ROLSTON HOCKEY ACADEMY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Hockey Academy Lead Instructor
- Retired
Brian Rolston is a retired American professional ice hockey player. He most recently played for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He won a Stanley Cup championship with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, and the World Cup of Hockey in 1996 playing for Team USA. Rolston has represented the United States of America three times in Olympic competition for ice hockey. In the Salt Lake City Olympics of 2002, he won the Silver Medal. Rolston was born in Flint, Michigan, but grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Rolston is considered a utility forward, as he can play as a center, left wing and right wing competently. The 6'2', 214 pound forward is best known for his highly regarded two-way ability.
Rolston was drafted in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils as their second pick in the first round. Prior to his NHL career, Rolston played for Lake Superior State University (where as a freshman he scored the game-winning goal and earned Most Outstanding Player honors in the National Championship game, which his team won), then the Albany River Rats of the AHL. He has played for the New Jersey Devils, the Minnesota Wild, the Colorado Avalanche and the Boston Bruins. Rolston was one of four players who was traded from Colorado in the 2000 deal that sent the Bruins' Ray Bourque to the Avalanche. He scored a then career high 62 points, including nine shorthanded goals in 2001-02 with the Bruins. During his career, he has scored a total of 33 shorthanded goals.
Rolston signed with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent on July 8, 2004, though his debut with the Wild didn't take place until the 2005-06 season due to the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Rolston often quarterbacked the Minnesota Wild's powerplay (a task normally given to a defenseman) due to his booming shot from the point and strong two-way ability. During the season, he was an on-ice leader and was one of the Wild's top scorers, scoring a new career high of 79 points. He was named as team captain for the Minnesota Wild for February, October, November 2006 and January 2007. During 2006-07, Rolston scored three goals (one on a penalty shot and two in overtime shootouts), using a slapshot from the slot. He was selected for the 2006-07 NHL Western Conference All-Star Team. During the game, Rolston scored two goals and added two assists. Rolston's shot is also known for making Anaheim Ducks goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère duck for cover[2] during a game in the 2007-2008 NHL season when Rolston fired a slapshot from the right wing aiming for the top left corner of the net. Giguere visibly ducked to avoid being hit in the mask, resulting in a goal for Rolston. In a similar event during the 2006-2007 NHL season, Rolston fired a slapshot on Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo. The shot hit Luongo in the mask, and though unhurt, Luongo was visiby dazed for minutes, lying on the ice until the team's trainer confirmed he was okay to continue the game. Rolston would later score on a penalty shot using his slapshot in the same game against Luongo.
On June 29, 2008, Rolston's negotiating rights were traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning in return for a conditional draft pick in 2009 or 2010. After failing to agree to a contract with the Lightning, Rolston became a free agent the next day on July 1, 2008, and signed a four-year deal worth $20 million to return to the New Jersey Devils.
Rolston was traded to the New York Islanders for Trent Hunter. In reaction to the trade, Rolston was quoted by The Star Ledger as saying "It's been a bit of a rough ride in Jersey, I'm actually happy to go to a place that wants me. I just want to start new. I'm actually really happy about the change. […] I saw it coming. There was no blindside here. It was something we discussed from the end of the season and into the summer." Rolston had been waived by the Devils during the 2010-11 NHL season, and was then entering the final year of the four-year deal he signed in 2008.
After seventeen seasons and 1,256 career NHL games, Rolston announced his retirement from the NHL on April 30, 2013.
Job Titles:
- Head of Skill Training & Player Development
Chris Conner is a native of Livonia, MI. He was a professional hockey player for 15 years and is now transitioning into a high level of coaching using his playing experience, coaching experience, expertise and knowledge gained throughout his career. Conner is Conner is now the Head of Skill Training and Player Development at Rolston Hockey Academy and is looking forward to sharing his passion and skills with players who are up and coming in the hockey world. Focusing on skill and determination, Conner hopes to develop players so that they have the tenacity to play at the next level.
Chris played for Michigan Tech and then continued to an expansive career in the AHL and NHL running from 2005-2020. His pro debut began with the Iowa Stars and Chris continued his hockey career playing for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburg Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, and the Washington Capitals.
Chris will be acting as the Rolston Hockey Academy Director of Skill and Development Training.
Dr. Marc Gray, II began to pursue his goal of helping others achieve and sustain wellness by graduating Cum Laude from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut as a Doctor of Chiropractic. In 2008, Dr. Gray II opened Gray Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where his patient list includes everyone from professional athletes to day-old infants.
Having grown up within a family of chiropractors, and witnessing first hand the amazing ability of what the body can achieve when properly aligned, Dr. Gray is motivated in assisting individuals to become pain free and maintain their wellness. By doing this, patients are able to focus on what is important to them!
Evan Orr is from Shelby Township, Michigan
Evan was drafted in the United States Hockey League by the Muskegon Lumberjacks
Evan plays for the Odessa Jackalopes as a Captain in the North American Hockey League
Job Titles:
- Head of Strength Training
Job Titles:
- Academic Administrator / Teacher
Job Titles:
- Academic Advisor
- Associate Head Coach
Ron Rolston was the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres for 51 games during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. He spent two years as the head coach of Buffalo's AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans from 2011-2013. Rolston guided the Americans to a record of 79-55-13-5 in his two seasons on the bench as well as back-to-back berths in the Calder Cup Playoffs. Rolston spent the last two season within the Coyotes organization as a professional scoutin 2014-15 and head coach of their affiliate, the Springfield Falcons in 2015-16.
Rolston joined the Sabres' organization in 2011 after spending the previous seven seasons as a head coach with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP), where he led the U.S. Under-18 team to three gold medals and a silver medal in four stints as head coach at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Under-18 Championship, including the 2011 tournament in Germany.
Rolston joined USA Hockey after serving as an assistant coach at four different NCAA Division I hockey programs between 1990 and 2004, winning National Championships in 1992 and 1994 with Lake Superior State University. Rolston was an assistant coach at Boston College from 2002-04 and also served as the top assistant at Harvard University from 1999-2002 and as an assistant coach at Clarkson University (1996-99) and Lake Superior State University (1990-95).
In addition to winning two national titles at Lake Superior State, Rolston also helped guide the team to three straight appearances in the NCAA National Championship game and four CCHA tournament titles in his five-year stint. He was elevated to associate head coach for the Lakers in 1994.
Ron Rolston is currently the Associate Head Coach for Providence College.