Throughout the season, the Atlantic Hockey Federation will be highlighting the clubs that make our hockey community special. From longstanding traditions and player development to the coaches, volunteers and families who bring each organization to life, the AHF Club Spotlight series will take a closer look at the stories behind our member clubs. First up, we head to New Jersey to meet the Montclair Blues, an organization with more than six decades of history and a commitment to developing great hockey players and even better people.
For more than six decades, the Montclair Hockey Club has been a home for generations of hockey players in northern New Jersey.
Founded in 1963, the Montclair Blues have built a tradition that predates even the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, who began play in 1967. Today, that tradition continues at Montclair State University Ice Arena, where the organization fields 20 teams ranging from Mites through Midgets and from beginner levels to AA.
But for the Blues, success has never been measured solely by wins, championships or how far a player advances in the game.
At the heart of the organization is a commitment to developing players both on and off the ice.
Building Players — and People
The Montclair Hockey Club focuses on developing individual hockey skills while emphasizing character, sportsmanship, teamwork and a lasting passion for the game. Respect — for teammates, opponents, the community and hockey itself — is central to the culture the Blues strive to create.
Just as importantly, the organization wants hockey to remain fun.
That philosophy extends well beyond a player’s final season in a Blues jersey. The club hopes its players leave the program as well-rounded young men and women with friendships and memories that remain with them long after their youth hockey careers are over. Ideally, some will eventually find their way back to the rink and give the next generation the same experience.
For many former Blues, that is exactly what has happened.
A Tradition of Coming Home
One of Montclair’s proudest traditions is seeing former players return to the organization as coaches.
From recent college graduates beginning their coaching careers to parents returning to the rink with children of their own, former Blues can be found throughout the organization as head coaches, assistant coaches and skills coaches.
It creates a cycle that has helped sustain the club for more than 60 years: players grow up wearing the Blues jersey, move on to the next chapter of their lives and eventually return to help another generation discover the game.
Few people embody that commitment more than longtime coach and club treasurer Tobias Schraven.
A former professional hockey player in Europe, Schraven has spent more than 20 years with the Blues, coaching boys and girls teams at every level from Mite through Midget. His teams have collected multiple division and district titles and made seven trips to the USA Hockey Nationals. He currently serves as a head coach with the club’s 16AA team.
Yet his impact extends beyond his teams’ accomplishments. The club credits Schraven with helping develop respectful young adults by emphasizing maturity, work ethic and character — qualities that reflect the larger mission of Montclair Hockey.
Creating a Path Forward
For players who want to continue advancing in hockey, the Blues work to create opportunities to take the next step.
Graduating players regularly continue their careers at the college level, while younger players are encouraged to pursue exposure through the AAHA District Development program. Montclair players have also earned opportunities to represent the district in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ Bell Cup and participate in the prestigious Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the New Jersey Devils Quebec team.
Those opportunities matter, but so does simply creating an environment where players want to keep playing.
The club’s goal is for players and families to finish each season with lasting memories and an appreciation for the experience they shared together. Hockey is viewed as a privilege, and the Blues want families to enjoy every part of the journey — not just the results on the scoreboard.
Giving Back Beyond the Rink
That sense of responsibility carries into the Montclair community.
Each Blues team is encouraged to organize and complete its own charitable initiative. Recent efforts have included collecting food for the Human Needs Food Pantry in Montclair and gathering school supplies for local students preparing for a new school year.
The work is made possible in large part by the people behind the scenes.
Despite its size and competitive reach, the Montclair Hockey Club remains a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Board members, coaches, managers and support staff dedicate their time to keeping the organization running while balancing careers and responsibilities away from the rink.
Their collective effort helps preserve what the Blues ultimately want the organization to represent.
A Place Where Everyone Has a Home
After more than 60 years, the Montclair Blues continue to evolve. Teams change, players graduate and new families walk through the doors of the rink every season.
The goal, however, remains remarkably consistent.
Montclair wants to be a place where players of every ability have a home — somewhere they can spend their entire youth hockey careers developing into the best players and people they can become.
And when people hear the name Montclair Blues, the organization hopes they think not only about hockey, but about respectful players, parents, coaches and volunteers who care about something larger than themselves.
For a club built on generations of players returning to give back to the game, that sense of belonging may be the most important tradition of all.