Our Story
The coaches behind the program.
Vanguard Hockey International was built on a decade of player development — from the learn-to-skate level all the way to the NHL and the Olympics.
Jeff Lobman
Founder / Owner
- 10+ years as a private skills coach
- Coached beginner to NCAA, pro & Olympic levels
- Queen City Royals U12AA — CHL Champions
- Scout, Madison Capitols (USHL)
- Head of Northeast Scouting, Aberdeen Wings (NAHL)
- Co-host, Katsumoto Conversations w/ Petr Sykora (2× Stanley Cup Champion)
For the past 10 years Jeff has been a private skills coach working with players from beginner to NCAA, professional, and Olympic levels. From 2016–2018 he was a head coach for the Florida Junior Panthers U12 and U18AA teams. In 2019–2020 he was the assistant coach and head skills coach for the Charlotte Rush Junior A program of the USPHL.
For the 2020–21 season Jeff was the assistant hockey director of the Queen City Royals house and travel programs, and coached the Queen City Royals U12AA team to a CHL Championship. In 2021–22 he was the skills coach for the Fayetteville Marksmen of the SPHL and the director of player development of the Queen City Royals out of Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, NC, head coach of the Queen City Royals U16AA team, and the Southeast Regional Scout for the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League.
For the 2022–23 season, Jeff was the head coach and director of skill development of the Maine Nordiques Development Program 16/18 AAA, a skills coach for the Maine Nordiques NAHL team, and continued as the Nordiques Southeast Regional Scout. In October 2022 he took a role as a scout for player identification and acquisition with the Madison Capitols in the USHL.
Alongside the on-ice work, Jeff co-hosts the Katsumoto Conversations Podcast with 2× Stanley Cup Champion Petr Sykora. In 2023 he became GM, hockey director, and director of development at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion, and serves as head of Northeast scouting for the Aberdeen Wings in the NAHL.
Niclas Lucenius
Coach
- NHL Draft — 4th round, Atlanta Thrashers
- Nearly 20 years of professional hockey
- Liiga · KHL · DEL & top European pro leagues
- 2019 Finnish Champion with HPK
- IIHF World Junior Championship — Team Finland
- U18 World Championship silver medalist
Niclas Lucenius brings nearly 20 years of professional hockey experience to Vanguard Hockey. Drafted in the 4th round of the NHL Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers, Niclas went on to build a successful career playing at the highest levels of European hockey, including Finland’s Liiga, the KHL, Germany’s DEL, and several other top professional leagues across Europe.
Throughout his career, Niclas competed alongside and against some of the best players in the world, earning a reputation as a highly intelligent two-way forward with exceptional hockey sense and professionalism. He also represented Finland internationally, including at the IIHF World Junior Championship, and was part of Finland’s silver medal–winning team at the U18 World Championship.
One of the highlights of his playing career came in 2019 when he helped HPK capture the Finnish Championship, one of the most respected titles in European hockey.
Today, Niclas is passionate about helping young athletes develop the habits, skills, and mindset needed to reach their potential. His experience playing in multiple countries and professional environments gives players a unique perspective on what it takes to succeed at every stage of the game. Whether working with young players building their foundation or advanced athletes pursuing higher levels of hockey, Niclas brings the same professionalism, attention to detail, and passion for development that defined his playing career.