Eric Soltys
Youth Hockey President
Soltys brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from all levels of the game including coaching, management, and scouting. He was a two-time national champion as an assistant coach at Shattuck, St. Mary’s where he coached many current NHL players. Eric also worked at the NCAA Division 1 level as Assistant Coach for the University of Maine. He was also an Assistant Coach with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL at the major junior level and was a consistent playoff contender at the minor pro levels as an Assistant Coach, Head Coach, as well as serving as General Manager. Eric Soltys plays an invaluable role for our organization and takes a hands-on approach to all things Maine Nordiques from prospects to alumni advancement, and from drills to curriculum development. He spent years on the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames scouting staff, and now is also Pro-Scout with Detroit Redwings.
Matt Pinchevsky
Head Coach & Organizational Director of Development
Matt, who is also referred to as Pinch, will be supporting the organization as NAHL Head Coach and Director of Player Personnel & Development.
Pinch has a strong passion for skill development and mentoring players on and off the ice. He has established many strong relationships over the years coaching and training players that have gone on to have success as they climb the ladder. Former hockey students that have worked with Pinch have reached the NCAA D3, D1, Minor-Pro, and NHL levels.
Player Development has always been a major role in his coaching experience; every player getting better is a priority for him. Over the years Pinch has helped take part in advancing more than a 100 student-athletes to NCAA hockey programs. Providing guidance for the players through the college process will be a main focus for the organization with Pinch.
Prior to coaching in the NAHL, Pinchevsky has been fortunate to work with many successful groups, from AAA teams that make trips to USA Hockey Nationals to playoff-clinching Jr. teams in various leagues. During this time, Pinch also worked for Select Hockey and Legacy Global Sports where the 10-year relationship and his friendship with Coach Howe began. Pinch has a strong background in the Academy model; in fact, he and GM Eric Soltys were partners in building the foundation of the Selects Academy.
Before the beginning of his coaching career, Pinch played his minor hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, MN for the worldwide recognized hockey program. After Jr. A hockey, he went on to play at the collegiate level and earn a Bachelor’s degree focused in Communication and Journalism from Curry College.
Pinch and his wife Katherine make Maine their home with their son Cole.
Ryan Shelley
NAHL Assistant Coach & Director of Goaltending
Ryan is in his fourth year with the Maine Nordiques organization. Prior to joining the Nordiques, Ryan founded North River Hockey, LLC in 2015, a company focused on skill acquisition and video analysis for players and goaltenders alike. Using an athlete centered coaching style, his clients span from youth hockey, junior hockey, and professional level hockey. In addition to his coaching background, Ryan’s skill in video analysis has helped him educate many former clients. As such, he is excited to be the Maine Nordiques (NAHL) Assistant Coach, specializing in video, and Director of Goaltending for the 2022-2023 season. Prior to coaching, Ryan played his secondary hockey with Hebron Academy and Cheverus Prep. He then played juniors with the Portland Junior Pirates before committing to the University of Maine, where he was coached by Tim Whitehead and Grant Standbrook.