The Predators are proud to announce our 2024-25 Tier I AAA & 10U Birth Year Coaches. Our coaches combine for an unrivaled collection of playing & coaching experience in the highest levels of the sport. They are committed to ensuring a proper environment for development and instilling positive team culture.

 

Director of Hockey Operations

Tyler Murovich

Coach Ty 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 23 seasons of Predators hockey and passes along extensive amateur hockey experience to players, families and coaches in addition to his professional experience.

Ty is also the founder & owner of IC Hockey.

 

2015 Birth Year Team

John Zeiler

John enters his first season as a Predator 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.

 

 

2014 Birth Year Team

Caroline Ethier

Caroline enters her 6th season with the Pittsburgh 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 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.

 

 

2013 AAA

Evan Baehr

Coach Evan enters his 6th season as a Predators coach. In addition to his role with the 2013 AAA team, 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

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 Philadelphia Flyers. Matt played six seasons in the AHL while playing for the Philadelphia Phantoms, Chicago Wolves, Hershey Bears, and Portland Pirates.

 

2012 AAA

Nicholas Kuqali

Coach Nick enters his 6th season as a Predators coach. Prior to coaching, Nick had an eight-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. 

 

2011 AAA

Tyler Murovich

Coach Ty 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 hockey 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 23 seasons of Predators hockey and passes along extensive amateur hockey experience to players, families and coaches in addition to his professional experience.

Ty is also the founder & owner of IC Hockey.

 

Mason Murovich

Mason 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 over the last four seasons and enters his fourth season with the 2011 AAA team.

 

2010 AAA

Nicholas Kuqali

Coach Nick enters his 6th season as a Predators coach. Prior to coaching, Nick had an eight-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. 

 

2009 AAA

Jake Coleman

Coach Jake enters his 2nd season with the Predators 2009 AAA team after leading the team to Mid-AM districts and THF Playoffs in his first season in the organization. Jake played his last season of hockey in 2021-22 with the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Prior to his time in the ECHL, Jake played NCAA Division I hockey for Robert Morris University after two seasons of junior hockey with the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and Keystone Ice Miners of the NAHL. Jake played his AAA amateur hockey for the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite/Pittsburgh Hornets in addition to also playing for Moon Area’s varsity team.

 

16U & 18U AAA

Gary Klapkowski

Coach Gary enters his 15th 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 the 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.

16U AAA Assistant Coach TBA

Tier II AA & A Predators Teams & Coaches will be announced in the upcoming weeks!