Penn State has introduced the hiring and return of former Nittany Lions defenseman Vince Pedrie as an assistant coach for the boys’s hockey group.
Pedrie joins Man Gadowsky’s employees following the departure of longtime affiliate head coach Keith Fisher, who accepted the pinnacle teaching place at Lindenwood earlier this month.
“I’m ecstatic to be returning to Penn State as an assistant coach for the boys’s ice hockey group,” stated Pedrie in an announcement. “I lengthen my honest gratitude to Coach Gadowsky, your complete Penn State employees, and all who contributed to the belief of this chance. It has been practically a decade since I enrolled as a freshman on this campus, and now to be returning as a coach for my alma mater is actually surreal. I’m honored to be entrusted with this accountability and eagerly anticipate furthering this system’s already outstanding success. We Are!”
“We’re thrilled to have Vince Pedrie coming again to Hockey Valley,” added Gadowsky. “As a student-athlete, he got here right here as a free agent, took an opportunity on a brand new program, and developed into among the finest defensemen within the nation, resulting in an NHL contract after two terrific seasons. Vince retired after enjoying for 3 NHL organizations and has been doing a fantastic job constructing his community within the hockey world as a coach and an agent all whereas finishing his diploma and graduating with a 3.3 GPA in 2021. Vince brings first-hand expertise to assist develop our defensemen together with a fantastic love for Penn State to additional improve our tradition.”
Pedrie, a fan favourite throughout his time in Hockey Valley from 2015 to 2017, helped lead Penn State to the 2017 Huge Ten match championship, its first in program historical past, and its first-ever NCAA match look in 2017 earlier than signing a two-way NHL contract with the New York Rangers and AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack following his sophomore season.
The Chicago native spent elements of the subsequent 4 seasons with three totally different NHL organizations, skating in 109 profession AHL video games and registering 31 factors on 5 objectives and 26 assists earlier than hanging up his skates in 2020.
Pedrie departed Hockey Valley in 2017 after turning into the primary Nittany Lions defenseman to hit the 30-point mark and the primary to be named a primary group all-Huge Ten choice. Pedrie set single-season data in every offensive class for a Penn State blueliner on the time with eight objectives and 22 assists for 30 factors. His level and aim totals, whereas having been matched since he left, nonetheless haven’t been surpassed. In simply two seasons at Penn State, Pedrie registered 52 factors in 71 video games on 16 objectives and 36 assists and nonetheless ranks third in objectives and ninth in each factors and assists whereas his plus-31 score is tied for tenth.
Pedrie accomplished his bachelor’s diploma in communications arts and sciences in Dec. 2021 following his skilled hockey profession.
Since retiring as a participant, Pedrie has served because the lead United States participant consultant for all U.S. based mostly purchasers for the Will Sports activities Group on behalf of quite a few NCAA Division I commitments and USHL/CHL draft picks over the previous 4 years.
Pedrie can also be a degree 4 USA Hockey coach having spent four-plus seasons as a youth coach, most just lately as the pinnacle coach and director of participant improvement for the Windy Metropolis Storm 16U squad. He was additionally a head coach for Workforce Illinois AAA for the 15U and 16U groups from 2020 to 2023.
