Queen City Royals AAA Coaching Staff

Casey Haines

Head Coach 11UAAA

Head Coach Casey Haines brings elite playing experience and proven leadership to this age group.

A former NAHL player, four-year NCAA Division I athlete at Ferris State University, and veteran of 150+ professional games across the ECHL, EIHL, and AHL, Casey combines high-level experience with a passion for development.

Over the past five years in our program, he has coached from Mites through 10U, most recently leading the state’s top-ranked 10U team to an ACHC League Championship. His commitment to development, competitiveness, and accountability makes him an outstanding leader for our 11U AAA team.

Brendan Logan

Assistant Coach 11UAAA & 18UAAA

Assisting Casey will be Program President and Founder, Brendan Logan.

Brendan played junior hockey across multiple leagues before competing in three years of NCAA Division III hockey at Aurora University and Wilkes University. After a short stint in minor professional hockey, Brendan founded the Queen City Royals and has since coached numerous teams and age levels within the organization.

His leadership, program vision, and commitment to long-term player development continue to drive the standard across all divisions.

Grant Gallo

Head Coach 12UAAA & Assistant Coach 18UAAA

Grant Gallo is a former NCAA Division III player at Nazareth University who brings competitive experience and a strong development mindset to his teams.

He began coaching in Colorado, leading 12U AA (2022–2023) and 16U AA (2023–2024) programs. For the 2025–2026 season, Grant served as Head Coach for 12U AA and Assistant Coach for 18U AAA with the Queen City Royals.

Gino Deblasiis

Assistant Coach 12UAAA

Gino Deblasiis is a former NCAA Division III Player at Suny Canton. Gino played four years of collegiate hockey and began his coaching career in Charlotte as the Head Coach of the CPH 14uAA team during the 2025-2026 season. He brings a strong passion for player development and emphasizes accountability, work ethic, and growth both on and off the ice.

Brenton Blaskie



Head Coach 13UAAA & Assistant Coach 14UAAA



Coach Blaskie joins the staff with experience across all levels of youth and high school hockey. He coached in the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets program from 2012–2024, working with teams from 10U through 18U.

He has been heavily involved in the Columbus hockey community, including helping design the Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey League. He served as the Lead Development Coach for three years, building and implementing practice plans and player and coach development systems.

Blaskie also brings eight years of varsity coaching experience. This past season, he coached with Carolina Premier Hockey at the 13U AAA and 12U Selects level.

He currently serves as Executive Director of the Matthews Athletic and Recreation Association.

Joey Strada

Head Coach 14UAAA & Assistant Coach 13UAAA

Joey Strada is a former junior and professional forward with a strong competitive background. He played three seasons with the Aberdeen Wings in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), winning a Robertson Cup championship in 2019 and finishing as the second-leading scorer in franchise history.

He also competed in the United States Hockey League (USHL) before advancing to the professional ranks in Sweden’s HockeyEttan and the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL).

Transitioning into coaching, Strada served as an assistant coach with the Idaho Falls Spud Kings in the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), focusing on skill development and player growth. In that role he was part of the staff that captured the 2025 Dineen Cup Championship.

 Kevin Smith

Head Coach 15UAAA & 16UAAA

With over 20 years of experience behind the bench, Coach Kevin Smith is a USA Hockey Level 5 certified hockey coach who is dedicated to elite player development. His coaching tenure spans the most competitive tiers of the sport, including the Junior, AAA and High School levels, where he has built a proven track record of success and high-level player advancement.

Kevin has coached the past 14 seasons with the Middlesex Islanders Hockey Club in Massachusetts, one of the premier youth AAA and junior organizations in the country. There he led championship-caliber teams at several age groups including USPHL National Championship appearances in all seasons he was coaching at the junior level.

Coach Kevin’s philosophy is rooted in a holistic approach to the game. He believes in helping athletes develop the critical life skills that can be derived from the relentless pursuit of excellence in the sport. Ensuring players develop the skills, awareness, and discipline required for the next level, he excels at bridging the gap between individual talent and structured teamwork. He provides his athletes with a professional-grade environment through the use of advanced performance analytics and video software.

A cornerstone of Kevin’s career is his proven success in moving athletes to the collegiate and elite junior ranks. His commitment to "the complete player" has directly resulted in over 75 player advancements since 2020 alone. His mission remains providing every athlete with the comprehensive tools, hockey IQ, and competitive edge necessary to successfully transition to the highest levels of play.

Alex Druilia

Assistant Coach 15UAAA & 16UAAA

A native of Fort Erie, Alex Drulia grew up in a dedicated hockey family, influenced by his uncle, Stan Drulia, who played in the NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After a four-year Tier III junior playing career was cut short due to injury, Drulia transitioned into coaching. He began with the Dells Ducks before serving as an assistant with the Great Falls Americans and later becoming Head Coach of the Cape Code Islanders.

From 2019–2022, he was Head Coach of the Twin City Thunder (USPHL Premier) and an NCDC assistant. He then led the Maine Moose 18U AAA program while scouting for the Austin Bruins, earning a full-time Assistant Coach role with Austin for the 2023–24 season.

At 30, Drulia brings a strong background in player development across Tier III, AAA, and junior hockey. 

Mike Busto

Head Coach 18UAAA

Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Mike played five seasons in the WHL with over 300 games before signing an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers and later being part of a trade involving the Montreal Canadiens organization. He went on to play nearly a decade of professional hockey across North America and Europe, including time with the Charlotte Checkers (ECHL).

Mike currently serves as the Queen City Royals Hockey Director and brings extensive experience in coaching and player development, including professional coaching in Asia and work within a high-performance academy in Western Canada. He is also the co-founder and head on-ice instructor of Southern Hockey Prospects Academy.

Tom Mensforth

Assistant Coach 18UAAA

Tom is a Level 4 USA Hockey coach who has been involved in youth hockey for decades as a player, referee, and coach. Since 2009, he has coached at Extreme Ice Center, helping teams reach USA Hockey Tier II National Championships in 2019 and 2020. Tom has also worked with Queen City Royals Tier 1 teams since their launch in the 2024–2025 season.