Ed Gingher enters his 22nd season with the Ohio Blue Jackets, the program he founded in 2004.Under his leadership, the organization has grown into one of the most respected and successful youth hockey programs in the country. As President, Gingher oversees all aspects of operations with a primary focus on the management and development of the program’s national-bound teams.

During his 18 seasons behind the bench, Gingher coached more than 1,100 games and guided hundreds of players to the next levels of hockey — including six who have gone on to play in the NHL and more than 30 who have advanced to the professional ranks. His teams made three appearances at the USA Hockey National Championships, and his 2014–15 18U team captured the Tier I Elite League Championship.

Gingher currently serves on the executive boards of the USA Hockey, USA Hockey’s Junior Council, Tier 1 Elite Hockey League, and the Mid American District. He is actively involved coaching at USA Hockey National Player Development Camps each summer. He has also been a guest coach at multiple NHL player development and training camps.

Before launching the Ohio Blue Jackets program, Gingher spent six seasons with the ECHL’s Dayton Bombers, where he served as a scout, assistant coach, assistant general manager, and eventually became one of the youngest general managers in professional hockey history, at the age of 25, in 2000. He served as GM for 4 seasons.

Following his playing career, Gingher earned dual bachelor’s degrees in management and marketing from the University of Dayton. He and his wife, Betsy, live in Dublin with their two children, Ryan, who plays hockey at St. Norbert College and Allie, who plays Lacrosse at University of Dayton.

Nick Petraglia is currently in his sixth season with the AAA Blue Jackets after being hired as the Executive Vice President in the summer of 2020. Petraglia assists with the oversight of all operations of the program. On the ice, he works closely with our entire coaching staff. In 2026-27, he will lead the 14U (2012) team as head coach for the second consecutive season.

Prior to his arrival in Columbus, Petraglia spent 20 years at Miami University as a student-athlete, coach and administrator. He was part of teams that won 5 conference championships, participated in 10 NCAA Tournaments and advanced to 2 Frozen Fours. Petraglia has recruited/coached more than 20 players with NHL experience, 12 all-Americans, 32 all-conference selections, 3 conference players of the year and one Hobey Baker Award winner and Olympic captain. At Miami, Petraglia recruited and/or coached several prominent OBJ alumni including Trent Vogelhuber, Sean Kuraly, Connor Murphy, Jack Roslovic, Kiefer Sherwood and Carson Meyer.

A certified USA Hockey Level IV coach, Petraglia works extensively with USA Hockey, coaching national development camps and assisting with the evaluation and selection of national teams for the National Team Development Program, Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Five Nations tournaments. In 2025, he served as an assistant coach for Team USA's U17 team at the Four Nations, winning a silver medal. He is also deeply involved with USA Hockey Goaltending and was a charter member of the Warren Strelow Program, which was tasked with identifying and developing the nation's top goaltenders.

As a player, the Faribault, MN native helped lead Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep to prominence and was in goal for the program’s first ever USA Hockey National Championship in 1999. At Miami, he posted a .902 career save percentage and a 2.21 goals-against average from 2000-04 and helped the RedHawks qualify for the NCAA Tournament as a senior.

Petraglia received his bachelor's degree in sport organization from Miami in 2004 and his master's degree in sport behavior and performance in 2007. He currently resides in Galena with his wife (Becky) and children (Rocco and Athena).

Dale Jordan is currently in 19th season with the program and has over 20 years of coaching experience at all youth levels. As hockey director, Jordan assists with the oversight of the administrative aspect of the program and is responsible for managing teams in the 10U-13U age groups. He will also be serving as the head coach of our 2014 age group in the 2024-25 season.

Dale has over 20 years of coaching experience at all different levels and has been a head coach in our program since 2007. Prior to joining the AAA Blue Jackets, he served as the varsity coach at St. Charles High School for 5 seasons from 2002-2006. During that time he also was a head coach for multiple bantam and pee wee AA travel teams at CCYHA. Jordan also spends time as a private hockey instructor and helps manage the program's camps, clinics and on-ice skills training sessions.

A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Jordan played his junior hockey for the Columbus Crush and has playing experience at both the Junior A and Junior B levels.

He resides in Dublin and has four children (Mark, Ellie, Zoahelen and Sloan).

Kerry Bowman enters his fourth season as our program's girls hockey director and has played a integral role in the program's development, which saw its first team advance to the national tournament this year. Next season, he will once again serve as the head coach of the 16U girls team. An accomplished player, teacher and coach with a well-rounded resume, Bowman came to Columbus after coaching the Washington Pride in the Junior Women's Hockey League (JWHL) at the 19U and 16U levels from 2018-20. Prior to his time in Washington, DC, Bowman was the head coach for the AAA Sun County Panthers in the Ontario Hockey Federation from 2011-17 where he coached the 12U-15U levels. During this time, he also worked full-time as an educator, teaching French as a second language to students in grades 3-8. He has also served as a lead instructor with the CAN/AM Hockey group since 2001.

As a player, Bowman played Division I hockey at Mercyhurst College where he helped lead the Lakers to the Atlantic Hockey championship and NCAA Tournament in 2005. A two-time Atlantic Hockey Scholar Athlete, Kerry was the recipient of the Bill Smith Memorial Senior Award and served as team captain in 2008. Upon graduating with a bachelors degree in sports medicine, he went on to play two seasons professionally with the IHL's Port Huron Icehawks.

He resides in Powell with his wife (Jessica) and two sons (Knox and Bennett).

Brian Thompson enters his first season as a head coach in the program after serving as an assistant coach with the 18U team this past season, helping lead the group to a T1EHL Playoff Championship. In that role, he oversaw the team’s power play, led on-ice skills and player development sessions, and played a key role in game planning and video preparation. A Westerville native, Thompson brings extensive junior coaching experience to the position. He previously served as Assistant Coach and Scouting Director for the Columbus Mavericks (USPHL), helping build the program from the ground up while contributing to the first playoff series win and highest win total in team history. He later served as Head Coach and General Manager of the Buffalo Stampede (USPHL), overseeing all aspects of the organization including scouting, recruiting, player development, budgeting, and daily team operations.

As a player, Thompson was a member of the University of Central Oklahoma’s inaugural ACHA Division I class, where he served as an assistant captain all four seasons and helped lead the team to a national tournament Final Four appearance. At the junior level, he earned All-Star honors and served as team captain for the Columbus Stars in the Central States Hockey League, following a standout high school career as a captain at Westerville.

Josh Harrold enters his third season as a head coach in the program and his second straight season leading the 16U team. Prior to joining OBJ, he spent five seasons as a head coach with the Cleveland Barons at the 15O and 16U levels. A native of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, Harrold brings extensive coaching experience, including time as an assistant coach with the USHL’s Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets (2006–08). He has also coached at the professional level with the Kalamazoo Wings (ECHL) and at the junior level in the NAHL with the Cleveland Barons and Alpena IceDiggers. His experience and extensive connections to coaches, scouts and advisors provide a valuable guidance for players advancing to the next level.

Harrold enjoyed a standout Division I playing career at Miami University before signing his first professional contract with the Dayton Bombers (ECHL), where current OBJ President Ed Gingher served as general manager. He went on to play six professional seasons, appearing in more than 300 games across the AHL, IHL, and ECHL. During his junior career, Harrold was named the NAHL Defenseman of the Year in 1994–95 and earned First Team All-Star honors, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier defensemen.

Harrold lives in Clintonville with his wife Nora.

Nate Handrahan transitions to guide the 2011 birth year at the 15O level in after two championship seasons leading the 18U team. Under Handrahan’s leadership, the 18U squad captured its second T1EHL Playoff Championship in 2025-26, one year after winning the Mid-Am District Championship and advancing to the national semifinals in a historic postseason run. Handrahan brings more than 25 years of experience at the elite levels of hockey. His collegiate coaching resume spans 14 seasons at the Division I level, including assistant coaching stops at Niagara University (2001–2004) and Robert Morris University (2004–2006). He went on to serve nine seasons as a head coach at the Division I level, leading the women’s programs at Robert Morris (2006–2011) and Ohio State (2011–2015). From 2020–2023, Handrahan served as Head Coach and General Manager of the Columbus Mavericks (USPHL), overseeing all aspects of the junior program. In addition to his team coaching responsibilities, Handrahan is the owner and head coach of Hammer Hockey Development, where he focuses on skill development and hockey sense training for committed players striving to reach their full potential.

As a player, Handrahan was a standout defenseman and assistant captain at Niagara University (DI), earning two-time all-league honors and helping lead the Purple Eagles to two playoff championships during his four-year career. He went on to play professionally with the Roanoke Express (ECHL).

Handrahan resides in Hilliard with his wife (Kim) and three daughters (Haylee, Mara and Lila)

Gino Ori enters his third season as a coach in the program and will return as head coach after serving as an assistant for the 12U Girls last season, during which the team won the New Year Challenge Cup in Ontario. In 2023–24, Ori served as head coach for the 12U Girls in its inaugural season with the program, helping establish a strong foundation for the team and fostering a positive, competitive environment for young athletes. He has been instrumental in the growth of girls hockey in Central Ohio in recent years,. From 2018–2022, Ori was a head coach at EYHA and coached with the Central Ohio Girls Hockey program. In 2022–23, he led the EYHA Lady Dragons to a championship at the Silver Stick Tournament in St. Clair Shores, MI, and a runner-up finish in the International Silver Stick in Toronto.

A native of Niles, IL, Ori grew up playing AA hockey in the Chicago area. He continued his hockey career at Miami University in Oxford, OH, where he played four seasons for the club team, helping lead the team to the ACHA National Championship during his sophomore year.

Ori resides in New Albany with his wife (Tiffany) and their two daughters (Bella and Lila).

Todd Ehrie returns for his 18th season with the Ohio Blue Jackets program and his second consecutive season coaching the 2013 birth year. He guided the team to a remarkable 45-13-4 record in 2025-26, capturing two tournament championships. Previously, Ehrie led the 2012 team to a 78-47-5 record over two seasons, including a 6-1 showing at the prestigious Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament where he also coached the 2001 birth year to a championship in 2014.

With more than 30 years of coaching experience, Ehrie has been a cornerstone of player development within the program and across the Columbus hockey community. He has coached nearly every player in the program at some point, including the 1997 team featuring future NHL players Jack Roslovic, Kole Sherwood, and Carson Meyer. Ehrie has served in multiple roles throughout the program, including assistant coach at the 15O, 16U, and 18U levels, as well as head coach of the 2006 15O team. His focus on developing players both on and off the ice has had a lasting impact on generations of OBJ student-athletes.

Todd currently resides in Lewis Center with his wife (Terri) and their two sons (Trevin and Cohen).

James Nash will enter his 11th season coaching in the program and his eighth season as a head coach. He brings more than 16 years of coaching experience, including extensive time as a professional skills coach working with elite players of all ages. This season, he has led the 2014 birth year through a successful campaign, highlighted by a 2nd place finish at the Jr. Canadiens Cup and a championship this past weekend at the Mission MLK tournament in Chicago.

A native of Brampton, Ontario, Nash grew up playing AAA hockey in Toronto with the Mississauga Rebels of the GTHL (formerly the MTHL). He also captured an All-Ontario Championship with the Brampton Maroons. Nash went on to play junior hockey with the Mississauga Chargers (OPJHL) before continuing his career at the collegiate level with Humber College.

After earning an associates degree in marketing from Humber, Nash moved to Columbus and went on to earn a bachelors degree from Ohio State. He currently resides in Powell with his wife (Kristy) and sons (James and Arie).

Michael Darr enters his fourth season as a head coach in the program. During the 2024–25 season, Darr helped make program history by leading the 14U Girls team to a Mid-Am District Championship and a berth in the USA Hockey National Tournament—both first-time achievements since the girls program was reintroduced in 2022–23. A key figure in the growth of girls hockey in Central Ohio, Darr also led the 12U Girls team during its inaugural season in 2023–24.

Darr brings 20 years of coaching experience to the program. Prior to his work with the Ohio Blue Jackets, he spent six seasons with Central Ohio Girls Hockey, helping develop the organization from entry-level developmental programs to elite spring and summer training camps. Additionally, Darr played a significant role in expanding the EYHA Lady Dragons program from a single team to six teams across the 8U, 10U Select, 12U Select, 12U Elite, and 14U Tier II levels. During his time with the Lady Dragons, he served as both a head coach and assistant coach, contributing to sustained growth in player development throughout the program.

Brandon Dubinsky enters his first season as a head coach with the Ohio Blue Jackets, after serving as the head coach of the 2016 Battery team this past season. A native of Anchorage, Alaska, Dubinsky was selected by the New York Rangers in the second round (No. 60 overall) of the 2004 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut on March 8, 2007, against the New York Islanders. After six seasons with the Rangers, Dubinsky was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2012. During his time in Columbus, Dubinsky quickly became a fan favorite and served as an alternate captain, known for his leadership, competitiveness, and work ethic. He concluded his NHL career during the 2018–19 season, appearing in nearly 900 games at the NHL level. Additionally, he represented the United States on two occasions at the IIHF World Championships as well as the 2017 World Cup.

Dubinsky bringing a wealth of playing experience, leadership, and hockey knowledge to the Ohio Blue Jackets organization.

Pat Cannone enters his fifth season with the program. After spending two seasons as head coach at the 16U level, he serves as an assistant coach at the 16U level as well as a skills coach for the program. Off of the ice, Cannone helps oversee the program's player development and advancement initiatives. He also conducts individual video review sessions for players in the program.

Cannone works as a player agent and advisor with Lakonic Sports Agency based in Kelowna, British Columbia. A certified PHPA agent, Pat is able to negotiate professional contracts for his clients. He was represented by Lakonic at the end of his playing career and will serve as a player representative, dedicated to guiding athletes throughout their hockey careers.

Pat's distinguished playing career included 10 professional seasons highlighted by making his NHL debut with the Minnesota Wild in 2016-17. He was team captain for the AHL's Chicago Wolves and spent two seasons playing in Germany.

A native of Bayport, New York, Cannone played his college hockey at Miami University where he tallied 133 career points, served as captain and helped lead the team to 2 Frozen Fours, 2 league championships and 4 NCAA Tournaments during his 4-year career.

Pat currently resides in Dublin with his wife (Natalie) and two daughters (Collins and Perry).

Fedor Tyutin enters his seventh season behind the bench in the program. In 2025–26, he transitions into an assistant coach role after previously serving as head coach at the 13U, 14U, 15O, and 16U levels.

An accomplished defenseman during his playing career, Tyutin specializes in developing defensemen and brings a wealth of knowledge in tactical play, special teams, and faceoff strategy.

Prior to getting into coaching, Tyutin played 872 NHL games with the New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche over 14 seasons. He also served as a professional scout with the Blue Jackets in 2018-19. In 2025, he was named to the Blue Jackets Quarter Century Team.

A native of Izhevsk, Russia, Tyutin's accomplished resume includes an impressive amount of success in international play. A veteran of three Olympic Games, Tyutin helped lead Russia to a gold medal at the 2008 World Championship. He also won gold at the U20 World Junior Championship and U18 World Championship. Prior to turning pro, Fedor played one season with the Guelph Storm (OHL) where he played in the Memorial Cup and was named to the CHL's all-rookie team. He was a 2nd round pick of the New York Rangers in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Tyutin currently resides in Plain City with his wife (Sarah) and three daughters (Leeza, Nina and Danika).

Lee Harris is currently in his 9th season as a professional skating coach with the AAA Blue Jackets program. During that time, he has also served as the skating coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Monsters. In his role with the Blue Jackets, he oversees the organizations skating skill development, handles on-ice conditioning and rehabilitation and provides CBJ scouts with video analysis and skating assessments for draft prospects. Lee is also the owner of Lee Harris Skating System which focuses on a deep understanding of edges, power and the technical side of skating. In all, Harris has 21 years of coaching experience.

Born in Harrow, Ontario, Harris played four years of junior hockey with the Belle River Canadians and Kingsville Comets and was the OMHA scoring champion. At 18 years old, he began skating internationally in figure skating. In 2002, he won the national championship and competed at the Junior World Championships in Norway.

Lee lives in Delaware with his wife (Chelsea) and three children (Sadie, Lana and Blake).

Bailey Seagraves is in his 8th season as the program's goaltending coach. In addition to being the founder and owner of Seagraves Goaltending, he serves as the director of goaltending development for the Battery Hockey Academy and is the volunteer goaltending coach for the Ohio State women's DI team. In 2021-22, Seagraves helped the Buckeyes claim the WCHA playoff title and the program's first ever national championship.

A native of Hilliard, OH, Seagraves is one of the most accomplished goaltenders in AAA Blue Jackets history and was a member of the 2014-15 T1EHL playoff championship team. During his time with the AAA Jackets, he earned multiple invites to national development camps and attended the final tryout camp for the National Team Development Program. In 2013, he was selected 55th overall by the Chicago Steel in the USHL Futures Draft.

He would go on to play his junior hockey career in the USHL, NAHL & USPHL before moving onto become the emergency back-up goaltender with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He currently resides in Marysville.

A Division I captain and coach, Topher Scott created the Hockey Think Tank as a resource to educate and inspire players, parents and coaches as they navigate through their personal hockey journey. Topher combines his knowledge and experience with his passion for youth hockey to provide educational and inspirational services to the program. He works closely with our coaches to provide insight on hockey development and building team culture. With our teams, he conducts team building exercises that strengthen team camaraderie and individual hockey/life skills. He also provides parent education seminars for our parents on navigating the youth hockey pathway. Topher brings great perspective and new ideas to strengthen not only our player development model, but our ability to teach our kids the life skills to succeed on and off the ice.

A native of Buffalo Grove, IL, Scott captained both the USHL's Chicago Steel and Cornell University. After tallying 107 career points in college, Scott spent 2 seasons playing professionally. Following his playing career, Topher spent 7 seasons as a Division I coach at Miami, Cornell and Michigan and also served as a youth hockey director and coach.

A certified professional coach and motivational speaker, Chuck Thuss provides a unique set of coaching skills that support every individual and team that he works with. His primary focus is developing the necessary tools and life skills to help his clients create and achieve their dreams. He is dedicated to helping every person become the best version of themselves while empowering them to learn how to handle every day challenges and adversity. In working with our teams, Chuck opens himself to receive insights from others and creates a safe space for all individuals to share their thoughts and feelings. The process involves an array of topics such as living in the now, living with anxiety and depression, being accountable and taking responsibility for your life and honoring one's self by gearing down and disconnecting to recharge your batteries.

A native of Arkona, Ontario, Thuss was an all-American goaltender at Miami University and the recipient of the Terry Flanagan Award that honors a player for perseverance, dedication and and courage while overcoming severe adversity. He also played professionally for 7 seasons which included a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL's Mississippi Sea Wolves in 1999.