Player Development

Lake Erie Panthers Hockey Association is pleased to announce we will be continuing our agreement with Ohio Hockey Project for the 2025-26 season. Ohio Hockey Project's mission is to assist with player & coaching development, skill delivery, program enrichment, and ultimately help to ensure each athlete and family has a tremendous experience playing for our program! Ohio Hockey Project will be instructing LEPH players on selected Monday night skills sessions throughout the season.

Born and raised in Westlake, Ohio, Russ Sinkewich, has worked his entire career as a proud ambassador of both the sport as well as Cleveland Hockey. Russ is proud to say he’s had the privilege to play at every single level the City (& State) has to offer: CSHL (N.Olmsted), AAA Youth Hockey (Barons), Ohio H.S. (St. Edward), NCAA (BGSU), Professionally (Cleveland Monsters, AHL).

A graduate of Bowling Green State University where Russ played Division I Hockey, he graduated in the winter of 2008 with a Bachelor Degree in Sport Management and a minor in Business Entrepreneurship. Russ brings nearly 17 years of player development, and skill coaching to the table and boasts an impressive playing resume that he is able to draw from.

The Lake Erie Panthers are proud to announce the addition of Neil Conway as our new Goalie Coach through a partnership with Conway Goaltending. Neil brings a wealth of elite playing and coaching experience, with a proven track record of developing goaltenders at every level. His goaltending philosophy aligns perfectly with our program’s commitment to building complete athletes. We're thrilled to bring Conway Goaltending’s expertise to the Panthers family and look forward to elevating the next generation of Panthers netminders under Neil’s guidance.

Neil grew up in Painesville, Ohio playing for the Mentor Cardinals, Euclid Panthers and CSC Chargers. He then played for the Cleveland Barons and Pittsburgh Hornets before moving to Stouffville, Ontario at the age of 15 to play Jr. A for the Stouffville Spirit. From there Neil was drafted to the Ontario Hockey League, (OHL) and played for the Owen Sound Attack and Oshawa Generals while also spending time with the Greenbay Gamblers (USHL). Neil then went on to play at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Neil played 4 years of professional hockey in North America as well as in Europe; ECHL, EIHL (England) Series A (Italy).

Awards/Leagues 

- Team USA U17/U18 

- 5 Years in the Ontario Hockey League

- CIS National Champion

- 4 years professional playing experience in ECHL, England, Italy