It has been several years since former TPH Thunder player, Tino Passerelli, nicknamed “Mr. Excitement” while playing for the Thunder left the South to play youth hockey for top ranked Honeybaked in the Detroit, Michigan area.
Passerelli’s departure brought to light a new trend that saw hockey hotbeds like Michigan and going after talent in what had been non-traditional markets.
Early on Passerelli showed signs of things to come with an aggressive skating style, combined with a knack for scoring clutch goals and making plays with little room between him and an opposing player. His physical play also is recognized as a throwback to when hockey had tougher more hardnosed players.
He has become a dominant player in 2014-15. Honeybaked is the number one ranked AAA youth team in the country with an impressive 54-4-4 record surpassing perennial rivals Shattuck St. Mary’s, the Chicago Mission and Little Caesars.
Tino gained recognition as one of the top scorers on the Thunder AAA squad and was recruited to Michigan by Honeybaked.
In the 2014 season Honeybaked was ranked number two in the USA.
Honeybaked was the High Performance Hockey League Champions. They beat the Chicago Mission (formally #1 in USA) to win the League Championship. Honeybaked also won the Michigan State playoffs resulting in back to back championship for Passeretti.
He also won it with the Little Caesars AAA squad the prior year beating Honeybaked in the Finals. As recognition of his standout performance he was invited to attend the coveted STX68 Combine in Chicago.
The Combine performs strenuous evaluation on each player invited. He came in 2nd Place Overall for On-ice testing, 1st Place for Strength Index and 5th in Speed Index out of 68 Players.
Every August, the top 68 U14 hockey athletes in North America will gather at Seven Bridges Ice Arena, in Woodridge, Illinois, for an invitation only event. The event is invitation only. This event is described by organizers as unlike anything ever seen before in the hockey world. It will provide players unparalleled access to elite level coaching, seminars, baseline testing, skills competitions and games.
He STX 68 is designed to help elite Bantam Major (2000 birth year for 2014) players with junior, college or NHL potential advance their hockey and training knowledge in order to maximize their ability. Participants are taught position-specific and athletic performance drills designed by some of the top hockey coaches and sports performance specialists in America, and it is all FREE for the sixty eight (68) athletes chosen. The players selected will have three days of dynamic competition for the country’s most elite Bantam Major prospects.
All players were housed at Benedictine University in Lisle, Illinois. The camp was free for all players to attend (excluding transportation to and from Chicago) and includes all meals, lodging, STX hockey equipment, apparel and training.
The STX 68 camp gave selected players the opportunity to train, test, learn, compete and get coached by some of the best in youth hockey circles in North America.
Athletes started off with an assessment (individual player profile) and receive an overall needs analysis once the testing is complete. The STX 68 is an opportunity for all our players to get an understanding of their own physical and psychological makeup. We will have off ice testing for grip strength, vertical jump, long jump, push-ups, pull ups, fatigue, speed and agility. The on ice tests that factored into the STX 68 Sports Testing Profile were forward/backward speed with and without the puck, agility transition weave, reaction times, and stamina .STX notes that they only test to gauge further progress within each player, not to compare players. “Our goal is to accurately and objectively gauge the athlete’s talent level and provide insight and feedback to improvements, providing the athlete an opportunity to become a more skilled and polished prospect” said a STX representative.
Players participating in the STX 68 Presented by 200 x 85 LLC were given the opportunity to showcase their abilities and get early national exposure from scouts at the junior, college and pro level. “Our athletes will gain exposure to a combined style event with the testing and requirements needed as early as possible so their performance on the ice and at other events increase as they become more aware and comfortable to what recruiters and junior/college coaches are looking for. Photos will be taken, players will be evaluated by numerous scouts and athletes will learn more about what it takes to compete at the highest level and gauge their current abilities against the very” best he added.
All the results from our on and off ice testing (200 x 85 LLC Player Profile) were sent out to every junior and college program in the country showcasing Paseretti and other youth players.
Tino is committed to playing for Honeybaked again this year with several goals in mind. His goals for this upcoming season are to win back to back HPHL Playoffs, going for the three- peat ( He won the Michigan State playoffs) and lastly he wants to win the Nationals.
Tino said” I’m very grateful to be part of the Honeybaked family and fortunate to have great teammates and coaching staff. Coach Trevor Edwards has done an outstanding job getting us ready last year and I know for a fact that he’ll do the same this year.”
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