Stars Name Pugliese to be New Director of Player Personnel
December 3, 2018 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Lincoln Stars News Release
The Lincoln Stars are excited to announce the addition of Billy Pugliese to their hockey operations staff. His resume as a player includes seasons with the Green Bay Gamblers, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, the San Diego Gulls, and the Muskegon Fury. For all his experience on the ice, he also brings an equally impressive resume off of it. He currently serves and will continue in his current role as the Director of Scouting for the NAHL's Jamestown Rebels, a team known for its consistency in both the standings and in successful alumni. He now joins the Stars front office as the Director of Player Personnel.
"Just the ability to get out and see kids and help them get to the next level is the rewarding part of the job," Pugliese said of his passion for his role as a scout. "Lincoln has a really good history. It's a franchise that's been in a league for a long time and has had a lot of great success. I remember as a player coming into Lincoln, it was a really tough place to play. We want to try and create that atmosphere again with the type of players that we're bringing in, and that'll help them move on and play at the highest levels if they can."
In his time with the Rebels, Pugliese has helped build a team that has a record of 55-26-5-2 since his arrival in 2017. His criteria for what makes a successful player has played a key role in sustaining that success.
"We wan't to bring in players that want to be here, be a part of our culture and understand that team success will lead to personal success." he said. "I'm looking for players with high hockey IQ. We want players that can make plays but also be responsible defensively. We're looking for high-end skill, we're looking for guys with the ability to think the game well. We want guys that can think and compete at the same time. We want guys to use their competitive edge to out-think opponents and create space for themselves."
In the search to find these types of players, Pugliese has shared the road with Stars GM Jon Hull.
"Having another opinion in the room on what players to select is important," said Hull. "Billy's work ethic and ability to identify talent is impressive. As the footprint of our league widens, it's important to commit resources to finding talent in an ever-competitive market."
"Hully and I have gotten to know each other through some mutual friends over the past few years. We see each other out on the road quite a bit. We talk about players and pass things off each other. He's become a good friend of mine, so I think it's something I'm looking forward to."
Beyond the traits that help a player and the Stars win on game day, Pugliese is set on bringing in people that will help the community away from the Ice Box.
"The goal is to make sure that we're bringing in high character players that can not only develop into high level hockey players but develop into mature, young men. We want them to become a part of this society and embrace the city of Lincoln. To me it's about bringing in high-quality, character players that can help better the community on and off the ice."
United States Hockey League Stories from December 3, 2018
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- Stars Name Pugliese to be New Director of Player Personnel - Lincoln Stars
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