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Recruited from many corners of America, young hockey players are set to storm into their prime and show pure hockey fans what early craftsmanship looks like - right down to the street.

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New Jersey 87's: A growing hockey presence in Garden State

Clayton Thomas finished an open hockey session at Middletown Ice World and made his way into the locker room. Sitting in a stall located beneath the swath of red seats in the arena, he was greeted by a familiar face: youth hockey coach Matt Kiernan, who gave an unusual proposal to the 20-year-old defenseman.

"I'm putting an expansion team together. Would you like to be a part of it?" Kiernan asked Thomas.





A few months later, Thomas was named captain of the New Jersey 87's, a Tier III junior hockey team part of the Eastern Hockey League's Premier Division.

While the 2017-18 hockey season is still young, the formation of the 87's started nearly a year ago. Kiernan is working alongside team owner and head coach Adam Houli, as the two have known each other for 16 years and have worked together for the last four. Despite their experience coaching various hockey programs in the area, creating an expansion team was a unique experience for both of them.

"We did our due diligence, put a business proposal together and sent it out to many leagues, and felt that the EHL was strongest league with the stability they provided," Houli said. "Around last December, we found out that we got the green light and started our process of recruiting."

One benefit the 87's had in their expansion process was their affiliation with the New Jersey Titans, a Tier II organization of the North American Hockey League that also plays in Middletown Ice World. Led by head coach and GM Craig Doremus, the Titans finished with a 34-22-4 record in the 2016-17 season and were one game away from competing in the Robertson Cup Tournament in Minnesota.

The affiliation turned out be helpful in recruiting, as Houli and Kiernan were involved in the Titans' tryout camp in August. With over 100 players fighting for a roster spot on the Titans, the 87's were able to recruit those that did not make the NAHL squad.

While players are normally hesitant in joining a team that has yet to operate, the 87's were able to sign players from places such as Ohio, Texas, Alabama, California and even Belarus.

"The players we brought in here are really buying into our culture and I think they’re going to reap the benefits of being around that," Houli said.

Working closely with Doremus, the two coaches sought to emulate the Titans' culture of a fast and attacking style of play while putting emphasis on work ethic in and out of the rink.

"Through dedication and commitment from both player and coach, our 87's are taught the importance of education, nutrition, and off ice training needed to be successful both on and off the ice," part of the mission statement reads on the 87's website.

Houli and Kiernan even pride themselves in representing the Garden State through the team. The 87's name derives from the state's founding in 1787 while the logo features three stars at the top to represent New Jersey becoming the third state of the union. Their secondary patch pays homage to the New Jersey Turnpike.

It also reflects the growing presence of junior hockey in New Jersey. With the Avalanche in Hackensack and the Rockets in Newark, the 87's provide yet another outlet for hockey players in the state. According to Houli, it was a big reason why he founded the team in the first place.

"New Jersey is becoming a hockey hotbed right now. The players in this area have been tremendously successful and we want to capture that. We want to keep them home and make sure that New Jersey is being looked at as a state where colleges and scouts want to come here and watch," he said.

And the 87's are certainly a team to watch. Playing in the EHLP South Conference, the team is off to an 8-1-1 start. The team is riding a six-game winning streak and have outscored opponents 34-6 in that span. Three players--Michael Termine, Kevin Troy, and Christian McCue--have already recorded hat tricks, while goaltender Tristen Gillispie notched the team's first ever shutout.

The team's last three wins took place in Brewster, N.Y. as part of the EHLP Showcase. Gillispie said it was important for the 87's to make a statement there with all of the other teams attending.

"We're not here to play around. Although we're an expansion team, we come in here and we mean business," Gillispie said. "We're here to get things done, and not to be just any other team, but the team."

The 87's will look to continue their hot start with two more games this weekend. They'll face the Little Flyers in Philadelphia on Saturday Oct. 28, and will return to Middletown the following night with a game against the New York Applecore, as the 87's will hold Breast Cancer Awareness night.

Meanwhile, as Thomas sits in the locker room, now painted in the team's buff and blue colors, he talks about his role as a captain on an expansion team.

"I'm by no means some big mighty captain, but I like to be a role-guy that others look up to. The guys here know what they're doing too, so that makes my job easier," Thomas said.

Considering that Thomas has scored nine points in his first 10 games, it can be said that he's making Houli and Kiernan's job of operating an expansion team easier as well.

Age Ranges - 16-20

Currently have 21 rostered players

5 have moved from other states (states mentioned in article, Ohio, California, Texas, Alabama and Belarus) however 10 have moved away from home and living with a host family as they live at least 2+hrs from the Rink.

This is the local hockey story of the year. You read it first at TAPinto Holmdel and Colts Neck. See them Sunday and watch the future unfold so yoiu saw them when...

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