At Prep Camp, our commitment has always been singular: to provide the most elite, comprehensive, and forward-thinking hockey development experience available anywhere on earth. To achieve that standard, we must continuously evolve, bringing in the brightest minds and the most proven winners in the sport. Today, we are thrilled to make an announcement that will fundamentally elevate the trajectory of our summer programs.
We proudly announce that 2025 AHL Champion coach Andrew Shaw of the Abbotsford Canucks has officially been appointed to lead our summer curriculum development and implementation. This marks a monumental step forward for our youth hockey development camp, bridging the gap between professional championship standards and amateur player growth.
While the curriculum will be used across all weeks, Andrew will be with us in Weeks 3 and 4, alongside 7x Stanley Cup Winner Barry Smith and Calgary Flames Scout Mike Coflin, NHL Veteran Rick Lanz, to name a few. More coaching announcements coming soon.
A Champion Joins Our Leadership Team
Winning a championship at the professional level is not an accident. It is the culmination of relentless preparation, strategic brilliance, and an unwavering commitment to daily habits. The American Hockey League (AHL) is widely considered one of the best hockey league in the world, a gruelling developmental battleground where the margins between winning and losing are razor-thin. It is here that Andrew Shaw recently etched his name into hockey history, helping to guide the Abbotsford Canucks to a 2025 AHL Championship.
Bringing an active, championship-winning professional coach onto our leadership team to oversee our summer hockey curriculum is a game-changer for every athlete who steps onto the ice at Prep Camp. Andrew is not just bringing drills; he is bringing a culture of excellence. By taking the reins of our curriculum development, he ensures that the very same tactical frameworks, skill acquisition progressions, and mental conditioning strategies used by professional champions will be adapted and delivered to our campers.
The Impact of Professional Expertise
- Pro-Level Standards: Anyone who knows Andrew, knows he holds players and fellow coaches to a high standard. Players will be held to the exacting standards of professional hockey, learning the difference between simply executing a drill and executing it with game-translatable purpose.
- Modern Game Mechanics: The game of hockey is faster and more dynamic than ever. Andrew’s recent championship run ensures our curriculum is built on the absolute cutting edge of modern hockey tactics.
- Habit Building: Championships are won in the details. The new curriculum will heavily emphasize the micro-habits—stick positioning, picking up rims, and positional hacks that define elite players.
Key Takeaway
Having a 2025 AHL Champion design our summer program means Prep Camp athletes are not just practicing; they are training under the exact same developmental philosophies that forge professional champions. The gap between amateur potential and pro-level execution just got much smaller.
From Guest Coach to Curriculum Architect
While Andrew’s new role as curriculum architect is a massive leap forward, he is no stranger to the Prep Camp family. For years, Andrew has been a highly sought-after Guest Coach at our camp. Those who have attended in the past have undoubtedly experienced his attention to detail, and passion for the game.
This long-standing history makes his transition to leading our curriculum incredibly organic. Andrew already possesses a deep, intimate familiarity with Prep Camp’s culture, our core values, and our overarching player development goals. He understands the diverse skill levels of our attendees, from promising youth players taking their first serious steps into competitive hockey, to elite junior players preparing for their own professional transitions.
“Transitioning from a guest coach to the architect of the curriculum allows me to build a cohesive, start-to-finish developmental journey. We aren’t just running isolated sessions anymore; we are building a comprehensive blueprint for long-term player success, rooted in the standards of professional hockey.” – Andrew Shaw
In the past, as a guest coach, Andrew would inject high-level concepts into specific sessions. Now, as the leader of our curriculum development and implementation, his philosophy will be the bedrock of the entire summer. Every drill, every off-ice session, and every coaching cue used by our entire staff will flow from the blueprint Andrew is currently designing.
Unmatched Attention to Detail and Passion
If you ask anyone in the Abbotsford Canucks organization—or anyone who has ever shared the ice with him—what sets Andrew Shaw apart as a hockey coach, you will hear two words repeated constantly: Detail and Passion.
The Science of the Micro-Game
In today’s game, the macro-tactics (systems, breakouts, forechecks) are largely similar across top-tier teams. What separates champions from runners-up is the mastery of the micro-game. Andrew is known throughout the professional ranks for his incredible attention to detail in video analysis, and player mechanics. He breaks down the game to its molecular level.
- Puck Protection Mechanics: Teaching players not just to shield the puck, but how to use their hips, leverage, and center of gravity to dominate 50/50 battles.
- Scanning and Spatial Awareness: Training the brain to process information before the puck arrives, a critical skill that Andrew emphasizes relentlessly.
- Rims: Andrew loves to talk about how the game is won and lost on the boards. Using the boards well is a key to Andrew’s success.
This meticulous coaching philosophy will directly elevate the skills of Prep Camp attendees. Our campers will not just be told what to do; they will be shown exactly how to do it, and more importantly, why it works at the highest levels of the sport.
A Contagious Passion for Development
Beyond the X’s and O’s, Andrew possesses a deeply rooted passion for coaching and developing the next generation of athletes. Professional hockey can be a cynical business, but Andrew approaches every day at the rink with the enthusiasm of a player lacing up for their first game. This energy is contagious. It pushes players out of their comfort zones, encourages them to embrace failure as a learning tool, and ultimately drives them to achieve more than they thought possible.
Growing Under the Mentorship of Manny Malhotra
To fully understand the caliber of coaching Andrew Shaw brings to Prep Camp, one must look at the environment in which he has honed his craft. Over the past seasons, Andrew has experienced rapid coaching development under the direct mentorship of Abbotsford Canucks Head Coach and NHL veteran, Manny Malhotra.
Manny Malhotra’s resume speaks for itself. Over a 16-year NHL playing career, Malhotra was renowned as one of the smartest, most defensively responsible players in the league, a master of the faceoff circle, and a consummate leader. Transitioning into coaching, Malhotra has brought that same cerebral, detail-oriented approach to the bench.
The Mentorship Tree
Coaching is an apprenticeship. By learning daily from an NHL veteran like Manny Malhotra, Andrew Shaw has absorbed elite strategies, communication techniques, and professional habits. When Andrew steps onto the ice at Prep Camp, our players are indirectly benefiting from the wisdom of one of the NHL’s most respected minds.
Under Malhotra’s wing, Andrew has refined his ability to communicate complex concepts simply and effectively. He has learned how to manage different personalities, how to cultivate a winning locker room culture, and how to make in-game adjustments on the fly. Malhotra’s influence is evident in Andrew’s calm demeanor under pressure and his unwavering focus on the process over the outcome.
Bringing these NHL-caliber mentorship lessons down to the youth and junior levels at Prep Camp is what makes this summer’s curriculum so special. Andrew is taking the elite professional development he receives daily and translating it into a digestible, highly effective training program for our campers.
What to Expect from the New Curriculum
So, what does an Andrew Shaw-designed curriculum actually look like for a Prep Camp attendee? It is a holistic, multi-phased approach designed to build complete hockey players.
Phase 1: Cognitive Processing and Small Area Games
Hockey IQ is often treated as an innate trait, but Andrew firmly believes it can be taught. This phase of the curriculum relies heavily on constrained, small-area games. By shrinking the ice, players are forced to make decisions faster, improving their cognitive processing speed. These drills simulate the chaos of a real game, teaching players how to find quiet ice and exploit numerical advantages.
Phase 2: Tactical Application and Game Integration
The next phase bridges the gap between individual skill and team success. Campers will learn how their individual habits fit into broader team systems. Andrew’s curriculum ensures that players leave Prep Camp not just with better hands and faster feet, but with a profound understanding of how to play winning hockey.
Train with a Champion This Summer
The standard has been raised. Don’t miss your chance to experience Andrew Shaw’s elite, professionally-designed curriculum. Spots are limited as we prepare for our most intensive and transformative summer yet. Secure your spot at Prep Camp today and start training like a pro.
