By: Shakira Spence, Manager of Communications and Community Engagement, NHL Coaches’ Association
The AHL All-Star Classic is built for spectacle. It brings the League’s top prospects, the fastest players and the biggest players all to the main stage.
But at the 2026 edition in Rockford, Illinois, an equally important story unfolded behind the scenes. Four coaches from the NHLCA Female Coaches and BIPOC Coaches Programs, Emily Ach (Assistant Coach, St. Cloud State University), Chris Pascall (Video Coach), Dennis Ruppe (Head Coach & Director, New Jersey Hockey) and Karli Whitaker (Head Coach, Freedom High School Hockey), were selected to spend the Classic shadowing four AHL Head Coaches and gain access to a world they have been working toward for years.
For the third year in a row, the NHLCA partnered with the AHL and their All-Star Mentorship Initiative to place emerging coaches from the programs directly alongside AHL Coaches and hockey staff during All-Star weekend. From the All-Star Skills competition, to the AHL Hall of Fame induction and awards ceremony, to sitting behind the bench during the All-Star Challenge, students were given unlimited access as the events unfolded.
This year’s mentors, including AHL All-Star Head Coaches Mark Letestu (Colorado Eagles), Ryan Mougenel (Providence Bruins), Pascal Vincent (Laval Rocket) and Dan Watson (Grand Rapids Griffins), didn’t just open a door, they pulled back the curtain completely.
“All the AHL coaches, as well as the other students, were so open to pulling back the curtain and talking about every aspect of the sport,” said Dennis Ruppe, director of Hockey New Jersey and a member of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program. “Whether it was the on-ice tactics, the game day routines or the parts of the game away from the rink, nothing was off limits.”
Photo: Chris Pascall and Dennis Ruppe during the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic – Graced by Rain
For Ruppe, the transparency was the most striking. The initiative was a complete immersion and no stone was left unturned. The meetings, training, game preparation and work were all within easy reach of the students.
“Programs like this create access where it hasn’t always existed,” Grand Rapids Griffins head coach Dan Watson emphasized. “These coaches showed up prepared, asked great questions and brought a level of curiosity that made the experience valuable for everyone.”
Chris Pascall, video coach and member of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches program, echoed Ruppe’s sentiments.
“I am grateful for everything we have learned,” Pascall said. “From a systems perspective, but also how we can create a foundation for a great culture in our own locker rooms. I’m excited to apply those lessons within my own organization and continue them throughout my career.”
“Coaching thrives on mentorship and learning from others,” adds Pascal Vincent, Head Coach, Laval Rocket. “What made this meaningful was giving coaches the opportunity to see how we approach the game and feel like they are part of the conversation. This is what development looks like, not just for players but for coaches as well.”
Karli Whitaker, head coach of the Freedom High School Junior Varsity team and a member of the NHLCA Female Coaches Program, sees this initiative as confirmation that the path for coaches like her exists.
Photo: Emily Ach and Karli Whitaker at the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic – blessed by rain
“As a woman, it was great to see such a safe space and potential career path. I could see how much the League really cares about this program. It really provides an opportunity for younger coaches to develop and see a path forward. It was a unique opportunity that I will never forget,” Whitaker reflects.
Ryan Mougenel, Head Coach of the Providence Bruins, highlighted the gap between talent and opportunity.
“Many talented coaches never get a seat at the table, not because they are not qualified, but because the opportunities are not there,” Mougenel emphasizes. “These students have the talent. All they need are programs like this to see it up close and build the connections that will make a career in this game possible.”
Emily Ach, assistant coach at St. Cloud State University and member of the NHLCA Female Coaches Program, summed up the experience in even broader terms. For her, the weekend was not only about personal development. Rather, it was about what the AHL’s investment in this initiative means for the coaching community and for the game itself.
“The AHL investing in this initiative showcases diverse coaching talent on a national stage, strengthens the development pipeline and signals that the game is evolving,” Ach noted. “Moments like these help hockey grow by expanding who sees themselves in it – on the ice, behind the bench and in leadership – ultimately making the sport stronger at every level.”
Photo: Emily Ach during the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic
The mentors saw this group as a bonus. Mark Letestu, head coach of the Colorado Eagles, notes that the experience was mutually beneficial.
“One of the best parts of this experience was how engaged and prepared the mentee coaches were,” Letestu added. “They asked thoughtful questions and brought perspectives that make me optimistic about the future of coaching.”
The mentees participating in this initiative do not wait to be discovered. They are already in the game, already building, already coaching. What the AHL All-Star Mentorship Initiative gave them was something priceless: a seat at the table, surrounded by people who were genuinely happy to be there.
“I would like to sincerely thank the AHL, the NHLCA, Dan Watson, Mark Letestu, Ryan Mougenel and Pascal Vincent for providing me with such a valuable and memorable experience,” said Ruppe, a sentiment shared in their own words by every mentee who made the trip.
Photo: Emily Ach, Karli Whitaker, Dennis Ruppe and Chris Pascall during the 2026 AHL All-Star Classic
The AHL All-Star Classic will be remembered for what happened on the ice. But for the four coaches who spent the weekend in Rockford asking questions, building relationships and proving they belonged, the real message was even more tangible. This kind of access, transparency and mentorship not only opens doors, but keeps them open long after the weekend.
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