LaValley, 19, can’t recall how his interest in hockey originated, at all. He didn’t have any siblings or older cousin’s that played, nor did his parents grow up ice skating.

You get the picture.

“All I remember is my parents throwing a pair of skates on me and watching me fall down for about an hour a couple of days a week,” said Lavalley.

Eventually, Learn to Skate programs transformed into more than just ‘falling down’ while his parents chuckled, but a passion and routine. No. 81 for the Lumberjacks also suggested that perhaps growing up “north” impacted his path to the ice. Yet, Lavalley stuck with the unexpected happening and advanced at the competitive hockey levels in New York and beyond.

In 2017-18, Lavalley hit the ice with the Vermont Lumberjacks hockey program at the 16U “AA” level, but also experienced time with the organization’s Eastern Hockey League Premier (EHLP) squad. It seemed that the two sides were an ideal fit.

“It was a great experience, and it was a great group of guys,” said LaValley. “I really enjoyed the time there with Coach [Jim] Mosso and I was lucky to come back and have him coach myself at the EHL level.”

Yes, you read that correctly. The current head coach of the EHL Lumberjacks team in Jim Mosso also coached Lavalley at Premier level during the 2017-18 campaign. Talk about a program that’s dedicated to development, no?

Coach Mosso never doubted Lavalley, either.

“I knew Aidan was going to be successful early on when I coached him at 16-years-old,” said Mosso. “Aidan played for our U-16 team and was often pulled up to play with Premier in his first season. He always had the intangibles of being exceptionally hard-working, combined with an eagerness to learn.”

Perhaps the Lumberjacks’ enthusiastic approach also inspired the right-handed shot.

Lavalley eventually transitioned from the Lumberjacks organization to the Milwaukee Jr. Admirals 18U “AAA” team in 2018-19.

The relocation and challenge in the Midwest was not only a brave decision, but one that benefited the youngster. A decision, that the Lumberjacks also likely aren’t questioning.

“If I could do it over, I’d do the same thing again,” said Lavalley.

The Lumberjacks’ product also expressed that the move from New York to Milwaukee, WI, helped him develop as both a skater and person off the ice. Either way, that transition still led Lavalley back to his grassroots and with the Lumberjacks.

The Lumberjacks began the 2020-21 campaign in Vermont at their usual home arena in Burlington. Well, due to state restrictions (COVID-19), the Junior “A” program relocated to Waterville Valley, NH. After the move the Lumberjacks joined the EHL’s “North Division” which also entails the New Hampshire Avalanche, New England Wolves, and Seacoast Spartans.

It just so happened that this season marked Lavalley’s return to the organization, and maybe his prior experiences and exposures benefited this year’s squad in the Lumberjacks. Keep in mind that the Lumberjack’s began the season with a 6-3-0 record circa November, and didn’t resume play until 2021 – more than half the league was skating in contests on a regular basis while the ‘Jacks had to wait things out.

The team’s layoff might have hurt the Lumberjacks at first glance, but Lavalley portrayed a positive perspective in a recent interview.

“I think the adversity honestly brought us closer as a team and we developed more after the move,” said Lavalley. “I think it’s helping us win games more and that we have less to worry about.”

In a long story short, the Lumberjacks Junior “A” program relocated to Waterville Valley, NH, after COVID-19 protocols. The North Division skates out of the state of New Hampshire and only schedules in-division games.

While the Lumberjacks began the new calendar year with an 0-3-0 record, Lavalley and company recently earned a three-game winning streak with wins over all three divisional opponents.

The devoted Lumberjacks skater is an ideal product of not only the EHL, but the sweater he dons to date.

“I think the EHL is a great league to further your development, and it’s not as ‘cut-throat’ as the other leagues," said Lavalley. “You can find a safe spot with a team here and it’s all about advancing you to college.”

It’s one aspect to comment about the league, but it’s another to speak volumes about an EHL’s team’s presence. Lavalley wasn’t shy to tell what he’s appreciated most about walking into a Lumberjacks’ locker room.

“The group of guys and the culture here,” said Lavalley. “It’s the same as I remember from when I played with the Premier team - a ‘team first’ oriented attitude.”

When LaValley isn’t helping the Lumberjacks gain the EHL’s full attention and prove that they’re a playoff team to be reckoned with, he is usually enjoying the outdoors and during all four seasons.

The Lumberjacks’ product enjoys snowboarding, fishing, golf, and grew up playing baseball. Believe it or not, but Lavalley also expressed that getting away from the rink and playing other sports has benefitted his play on the ice.

“It’s nice to get the focus off of one sport and be able to take myself away from that sport and not get burnt out.” No. 81 also felt that playing golf and baseball helped him most in relation to improving his skills on the ice during the offseason.

With less than one month remaining in the EHL’s regular season, it’s safe to say that Lavalley and the Lumberjacks are a team to watch in the north.

Kyle McKenna covers the EHL for HNIB and can be followed on Twitter @KMcKenna_EHL

Kyle McKenna Bio

Kyle McKenna spent four seasons working in various communications roles at the professional hockey level from 2015-2019. McKenna served as the New Jersey Devils Communications Assistant for the 2015-16 season and Community Hockey Assistant and Lightning High School Hockey League Beat Writer from 2016-2018 for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Additionally, the New Jersey native worked at the 2018 World Junior Championship at Buffalo in as a Media Relations Assistant and was also the Communications Assistant for the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder in 2018-19. Since graduating Monmouth University with a bachelor’s degree in communications (2015), the former Junior Hockey player also covered the NHL for various blogs in freelance roles. McKenna’s familiarity with the EHL dates to last season (2019-20) when he was an organization’s communications manager, while creating written and digital content on a daily basis.

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