Coaching Staff

TYLER MUROVICH became Director of Hockey Operations for the Predators after a professional career of over 500 games in the AHL and ECHL. Ty signed his first professional contract at the age 20 with the Columbus Bluejackets organization after his third season with the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL where he was team captain. Prior to the OHL, Ty played one season for the Chicago Steel in the USHL. Prior to his junior hockey career, Ty was a member of the first Predator team to qualify to play in the Tier I 18U AAA USA Hockey National Championships and won the 2006 PA State Championship with the undefeated Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils varsity team as the AAA PIHL leading scorer as a sophomore. Ty currently plays in 3ICE, 3 on 3 professional hockey tour that plays in the summer months and will be entering his third season. During his first season of 3ICE, he was a finalist for the Patrick Cup and the Bryan Trottier League MVP Award.

As Predators director and coach, Ty has worked relentlessly to make sure that Predators players have every resource necessary to reach their goals. An inaugural Predator player and proud alumni of the program, he has paid close attention to all 25 seasons of Predators hockey and passes along extensive amateur hockey experience to players, families and coaches in addition to his professional experience. Ty officially became Director of Hockey Operations during the 2018/2019 season with a vision to amplify resources at Ice Castle and in the Predators organization to help players reach their goals. He began closely working with the younger teams and strengthening the program for years to come, leading the 2009 birth year squirt team to a PAHL AA Championship in his first season with the team. This led to the '09s and surrounding birth years to consistently competing and thriving at the Tier I and Tier II levels. Under his watch, the organization has had all participating Tier I teams qualify for the Mid Am District Tournament. This past season, Predators 13o (2012), 14u (2011), and 16u (2009), all qualified for Tier I District Tournaments with Ty's support on the bench. Predators 16u (2009) AAA had an exceptional season, finishing as the 9th ranked team in the country and playing in top elite events. Ty's passion for helping all players in the organization is evident by his constant presence and daily oversight of players and teams in the organization. He has worked tirelessly to acquire professional coaches and provide leadership for coaches, players and families.

Ty is also the founder & owner of IC Hockey.

MASON MUROVICH is an inaugural Pittsburgh Predator and spent his amateur career with the organization since Ice Castle opened in 2001. During his high school years, he also played for the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils varsity team. At the junior A level, he played in the NAHL for the Corpus Christi Ice Rays and Port Huron Fighting Falcons. He has been a lifelong contributor to Ice Castle and the Predators which currently includes developing and maintaining IC Fitness and Ty-M-Up Hockey Supplies. He has coached continuously since 2011 and has collaborated with brother, Tyler Murovich to build the Predators and IC Hockey programs. Mason has been involved with our Predator 12U-14U AAA teams as an assistant coach over the last five seasons. Mason also manages all Predators custom team equipment, jerseys/apparel, HUDL accounts, player stats, and website/social media.

Chris Stern brings over 35 years of experience as a hockey executive, coach, scout, and evaluator across elite youth, junior, and international levels to the Predators. His background includes work in the USHL, NAHL, and with the Great Britain National Team, along with a long track record of developing NHL, Olympic, and NCAA Division I players. A USA Hockey Level 5 Coach, Chris has served as an evaluator, coaching clinic presenter, and scout, consistently helping players advance to the USHL, CHL, NAHL, and NCAA pathways. His experience and leadership provide valuable insight and guidance to players striving to reach the next level. Chris also serves as President of the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League, further demonstrating his impact on player development at the highest levels of youth hockey.

ANDREW SCHMIT brings an extensive coaching and playing background to the Predators. He is the founder of Power Forward Hockey, a development program focused on elite skills training, private lessons, and events for players of all ages. Andrew brings a player development mindset and deep understanding of the junior to college pathway to the organization.

Experience

• Works with high level players including professional and elite prospects such as Logan Cooley, Vincent Trocheck & his brother-in-law LJ Mooney.
• Played professional hockey for 4 seasons in Sweden, ECHL, & SPHL.
• Competed at the NCAA Division I level with the Miami RedHawks & University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks
• Played in the USHL with the Lincoln Stars & Chicago Steel before advancing to the college ranks.

NICK KUQALI enters his 8th season as a Predators coach. Prior to coaching, Nick had an nine-year professional hockey career while playing in North America and Europe. He played his last season in Austria with the Vienna Capitals and won a championship in the previous season with DVTK in Hungary. He also was an assistant coach at the 14U & 16U levels overseas in addition to playing there. In North America, he played in the ECHL, CHL, and SPHL. Prior to his professional career, he earned an economics degree at UW-Eau Claire as a student-athlete. A graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School, he played two years of junior A in Ontario after playing for the Pittsburgh Hornets, Pittsburgh Viper Stars and Cleveland Barons. Coach Nick has been a lead coach at IC Hockey since the program’s inception and has put an immeasurable amount of time in building the AAA program at the Pittsburgh Predators in addition to paying close attention to all players actively playing in the program. 

Alexander "Zander" Kuqali most recently played professional hockey in the United Kingdom for the Coventry Blaze of the EIHL, where he spent 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 captain 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.

JOHN ZEILER enters his 3rd season as a Predators coach. Previously, John coached AAA teams for the Pittsburgh Vengeance and currently is the head coach for Thomas Jefferson’s varsity team. In addition to extensive coaching experience at the AAA & Varsity hockey levels, John has played at all of the highest levels of hockey. After two seasons of junior hockey in the USHL with the Sioux City Musketeers and winning the USHL Clark Cup, John was drafted in the 5th round of the 2002 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes. John then went on to play four years of NCAA Division I hockey at St. Lawrence University. John went on to play 286 AHL games (including 41 playoff games) while making his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in 2006-07 where he went on to play 90 games over the next four seasons. John finished his playing career in Germany where he played three seasons with the Augsburger Panthers of the DEL and a season with the Kassel Huskies of the DEL2.

EVAN BAEHR enters his 8th season as a Predators coach. In addition, Evan will be the goaltending director & coach for the organization. Evan is extremely passionate about helping young players reach their goal and has spent countless hours in the development of Predator players on and off the ice. Evan has worked as skills & skating coach and goalie coach with IC Hockey since the program’s inception. As an amateur player, Evan was a top AAA goalie at his birth year in addition to backstopping Mt. Lebanon’s varsity team leading him to playing collegiate hockey.

MATT CLACKSON enters his 3rd season as a Predators coach. Matt played his youth hockey for the Pittsburgh Hornets and Peters Township Varsity, winning two PA State Championships. He was drafted and played in the USHL for the Chicago Steel, where he was drafted in the 2005 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. After junior hockey, Matt played three seasons for the NCAA Division I Western Michigan Broncos, where he left after his junior year signing an entry-level NHL contract with the Flyers. Matt played six seasons in the AHL while playing for the Philadelphia Phantoms, Chicago Wolves, Hershey Bears, and Portland Pirates.

Caroline Ethier enters her 8th season with the Predators. As a player, Caroline played four years of NCAA Division I college hockey at Dartmouth College where she served two years as assistant captain. She played in ECAC and two Ivy League championships with three appearances in the NCAA tournament. She led the Connecticut Polar Bears U19 team in scoring during the 2002 National Championship while finishing third among all tournament scorers. Prior, Caroline was a finalist at the U18 Canadian Championship. She led team Quebec in scoring and finished fourth in Canada.

ALEC SEARLES is entering his 3rd season with the Pittsburgh Predators, leading the 2012 AA team. He brings extensive experience as both a player and coach, having played six seasons of collegiate club hockey at Duquesne University and California University of Pennsylvania. His coaching background includes time with the ‘08, ‘09, ‘11, ‘12, and ‘13 Pittsburgh Vengeance AAA teams, as well as assistant roles with the Elizabeth Forward Varsity team. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Thomas Jefferson Varsity team under former NHLer John Zeiler, helping guide the team to Penguins Cup titles in 2022 and 2024. Off the ice, Coach Searles teaches 8th grade American history in the Peters Township School District, bringing the same energy, leadership, and dedication to the classroom that he brings to the rink.

JUSTIN CORMACK is an inaugural Pittsburgh Predator, and current Ice Castle skills coach. After leading his 18U AAA team to the National Championships and playing Junior hockey in Canada, Justin served in the US Army in Afghanistan. Since then, he has dedicated his life to hockey instruction at Ice Castle and coaching for the Pittsburgh Predators. This will be Justin's 15th season as a skills coach and has experience coaching AAA, AA, and high school teams.

John MacDonald is joining the Predators coaching staff after playing 4 years of professional hockey in the ECHL and SPHL. John grew up in Pittsburgh playing for the Penguins Elite, Esmark Stars 16U AAA, then Pittsburgh Predators 18U AAA. He is a graduate from Canon McMillan, where he played high school hockey for 4 years, and served as the varsity team captain. John went on to play Jr. A hockey for Team Maryland in the EHL, before signing his first pro contract in 2021. John played professionally for the Danbury Hatricks from 21-23, then split time between the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the SPHL, and the Reading Royals in the ECHL in the 2024-25 season.

GARY KLAPKOWSKI enters his 16th season as a Predators coach. Gary is the owner of Advanced Edge Hockey where he has worked with players on and off the ice and has moved numerous players on to NCAA, USHL, NAHL, OJHL and other junior and college opportunities. As a player, Gary played professionally in the ECHL and CHL. Prior, Gary played junior hockey in the OHL and NAHL after playing AAA hockey for Detroit Honeybaked which led him to being selected 26th overall in the OHL Draft. While playing AAA hockey in Pittsburgh, he also played for Serra Catholic where he won the 1999-2000 PA State Championship and was the PIHL Leading Scorer.

JAKE CASTO has been coaching with IC Hockey and the Predators for the past 8 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.

EMMA GORSKI enters her second season with the Predators as a goaltending coach after working with the 16U AAA team during the 2025–26 season. She also spent the past two seasons (2024–26) as Goalie Coach for the Robert Morris University Division I women’s ice hockey team following a five-year NCAA Division I career.

Emma played three seasons of junior hockey in Ontario (2016–19), participated in provincial and national development camps, won gold at the 2016 Ontario Summer Games, and competed internationally with the North American Selects from 2013–15, earning medals in all three tournaments across Europe.

She played four seasons at Merrimack College (2019–23) before finishing her collegiate career at Robert Morris University (2023–24) as an Alternate Captain. During her final season, she recorded 447 saves and a .901 save percentage, highlighted by a program-record 66-save win against Penn State. Over her career, she appeared in 99 games, totaled over 2,500 saves, earned three Hockey East Goaltender of the Week honors, and was named team MVP at Merrimack in the 2021–22 season.

MARK GAYDOS 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, 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.