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    ALUMNI PLACEMENT

    NHL DRAFT PICKS - 9

    NHL PLAYED - 11

    PROFESSIONAL - 62

    NATIONAL TEAMS  - 6

    NCAA DIVISION I COMMITMENTS - 75

    NCAA DIVISION II COMMITMENTS - 18

    NCAA DIVISION III COMMITMENTS - 218

    The Connecticut RoughRiders® are based out of the SoNo Ice House in Norwalk, Connecticut. The CT RoughRiders® are members the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) for Junior "A". The CT RoughRiders® are affiliates of the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders® - members of the United States Hockey League® (USHL) since 1999. The CT RoughRiders® number one goal is the development of our players not only on the ice but also off the ice and advancing them to the next level.

    CONTACT: CT RoughRiders

    CONTACT: CT RoughRiders

    300 Wilson Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850

    Sponsored by RiderTownUSA®

    RiderTownUSA®

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    Home Of The RoughRiders Sports Club®


    Eastern Hockey League

    Located in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) and its 23 teams celebrates its 11th season in 2023-24. For the past seven years, the EHL has finished as the leader in the Direct-To-College Advancement at the Division II and III levels.


    Eastern Hockey League 2023-24


    CT RoughRiders EHL Locker Room

    HERE'S WHAT PLAYERS ARE SAYING:

    John Hayden - Yale University (NCAA I - ECAC), NHL Entry Draft 2013 round 3 #74 overall by Chicago Blackhawks: “Coach Lind does a tremendous job with skills and skating development. He understands how the game of hockey is trending and ultimately what it takes to succeed at the next level. He has the unique combination of being a great teacher and having junior, college, and pro experience. Coach Lind is a great coach but a better person who truly cares about his player’s success."

    Brett Pesce -  University of New Hampshire (NCAA I - Hockey East), NHL Entry Draft 2013 round 3 #66 overall by Carolina Hurricanes: “I worked Eric and he really helped me take my game to the next level. He changed my entire stride and I am a faster player because of him. Not only is he a great mentor on the ice, but he is an incredible guy off of it. I only have positive things to say about Eric Lind.”

    Chad Krys - Boston University (NCAA I - Hockey East), NHL Entry Draft 2016 round 2 #45 overall by Chicago Blackhawks: “I think the CT Roughriders  was my first exposure to college hockey recruiting and opportunities to play division one college hockey. I think the on-ice combined with the off-ice training they had there propelled me to the next step on my hockey career, that’s for sure. Coach Lind is someone who stresses skating and skill development, he’s developed so many great players from Connecticut for a while now, I still skate with him in the summer and he challenges me every time I’m on the ice. Lindy is not only a great coach but he’s a great person who will do anything to help you, whether it’s make a phone call for you or work with you on and off the ice.”

    Alex Wilkinson - Army West Point (NCAA DI – Atlantic Hockey): “I mainly wanted to improve on my skating technique. I was an average skater. Since I arrived three years ago and it has improved immensely with the constant guidance of Coach Lind. Lindy has been the best coach I have ever had not only in skills and development, but in the way he coaches and leads. I look up to him the most, follow his example and lead by his example.”

    Nick Jermain - Quinnipiac University (NCAA DI – ECAC)“The EHL helped me prepare for higher levels of hockey as it was my first year focused solely on hockey. Practices were longer, games were against older and stronger opponents, and I definitely struggled for periods of the season, but ultimately it put me in a better position for my second year of juniors, college, and my pro career.” 

    Todd Jackson - Norwich University (NCAA III - NEHC), NCAA III Champions 2016-17: “Coach Lind’s developmental work on skating, individual skills and critiquing of the small technical issues of the game was another reason. I now have better puck handling skills, better hockey vision, a keener understanding of the game and the ability of using the ice to my advantage.” 

    Charlie Pelnik - SUNY-Oswego (NCAA III - SUNYAC): “The  coaching staff ’s focus and time spent on each player individually is like no other I have experienced,” Pelnik said.  “The staff takes time during practice drills to make corrections – that makes a huge difference. At the Roughriders, not all the focus is on winning results and ticket sales,” said Pelnik.  “The coaches are not worried daily about job security, so they can focus totally on player development.” 

    Jason: Kalinowski -  Endicott College (NCAA III - Colonial Hockey):
    “I have not had the time to focus on stride and edge work in a couple of years.  The RoughRiders and Coach Lind have dedicated technical skating sessions weekly and I have seen tremendous improvement since my arrival here,” said Kalinowski.  “We are also able to be creative in our game play offensively, as long as we make sure we back-check and take care of all zones defensively.”

    Michael Meisenbacher - Trine  University (NCAA III - NCHA): The difference with the Connecticut RoughRiders program is the amount of work they spend on and off the ice improving their players.  Also, the exposure to college and the tremendous amount of connections the coaching staff and organization has access to is second to none.


    Sponsored by CCM Hockey

    CCM Hockey

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    At CCM Hockey, we are driven by our passion for the game. Through constant innovation, we are redefining hockey performance every day. 

    Sponsored by Blueline Sports

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    Your #1 stop for hockey equipment.

    Sponsored by Hudl Instat

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    High-performance video analysis software for top-level competition.

    Sponsored by StudentPrep

    StudentPrep

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    Comprehensive College Planning: Test Prep, Admissions, Financial & Merit Aid and Profile Builder.

    Sponsored by BioSteel

    BioSteel

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    BIOSTEEL SPORTS DRINKS: CLEAN. HEALTHY. HYDRATION.™
    BioSteel's mission is to create the healthiest and most trusted sports hydration products on the planet. 

    Sponsored by CT Sports Physical Therapy and Wellnes

    CT Sports Physical Therapy and Wellnes

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    Our highly trained team of therapists offers the most up-to-date, scientific treatment available. We are the only Physical Therapy Practice to carry advanced certifications as Sports Clinical Specialists (SPS) in Norwalk, CT. 

    Sponsored by SoNo Hockey

    SoNo Hockey

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    SoNo Ice House is based in historic South Norwalk, CT, near Wilson Point, and is a state-of-the-art facility featuring two rinks; one official NHL sized rink and one training rink.