Tryout Schedule (Chatham-Kent Cyclones AAA Hockey Association)

Chris Knight

Chris grew up in the South Kent area and played his minor hockey in both Ridgetown and Blenheim.  He played two years for the Blenheim Blades before continuing his post-secondary education at the University of Waterloo where he also played football.  After University, Chris returned home to live and work as a high school teacher in Chatham.  He began coaching high school football and hockey in 2008.  His minor hockey coaching started when his two boys were old enough and most recently, he coached both the U9 MD and U11 Rep teams in South Kent.  Chris is also the current president of the South Kent Minor Hockey Association.  He and his family live in the Highgate area.×

Kyle Hope

Head Coach Kyle Hope was drafted out of the Chatham Kent Cyclones program to the Oshawa Generals (45th overall in the 2009 OHL draft).  Kyle played 2.5 OHL seasons with the Oshawa Generals and 2.5 seasons with the Owen Sound Attack. At the end of his overage season, Kyle was signed to the Cleveland Monsters of the AHL to finish out the year. After the season, Kyle attended the University of Windsor where he played for 5 years, making it to the Nationals once.

Kyle graduated from the University of Windsor with a Business Administration Major and Computer Science Minor. At the completion of University, he signed with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL to finish out the season. In 2019, Kyle was signed by the Manchester Storm of the EIHL in England, and played half the season before transferring to the Frederikshavn White Hawks of the top Danish league where he would go on to win a Final 4 Championship. At the end of the 2021 season, Kyle retired from professional hockey and came back to Blenheim, Ontario where he would start coaching minor hockey and open a hockey school called Southwest Hockey. ×

Lee Giffin

Head Coach Lee Giffin was born and raised in a farming family in South-Kent where his family still calls home today. Hockey has always been part of Lee's life. At the age of 15 Lee moved to play for the Newmarket Flyers.  This led to a 4 year OHL career with the Oshawa Generals. As a General, Lee won the League Championship, hosted the Memorial Cup and this resulted in Lee being  drafted to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lee went on to play in the NHL, AHL, IHL, Germany and Austria.  After playing for 16 years in junior and professionally, Lee came back to Blenheim to farm with his father.  He then coached the Chatham Junior Maroons for 2 seasons, winning 2 League Championships.  Lee has also been involved with coaching minor hockey including the South-Kent Lightning and the Chatham-Kent Cyclones.

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Brett Hope

Head Coach Brett Hope is a Blenheim native and played minor hockey with the Chatham-Kent Cyclones and Elgin Middlesex Canucks. Bret was drafted to the OHL by Soo Greyhounds and played for both the Jr. B Chatham Maroons and St. Thomas Stars, where he won won a Western Conference Championship and was named team captain and best defensive forward. This led Brett to SUNY Buffalo State where he played for 4 years, being named captain for 3 of those seasons. He graduated with degree in Economics and Finances. Brett would then play professionally in the SPHL and FHL.  Upon retiring from playing , Brett came back to Chatham-Kent where he was the assistant coach of the Jr. B Chatham Maroons for 2 seasons and Head Coach of the Jr. C Blenheim Blades for 3 seasons. 

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