NAX Announces 2021/22 U15 Prep Staff
Toma began his coaching career with Sherwood Park Minor Hockey Association before moving to the Maple Leafs Athletic Club (MLAC). In his first year at MLAC Toma received the organizations Coach of the Year award which earned him a promotion to Bantam AAA. In his first at the Bantam AAA level Toma won the Alberta Minor Bantam Hockey League (AMBHL) Coach of the Year Award. The following season Toma joined the NAX program as an assistant coach with the Bantam Prep (now U15 Prep) team helping lead the team to a 2018 John Reid Memorial Tournament championship. Now in his third season as head coach of the U16 Prep (formerly Elite 15s) team, Toma led the Elite 15s to a CSSHL League Championship and an undefeated record in two tournaments (Kelowna and Western Canadian Crown) in 2018/19. Last year Toma would once again lead his team to championships in both tournaments they entered (Logan Boulet Memorial Tournament and Western Canadian Crown) and a first place regular season CSSHL finish before COVID ended playoffs and the teams chance at a three-peat.
Former NHLer Kyle Chipchura will join the team as an assistant coach for his first year at the NAX Program. The first overall pick by the Prince Albert Raiders in the 2001 WHL Bantam Draft, Chipchura represented Team Canada twice including being named captain of the U18 team and the U20 World Juniors team when Canada won gold in 2006. In 2004 Chipchura was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, 18th overall. He would spend the 2006/07 season with their affiliate, the Hamilton Bulldogs, winning an AHL Calder Cup. Chipchura spent nine seasons in the NHL playing 481 games for the Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, and Arizona (Phoenix) Coyotes before spending the last four seasons in Russia in the KHL.