November 8, 2024

Coach Mentors

Our NMHA house league coaches can count on the support throughout the season of our own Coach Mentor, Tony Iob. Tony’s extensive experience is detailed further below and will certainly be an asset whenever it is needed.

Tony’s role is to help our house league coaches in any capacity both on and off the ice in order to support their own learning and development to provide the best possible environment for our players. At the start of each season, Tony hosts introductory on-ice sessions to help new and experienced coaches get ready for the year ahead. Throughout the year, Tony will also provide on-ice mentorship during specialized clinics as well as support during team practices, as needed and at the request of our coaches.  

Tony can be reached by email at [email protected]. He always has a drill, tip or practice idea ready!

Background on Tony Iob, Coach Mentor

Tony’s philosophy is success is a learned habit which takes much discipline, sacrifice and motivation. Being a positive role model is critical for the development of both individual players and the team as a whole. It is the pursuit of excellence which defines success.

Tony hails from Renfrew, Ontario and has over 18 years of professional hockey experience and 10 years coaching, mentoring and running his own developmental skills hockey school. My passion for hockey He played in the Central Junior Hockey League for Pembroke, as well as four years at the OHL level for Kingston and two years in Sault Ste. Marie, winning two league titles. He went on to play in two Memorial Cups in Quebec City and Seattle.

Tony was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1991. He joined the American Hockey League playing for the Rochester Americans leading them to the Calder Cup finals. In 1993, he was recruited by Milan, Italy which led to a 17 year professional hockey career in Europe, playing for Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. In 2006, he played in the Winter Olympics representing Team Italy and had the good fortune of being in 5 World Championships.

In 2007, while in Austria, he started his hockey coaching career. He returned to Canada in 2009 and has coached at every level since. Tony is certified as High Performance 1 coach, bringing a high level of knowledge to every part of the game.”