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Blake Hull, son of Bobby, named new coach for Aspen Leafs U20 hockey team

New Aspen Leafs U20 hockey coach Blake Hull.
Courtesy photo |

The Aspen Leafs Tier 3 U20 junior hockey team will have a new face up front next season, although the name is plenty familiar to anyone in the sport.

Blake Hull, son of Bobby Hull and brother to Brett Hull, both National Hockey League legends and Hockey Hall of Fame inductees, was introduced Friday as the Leafs’ new head coach. He replaces Jay Miller, who coached the team during its first two seasons of existence.

Blake Hull, 54, has lived in the Roaring Fork Valley for nearly 20 years and currently is the development director for Aspen Junior Hockey, a position he will continue to hold as the Leafs coach.



“To be able to take the reins and lead a group of young men that need that direction — it’s a perfect age and a perfect path for him as a coach,” said AJH Executive Director Shaun Hathaway. “His knowledge of the community, his time working here and being here as a leading member of the community — and certainly his work as a development director for Aspen Junior Hockey — it puts him in a unique position to help achieve really our top goal, which is to integrate our members and our community with this program.”

Hull played Tier II junior hockey in Canada before forgoing an NCAA Division I hockey scholarship to instead attend Wilfred Laurier University in Ontario. He then pursued what ended up being a 12-year professional golf career.




His father, Bobby, is considered one of the game’s all-time best players. He was ranked No. 6 in a January 2017 list by USA Today. His brother, Brett, currently is the executive vice president of the St. Louis Blues NHL franchise.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to realize the vision of this extremely important program for AJH,” Blake Hull said in a news release. “Our team will be active and visible leaders in the community, while providing fans exciting entertainment throughout the winter. We will start immediately building a team of young men that lead with character first.”

Next winter will be the third for the Leafs U20 program and the third for the Rocky Mountain Junior Hockey League. Aspen won the inaugural championship before falling in the semifinals this winter.

The RMJHL, which had five teams this season, is set to have six for the 2017-18 season. An announcement on the sixth team is expected to come June 1.

The season gets underway in early October and runs through March.

acolbert@aspentimes.com