studies education from Columbia University in 2010, following a four-year stint as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. During that time he became an assistant coach for the New Jersey Rockets, a Tier III team competing in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League. His responsibilities with the Rockets included recruiting qualified players for the program, developing players and team concepts, and promoting and coordinating the movement of players to the United States Hockey League, Canadian Hockey League and NCAA programs.

While earning a bachelor’s degree in economics and history from Connecticut College, Holewa earned four letters in hockey and lacrosse at the NCAA Division III level. He was a five-time New England Small Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Academic Team Selection and graduated with cum laude honors.

After earning an undergraduate degree, Holewa joined the Marine Corps as an infantry officer. While earning the rank of a captain, Holewa trained, evaluated and deployed an infantry platoon of 40 marines in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007.