Credit cards, e-checks, cash, bank checks or money orders are the accepted forms of payment for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Jr. Knights Season Fees. Should a personal check be returned for any reason, there will be a $50 surcharge.
LATE FEES WILL BE ASSESSED ON ALL ACCOUNTS NOT PAID IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEE SCHEDULE ABOVE.
To make a credit card and e-check payments, please go to Revolution’s website under WBS Knights or click below:
If you are paying by personal check, pay to the order of the Revolution Ice Centre and drop off at the rink office or mail to:
12 Old Boston Road, Pittston, PA 18640
About the WBS Jr. Knights
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Junior Knights are a USA Hockey-sanctioned team led by Head Coach / Director of Knights Hockey, Alex Vasko. The Knights have teams ranging from mites to peewee. The WBS Knights teams play in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL). The AYHL is the premier Tier I AAA travel league on the East Coast. It is comprised of over 125 teams from the Atlantic, Southeast, New York and New England Districts. WBS Knights also have teams in the Eastern Junior Elite Prospects League (EJEPL). The EJEPL was created to prepare players to become the Junior, Prep School and College recruits of the future. Many of the owners of top Junior programs, top Prep School programs and AAA Youth organizations regularly scout the EJEPL and it’s (90) partner organizations
Did you know? In the past six years, the WBS Jr Knights produced NHL players Ivan Provorov – Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Draft 2015, 1st Round, 7th Overall), Denis Smirnov – Colorado Avalanche (NHL Draft 2017, 6th Round, 156th Overall), CJ Yakimowicz – St. Louis Blues (NHL Draft 2014, 6th Round, 172nd Overall), Nikita Pavlychev – Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Draft 2015, 7th Round, 197th Overall) and Dmitri Zaitsev – Washington Capitals (NHL Draft 2016, 7th Round, 207th Overall). In addition to the six NHL draft picks, the WBS Jr Knights currently have players committed by the Big 10 and other Division 1 Colleges including: Denis Smirnov, Nikita Pavlychev, Paul Denaples and Jacob Goldowski – Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Eugene Fadyeyev – Ohio State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Derek Hamelin – Canisius College, NCAA Div. I; Marcus Joseph – Sacred Heart University, NCAA Div. I; Vlad Dzhioshvili, University of Vermont, NCAA Div. I; Konstantin Chernyuk- University of Maine, NCAA Div. I; Jacob Hamacher and Gavin Lewis – RIT, NCAA Div. I; Joseph Campolieto – Union College, NCAA Div. I.
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights are a USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier I youth ice hockey team from Pittston, Pennsylvania. In 2012, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights Bantam Midget AAA team became just the sixth Pennsylvania squad to win a USA Hockey youth national championship. In 2015, the Knights’ junior hockey organization purchased the dormant Dawson Creek Rage franchise in the Tier II North American Hockey League (NAHL). The NAHL players, ages 16–20, carry amateur status under Junior A guidelines and hope to earn a spot on higher level of junior hockey teams in the United States and Canada, Canadian Major Junior teams, Collegiate teams, and eventually professional teams. Few NAHL teams can boast the type of success that the Knights have had since their expansion season in 2015-16. The Knights have made the NAHL playoffs in each of their first three seasons, culminating in a NAHL East Division Championship and Robertson Cup Finals appearance in 2017-18. The Knights organization was named the NAHL East Division Organization of the Year for the 2017-18 season. The Knights NAHL & EHL teams are led by one of the best hockey operation staffs in the North American Hockey League.
Coaching Staff of the WBS Jr. KnightsCoach Alex Vasko – Hockey Director, WBS Jr. Knights Coach Vasko is a native to Kiev, Ukraine and represents the former Soviet Union Hockey Training School. Alex started his professional playing career in Eastern Europe Hockey League in 1995. In 1999 Alex moved to the United States to continue his playing career in Gold Rush AWHL, Sioux City Musketeers USHL and Mohawk Valley UHL. Alex also participated in NHL Rookie Camps of Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning and in ECHL, UHL Training Camps. In 2007, Alex moved to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area to begin his coaching career as a Head Coach with WBS Jr. Knights Youth Hockey Club. For five in a row, Alex has been selected as AYHL All Star Game Coach. From 2012 through 2014 hockey seasons, Alex led his teams to a National Championship and in 2012 won National Championship with his Bantam Major AAA Team. Coach Vasko has coached and trained NHL player Ivan Provorov – Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Draft 2015, 1st Round, 7th Overall), Denis Smirnov – Colorado Avalanche (NHL Draft 2017, 6th Round, 156th Overall), CJ Yakimowicz – St. Louis Blues (NHL Draft 2014, 6th Round, 172nd Overall), Nikita Pavlychev – Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Draft 2015, 7th Round, 197th Overall) and Dmitri Zaitsev – Washington Capitals (NHL Draft 2016, 7th Round, 207th Overall). In addition to the six NHL draft picks, Coach Vasko has developed players currently committed by the Big 10 and other Division 1 Colleges: Denis Smirnov, Nikita Pavlychev, Paul Denaples and Jacob Goldowski – Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Eugene Fadyeyev – Ohio State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Derek Hamelin – Canisius College, NCAA Div. I; Marcus Joseph – Sacred Heart University, NCAA Div. I; Vlad Dzhioshvili, University of Vermont, NCAA Div. I; Konstantin Chernyuk- University of Maine, NCAA Div. I; Jacob Hamacher and Gavin Lewis – RIT, NCAA Div. I; Joseph Campolieto – Union College, NCAA Div. I.
Coach Ray Giroux – WBS Jr. Knights Coach and Revolution Learn to Play Director Coach Giroux is a Canadian ice hockey defenceman that played with Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Giroux, who shoots left, played collegiately at Yale University. During the 1997–98 season, he captained the best team in school history as Yale won their first ECAC regular season title (Yale has since won another regular season title in the 2008-09 season) and advanced to the NCAA tournament after only having been picked to finish in 10th place at the beginning of the season. In addition to being a 1st-team All American, Giroux was named ECAC Player of the Year as well as the league’s best offensive defenceman and was one of ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given annually to the nation’s top collegiate player. Giroux spent time in many NHL organizations before leaving the US to play overseas. He has played in the AHL for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and in the NHL for both the New York Islanders and the New Jersey Devils. Playing for Ak Bars he became Russian champion (2005/06) and IIHF European Champions Cup winner (2007). Giroux made his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) debut playing with SKA Saint Petersburg during the inaugural 2008–09 KHL season. He participated in 2009 Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game.
Coach Andrei Svistunov – WBS Knights Goaltending Coach
Coach Svistunov is the goaltender coach of the WBS Knights. As a native of Moscow, Russia, Svistunov played hockey for the WBS Knights prior to joining the Buffalo State Bengals. As a mechanical engineering major, Svistunov racked up an impressive 92% and 80% save percentage in the net for the WBS Knights and Bengals respectively.
WBS Jr. Knights Teams The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Junior Knights are a USA Hockey-sanctioned travel teamranging from mites (Age 6) to peewee (U12) led by Head Coach / Director of Knights Hockey, Alex Vasko. Teams include:
U6 – Mite Minor
U8 – Mite Major
U10 – Squirt (AYHL)
U10 – Squirt (EJEPL)
U10 – Squirt (MAWHA Girls)
U12 – Pee Wee (AYHL)
U12 – Pee Wee (EJEPL)
FAQ’s & General Information on Youth Hockey As players navigate through tryouts and get chosen on a team, sometimes players are given a different message. There are many forces that create top athletes / hockey players and it is often misunderstood how important each of the different forces are. At different age groups, players have different opportunities for playing hockey in United States and Canada:
U6 – Mite Minor
U8 – Mite Major
U10 – Squirt (Major and Minor)
U12 – Pee Wee (Major and Minor)
U14 – Bantam (Major and Minor)
U18 – Midget (Major and Minor), High School
U20 – Junior
Within each age group, there is opportunity to play at different tiers and levels. It is often confusing how programs use the word AAA or Tier 1 or Elite. Depending on where you live in the country, AAA, AA, A, B, C, House, Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 all mean different things. Tiers are designated by USA hockey and they represent levels of hockey for state, regional and national competition. Tier 1 is the highest level and USA hockey offers National Championships at U14(Bantam), U16(Midget Minor) and U18(Midget Major) levels. Tier I hockey is subdivided into Major and Minor teams. Minor teams are comprised of first year players at that level and Major teams are comprised of second year players. Major teams at the Peewee level and above are eligible for the USA Hockey National Championships. Within each organization teams are separated by letters. The top teams are usually AAA, followed by AA, A, B, C, and in-house at each respective age group. Despite the different terms, a AAA team in one organization may not be any better than a A team in another organization. Travel Hockey organizations in many part of the country are not allowed to have AAA teams at all or at different ages.
What does it mean to reach higher levels of hockey? Playing higher levels of hockey doesn’t mean you have to play AAA or Tier 1 at younger ages, it means that you have to find the right program and coach. Development at younger ages means a lot different than older ages. Most players are not scouted until they are Bantam Major or older. Rarely a player will be touted about when he is a Pee Wee Major. Hockey development is unusual in that the best players in their younger days may have played A, or house instead of the highest levels in their respective organizations. It is unfortunate but the higher designation with extra A adds cost to hockey. It is often benefited with more ice time and higher level coaches. More puck touches on a smaller lower level team might be more beneficial than no or low puck touches on a higher level team. Other components play factors to creating opportunities for players also:
Training: How good is the training. Are they working on skills or just team tactics. Are they working on becoming better athletes.
Support: Do players have parents or family that picks them up when they make mistakes, and signs them up for training.
Opportunity: Do coaches, teammates, parents, players themselves create opportunities for success.
Recognition and Achievement: Does performance lead to recognition and achievement.
Often players are touted for their skating skill or stick handling ability but if they are not seen or scouted they may not get the opportunities to advance.
As mentioned earlier, scouts for junior and college teams come to see players that are in their Bantam and Midget years. Size, interests, skills change rapidly as player grow, puberty and external forces begin to impact hockey players. Also, use injuries become more prevalent. Athleticism, conditioning, speed, talent separate players at this age. For this reason, players are encouraged to be at the top of their games by bantam major. Players have the greatest development between the ages of 10 and 14. It is these years that define their future in hockey at the higher levels. There are many paths to Division 1, Division 2/3 and pro hockey. There are many intermediate steps along the way. There is no right path or direct path. The best players will be found but to become the best a player, players will need to compete against the best and get high level coaching.
Revolution Ice Centre runs various camps and clinics throughout the year. Click here for the latest info on Camps & Clinics
WBS Jr. Knights AlumniNHL Draft:
Ivan Provorov – Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Draft 2015, 1st Round, 7th Overall)
CJ Yakimowicz – USA National Development Team U18 2013-14
Jake Goldowski – USA National Development Team U17 2016-2017, U18 2017-18
NCAA Division I:
Denis Smirnov – 2011-2013: Committed to Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten
Derek Hamelin – 2011-2014: Committed to Canisius College, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Nikita Pavlychev – 2011-2014: Committed to Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten
Eugene Fadyeyev – 2011-2014: Committed to Ohio State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten
Marcus Joseph – 2012-2015: Committed to Sacred Heart University, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Dan Perez – 2013-2015: Committed to University of Maine, NCAA Div. I – Hockey East
Vlad Dzhioshvili – 2012-2015: Committed to University of Vermont, NCAA Div. I – Hockey East
Konstantin Chernyuk – 2013-2015: Committed to University of Maine, NCAA Div. I – Hockey East
Jacob Hamacher – 2013-2014, 2015-2016: Committed to RIT, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Gavin Lewis – 2014-15: Committed to RIT, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Luke Edgerton – 2014-15: Committed to Niagara University, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Jacob Goldowski – 2014-2016: Committed to Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten
Aiden Beck – 2015-2016: Committed to Canisius College, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Sammy Steele – 2015-2016: Committed to Arizona State University, NCAA Div. I – Independent
Joseph Campolieto – 2010-2016: Committed to Union College, NCAA Div. I – ECAC
Paul DeNaples – 2010-2016: Committed to Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten
Joey Kubachka – 2015-2017: Committed to Cornell University, NCAA Div. I – ECAC
Khristian Acosta – 2016-17: Committed to University of Massachusetts at Amherst, NCAA Div. I – Hockey East
Dorian Dawson – 2015-2017: Committed to Brown University, NCAA Div. I – ECAC
Grant Valentine – 2015-2017: Committed to Miami University (of Ohio), NCAA Div. I – NCHC
Tyrone Bronte – 2017-2018: Committed to Bemidji State University, NCAA Div. I – WCHA
Paul Maust – 2015-2017: Committed to Mercyhurst University, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Reed Robinson – 2015-2018: Committed to Niagara University, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Jack Olmstead – 2017-2018: Committed to University of Michigan, NCAA Div. I – Big 10
Thomas Farrell – 2016-2018: Committed to Army, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Anthony Firriolo – 2017-2018: Committed to Army, NCAA Div. I – Atlantic Hockey
Christian Stoever – 2017-18: Committed to Merrimack College, NCAA Div. I – Hockey East
Adrian Danchenko – 2014 – 2018: Committed to Alabama-Huntsville, NCAA Div. I – WCHA
NCAA Division II:
Connor Ryan – 2013-2014: Committed to Southern New Hampshire University, NCAA Div. II – Northeast-10
Matt MacInnis – 2013-2014: Committed to Southern New Hampshire University, NCAA Div. II – Northeast-10
Brad Riccardi – 2013-2014: Committed to Franklin Pierce University, NCAA Div. II – Northeast-10
NCAA Division III:
Parker Carroll – 2010-2011: Committed to Norwich University, NCAA Div. III – ECAC East
Joe Casale – 2010-2012: Committed to SUNY Canton, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Rob Belger – 2011-2012: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC Northeast
Rob Liberatore – 2011-2012: Committed to SUNY Canton, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Erik Lyrvall – 2011-2012: Committed to Norwich University, NCAA Div. III – ECAC East
Mike DeLaVergne – 2011-2013: Committed to Buffalo State College, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Gaven LaValley – 2011-2014: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC Northeast
Jack Ceglarski – 2011-2013: Committed to SUNY Geneseo, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Erik Moberg – 2011-2013: Committed to SUNY Fredonia, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Gaven LaValley – 2011-2014: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC Northeast
Tommy Dowell – 2012-2013: Committed to Plymouth State University, NCAA Div. III – MASCAC
Hunter Long – 2012-2013: Committed to SUNY Fredonia, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Marcus Ortiz – 2012-2013: Committed to SUNY Fredonia, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Matt Cessna – 2012-2014: Committed to SUNY Fredonia, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Chris Deming – 2012-2014: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC Northeast
Oskar Gerhardson – 2013-2014: Committed to SUNY Fredonia, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Kyle Matsumoto – 2013-2014: Committed to SUNY Canton, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Quinton Neville – 2013-2014: Committed to St. Olaf College, NCAA Div. III – MIAC
Kenny Orlando – 2013-2014: Committed to SUNY Canton, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Jens Rasmusson – 2013-2014: Committed to UMass – Dartmouth, NCAA Div. III – MASCAC
Harout Sarkisian – 2013-2014: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC Northeast
Austin Arnold – 2013-2015: Committed to St. Mary’s University, NCAA Div. III – MIAC
David MacGregor – 2014-2015: Committed to UMass-Boston, NCAA Div. III – ECAC East
John Regnart – 2013-2015: Committed to UMass-Boston, NCAA Div. III – ECAC East
John Ryan – 2013-2015: Committed to SUNY Potsdam, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Andrei Svistunov – 2012-13, 2014-2016: Committed to Buffalo State, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Tanner Bennett – 2014-2016: Committed to Wisconsin-River Falls, NCAA Div. III – WIAC
Matt Beranek – 2015-2016: Committed to Lawrence University, NCAA Div. III – NCHA
Blake Busch – 2015-2016: Committed to Wisconsin-River Falls, NCAA Div. III – WIAC
Zed Dietrich – 2015-2016: Committed to Milwaukee School of Engineering, NCAA Div. III – NCHA
Tim Gelatt – 2015-2017: Committed to University of Wisconsin River Falls, NCAA Div. III – WIAC
Stephen Kelly – 2015-2016: Committed to Buffalo State, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Carson Knop – 2015-2016: Committed to Lawrence University, NCAA Div. III – NCHA
Zach Remers – 2012-2016: Committed to Buffalo State, NCAA Div. III – SUNYAC
Joe Schuler – 2016-17: Committed to Colby College, NCAA Div. III – NESCAC
Elijah Latimer – 2007-17: Committed to St. Thomas University, NCAA Div. III-MIAC
JP Natishan – 2012-2018: Committed to Kings College, NCAA Div. III – UCHC
Michael Morrissey – 2007-2018: Committed to Colby College, NCAA Div. III – NESCAC
Bryan Whelan – 2017-18: Committed to Framingham State Rams, NCAA Div. III – MASCAC
Tyler Watungwa – 2017-2018: Committed to Finlandia University, NCAA Div. III – NCHA Conference
Curtis Carlson – 2015-2018: Committed to Nichols College, NCAA Div. III – CCC
Paul Cimilluca – 2016-2018: Committed to Wilkes University, NCAA Div. III – UCHC
Mike Gelatt – 2016-2018: Committed to Skidmore College, NCAA Div. III – ECAC East
Matt Kidney – 2016-2018: Committed to Salve Regina University, NCAA Div. III – CCC
David Pfoestl – 2015-2018: Committed to Anna Maria College, NCAA Div. III – Independent
Thomas Walker – 2017-2019: Committed to Albertus Magnus College, NCAA Div. III – Independent
Tyler Uravage – 2012-2015: Committed to St. Olaf University, NCAA Div. III – MIAC
Alex Rowella – 2011-2015: Committed to Manhattanville College, NCAA Div. III – UCHC
Tino Alunni – 2010-2016: Committed to Lebanon Valley College, NCAA Div. III – UCHC
ACHA:
Zach Gielarowski – 2016-17: Committed to Robert Morris University
Nate Chuckran – 2017-2018: Committed to Stony Brook University
Jared Stahel – 2017-2018: Committed to Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Louie Kuka – 2016-2017: Committed to William Patterson University
Austin Weber – 2017-2018: Committed to University of Alabama
This diagram will show the progression of a skater at the Revolution Ice Centre. Skaters can progress from learn to skate, to in-house leagues, to the WBS Knights youth program, to college, and then to adult leagues all in one facility.