Award-Winning Coach Mark Joslin to Lead DMF U15s

2023-24 OJHL Coach of the Year brings elite junior hockey expertise to Don Mills

The Don Mills Flyers are thrilled to announce that Mark Joslin, the 2023-24 Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) Coach of the Year, will serve as head coach for our U15 team in the 2026-27 season.

From Last Place to Playoffs: A Coaching Masterclass

Joslin earned OJHL Coach of the Year honors after orchestrating one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent junior hockey history. Taking over the Brantford 99ers (now King Rebellion) in the summer of 2023, he inherited a team that had finished with a dismal 5-46-1-2 record the previous season.

In just one year, Joslin transformed the franchise into a playoff contender with a 26-26-0-4 record – a stunning 21-win improvement that caught the attention of coaches and hockey executives across Canada.

National Recognition

Joslin's success in Brantford didn't go unnoticed beyond the OJHL. He was named a finalist for the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) Coach of the Year Award – the Darcy Haugan/Mark Cross Memorial Award – recognizing him as one of the top six junior hockey coaches in the entire country.

A Track Record of Excellence

The 2023-24 season was not Joslin's first time earning league-wide recognition:

Career Highlights:

  • 2023-24 OJHL Coach of the Year (Brantford 99ers/King Rebellion)
  • CJHL Coach of the Year Finalist (2023-24)
  • 2018 OJHL Executive of the Year (Toronto Patriots)
  • 2025 Inductee - Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame
  • OHL Scouting Experience - Served as scout for the Oshawa Generals and Barrie Colts
  • Over 20 years of coaching experience at elite levels of hockey
  • Head coach of Toronto Patriots when they won the 2017-18 OJHL regular season championship
  • Founder of Joslin Elite Hockey Training, a premier skills development program

As Executive of the Year with the Toronto Patriots in 2018, Joslin helped build a team that went 40-8-3-3 to capture the inaugural Brant Snow Memorial Trophy as OJHL regular season champions. Six players from that team committed to NCAA Division I or III schools.

What This Means for U15 Players

At the U15 level, players are beginning to make critical decisions about their hockey futures – whether to pursue the OHL, NCAA, or U SPORTS pathways. Having a coach with Joslin's extensive junior hockey network and proven track record of player advancement is invaluable.

Perhaps most significantly for U15 players, Joslin has served as a scout for OHL teams including the Oshawa Generals and Barrie Colts. This means he knows exactly what OHL teams look for in draft-eligible players – because he's been the one evaluating them. For families considering the OHL pathway, there's immense value in having a coach who has sat in OHL draft meetings and understands the evaluation process from the inside.

"Mark's ability to identify talent, develop players, and guide them to the next level is exactly what we want for our U15 program," said Joseph Iantorno, President of the Don Mills Flyers. "His recent success and national recognition confirm what those of us in the GTA hockey community have known for years – he's one of the best development coaches in Ontario."

More Than Wins and Losses

While Joslin's competitive success speaks for itself, his coaching philosophy aligns perfectly with the Don Mills Flyers' core value: "Development - The Name of Our Game."

Throughout his career, Joslin has been known for:

  • Player-first mentality: Focusing on individual development within team systems
  • Building culture: Transforming struggling teams by establishing winning habits and accountability
  • Identifying potential: Finding and nurturing talent that others might overlook
  • Pathway expertise: Guiding players through the complex junior hockey landscape

Elite Hockey Training Background

In addition to his team coaching roles, Joslin founded Joslin Elite Hockey Training in 2003, where he has worked with hundreds of players helping them achieve their goals of playing at higher levels including Tier II Junior A, OHL, NCAA, European leagues, AHL, and NHL.

His hands-on experience with skills development, combined with his team coaching success, gives him a unique dual perspective that benefits players at every stage of their development.

The Right Coach at the Right Time

U15 is a pivotal year in a player's development. It's when young athletes begin to separate themselves, when commitment to the game intensifies, and when the pathway to junior hockey becomes clearer. Having a coach who has recently navigated these exact waters – identifying which 15, 16, and 17-year-olds could contribute to a championship-caliber junior team – provides U15 players with insights that few coaches can offer.

Joslin knows what junior coaches are looking for because he is one. He knows what OHL scouts are evaluating because he's been one. He knows what it takes to build a winning culture because he just did it. And he knows how to develop players for the next level because he's sent dozens there.

Championship Pedigree

Joslin's coaching resume also includes time with the Aurora Tigers when they won the RBC Cup national championship in 2007. He has worked with numerous OJHL franchises including the Pickering Panthers, Stouffville Spirit, North York Rangers, and Aurora Tigers.

Most recently, Joslin serves as head coach and general manager of the King Rebellion, where he continues to compete at the highest level of Ontario junior hockey while bringing his expertise to the Don Mills Flyers.

Assisted by NHL Veteran

Joslin will be joined on the U15 bench by assistant coach Nikolai Borshevsky, a former Toronto Maple Leaf who brings his own wealth of professional and coaching experience. Together, they form one of the most credentialed coaching staffs in minor hockey.

Registration Information

For information about tryouts and registration for the Don Mills Flyers U15 team for the 2026-27 season, please visit our website at www.donmillsflyers.ca or contact us at info@donmillsflyers.ca.

The Don Mills Flyers are a competitive minor hockey organization serving players from U10 to U18 in the Greater Toronto Area. For more information about our programs and coaching staff, visit www.donmillsflyers.ca.

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