Icemen Announce 2023-24 Hockey Operations Staff

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Jacksonville Icemen Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Nick Luukko is pleased to announce today the hockey operations staff for the 2023-24 season.

Luukko enters his third season as head coach for the Icemen where he helped guide the Icemen to a club-record 44 wins last season, clipping the previous club mark of 40 wins set by the team during his first season in 2021-22. The following is a listing of the Icemen’s 2023-24 Hockey Operations Staff:Brandon Mashinter, Assistant CoachMashinter enters his third season as assistant coach for the Icemen and has played a key role in skill development for players.   Prior to coaching, Mashinter compiled an impressive playing career at a high-level from 2009-2021.  Mashinter competed in 64 NHL contests in stints with the San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks.  The Newmarket, Ontario resident compiled 261 points in 535 American Hockey League (AHL) games split between the Worcester Sharks, Hartford Wolfpack, Rockford Ice Hogs and San Jose Barracuda. He also played two seasons in Germany with ERC Ingolstadt (DEL).  Mashinter also won an Ontario Hockey League championship with the Kitchener Rangers in 2008.   

Patrick Murphy, Strength & Conditioning Coach Murphy enters his fifth season with the Icemen and plays a key role in off-ice player strength and conditioning building.  Murphy also assists in setting up workout programs for youth and junior hockey programs at the Community First Igloo.  Murphy operates his own fitness business, Murphy Fitness in Jacksonville. He is a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and graduated from UNF with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science. Last fall, he Boston, MA resident worked the 2021 New York Rangers Training Camp.

Charles Williams – Goaltending CoachWilliams enters his first season coaching after closing out a successful playing career this past May. During his career, Williams posted an 111-70-13 record, with ten shutouts, a 2.56 goals-against average, and a .912 save percentage in 195 career ECHL appearances split between the Icemen, Indy Fuel and the Manchester Monarchs. During the 2020-2021 season, Williams was named the ECHL Goaltender of the Month for March of 2021. Williams was exceptionally strong in the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs after recording a 1.32 goals-against average with a 0.952 save percentage in four appearances.  Williams also earned AHL call-ups throughout his career with the Rochester Americans, Ontario Reign and Rockford IceHogs.  The Detroit, Michigan resident played collegiately at Ferris State University from 2012-2016 before recording an impressive 21-7-5 record at Canisius College during his senior season. This summer, Williams also accepted a position in the Icemen’s front office as Director of Hockey Community Development, where he will grow the game of hockey in Northeast Florida, while introducing the game to youth across the region.    

Matt Conti – Head Equipment Manager Conti enters his third season with the Icemen.   Prior to Jacksonville, Conti worked 23 years for Princeton University’s Athletic Department, which includes seven years as equipment manager for the Princeton Men’s Hockey program.  The Mercerville, New Jersey resident also managed facility operations at Ice Land Skating Center in Hamilton, New Jersey.  On the ice, Conti served as an emergency backup goaltender for the Trenton Titans, Trenton Devils for parts of nine seasons, appearing in two ECHL games in 2006 & 2007, posting a 3.00 goals-against average in 60 minutes of action. 

Cody Marean – Head Athletic Trainer, ATC, LAT, PESMarean returns for a second season with the Icemen and possesses over nine years of experience working in the athletic training field.   Prior to joining the Icemen, Marean was contracted by Southern Maine Health Care to serve as the Head Athletic Trainer at Biddeford High School in 2022. In early 2022, he was an Assistant Athletic Trainer at Jacksonville University.   From 2017-2022 he worked in an athletic training and strength coach capacity for Bridgton Academy Athletics located in Maine.   From 2014-2015, Marean worked as an assistant athletic trainer in Boston Red Sox organization working with the Greenville Drive (A), Lowell Spinners (A) and worked the New York Penn League All-Star Game in 2015.  The Hollis, Maine resident earned a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from the University of New England and is expected to complete a Master of Science degree in Sports Psychology from Capella University in 2024. 

Chris Blaisuis – Video CoordinatorBlaisuis enters his first season with the Icemen but has worked in hockey since 2007.  Blaisuis joins the Icemen after serving as Head Coach of the SPHL’s Vermillion County Bobcats last season.  Prior to his time in the SPHL, he spent over two seasons as a head coach in the NA3HL.  From 2010-2016 Blasius worked in various hockey operations roles with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs which won three Robertson Cup USA Hockey Tier 2 National Championships.  From 2008-2010 he was the Director of Scouting and Player Personnel and video coach for the USHL’s Tri City Storm, where he helped lead a franchise turnaround from an 11-47-2 record to a 29-25-6 and playoff berth the following the following season. The Storm was led that season by 2010 St. Louis Blues First Round Draft pick Jaden Schwartz, who was drafted by Blaisuis first overall in the 2008 USHL Futures Draft.  The Port Jefferson, New York resident was also instrumental in launching the Kenai River Brown Bears (NAHL) franchise in 2007-08.   

Blaisuis takes on his new role after former Icemen Video Coordinator Jake Wheeler accepted a video coach position with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in August.   Alex Reed, the Icemen’s Director of Communications and Broadcasting will once again serve in a hockey operations assistant role for a fourth season handling team services and coordinating travel.  Reed began his team services duties during the 2020-21 season where he also worked as a video coordinator for the Icemen.The Icemen open the 2023-24 season at home against the Florida Everblades on Saturday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m.  Icemen full and partial ticket packages for the 2023-24 Season are currently on sale!  Payment plans are also available. Contact the Icemen office at 904-602-7825, or visit www.jacksonvilleicemen.com for more information.

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