On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Gabe Perreault for his recent commitment to attend and play his NCAA D1 college hockey at Boston College.

Gabe becomes the first Bridgedale grad to commit to BC, a perennial Hockey East powerhouse.

A resident of Hinsdale, IL, and son of former NHL forward (and present Bridgedale on-ice instructor) Yanic Perreault, Gabe attended Bridgedale for three years while competing for the Chicago Mission '05 birth year teams. He is now in his second season as a member of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP).

While competing for the NTDP U17s during the 2021-22 season, mostly in games in the super-competitive United States Hockey League (USHL) Tier 1 junior league, Gabe scored 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 51 games, making him the team's leading scorer. He also played 7 games last season for the NTDP U18s, tallying 3 assists in those games.

In his 18 games played so far this season with the NTDP U18s, Gabe has accumulated 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points, a nearly 2 points per game clip and is presently 2nd in team scoring. In an early season game, he scored 2 goals, including the game winner, in his team's 5-3 win over the University of Notre Dame.

Gabe also had 4 goals and 5 assists in four games in helping the NTDP U18's to their recent championship at the prestigious Five Nations Cup. 

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Davis Burnside as he begins his freshman campaign with the Ohio State University.

Davis joins Cam Thiesing, older brother of Bridgedale grad Therien Thiesing, on this year's OSU squad.

Davis hails from LaGrange, IL, and attended Bridgedale while competing for the Chicago Mission '03 birth year teams. He is one of just a handful of Bridgedale student-athletes to win Bridgedale's prestigious Ductu per Agone ("Leadership through Athletics") award for the entire school year more than once, accomplishing the feat in both the 7th and 8th grades.

For the last three seasons, Davis played in the United States Hockey League. He had stints with the Tri-City Storm and Des Moines before finishing up with the Dubuque Fighting Saints, helping them to a 2nd place regular season finish in the USHL's Eastern Conference last season.

Davis also served as a captain for USA Hockey's Under-17 Select Team at the 2019 Five Nations Tournament in Fussen, Germany, winning a Silver Medal.

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Tyler Haskins as he begins his freshman year with defending NCAA National Champion Denver University.

Tyler joins fellow Bridgedale grads Sean Behrens and Jack Devine, now both sophomores with DU's powerhouse program.

Originally from Rochester, MN, Tyler attended Bridgedale while competing for the Chicago Mission '03 birth year teams. 

For the last two seasons, Tyler played in the United States Hockey League. He tallied 45 points (20g/25a) in 52 games for the Madison Capitals during the 2021-22 season, helping lead them to the USHL's Clark Cup finals.

He also played for USA Hockey's Under-17 Select Team at the 2019 Five Nations Tournament in Fussen, Germany, winning a Silver Medal.

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Nine Bridgedale Grads and Counting

Bridgedale Academy grads Zakary Karpa and Jack Devine were recently selected in the 2022 National Hockey League Draft.

This makes it nine (9) Bridgedale grads drafted over the last five NHL drafts.

Zakary was selected in the Sixth Round (#191 Overall) by the New York Rangers, and Jack in the Seventh Round (#221 Overall) by the Florida Panthers.

Zakary, after playing two seasons with USA Hockey's National Team Development Program (NTDP) and another in the USHL with Omaha and Des Moines, played last season with the Harvard Crimson of the ECAC.

Jack, after two seasons with the NTDP, played last season with Denver University, capping off an outstanding freshman season with DU's ninth all-time National Championship.

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Mrs. Kuhl's Speech at Year-End Awards Ceremony!

At the conclusion of each Bridgedale Academy school year, our graduating 8th graders take center stage. In addition to announcing where they will attend high school and presenting their moms with a rose, each boy recites from memory a speech or poem.

Each year the boys do a wonderful job with their recitations, no small feat considering that, in addition to our entire student body and teaching staff being there, parents, grandparents and siblings are also in attendance. This year we had more than 200 attendees.

One reason the boys do so well is Mrs. Janene Kuhl, who has taught the English Language Arts to Bridgedale's 8th graders since our founding in 2013 and who prepares the boys so well for their public speaking engagement.

This year after the boys had once again nailed their recitations, Mrs. Kuhl gave her own speech, using the acronym STEAL to talk about the life lessons that can be learned from the novels and short stories the boys read each year in her class.

Her stirring speech received a thunderous ovation. You can read it here, or by clicking this blog article's title above to continue reading.

Illinois Wins America's Showcase - St. Louis

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Nick Delaney and his Illinois Showcase Team Black teammates for their championship at the prestigious America's Showcase in St. Louis.

The tournament is an opportunity for the top high school players in Illinois to compete against teams from all over and be scouted by colleges and junior teams.

Nick, a right-shooting forward, led the tournament in scoring with 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in six games.

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

Two Years in a Row with a Bridgedale Grad Winning!

Earlier this month, Bridgedale grads Sean Behrens and Jack Devine and their Denver University teammates beat Minnesota State to win the NCAA Division 1 National Championship.

It was the ninth national championship for the Pioneers, tying for the most all time and capping off another amazing DU hockey season.

Both Sean (#2) and Jack (#4) are true freshmen, having played together the last two years at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program.

And this makes it two years in a row that a Bridgedale grad has hoisted the Championship trophy. Last year, Bridgedale grad Josh Lopina did it with UMass.

To win it all, DU had to beat a dominant Minnesota State University team with another Bridgedale connection, as their Hobey Baker winning goalie Dryden McKay is the son of Bridgedale goalie instructor Ross McKay.

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Dashel Oliver on his commitment to play his Division 1 NCAA hockey at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. 

This season Dashel is splitting his time between the North Jersey Avalanche U16s and the Lincoln Stars who selected Dashel in the 2nd round of the 2021 USHL draft, the league's 19th overall pick.

Dashel grew up in Indiana, playing his youth hockey in Bloomington before joining the Chicago Mission where he played 3 seasons. He also represented the USA in the prestigious Five Nations Cup in Switzerland last August, serving as team Captain in 2 of the games.

A fast, right-handed shooting forward, Dashel is the 23rd Bridgedale Academy grad to earn his D1 scholarship.

(Click to see all Bridgedale's college commitments.)

“Dashel was a big part of our Mission 05 team for many years,” said Yanic Perreault, Dashel's coach at the Mission. "He's a great skater with a really good motor."

"He always puts in the efforts when he comes to the rink," added Perreault. "He commits himself to be better every day."

On a Hockey Scholarship

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Mikey DeAngelo on his verbal commitment to play his Division 1 NCAA hockey at Arizona State University. This season Mikey (still only 16 years old at this writing) is playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL.

Last season Mikey started with the Chicago Mission U16 team before being called up to USA Hockey's NTDP. He also represented the USA in the prestigious Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Czech and Slovakia last August, where his 7 points in 4 games led the team.

A skilled, left-handed shooting forward, Mikey becomes the 22nd Bridgedale Academy grad to have earned his D1 scholarship.

(Click to see all Bridgedale's college commitments.)

“Mikey's speed and skills at speed are both excellent,” said Gino Cavallini, Mikey's coach the last two seasons at the Mission, "and he plays a complete 200 foot game. Last season he really came into his own. It was a joy watching him take his game to the next level."

"Mikey respects what it takes to become a great player," added Cavallini. "He's super coachable and respects the process. To me he's like a combination of the skill of (Bridgedale grad) Matty de St. Phalle and the all-around game of Owen Lindmark."

That's high praise from Coach Cavallini as both Lindmark and de St. Phalle now star for the University of Wisconsin.

Playing for MAC Budapest

by Mike McPartlin, Headmaster, Bridgedale Academy

We are proud to congratulate Bridgedale Academy grad Kaden Varga on beginning his professional hockey career with MAC Budapest in the Hungarian Erste Liga. 

Kaden, an offensive defenseman whose grandfather is former long-time Chicago Blackhawks equipment manager Lou Varga, has taken an unusual path to get where he is now.

After a fine youth career in Illinois, Kaden played prep hockey in Connecticut before a stint in the NAHL with the Jamestown (NY) Rebels that got cut short by the COVID shortened season.

He spent a season in Florida with the Everblades in the USPHL Premier league. This was a step down from the NAHL but it proved to be the perfect opportunity for him, not only because hockey was still being played in Florida, but also because he received plenty of playing time.

That's when his opportunity to play professionally in Europe came about.