HEAD COACH, 2025/26 Guelph Jr. Gryphons U18AAA
ANDY HYVARINEN
I strive to develop players to succeed at the next level, and want them to become confident hockey players and people.
GMHA is excited to announce the return of Andy Hyvarinen as the U18AAA Head Coach. A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, where he started his playing career, Hyvarinen moved to Guelph where he burst onto the Hockey scene by joining the Guelph Storm. After playing with the Storm for 3-years, he finished his junior career with the Eagles in Canmore, Alberta, ending his final season with over 100-points. Hyvarinen returned to Thunder Bay where he attended Lakehead University, and played 3- years with the Lakehead University Thunderwolves.
Hockey in the City of Guelph remained in his blood, and he returned to coach at the AAA level at some of the younger age groups of GMHA before taking the lead of our U18 AAA group. Under his leadership, the U18AAA team has been one of the strongest teams in GMHA, consistently placing highly in terms of junior placements and team success. At press time, his Guelph Jr. Gryphons sit first in the OMHA West division and Coach Hyvarinen has led them to a 100-48-18 over his most recent three seasons at the helm of the team. This season has seen his Jr. Gryphons win the Blueline AAA Tournament in Kitchener, and he has won several tournaments over his tenure. The U18 AAA 2023-24 season earned the position of OMHA semi-finalists and several players on the roster moving on to the OJHL and GOJHL levels. Hyvarinen also led the 2021/22 U18AAA Guelph Jr. Gryphons OMHA Champion Team. During his time with the GMHA U18AAA program, 6 players have been drafted into the OHL in their U18 draft year, and over 20 players have signed cards to play junior hockey directly from his program. As Hyvarinen gears up for what looks to be a promising playoff run in the coming months, we wish him luck and look forward to welcoming him back for the 2025/26 season.