Recruits

The New Jersey Rockets Junior Program bagan its rebirth in the 2003 - 2004 season with a Junior B team in the Metropolitan Junior Hockey League (MJHL).  This team had a very successful season, qualifying for the Junior B National tournaments.  Building on this success, the team was entered in the Atlantic Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for the 2004 - 2005 season.  We expanded our program further the following season with teams in both leagues and have continued with the two team structure this year.

In June of 2006,  USA Hockey granted Tier III "A level" status to the AJHL under a pilot project basis. While much of the criteria for the new classification had already been finalized, and was expected to be approved at this year's Annual Meeting of the USA Hockey Board of Directors, some members of the Junior Council, including representatives of the AJHL and EJHL, who are also included in the pilot project, believe that additional work on the criteria was needed, hence the pilot project.

"This is a significant accomplishment for the AJHL and our members. It truly validates our our commitment and success in delivering a Junior "A" quality program", stated League President Glenn Hefferan.

"I must also commend the EJHL and their leader Dan Esdale for their incredible patience and work in this process. They have been at this for fourteen years and they are due a lot of the credit for making the Tier III "A" status a reality", added Hefferan.

Bob Thornton, who joined the Rockets during the 2005 - 2006 season had assumed the position of the Director of our Junior program and will be the Head Coach of our teams.  Bob played junior hockey in the OHL and USHL and professionally in the ECHL during his playing career and has coached professionally in the ECHL.  Bob also serves as the Atlantic regional scout for the USHL.

The mission of the program is to develop junior age players to prepare them for the next level.  Bob has numerous contacts in the Junior, College and Professional ranks and is dedicated to assisting his players achieve their goals as hockey players.

Prospective players are asked to email us at juniors@njrockets.com.  Please include your personal information (phone, email, age, height, weight), athletic information (position, shot, current team, point totals and awards), and academic information (high school, GPA, SAT scores).

Thank you for your interest in the New Jersey Rockets Junior program.