Travis Howe, the son of former NHL player Mark Howe, and grandson of the legendary Gordie Howe, works with International Scouting Services, which focuses on players who are within one or two years of NHL Entry Draft eligibility.

Travis Howe: Carrying on the
name of hockey's first family
By Bill Meltzer | NHL.com Correspondent
Aug. 28, 2006

Even if he didn't come from the NHL's most illustrious family, Travis Howe would be one of the sport's rising stars in the scouting and coaching communities.

Still several years shy of his 30th birthday, Howe already has begun to make a name for himself through his work with USA Hockey and International Scouting Services, as well as his own East Coast Selects program and Howe Hockey camps. He is energetic, sharp as a tack and cares deeply about the quality and integrity of his work.

The best way to gain a foothold in the hockey world is through specialization and networking. Rather than merely trading in on his famous surname, Howe has worked his way up the old-fashioned way -- learning his craft through unglamorous internships and gradually compiling the knowledge to carve his own niche in the sport.

"I gained a lot of valuable learning experiences from people who've been around the game a long time, starting with my family, of course, but also many other people," he says. "I still feel like I'm learning all the time and I'm grateful for every opportunity."

Paying his dues

At age 17, the former Philadelphia Little Flyers, Detroit Little Caesars and Compuware Midgets player realized that while he was above-average player for his age, he wasn't go to have a pro career like his legendary grandfather, Gordie, his dad Mark or his uncle Marty. For several years, he focused his attention away from hockey, attending college at Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan) and Scottsdale Community College (Scottsdale, Arizona), but never graduated. Intending to major in physical therapy, he was bitten by the hockey bug again. He did an internship for the Detroit Vipers of the now-defunct IHL, working as a junior assistant to general manager Steve Ludzik.

He then moved to Huntingdon Valley in the Philadelphia suburbs. Travis, who spent much of his childhood in the Philadelphia area during his father's career with the Flyers, soon reconnected with his old friends and coaches.

One of his former coaches, Jack Lyons, was the manager of the Flyers Skate Zone, a Voorhees, New Jersey complex which houses the practice facilities for the NHL Flyers and AHL Philadelphia Phantoms, as well as youth hockey and adult recreational hockey leagues. Howe was invited to become Lyons' assistant, and later became its hockey director.

"Jack was very supportive, as were the Flyers and Phantoms organization," says Howe. "I was invited to talk with the Philadelphia coaching staff. In particular, I got to be good friends with John Stevens (the former Phantoms head coach recently promoted to assistant coach with the big team). Around that time, I was an intern coach in the Team USA system, working with the under-18 age group. That set me on the path to where I am now."

Howe worked at the USA Hockey's Atlantic District Festival and later ran coaches' workshops for USA Hockey. His responsibilities included on-ice instruction with players and talent evaluation for the program directors.

Selects program takes off fast

Howe then co-founded the East Coast Selects program, assembling top talent age 17 and younger, instructing them in small-group settings and participating in summer hockey tournaments around the country and in Europe.

"The name 'East Coast' is a bit misleading, even though it was branded that way," says Howe. "We have players from all over the country now and some from Scandinavia as well. Next year, our 1989 group will be our first one eligible for the NHL Entry Draft, and we're really excited to see what happens."

The East Coast Selects already boast an impressive array of alumni. In 2005, defenseman Alex Grant was selected first overall in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft, a feat duplicated in 2006 by highly promising defenseman Yann Sauve. Another recent East Coast Selects grad, goaltender Kevin Poulin went third overall in the QMJHL draft in 2006. Forwards Greg Nemisz and Dylan O'Neil were both top 10 picks in the Ontario Hockey League draft.

Meanwhile, big 1989-born defenseman Nick Petrecki was drafted ninth overall in the 2005 OHL draft, before accepting a scholarship to Boston College. Other NCAA recruits include highly sought 1991-birthyear forward Matt Duchene (Michigan State University) and 1989-born Boston University defensemen Colby Cohen and Kevin Shattenkirk.

Howe's program places special emphasis developing two-way play and on matching players up with appropriate Canadian major junior and U.S. college programs. That's part of the reason why he limits the number of players in his program -- he can better get to know his players' off-ice personalities as well as on-ice skills.

"I remember when I was played as a teenager, it was easy to think you can just get in anywhere and play if you're good enough. But each individual program and coach is better suited to some players than others," says Howe.

Next year, Howe will be taking 1992 and 1993 birth year East Coast Selects groups to compete in the annual Stockholm Cup youth tournament in Sweden, hosted by the Hammarby IF program (the same program that once produced Mark Howe's 1984-85 Vezina Trophy-winning teammate, the late Pelle Lindbergh).

Howe also conducts yearly one-week camps at Clarkson University in under his family's Howe Hockey banner, bringing in numerous prominent instructors, including Stevens, Mark Howe and Marty Howe.

"We know that in one week's time, we're not going to be able to help a player with his skating or stickhandling, so we focus more on the mental aspects of the game. You should see the players faces light up when they see guys who've played in the NHL pay them attention and get to know them on a first-name basis. And guys like John Stevens are really dedicated to the players. They have as much fun as the kids do, and pour all their energy into teaching them. The kids really respond," says Howe.

Travis' father Mark Howe played 16 years in the NHL for the Hartford Whalers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Detroit Red Wings.

Staying busy

Nowadays, Travis Howe's calendar is consumed by hockey. Last season, he served as head coach of the Syracuse Stars, an Eastern Junior Hockey League team. It was his first time as a head coach.

He also now works with International Scouting Services. Unlike the NHL's Central Scouting bureau, which primarily focuses on players who are within one or two years of NHL Entry Draft eligibility, the ISS looks at younger players who could make the leap to the programs that produce the majority of NHL players.

It's great to be in demand, but Howe realized there weren't enough hours in the day to accommodate everything into his schedule and still contribute the quality of work he expects from himself. So he's stepped out from full-time coaching, at least for the 2006-07 season.

"When I coached last winter in the Eastern Junior Hockey League, the most time-consuming part of the job wasn't the actual coaching. It was interacting with all the different programs interested in recruiting my players. To do that right, you really need to devote lots of time and energy to it," says Howe.

One of the more interesting "New-age hockey" assets Howe brings to the table is his knowledge of computers. He put his know-how to work by designing a rink template, containing drills and strategic diagrams that can be used in coaches' workshops.

For the time being, Howe wants to concentrate on East Coast Selects (which is launching a West Coast Selects branch as well), Howe Hockey and his scouting and talent evaluation work. Long term, however, he's not sure if he wants to concentrate on scouting or coaching. Currently, he's in the process of moving back to the Detroit area.

"I'm keeping myself open to all possibilities in the long-term," says Howe. "In terms of coaching, if you're going to coach, you really need to throw yourself into it 100 percent, like John Stevens, because there are a lot of nuances you have to learn. Same thing with scouting."

Given his already impressive track record, it's quite possible an NHL or AHL scouting or assistant coaching opportunity will eventually come calling for Travis Howe.

And if and when that happens, he will have earned it for his smarts and dedication; not because of his last name.