Ohio Blue Jackets announce leadership team for USA Hockey Development League

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Blue Jackets (OBJ) have announced their leadership team for the inaugural season of the USA Hockey Development League (DL), which begins play in 2027–28 for the 2010-2013 birth years.

General Manager Ed Gingher and Associate General Manager Cam Atkinson will lead the initiative, joined by Josh Harrold as 15U DL Head Coach, Nate Handrahan as Director of Player Development & Recruiting, and Nick Petraglia as Director of Player Retention & Advancement.

The group brings decades of experience across youth, junior, collegiate and professional hockey, along with a shared commitment to growing the game in Central Ohio. Their collective focus will be on delivering a comprehensive development experience that prepares players for advancement while emphasizing character and the necessary life skills needed for long-term success.

OBJ is currently conducting an external search for its 17U DL Head Coach, a position that will include additional roles and responsibilities with TPH Academy Columbus. To learn more about the position and to apply, CLICK HERE. Assistant coaches and additional support staff will be announced at a later date.

Players and families interested in OBJ’s Development League teams are encouraged to complete the Player Interest Form HERE.

Ed Gingher | General Manager
Ohio Blue Jackets President and program founder Ed Gingher will oversee all aspects of OBJ’s Development League teams, working closely with USA Hockey, DL leadership and the Tier I Elite Hockey League. Since founding OBJ in 2004, Gingher has helped build a program centered on player development, advancement and a lasting commitment to the Central Ohio hockey community.

During 18 seasons behind the bench, Gingher coached more than 1,100 games and helped hundreds of players advance, including six who reached the NHL and more than 30 who played professionally. His teams made three USA Hockey National Championship appearances, and his 2014–15 18U team captured the T1EHL Championship.

Gingher’s leadership experience includes service with USA Hockey, its Junior Council, the Tier I Elite Hockey League and the Mid-American District. Before launching OBJ, he spent six seasons with the ECHL’s Dayton Bombers in scouting, coaching and management roles. He became one of professional hockey’s youngest general managers at age 25 in 2000 and held the position for four seasons.

Cam Atkinson | Associate General Manager
Cam Atkinson brings 13 seasons of NHL experience and a deep commitment to Central Ohio hockey to his role as Associate General Manager. An owner of the Battery Hockey Academy, Atkinson will help shape OBJ’s Development League initiative with a focus on player development, mentorship and long-term opportunity.

Atkinson spent 10 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, recording 213 goals and 402 points in 627 games. His career-best 41-goal season in 2018–19 helped Columbus earn its first Stanley Cup Playoff series victory. He also played for Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, completing his NHL career with 253 goals and 489 points in 809 games. Before turning professional, he helped Boston College win the 2010 NCAA National Championship and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2011.

Through the Battery Hockey Academy, Atkinson has made the growth of youth hockey in Central Ohio a personal priority. His passion, vision and unwavering dedication to expanding opportunities and elevating instruction will help OBJ create an environment where players build confidence, develop their skills and deepen their love for the game.

Josh Harrold | 15U DL Head Coach
Josh Harrold will lead OBJ’s 15U Development League team, bringing extensive coaching and playing experience across youth, junior, collegiate and professional hockey. His approach combines a strong foundation in player development with an understanding of the demands athletes face as they advance.

Harrold has coached OBJ’s 15O and 16U teams over the past three seasons, following five seasons as a head coach at those levels with the Cleveland Barons. His coaching résumé also includes the USHL’s Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets, the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings, and the NAHL’s Cleveland Barons and Alpena IceDiggers. Those experiences, along with his relationships throughout the game, provide valuable perspective and guidance for players pursuing opportunities at the next level.

A native of Kirtland Hills, Ohio, Harrold played Division I hockey at Miami University before beginning his professional career with the Dayton Bombers. He played six professional seasons and more than 300 games across the AHL, IHL and ECHL. As a junior player, he earned NAHL Defenseman of the Year and First Team All-Star honors in 1994–95.

Nate Handrahan | Director of Player Development & Recruiting
Nate Handrahan will guide OBJ’s Development League player-development curriculum and work alongside its head coaches to coordinate recruiting efforts. As Director and Head of Hockey at TPH Academy Columbus, he will also serve as a resource for local and out-of-town families interested in combining DL participation with the TPH Academy experience.

Handrahan brings more than 25 years of coaching experience, including 14 seasons at the NCAA Division I level. He served as an assistant at Niagara and Robert Morris before leading the women’s programs at Robert Morris and Ohio State for a combined nine seasons. He later served as Head Coach and General Manager of the USPHL’s Columbus Mavericks from 2020–23.

At OBJ, Handrahan guided the 18U team to a Mid-American District Championship and national semifinal appearance in 2024–25, followed by a T1EHL Playoff Championship in 2025–26. The owner of Hammer Hockey Development, he specializes in skill development and hockey sense. A former standout defenseman and assistant captain at Niagara, Handrahan also played professionally with the ECHL’s Roanoke Express.

Nick Petraglia | Director of Player Retention & Advancement
Ohio Blue Jackets Executive Vice President and 14U Head Coach Nick Petraglia will focus on supporting local players and families as they navigate their development pathways. In his DL role, he will help families understand future opportunities, prepare for transitions and pursue advancement aligned with each player’s goals and readiness.

Before joining OBJ in 2020, Petraglia spent 20 years at the Division I level with Miami University as a student-athlete, coach and administrator. He was part of five conference championships, 10 NCAA Tournament appearances and two Frozen Fours. He recruited and/or coached more than 20 players with NHL experience and 12 All-Americans, including prominent OBJ alumni who advanced to the NHL through Miami.

Petraglia also works extensively with USA Hockey through national player development camps, player evaluation and national team selection efforts. In 2025, he helped Team USA’s U17 team earn a silver medal at the Four Nations as an assistant coach. A charter member of USA Hockey’s Warren Strelow Goaltending Program, he brings a broad network and firsthand understanding of the youth-to-college pathway to his work with OBJ families.

About the USA Hockey Development League
The USA Hockey Development League is a national framework of high-performance youth hockey programs, each fielding one 15U team and one 17U team. Beginning in 2027–28, the league will focus on identifying, training and developing players for advancement to junior hockey, including the USHL and NAHL, USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, and ultimately college and professional hockey.

For more information about the league and its development model, visit USA Hockey’s Development League website. The Ohio Blue Jackets program prides itself on being the premier youth hockey program in Ohio. With an every day mission to develop our student-athletes to reach their potential on and off of the ice, the program aims to provide a healthy and safe environment for the elite player to grow as a player, person and teammate through the great game of hockey.