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Anthony Noreen and his coaching staff knew exactly what they were looking for as they began to build the 2025-26 Miami Hockey roster.
"First and foremost, [we wanted to] get our culture right…making sure that if we are going to bring a player in here, they are highly-competitive and high-character," Noreen said last week. "If you look at the group of guys that we brought in, that is the resounding theme amongst all of them…you see a lot of guys that wore letters on their previous team."
The result?
The 28-man roster for the RedHawks this winter includes 18 different players who have previously served as a captain or assistant captain (whether with their junior team or in college). Of the 21 new players from a season ago, more than two-thirds —15 in all— have leadership experience with a previous team.
"When you talk specifically about the captain element and the leader element, that was extremely important to us," Noreen said. "That was something David, Troy, Lio and I set out to do in recruiting…we wanted guys that were tremendous teammates and guys that we knew were going to represent this program well."
That includes
Shaun McEwen, a freshman who spent the past four years at Tri-City and previously served as a captain under Noreen with the Storm. He defines leadership as 'steering guys in the right direction.'
"From the first day I got here, the culture has been unbelievable," McEwen said. "There are a bunch of guys here that have worn letters previously, and it shows up on the ice and in the locker room.
"I think we have 28 leaders in that room. When it comes to culture, it's just a foundation, and that's what we've been trying to build here is our foundation: Start winning games, start putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and I think so far we've done a really good job of that."
Ethan Hay, another incoming freshman for the Red and White, was an assistant captain with the Flint Firebirds (OHL) to begin the 2023-24 season and then captained the Saginaw Spirit for part of last season before being traded to Kingston. He credited what he learned from his head coach (Chris Lazary) and previous captain (Braden Haché) in Saginaw during their run to the 2024 Memorial Cup championship for how he's developed as a leader since then.
Ethan Hay (in gray) was a captain with Saginaw last year
"You can interpret leadership in a bunch of different ways, but the biggest thing for me is consistency and sacrifice for the brother next to you," Hay explained. "Looking at The Brotherhood, that's kind of what this team is all about: Holding that standard day-to-day and holding each other accountable.
"[The coaches] put this team together for that reason, and if you look at all the guys they brought in, each guy –every day— is willing to win the day.
"That's what I think is going to make us so successful."
Noreen has made no secret of his goal to build consistency around everything the RedHawks do, instilling the mantra, 'Everyday Player, Everyday Program,' and posting it around the rink for his student-athletes to see on a regular basis.
To senior
Blake Mesenburg, who was a captain for the NAHL's St. Cloud Norsemen before coming to Miami and then also wore an 'A' for the RedHawks in 2024-25, that approach of not taking a day off is really what leadership is all about.
"[A leader is] someone who shows up every day with the same mindset and attitude and shows and leads by example but doesn't expect people to congratulate or thank him," Mesenburg said in a preseason interview.
Mesenburg wore an A for Miami during his junior season
"It's making sure you're showing up in the best way possible so that you can show guys the best way possible…and it's showed, [because] the first few weeks we've been here have been incredible. You can tell there are a lot of leaders that are being brought onto this roster.
"It helps speed up the culture. And especially in a situation where we only have a few returners and we're trying to build a culture from the ground up…it helps a lot. Guys can bring in what has worked and what they've done well with at places they've been, and it helps the culture build quicker."
Noreen said he wants the Miami team culture to be something the group develops, not an approach or philosophy that he mandates from the top down.
"It's not like, 'Hey guys, this is my culture and you've got to live up to it,'" Noreen said. "No, we are building this thing,
together. So when we're building what our core values are as a program, it isn't me saying, 'Hey, these are my core values and you guys have to adhere to them.'
"It's like, 'What matters to
us? We brought you guys in here for a reason: What matters to you guys? We kept you guys here for a reason: What matters to you guys?'
"And then, as a collective group, let's build this thing… this is a really special opportunity [to] build a foundation and build a culture – what Miami Hockey is…
"I walk into the arena to see them, and it doesn't mean they're the most skilled team; it doesn't mean they win or lose that night. It means I know what I can expect when I see someone pull that jersey on or I interact outside the arena with someone who's got that logo on: Every. Single. Time."
Since the day he took over Miami's program, with its proud tradition and history of chasing championships, Noreen has worked to build a team that can live up to the 'Brotherhood' identity the RedHawks have long been known for. And from his point of view, the culture Miami is developing —led in large part by the myriad of leaders he's brought in over the past 18 months—is a crucial part of what ultimately leads to winning hockey games.
Noreen has emphasized culture since his very first press conference
"Ask anyone in the NHL last year, who looked like the closest team? And if you read anything about the Florida Panthers —how they act and how everybody does everything together— they were the closest team," Noreen said. "College hockey is a one-game shot. And over the years, you've seen maybe not the most skilled team or the most talented team win it, but the best
team win it.
"That's what we're trying to build. We're trying to build a
team. A group of guys individually that become a true team. Guys that believe in our core values and live our core values and have an extremely high standard. And once that becomes set in stone, you'd like to believe that when new guys come in, that's just the way things are…
"Man, you're representing Miami Hockey. This is how we do things.
That is not what we do.
This is exactly what we do…and if it's the right guys, they'll get pulled in the right direction."
Although the Miami program will obviously have plenty of quality options to choose from, the RedHawks have not yet announced their leadership group for 2025-26. Since coming to Oxford, Noreen's approach has been to watch how leaders rise to the surface during adversity, as opposed to naming a captain before the puck has even dropped on game one. "It's a high honor, but it comes with high expectations," the second-year head coach pointed out. "That's why it's not something I or we take lightly. It's something that is a true representation of who people really are."
Still, with the season set to get underway Friday at home vs. Ferris State, Miami's leaders are already making an impact up and down the roster, even without the official title of captain or alternate.
McEwen served as a captain under Noreen at Tri-City
"We have every bit of confidence in the people sitting in that room, that they're the right people for the right reason. And I'm a huge believer that a high tide raises all ships," said Noreen. "You get a bunch of competitive guys in a room together, and they're going to bring even more out of each other, because they don't want to be out-competed by the guy next to them.
"That's a lot of what we've seen so far."
The end goal? "Obviously, it's to win," McEwen said matter-of-factly. "I want to bring that winning culture here. And individually, I want to be the best person I can be here. I want to improve off the ice, on the ice and as a human being.
"By the time I leave here, I want to say I left this place in a better place than I found it."
That process is well underway, but the next chapter starts Friday night at Cady Arena.
No matter who ends up wearing a letter.
Find more Front Row Features at: MiamiRedHawks.com/FrontRowFeatures
Miami Hockey gets the 2025-26 season underway this weekend with a home series against Ferris State at Steve "Coach" Cady Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, with Saturday's game scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m. Single-game tickets, Pick 5 plans, half-season tickets and season tickets are available now!
Miami Hockey players who have previously worn a letter in juniors or college
Kyle Aucoin: A at Tri-City (USHL)
Kocha Delic: A at Sudbury (OHL)
David Deputy: A at Omaha (USHL)
John Emmons: A at Minot (NAHL)
Matteo Giampa: A at Canisius University (NCAA)
Doug Grimes: A at Lincoln (USHL)
Ethan Hay: C at Saginaw (OHL); A at Flint (OHL)
Maximilion Helgeson: A at Kenai River (NAHL); A at University of Alaska Anchorage (NCAA)
Owen Lalonde: A at Guelph (OHL)
Vladislav Lukashevich: A at Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
Shaun McEwen: C at Tri-City (USHL)
Blake Mesenburg: C at St. Cloud (NAHL); A at Miami University (NCAA)
Charlie Michaud: A at Madison (USHL)
Casper Nassen: A at Vasteras (J20 Nationell)
Michael Phelan: A at Waterloo
Justin Stupka: A for road games at Sioux City (USHL)
Ryder Thompson: A at Portland (WHL)
Bradley Walker: A at Waterloo (USHL)
