Tampa Bay Juniors - USPHL

Parker Elvy - Madison, WI
Lawrence University

Jory McWilliams - Bloomington, MN   
Bethel University

Ryan Vlaisavljevich - Woodbury, MN   
Milwaukee School of Engineering

Brenton Wadsworth - Tampa, FL       
DePaul University

Dillon Scammon - Orlando, FL
University of Cincinnati

Perry Giannino - Palm Beach, FL
University of Kentucky

Luke Perunovich* - Edina, MN
Providence College

Curtis Hansen - Prior Lake, MN
Bethel University

Christian Louria - Wexford, PA
Rochester Institute of Technology

David Tmej - Bradenton, FL
Anna Maria College

Peter Celatka - Prior Lake, MN
Iowa State University

Alec Murano - Whitefish Bay, WI
Concordia University, WI

*Alumni

by Patrick Williams / NHL.com Correspondent

Roope Hintz needed a full season in the American Hockey League to prepare himself for a future role with the Dallas Stars, and the forward prospect has shown Stars management how far his development has come.

Hintz, 21, a second-round pick (No. 49) in the 2015 NHL Draft, has played a major role in helping Texas, the Stars' AHL affiliate, reach the Calder Cup Final against Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs).

Texas won 2-1 on the road in Game 2 on Sunday to even the of the best-of-7 series 1-1. Toronto had won 10 consecutive playoff games and also had a 13-game home winning streak, including the regular season, before the loss. The next three games in the series will be in Texas, starting with Game 3 on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; NHLN, TSN2).

"It's good to go back to Austin now with one win [in Toronto]," Hintz said. "We have confidence."

Dallas took a patient approach with Hintz and kept him with Texas all season. His success this season could put him in contention for a full-time job in Dallas next season. Hintz has attracted considerable attention from Stars management and earned the trust of Texas coach Derek Laxdal.

"Roope has taken some huge strides," Laxdal said. "One of his assets is his speed. He is a big body (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) who can skate at a high speed, make plays at high speed."

Hintz also has a good hockey mind and playmaking ability to complement those physical attributes.

He is second among rookies in the playoffs with 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in 17 games. He had six points (three goals, three assists) in the six-game series win against Rockford (Chicago Blackhawks) in the conference final. His overtime goal in Game 6 clinched Texas' spot in the Calder Cup Final.

Hintz's playoff performance followed a strong regular season; he had 35 points (20 goals, 15 assists) in 70 games in his first season in North America. He had spent the previous three seasons with Ilves of Liiga, the top professional league in his native Finland.

His 20 goals and 153 shots on goal were second for Texas this season.

Laxdal is not one to hesitate to shake up his forward lines as he sees necessary, but he's mostly left Hintz at left wing on a line with center with Brian Flynn, a veteran of 275 NHL regular-season games, with other players rotating at right wing on the line.

The AHL tests most young players, and Hintz had the added challenge of adjusting to the North American game.

"I have learned the small-ice game better," said Hintz. "It's less speed here, a more physical game."

Laxdal has leaned on Hintz to use his size and strength, assets that he can utilize more on the smaller North American ice.

"His biggest challenge throughout the year has just been playing with that consistency and playing a little heavier," Laxdal said.

That message has sunk in for Hintz.

"It's good when we do that," Hintz said of sticking to Laxdal's message. "We [force opponents to] turn pucks over.

"I try to work hard every day, play my best game, and just do my best."

He has a big fan in Laxdal.

"He has had a good playoff for us and been a big part of this drive, and he is going to be a big part of this series," Laxdal said.

3/10/18
Boston, MA - The Southeast/Florida divisions of the USPHL announced its All-Star selections for the 2071-18 season.  The Tampa Bay Juniors had six representatives to the team including three in each the Premier and Elite Divisions.

In the Premier Division; forwards Jory McWilliams and David Tmej made the team along with Christian Louria on Defense.  In the Elite Division; forward Mark Louria, defenseman Evan Hoffberg and goalie Daniel Kortenhaus were named.

McWilliams led the USPHL in scoring in the regular season and finished the season with a team record 104 points.  McWilliams also set a team record with 51 goals.  Tmej Finished 3rd in the league in scoring and finished with 98 points and a team record of 55 assist. C. Louria finished wth 9 goals and 21 assist for 30 points.

M. Louria led the Elite team in scoring with 24 goals and 42 assist for 66 points.  Hoffberg led all defenseman in scoring with 10 goals and 31 assist for 41 points and Kortenhaus finished 16-6 with a 1.80 GAA, .920 Save % and 2 shutouts.

by TBJ Staff

3/6/18

Wesley Chapel, FL - Former Tampa Bay Juniors forward Roope Hinz has been called up by the Dallas Stars.  Hinz, who has been playing with the Stars AHL team, was called up yesterday.  He did not dress, but his debut is expected in the next few days.

Hinz played for the Tampa Bay Juniors in the 2012-13 season.  He had 20 goals and 15 assist for 35 points in 20 games.  Later that year he was called up to a tier 2 team.  

"Roope came to us as a 16 year old and right away you could see his high hockey IQ."  said TBJ Owner/Coach Brett Strot.  "He was a very creative player and had this passion to play the game and get better."

Hinz was drafted in the second round by Dallas, #49 overall, in the 2015 draft.  He is the second player, joining Brian Ferlin who was taken in the fourth round by Boston in 2011, to play for Brett Strot in the Tampa/Jacksonville organization.

3/1/18
Wesley Chapel, FL - The Tampa Bay Juniors Hockey Club, Premier and Elite Teams, both won their first round best of three playoff match ups and are heading to the USPHL Championship March 7-10 in Boston, MA.  

TBJ Premier won its best of three playoff series 2-0 with a decisive win 9-2 over the Florida Blades in game one, led by Jory McWilliams 2 goals, 2 assist and David Tmej's 1 goal, 3 assist.  In game two Tampa would jump out to a 4-0 lead, only too see the Blades roar back to take a 6-4 lead early in the 3rd period.   After defenseman Ryan Vlaisavljevich's goal brought Tampa to within one, Matej Dejdar scored what Tampa thought was the tying goal but was disallowed.  30 seconds later though Tmej would tie it with 3:33 on the clock.  With time running down Dejdar put Tampa ahead with a goal that would stand with 2:05 remaining punching Tampa's ticket to Boston.

TBJ Elite would take three games to eliminate a tough Palm Beach Hawk team.  After dropping game one 4-1 Tampa would bounce back as Daniel Kortenhaus made 12 saves in the 2-0 win.  Game three saw Tampa down 1-0 after the first, but Dan Duncan would score 32 seconds into the second period to get Tampa going.  Mateusz Wawrzkiewicz and Jack Mazur each scored two goals as Tampa pulled away 7-2 to punch the Elite's team ticket to Boston.

This is the first time both the Premier and Elite teams have gone to the USPHL Championships in the same season.  This follows a regular season which saw both teams win the USPHL Florida Division.

2/27/18
Wesley Chapel, FL - The Tampa Bay Juniors Elite Team pulled out a 7-2 game 3 win to win it's first round playoff, two games to one over the Palm Beach Hawks.  With the win TBJ Elite now moves onto the USPHL Championships in Boston.

Mateusz Wawrzkiewicz and Jack Mazur each scored 2 goals with Jaakko Kiukas adding a goal and 2 assist.  After Palm Beach held a 1-0 lead Dan Duncan got TBJ Elite going with the tying goal 32 seconds into the second period and then Wawrzkiewicz put TBJ Elite ahead 1 minute later.  Palm Beach would tie it but before the second period ended Kiukas, Wawrzkiewicz and Mazur put Tampa up three.

The third period saw Mazur and Evan Hoffberg score to put the finishing touches on the game.  Goalie Daniel Kortenhaus made 22 saves for the win.

Tampa now heads to Boston next week for the USPHL Championship's. 

2/25/18
Wesley Chapel, FL - The Tampa Bay Juniors Premier Team defeated the Florida Blades in a wild 7-6 game Saturday at Florida Hospital Center Ice and will head to Boston for the USPHL Championships.

After Tampa built a 4-0 first period lead on goals from Matej Dejdar, Parker Elvy, David Tmej and Jory McWilliams, the Blades came storming back with 6 unanswered goals to take a 6-4 lead in the 3rd period.

Tampa defenseman Ryan Vlaisavljevich got the come back started with a goal at 10:15.  With 4 minutes left, Dejdar scored what appeared to be the tying goal but would be waved off by the referee's.   Tampa kept pushing and 30 seconds later Tmej would tie the game at 6.  Tampa was not done and Dejdar finished the come back with a goal that counted at 17:55 to give TBJ Premier the victory and move onto Boston.

In game one of the series Tampa blew out the Blades 9-2 with Tmej and McWilliams each getting 4 points.

McWilliams Gets 50 and Hits the Century Mark

Jory McWilliams incredible season continues as his goal Saturday gave him 50 on the season.  In Friday's game McWilliams had 4 points to put him at 100 and has 102 for the season.  McWilliams is the first Tampa Bay Junior to ever reach 50 goals and have 100 points.