Elite Prospects Hockey

Don Harkins

Managing Director

Elite Prospects, LLC

Director of Scouting (Plymouth Whalers OHL)

Compuware 98 Head Coach

E-Mail: djhark@mac.com

Telephone: 216-408-6852

Don Harkins begins his first season with the Compuware Organization as the Director of Scouting for the Plymouth Whalers (OHL) and as the Head Coach of the Compuware 98 AAA Team. The previous two seasons he served as the General Manager of the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets (USHL) which entered the USHL as an expansion franchise in 2006.  Unfortunately before the May 2008 USHL Draft the franchise ceased operations. In two seasons in Columbus he set the blueprint in building a highly competitive team with 34 NCAA Division Scholarship players and 9 NHL Draft Picks whom he drafted while handling all player personnel decisions for the Club . In the 2008 NHL Draft Zac Dalpe (2nd Round /Carolina), Jimmy Hayes (2nd Round/Toronto), Adam Comrie (3rd Round/Florida), Greg Pateryn (5th Round/Toronto) and Luke Witkowski (7th Round/Tampa Bay) were all OJBJ Drafted players by Harkins. Along with 2007 NHL Draft picks Tommy Cross (35th Overall Boston Bruins / Boston College), CJ Severyn (Calgary Flames / Ohio State), Andrew Glass (Washington Capitals / Boston University) and Danny Hobbs (New York Rangers / U-Mass Amherst). He also served as a part-time scout for the NHL Blue Jackets. Harkins currently is the Director of the Elite Prospects Showcase, which is the premier Showcase event in North America. 11 of the 30 1st Round Selections in the 2007 NHL Draft played in the event.

Harkins came to the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets after spending the 2005-06 season as the Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Barons of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). Cleveland won the North Division Playoff Championship and was a finalist for the Robertson Cup, awarded to the NAHL playoff champion.

The Cleveland native started with the Barons in 1995 and spent five seasons as the head coach. In 1998, he guided Cleveland, which was led by former Minnesota Wild forward Dan Fritsche and former WB Scranton (AHL) forward Tommy Goebel, to the U.S. Tier I AAA National Championship.

Harkins also served as the head coach for the Detroit Honeybaked AAA Program of the Midwest Elite Hockey League (MWEHL) from 2000-04 (88 Team) and 2006 (93 Team). During his stint with the club, he coached the 1988 birth-year squad that featured three NHL 1st Round Draft Picks in Peter Mueller (Phoenix Coyotes), 2008 NHL Rookie of the Year Patrick Kane (#1 Overall Pick 2007 NHL Draft/ Chicago Blackhawks), Chris Summers ( University of Michigan / Phoenix 1st Round 2006) and a host of other top players who moved onto the OHL, USHL, US NTDP, and NCAA Programs. His 1988 Honeybaked squad captured numerous tournament titles, and back-to-back MWEHL and Michigan State Championships. 

As a player, Harkins skated for Miami University from 1984-87, playing for current Blue Jackets radio color analyst Bill Davidge. His brother Todd, also played at Miami, and his youngest brother, Brett, played at Bowling Green and both played in the NHL.

Tom Mannino
Prospects Hockey Director

E-Mail: ProspectsHockey@gmail.com
Telephone: 248-890-7894

Tommy, the native from Farmington Hills, Michigan, brings an extensive hockey background to the Elite Prospects Family. He is currently the Assistant Coach on Don Harkins staff at the Compuware 1998 AAA Team. He is in charge of skill development for the team. Mannino played his youth hockey in the Detroit Area for the Honeybaked, Little Caesars, and Compuware squads. He was then drafted 1st round, 10th overall in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) by the London Nights in the 2003 priority selection. 

Mannino played Major Junior for the London Nights, Windsor Spitfires, and the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL before he left for the Tri-City Storm in the Tier I Junior A, United States Hockey League (USHL). Lastly, Tom finished up his hockey playing career, playing Canadian Collegiate Hockey for the University of Calgary Dinos from 2007-2009. 

“I am really excited to bring Tommy on board and give him this opportunity. He will be a great asset to the organization and I am looking forward to working with him and helping him evaluate and develop players now and for the future," said Elite Prospects Director, Don Harkins.

Tom will help recruit for the Prospects Hockey Showcase, as well as develop players skills during the hockey camps.

Dominic Hennig
Director of Communications

Radio Play-by-Play Broadcaster - Ferris State University (CCHA)

E-Mail: HennigD@Ferris.edu

Telephone: 586-925-6095

Dominic Hennig, the native from Macomb, Michigan, grew up in the Elite Prospects Hockey organization, working for tournament director Don Harkins since Hennig was 9 years old. Dominic is currently 18 years old, and is the Radio Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Ferris State Bulldogs in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). Hennig, a student at Ferris State calls all the Bulldog hockey games live on the radio in Big Rapids on 100.9 WWBR, and worldwide online on the B2 Networks. With radio duties added to Dominic’s resume at Ferris State, he also works for the Athletic Department helping with promotional aspects around campus to raise awareness for all sports to Ferris State University students. 

At Elite Prospects, Dominic is the Website Master updating all the game scores throughout tournament showcases, as well as writing the day to day content on www.EliteProspectsHockey.com. Dominic was a sports writer for his hometown newspaper – the Macomb Daily, as well as had articles in the Detroit Free Press. Furthering Dominic’s hockey knowledge, he was a writer and intern for www.CCHA.com, writing game day articles, as well as keeping up day to day work on the website. Also for Elite Prospects, Dominic handles tournament operations, consisting of updating the standings board, and making sure the tournament goes as planned from day 1. He is also the developer of the website, www.CCHAarenaGuide.com, showcasing all the arenas around the CCHA for fans, players, and coaches.

Dominic and his brother Nate, who also plays for the Division 1 hockey team both attend Ferris State University.  Dominic is in his Freshman year, while Nate is in his Junior year.

Nate Hennig
Camp Instructor

Current Player, Ferris State Bulldogs NCAA Division I Hockey (CCHA)