RinkWise podcast: Tyler Holske on junior hockey and college recruitment

Tyler Holske led the South Shore Kings to the 2024 Dineen Cup. (File photo)

Tyler Holske doesn’t get a lot of rest these days.

The Attleboro, Mass., native is entering his third season as head coach and general manager of the South Shore Kings of the NCDC. It’ll be his ninth with the organization after he spent three seasons as a goaltending coach beginning in 2016-17 before becoming assistant GM and an assistant coach in 2019-20.

He led the Kings to the Dineen Cup in 2024.

On top of his roles with the Kings, Holske is also entering his second season as assistant general manager and director of scouting for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers. He first started as a scout with Sioux City in 2019-20. He also works for NHL Central Scouting.

Holske’s coaching resume also includes stints at Milton Academy as an assistant coach as well as a goaltending coach at Stonehill.

As a player, he played his junior hockey for the Boston Jr. Bruins and the South Shore Kings before playing Division 3 hockey at Southern New Hampshire University. Holske, a former goaltender, played two professional seasons in the Netherlands, too.

Holske joined New England Hockey Journal editor Evan Marinofsky on the latest RinkWise podcast to discuss the challenges of transitioning from prep to junior hockey, the nuances of college recruiting and more.

RinkWise podcast: Tyler Holske on junior hockey

How does the NCDC compare as an option to the USHL and BCHL?

Holske: “In terms of the NCDC, the on-ice product, it’s very good. I don’t think it gets enough credit in the hockey world. … I don’t think people know what we have to offer. If I go through our daily routine, our players get to the rink every morning around 9:30. We do video pretty much every day with the players. Early in the year, we’ll do a lot of NHL clips, just going over systems and how we want to play. As the year gets going, we’ll look at our previous games from the weekend, good and bad things we need to work on. We’ll pre-scout our opponents, then we hit the ice around 10:45. We pretty much can skate whenever we want. Then we’re up in the gym. … So if you look at the schedule, it’s a good three or four hours at the rink every day. That’s a lot with video, practice, extra work, 1-on-1 video and workouts. So there’s a lot to offer.”

What’s the difference between a Division 1 and a Division 3 prospect?

Holske: “Obviously, the players we deal with now, even in the NCDC and the USHL, everyone can skate. Everybody can shoot the puck. Most kids can make plays. But it’s what separates you, right? I think when you start talking about USHL, Division 1,  what those guys are looking for, it’s the details. It’s the habits. It’s the second and third effort. Can you win puck battles? Can you win face-offs? Are you willing to block shots? Do you play a hard, skilled game? I think the details start factoring in a bit more when start talking about Division 1 and obviously the USHL, which is one of the best junior leagues out there.”