About Us

The Revolution Academy hockey program combines online academics, on-ice athletic excellence and off-ice player development in a dynamic environment that will provide your student-athlete with the opportunities and confidence to achieve the best results. The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Knights were founded in 2007 and have incorporated high level hockey training with 21st century education, residence life, daily professional skill development both on-ice and off-ice and best in class full season hockey schedule. The Knights program is unmatched.

The Knights junior hockey program was formed in 2007 to build a stronger youth hockey presence in northeastern Pennsylvania. Upon the team’s formation, the Knights program quickly became a new arena for young, local athletes to develop their skills and compete at the highest levels of competition within the USA Hockey format. At the time of the program’s inception, local interest in ice hockey was on the rise; primarily due to the newly formed American Hockey League (AHL) franchise that was located in Wilkes-Barre in 1999. Exposure to professional hockey in the region and steady growth in youth, scholastic and recreational sectors of athletics provided the perfect platform on which the Knights program could begin to grow.

From day one, the Knights program developed the mission to field and cultivate teams to compete at a high level against USA Hockey Tier 1 teams throughout the US and Canada. In 2009 the Knights reached this goal, when its youth teams achieved Tier 1 status.

Within the current program, the Knights clubs play in the Atlantic Youth Hockey Association (AYHL).  The AYHL is the top Tier 1 youth hockey league in the country. The program also has a USPHL Tier III junior franchise located within our facility as well as a Tier II NCDC franchise that will play out of Pittston, PA and Binghamton, NY.  Both are a great conduit to NCAA College Division I & III programs

History

The Knights have incorporated high level hockey training with 21st century education, residence life, daily professional skill development both on-ice and off-ice and best in class full season hockey schedule. The Knights program is unmatched. In the past seven years, the WBS Jr Knights produced NHL players Ivan Provorov – Philadelphia Flyers (NHL Draft 2015, 1st Round, 7th Overall), Denis Smirnov – Colorado Avalanche (NHL Draft 2017, 6th Round, 156th Overall), CJ Yakimowicz – St. Louis Blues (NHL Draft 2014, 6th Round, 172nd Overall), Nikita Pavlychev – Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL Draft 2015, 7th Round, 197th Overall) and Dmitri Zaitsev – Washington Capitals (NHL Draft 2016, 7th Round, 207th Overall).

Over the past seven years, the WBS Knights have sent 74 players to continue their playing careers at Division I colleges and universities including Big 10, Ivy League and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and 154 players to continue their playing careers at Division III colleges and universities. In addition to the six NHL draft picks, the WBS Jr Knights currently had NCAA Division I Players committed including: Denis Smirnov, Nikita Pavlychev, Paul DeNaples and Jacob Goldowski – Penn State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Eugene Fadyeyev – Ohio State, NCAA Div. I – Big Ten; Derek Hamelin – Canisius College, NCAA Div. I; Marcus Joseph – Sacred Heart University, NCAA Div. I; Vlad Dzhioshvili, University of Vermont, NCAA Div. I; Konstantin Chernyuk- University of Maine, NCAA Div. I; Jacob Hamacher and Gavin Lewis – RIT, NCAA Div. I; Joseph Campolieto – Boston College, NCAA Div. I.

Our Knights team has a rich history of bringing high level players into the program to develop young players and build strong teams that compete at the highest levels.  The Academy model existed since 2007 when players from all over the world converged on Pittston, PA for high-level hockey.  Players from Italy, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Ukraine, Sweden, Canada, Slovakia, Prague and Finland called Pittston home for many years where they played for the WBS Knights.  From the 2012 through 2014 hockey seasons, the Knights competed in the USA Hockey National Championship and in 2012 won the National Championship with the Bantam Major AAA Team.  Since that time, Knights teams have been ranked in the top 15 in the country and two Knights junior teams are competing at the National Championships in March 2022.

Here are some frequently asked questions about the program:

What’s the town/city like? Logistics in getting there? (Nearest airport)

There is an airport located within 5 miles of the rink (AVP – Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Airport).  The surrounding cities are Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.  Both cities are safe and are the 6th largest cities in Pennsylvania.  We are located 1.5 hours from New York City, 2 hours from Philadelphia and 2 hours from the New Jersey shore.  Situated approximately 100 miles from both New York City and the City of Philadelphia and 150 miles from Hartford, Albany, Syracuse and Baltimore, this region encompasses three counties, including Luzerne as well as Lackawanna and Wyoming. The City of Scranton and, to a lesser degree, the Cities of Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, serve as the commercial and population centers for the region. Scranton may be the sixth-largest city in Pennsylvania, but the close-knit neighborhoods that surround the vibrant downtown give Scranton its small-town appeal. … Scranton’s low crime rate and low cost of living make it a popular place for families, while the vital, healthy downtown is a magnet for young professionals.

Explain a normal week at the Academy

Typically, hockey at the Academy level is 5 days per week of structured on-ice training and off-ice workouts with a full-time strength and conditioning coach.  The team plays games on weekends (2-3 games per weekend) with intentional rest periods in between. Incorporated with off-ice training is MMA, boxing, stretching and yoga and is completed during the season.  Private training is available on “off nights” at the discretion of the player as well as membership to RapidShot and RapidHands training devices at the rink’s off-ice training facility.

Game Schedule

The teams will play a 45-55 game per year schedule.  Included with the season are 3-4 high level “in season” tournaments per year. Our regular hockey season operates in a 25 week regular season.

What is the facility like?

Revolution Ice Centre has undergone an extensive remodeling project with over $1,500,000 of upgrades in the past 12 months.  These upgrades include expanded parking, coaches / scout lounge, upgraded locker rooms, remodeled lobby, new boards and glass, new LED lighting throughout the facility, new wastewater treatment pit and system, and a full off-ice training facility and turf on the 2nd floor.  Revolution is a state-of-the-art ice skating facility and premier hockey training program located in Pittston, PA.  The arena is home to several hockey organizations including the Wilkes Barre Scranton Knights, WVIHL, the OTHC League and The Skating Club of Revo Ice. In addition, Revolution proudly serves as home ice for NCAA Division III King’s College men’s and women’s ice hockey program as well as the University of Scranton ACHA program and a variety of local high schools.

Revolution Ice Centre is conveniently located between Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, just 1 mile from Interstate 81 and the Northeast extension of the PA Turnpike (I-476).  Mohegan Sun Casino and Conference Center is located ~3 miles to the south and Montage Mountain Ski Resort and Waterpark is located 6 miles to the north.  There are numerous hotels and restaurants within a 20 minute radius to the facility between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.

Financial Assistance

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