Blackstreet Capital Holdings affiliate Black Bear enters into long-term lease
Rockville, MD – An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. (“Black Bear”) has entered into a long-term lease to operate the AAA youth club, Team Maryland. Team Maryland has seven AAA youth hockey teams and has perennially been the premier youth hockey organization in the DMV region. Team Maryland previously had entered into a partnership with Black Bear regarding Black Bear’s junior hockey clubs in the area, Team Maryland EHL and the Maryland Black Bears. This lease formalizes the overall relationship and puts Black Bear in charge of the day-to-day operations of the entire club. Michael R. Weiss, former President of Team Maryland, will remain as scheduling director and will serve as a resource to Black Bear going forward. Black Bear is also thrilled to announce that, pending all appropriate immigration documentation, Robbie Murden, has been hired as Team Maryland’s Hockey Director and 15U Head Coach beginning with the 2023-24 hockey season. Robbie will also be the Assistant General Manager of all Black Bear Junior Hockey including Assistant General Manager of the Youngstown Phantoms of the U.S.H.L. Robbie joins team Maryland from the Windy City/Tri City Storm organization where coached and served as Director of Player Personnel for nationally ranked Midget teams. In addition, Robbie held roles in player personnel, scouting and drafting for the Tri City Storm of the U.S.H.L. Previously, Robbie was one of the founders, coaches and the Director of Player Personnel for Bishop Kearney Selects, as well as Midget coach at Selects Hockey Academy where their 18U team won the 2018-19 National Championship. Over the past 5 years, Robbie has coached teams to 7 state titles, regional titles and multiple teams to National Tournament appearances. Over the past 5 seasons in AAA, Robbie has recruited, coached and fostered in the development of 8 NHL draft picks, 47 NCAA Division 1 commits, 55 USHL/NTDP selections and 12 players who have gone on to play in the OHL, WHL or QMJHL. Team Maryland will remain headquartered at Rockville and Cabin John with the 18U Prep Team solely operating out of Piney Orchard Ice Arena. With the addition of Team Maryland, Black Bear now operates 29 youth hockey clubs including 8 AAA organizations.
Black Bear is also pleased to announce that former NHL player and current Maryland Black Bears Assistant Coach, Pete LeBoutillier, will take over as 18U Head Coach next season, and Mike Donnellan, current 15U coach, will assume the title of Director of Operations and head coach of the 16U team next season. Black Bear, the largest owner-operator of ice rinks in the U.S., was founded by CEO Murry Gunty in 2015.
“Twenty years ago my father and I started Team Maryland from scratch and are proud of the work we have done to build it into one of the best Tier I organizations in the country.” said Michael R. Weiss, former President of Team Maryland. “We made this decision because Black Bear has the resources, staff and relationships to continue to strengthen the club and to elevate the experience for our families even further.”
“Based on the foundation built by Bob and Mike Weiss as well as Robbie joining for the fall, we believe Team Maryland is poised to become one of the elite programs in the country.” said Murry N. Gunty, CEO and Founder of Black Bear Sports Group. “My children both played for Team Maryland and I have a personal attachment to make sure the club remains in good hands in the future. I wish to thank Bob and Mike for this opportunity.”
“Robbie will make a tremendous addition to our junior hockey staff and will provide incredible leadership for Team Maryland,” said Andrew Goldman, President of Black Bear Junior Hockey. “I wish to thank Tony MacAulay and Matt Reid for the work they have done for Team Maryland and wish them well in their future endeavors.”
About Black Bear Sports Group, Inc.
Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas, but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or under-performing facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice rinks in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 34 arenas across the United States with 64 sheets of indoor ice, four indoor turf fields, 29 youth hockey clubs, four hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Atlantic Girls Hockey Federation Tier 1 Hockey Federation, and Foundry Adult Hockey, the largest adult hockey league in the U.S.), two tournament businesses, Defender Hockey Tournaments and the National Girls Hockey League and four Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, United States Premier Hockey League NCDC and the Eastern Hockey League.