The New Jersey Devils announced today that Kelly Nash and Dennis Ruppe, in partnership with the National Hockey League Coaches’ Association (NHLCA), will join the club’s upcoming Development Camp from June 28 through July 1. Kelly Nash, head coach for Long Island University Women’s Hockey, will join the Devils on behalf of the NHLCA Female Coaches Development Program, and Dennis Ruppe will join on behalf of the NHLCA BIPOC Coaches Program. Both initiatives aim to aid women, Black, Indigenous, and coaches of color in several areas including skills development, leadership strategies, communication tactics, networking, and career advancement opportunities. In addition to joining the organization for Development Camp, the coaches will connect with the Devils coaching staff throughout the season for in-person and remote meetings to gain experience and exposure with NHL staff.
As the 2024 NEWHA Coach of the Year, Nash has led the Sharks to the conference’s regular-season title each of her first two seasons as LIU’s coach, as well as to the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in her inaugural season in 2022-23. A two-time national champion during her collegiate playing career, and with extensive experience coaching at the pro and college levels, Nash joined LIU Athletics as the women’s ice hockey head coach in June 2022. She previously served as the Premier Hockey Federation’s Metropolitan Riveters head scout during the 2021-22 season and played on the Isobel Cup championship-winning team in 2018.
As a player, Nash produced 22 goals and 47 assists in 153 career games with the Wisconsin Badgers spanning four seasons. She earned the team’s Jeff Sauer Award as the “most dedicated player” as a senior and graduated in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Nash worked with LeagueApps, a youth-sports management platform, in addition to her duties with the Riveters immediately before joining LIU. Her responsibilities included managing the company’s partnership with the NHL, particularly the league’s “Learn to Play” and “Breaking the Ice” initiatives.
Ruppe is currently serving as the manager of hockey operations for Hockey in New Jersey, a nonprofit hockey organization that provides underserved youth the opportunity to play hockey and learn various life skills for free. Prior to his time at Hockey in New Jersey, Ruppe grew up playing and coaching in the Atlantic District. He played youth hockey for the New Jersey Rockets before joining the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers, where he was an EHL Champion in 2016-17. Ruppe graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in exercise science while playing for three years for the Buckeyes ACHA II team, leading the team to league titles and their first National Championship berth in over 30 years. In his final semester on campus, he served as an assistant coach on the women’s ACHA II team helping lead their offense and special teams to an undefeated first half of the season.
Dennis has been coaching since he was 15 years old in various roles, including individual private skills coaching from mites to professional players, power skating instructor, lead camp instructor, and behind the bench for various spring and summer teams.
