Bill McCreary is in his first season as Jr. Hat Tricks head coach. A native of Southampton, Ontario, McCreary is a 9-year (2006-2015) Minor League Hockey veteran as both a player & coach.
Bill’s playing resume includes time spent with the Trenton Titans (ECHL), Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) and the New Jersey Outlaws (FHL). He was part of championship teams in both Hunstville (2010) and New Jersey (2012), where he served a dual role as player-coach. Collegiately, McCreary played for Providence College (Hockey East) and Curry College (ECAC-NE).
Most recently, Bill served as the Hockey Director for the New Jersey Colonials youth program out of Mennen Arena. Bill’s other coaching stops include the Watertown Wolves (FHL), East Coast Selects-Q, Portland Junior Pirates (USPHL), North Jersey Avalanche, Seacoast Spartans and the ISS Kings.
At the youth level, Bill won National, State and International Championships. He played for Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep in Minnesota where he was linemates with current Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise. He played junior hockey for the Texas Tornado (NAHL) and amassed 45 goals and 71 assists in 98 games. He was named to the All-Rookie team and a First Team All-Star that season.
McCreary has a long family history of hockey players, coaches, and General Managers. His grandfather Bill McCreary Sr., great uncle Keith McCreary, father Bill McCreary Jr. and relatives Ron and Bob Attwell played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also related to Bill McCreary, a Hall of Fame inductee as an on-ice official in the NHL, as well as his son Mike McCreary, who officiates minor league hockey.
As an added note, Bill has also been named Hockey & Coaching Director of the Western Colonials Youth Hockey program.
Vince Malts is in his first season as Culture/Mindset coach of the Jr. Hat Tricks. Prior to joining Danbury, Malts served as the Mental Performance Coach of the Indy Fuel (ECHL).
Malts has had a long, successful career in hockey. A 7th-round draft pick by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, Malts played junior hockey for the Hull Olympiques in the QMJHL before graduating to the ECHL for five seasons. He also played two seasons with the Rockford IceHogs in the United Hockey League, battling against the likes of the Danbury Trashers.
Since his retirement from playing, Malts has been a scout for the Victoriaville Tigres in the QMJHL as well as the owner of Bloodline Hockey, a mental training program designed to foster emotional intelligence, life and leadership skills amongst young athletes.
Sam Hunt is in her first season as Director of Player Personnel for the Jr. Hat Tricks. She will also be assuming duties as Assistant Director of Hockey Operations.
Sam comes to Danbury having previously worked as Director of Player Personnel for the NAHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs and the EHL’s Philadelphia Jr. Flyers.
Casey Bryant is in his second season as Director of Communications for Danbury Arena. He is an FPHL Broadcaster of the Year Award winner for the 2019-20 Danbury Hat Tricks. In addition to play-by-play duties for the Jr. Hat Tricks, he is also the webmaster, social media coordinator and video editor.
Casey additionally oversees website maintenance, social media, content creation, media relations, marketing and business development for the Danbury Hat Tricks (FPHL) and Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NA3HL). Prior to joining Danbury Arena, Casey worked in the On-Air Promotions department at MSG Networks for four years. He graduated Marist College in 2017.
