Instructors

QUINTIN LAING

Quintin is the Director of Hockey Development for Kelowna Minor Hockey and has also been an assistant coach for the WHL Kelowna Rockets for the past two seasons.  He was a forward for the Kelowna Rockets for 4 years and in his final season with the Rockets he was the teams leading scorer.  He was drafted in the 4th round to the Detroit Redwings and would go on to have a 15 year career playing professional hockey.  Some of his career highlights include playing in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals.  During his time with the Capitals he was honored with being the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Award which is awarded to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

NIKITA POLIAKOV (Next Level Hockey)

With over 15 years of coaching/skills instructor experience Nik works closely with each player to develop the tools and techniques they need to help them elevate their game to the Next Level! Nikita specializes in skating, shooting, learn-to-hit & creative stick-handling.

DIMA LAVRENOV (Next Level Hockey)

With 10 years of coaching experience and a sales background coach Dima is great at communicating with players. He has a unique approach that allows him to reach players of all ages and improve their skill and understanding of the game FAST. Coach D specializes in power skating, stick-handing, scoring & IQ building

JOSH MACNEVIN

Has been the Kelowna Rockets assistant coach the past two seasons and prior to that, spent six seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes as an assistant coach.  Prior to his coaching stint with the Hurricanes, he served as an assistant coach for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns Men’s Hockey team during the 2013-14 season.  A defenceman during his playing career, MacNevin was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the fourth round, 101st overall, in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.  Prior to entering the coaching ranks, MacNevin graduated from Providence College, where he played four seasons with the Friars (1996-00), recording 86 points (20G, 66A) over 137 games.  After turning pro he went on to a playing career that spanned over a decade, with stops in the American Hockey League, Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden and Finland.