The Oakville Rangers Hockey Club (ORHC) is excited to announce our U10 to U18 AAA coaching selections for the 2026/27 season! Please read on for more details.
These selections demonstrate the club’s commitment to attracting, developing and retaining the best coaches, who are philosophically aligned with the Oakville Rangers’ vision. It all starts with coaching. These elite coaches, when combined with the excellent players/families the club is attracting/retaining and the club’s substantial investment in player development, will all contribute to our goal of building a ‘Best-in-class AAA hockey program’.
Congratulations to the successful applicants. There is nothing more important than great coaches.
Ian Starkman – Under 10 (U10)
Ian Starkman grew up in Mississauga playing 9 years in the GTHL for both the Mississauga Reps and Rebels. In 2000 Ian played in the first ever OHL Cup losing in the finals in overtime. From there he played seasons of Junior B with the Guelph Dominators and for the Junior C Kingsville Comets before graduating with his Marketing degree from Sheridan College. His absence from hockey was short lived as he went on to be an assistant coach for 3 years with the Mississauga Senators. His ability to coach kids was noticed, as he moved on to be the Assistant Coach of the OJHL Toronto Patriots eventually winning the Southeast Championship in 2013 after 2 short seasons.
After that Ian then turned his focus to his own two boys coaching them in Timbits hockey and then into the head coach of the 2017 age group for U7 to U9 Oakville Rangers MD1 teams. Along with Head Coaching duties he is currently the VP U7 to U10 for the organization.
Ian is great at developing young players and teaching them the game. Working on their individual skills and showing them what it means to be a team. His success has led to many tournament wins and the current U9 team that leads the Tri County league. He is looking forward to the challenge of being the Head Coach for the U10 AAA Oakville Rangers for the 2026-27 season and hopes to continue his success on and off the ice for this young group.
Congratulations to Ian on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-10 (U10) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Mike Spadacini (non parent) – Under 11 (U11)
Mike has been coaching Minor Hockey for the last 20 years around different leagues in Ontario . He has a long list of players he’s had the pleasure to developing who are still playing today. From Jr, ECHL , AHL, University to players playing in the NHL. He is committed to developing hockey players in their skills, teamwork, and confidence on and off the ice . Through individual training, constructive feedback and a positive coaching style, Mike has been very successful throughout his coaching years.
He had a long-playing career both in North America and Overseas. Playing Jr, College and then in Europe where he spent his last 12 years of playing. He was a player Development Advisor for the former OJHL Brampton Capitals. One of the most successful OJ teams of its time. He also spent 5 years as a Player Development Coach in the OHL for the Erie Otters. He currently runs the Hockey Program at St. Martin Secondary school in Mississauga where he continues to work to get players to the next level. Working with students on and off the ice, helping them balance Hockey and School and prepare them for a future of hockey and Education.
Congratulations to Mike on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-11 (U11) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Mike DeRenzis (non parent) – Under 12 (U12)
Mike grew up playing AAA hockey in Oakville with the Rangers before spending his final 5 years of minor hockey (U12–U16) with the Mississauga Senators in the GTHL. Throughout his entire minor hockey career, Mike was named team captain every season—an achievement that reflects his strong leadership abilities, and something that remains a core focus of Mike’s coaching philosophy, as he places a high priority on teaching his players how to lead both on and off the ice. While playing Junior A, he earned the role of team captain while also securing an NCAA Division I scholarship. Unfortunately, just five games into that season, Mike was diagnosed with a heart condition that forced him to stop playing at the age of 18. While this ended his playing career early, it opened the door to coaching and player development. That same season, Mike joined his Junior A team as an assistant coach and also became a practice coach with the Oakville Rangers. One year later, he transitioned into full-time coaching and founded his own hockey school, First Star Hockey.
Now with more than 15 years of coaching experience, Mike has coached at every level from U10 to Junior A and has guided teams through the U16 OHL Draft year multiple times. Mike plans to follow the same long-term development blueprint he used with his 2008 birth-year Oakville Rangers team—successfully guiding that group from U11 AAA to U16 AAA with some outstanding individual and team achievements: winning the 2024 U16 OHL Cup Championship; having 12 players selected in the U16 OHL Draft (including the #1 overall pick); one player committing to NCAA Division I Boston College (with three additional players selected in the U18 OHL Draft); one player representing Team Canada at the Youth Olympics in Korea at U16; two players winning gold with Team Canada at the U17 World Championships and competing at the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup; setting an OMHA record of 1,420 consecutive days undefeated in regular-season play from U12 to U16; and capturing multiple major tournament championships (Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic, Toronto Red Wings Early Bird, Peterborough Petes Steve Richey Tournament of Champions, Oakville Rangers Winter Classic, etc.). Most recently, five players from that U16 team were named to the NHL Priority List for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft this June.
Mike brings the ability to teach and demonstrate elite-level skills on the ice, but more importantly, he understands the bigger picture and long-term development of his players. Off the ice, he takes great pride in building strong relationships and developing players into confident leaders and respectful young adults. His coaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that “developing the human improves the athlete,” emphasizing work ethic, attitude, character, and accountability as essential components of athletic success. To learn more about Mike, please visit his website: www.firststarhockey.com (Note: the site is best viewed on a laptop for easier navigation.)
Congratulations to Mike on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-12 (U12) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Matt Perry (non parent) – Under 13 (U13)
Matt was born in Toronto and raised in Mississauga and played minor hockey in the MTHL growing up. He attended the University of Western Ontario where he ended up staying in London and started his coaching career back in 2009.
Matt comes to Oakville with over 16 years of coaching experience at the AAA level with most of his coaching in the Alliance with the Jr. Knights and Elgin Middlesex Chiefs where he won 2 Alliance championships, made an OHF final and a trip to the OHL Cup and has twice been selected to the U15 coaching program of excellence. Matt is entering his 6th season coaching with the Oakville Rangers having been the head coach of the U16 2006 AAA team, an assistant on the U16 AAA 2007 team and the head coach of the U13 AAA-2 team and the most recently head coach of the U12 AAA team for 2025-2026.
Matt’s hockey philosophy is about creating an environment where kids want to learn and grow as both players and as people; putting team before self; extracting the life lessons out of the sport; and preparing the player for the next level.
Congratulations to Matt on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-13 (U13) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Steve Pinizzotto (non parent) – Under 14 (U14)
Steve grew up playing hockey, developing through the MTHL (now the GTHL) before joining the Oakville Rangers organization. He went on to play four seasons of junior hockey with the Oakville Blades, serving as Captain in his final year.
Steve continued his career in the NCAA with the RIT Tigers (Rochester Institute of Technology), becoming the first player in school history to sign an NHL contract. He went on to play 14 professional seasons, winning five championships, two AHL Calder Cups with the Hershey Bears and three DEL titles with Red Bull Munich. He also played in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, recording a rare Gordie Howe Hat Trick while with Edmonton.
Following his playing career, Steve became co-owner and trainer at P3 Hockey Academy and is now entering his 8th season coaching, including his 5th with the Oakville Rangers. Off the ice, Steve also owns and operates a renovation company, KamCrew Builds, bringing the same leadership, discipline, and attention to detail from hockey into his work. A passionate leader, he values communication and mentorship in developing his players.
Congratulations to Steve on his selection as the Coaching Staff of the Oakville Rangers Under-14 (U14) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Rob Hisey – Under 15 (U15)
Rob Hisey was born and raised in Oakville, Ontario, where he began his minor hockey career with the Oakville Rangers organization. He completed the remainder of his minor hockey years in the GTHL before being drafted to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Rob went on to enjoy a highly successful OHL career. Following junior hockey, Rob played 13 professional seasons across many of the world’s top leagues. His career included signing an NHL contract with the New York Islanders, spending time within the Edmonton Oilers organization, and competing in the AHL, ECHL, CHL, SHL, SM-liiga, DEL, and EBEL. Known for his creative playmaking and highlight-reel goals, Rob built a reputation as an exciting, intelligent offensive player.
In 2017, Rob retired from professional hockey and transitioned into coaching and player development. He is entering his 8th season coaching with the Oakville Rangers, where he has greatly enjoyed helping players grow both on and off the ice. The 2009 group he guided developed into a Top 10–ranked OHL Cup team, and he is excited to do the same with the 2012’s.
Rob’s passion for the game is contagious, and he brings a unique blend of professional experience, high-level skill knowledge, and teaching ability to every session he leads. As Rob continues to build on his Coaching experience he is also the VP of AAA for the Oakville Rangers organization.
Congratulations to the group on their selection as the Coaching Staff of the Oakville Rangers Under-14 (U14) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Francois Cote (non-parent) - Under 16 (U16)
François grew up in Oakville playing for the Rangers A, AA, AAA followed by 3 years in the GTHL (Don Mills Flyers) before returning to Oakville to capture a red hat with the U18 AAA program. Following his minor hockey playing days, François went on to play in the GOJHL, OJHL finishing junior with the Georgetown Raiders. Followed by a year playing NCAA DIII, and 2 years in the OUA for Laurentian University where he completed a Bachelor of Business Administration specializing in Finance with a bilingual certificate.
Heading into his second year as the Head Coach of the Oakville 2011 age group, François has years of experience working in skills development working with athletes of all ages. François brings a passion for the game with a great understanding of how Hockey is played at the next level. Surrounded by him is a strong staff with pro experience to provide development in all angles (skills, strength, mental, hockey IQ).
Congratulations to Francois on his selection as Head Coach for the Oakville Rangers Under-16 (U16) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.
Mike DeRenzis (non parent) – Under 18 (U18)
With over 15 years of coaching experience, Mike has coached at every level from Junior A down to minor hockey (all ages from U10 to U18). Usually, Mike would take a team for minimum 3 years through the minor hockey process to the U16 OHL Draft year. Most notably, he took the 2008 birth-year Oakville Rangers team for 6 years—successfully guiding that group from U11 AAA to U16 AAA with some outstanding individual and team achievements: winning the 2024 U16 OHL Cup Championship; having 12 players selected in the U16 OHL Draft (including the #1 overall pick); one player committing to NCAA Division I Boston College (with three additional players selected in the U18 OHL Draft); one player representing Team Canada at the Youth Olympics in Korea at U16; two players winning gold with Team Canada at the U17 World Championships and competing at the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup; setting an OMHA record of 1,420 consecutive days undefeated in regular-season play from U12 to U16; and capturing multiple major tournament championships (Toronto Marlboros Holiday Classic, Toronto Red Wings Early Bird, Peterborough Petes Steve Richey Tournament of Champions, Oakville Rangers Winter Classic, etc.). Most recently, five players from that U16 team were named to the NHL Priority List for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft this June.
After completing the 2008 group’s U16 season in 2024, Mike was offered a coaching position at the WinSport Canadian Olympic Facility in Calgary. During the 2024–25 season, he served as head coach of the U17 Prep Calgary International Hockey Academy (CIHA) team. The U17 CIHA team had won the championship the previous season and graduated nearly the entire roster to U18, leaving Mike with just 4 returning players out of 20. Tasked with building a new team from the ground up, Mike led the group to a 6th-place ranking in Western Canada (BC to Manitoba) and a berth in the CSSHL semifinals, where they were eliminated by the eventual champions and #1 Western Canada ranked RINK Kelowna. Throughout the season, Mike had the opportunity to work alongside an outstanding group of hockey professionals – his assistant coaches made up of a former first-round NHL draft pick as well as a current Calgary Flames scout - his CIHA Director of Hockey Operations was former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion Jay Beagle – and Mike also collaborated closely with the WHL Calgary Hitmen coaching staff, led by Paul MacFarland, now an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers. Mike thoroughly enjoyed his experience in Calgary and had planned to remain with the program to coach U18 Prep this season, however, due to a family situation, Mike returned to Ontario in May.
Having missed the season’s tryouts, he stepped into the role of head coach for our U18 team—his first experience coaching at the U18 level. Learning that U18 is far different than any other minor hockey age group, he embraced the challenges of the new position, gaining valuable insight into the differences between coaching U18 and younger age groups. With a full U18 season now behind him, Mike feels more confident, knowledgeable, and prepared, and he is excited to enter his second year as our U18 AAA head coach next season. To learn more about Mike, please visit his website: www.firststarhockey.com (Note: the site is best viewed on a laptop for easier navigation.)
Congratulations to Mike on his selection as Head Coach of the Oakville Rangers Under-18 - (U18) AAA team for the 2026-27 season.