Each week Hockey Ministries International will salute a Chaplain of the Week" in order to acknowledge our chaplains who volunteer their time and resources to serve the hockey world. Currently HMI has over 225 volunteer chaplains who are staging chapel programs in 25 professional and amateur leagues across North America and Europe.

Rick Mitera is the chaplain for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. He has served as chaplain for the Wolf Pack for the past 11 seasons. Mitera has faithfully ministered to numerous players on the Wolf Pack over the years, and has developed a special relationship with former Hartford player, Richard Scott, and former Wolf Pack Head Coach, John Paddock.

Rick has recently joined the full time staff of Hockey Ministries International, and will be directing the ministry's efforts in the Northeast USA as well helping to pioneer the chapel program in the American Hockey League.

Junior Hockey Chaplain and OHL/OHA Coordinator Jamie Ramer explains that “players in attendance were made up of guys who have had some sort of connection through chapel programs through the year.” However, he is quick to add that though most players are drawn from this pool of contenders, it is not exclusive to that group. In fact, year four marked the first time players who were no longer in juniors were officially included in the invitation. In all, twenty-two Elite hockey players representing all levels of Tier 2 hockey attended the daylong tournament, not counting HMI staff, family members, and numerous volunteers also present.

ALEX PIRUS

(July 1, 2008) Each week Hockey Ministries International will salute a Chaplain of the Week" in order to acknowledge our chaplains who volunteer their time and resources to serve the hockey world. Currently HMI has over 200 volunteer chaplains who are staging chapel programs in 22 professional and amateur leagues across North America and Europe.

Alex Pirus is the chaplain for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League and the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. He has served as chaplain for both teams for the past 11 seasons. Pirus has been a fulltime HMI staff member for the past 15 years.

As a player, Pirus began to make a name for himself as a top scorer for the "Fighting Irish" of Notre Dame during his college career which began in 1973. Alex was Notre Dame's leading scorer his sophomore and junior seniors. While at Notre Dame, Pirus also earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Finance.

After his junior season at Notre Dame, Pirus decided to turn pro and signed with the NHL North Stars, after Minnesota drafted him in the 3rd round of the 1975 NHL entry draft. In Alex's rookie season with the North Stars in 1976-77, he scored 20 goals.

Following a three-year career with Minnesota from 1976-79, Pirus had a short stint with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1979-80 season. He retired from professional hockey following a 71 point season with the Central Hockey League's Indianapolis Checkers in 1980-81.

In addition to Pirus handling chapels with the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Wolves, he also visits with other Christian players in the NHL and AHL when their respective teams play in the Windy City. Alex also works as an instructor and administrates several camps through HMI's Christian Hockey Camps International program, traveling to other parts of the United States, to Canada and Europe.

Alex and his wife Debbie are the parents of three children, Samantha (24), Misty (19) and Benjamin (17). In addition to his love for hockey, Pirus also enjoys skiing, Alex has a strong love for people and wants to witness and serve Jesus Christ wherever he goes. He is also known as a strong prayer warrior. Please pray for Alex as he serves the hockey community in Chicago and around the world by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ and encouraging Christians.

CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO OF ALEX SHARING ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR HOCKEY....AND GOD!

SOME THINGS ABOUT ALEX YOU DIDN'T KNOW: "I grew up in Toronto and played all of my junior hockey in the Toronto area. I once played for a team called the Butter Beeps. We basically had the Detroit Red Wings uniforms but instead of the wheel and the wing as a crest, we had a big yellow pound of butter with musical notes on the front of our jerseys . It was a funny name for a very good team. In fact this team had won the Canadian midget championship a few years before I played for them."

"The big yellow pound of butter on the front of our jerseys was there for a purpose. It represented our sponsor, the Ontario Dairy Association. It was their way of getting even with a commercial by a margarine company. The commercial featured a person tasting the margarine and commenting that the margarine tasted just like Butter.  But the word Butter was beeped out the same way a swear word is beeped out on television. Hence, the name, the Butter Beeps."

ALEX GETS THE BETTER OF THE GOLDEN JET????:

CLICK HERE to read a news story in 1978 from the Minneapolis Star. In an exhibition game between the NHL's North Stars and World Hockey Association's Winnipeg Jets, Pirus was assigned to cover one of the greatest players ever, Bobby Hull. How did Alex do? Click to read the story.

Hockey Ministries International does have some current openings for chaplains in certain cities, towns and communities. If you are interested in serving as an HMI chaplain or know someone who would be interested, please e-mail Don Liesemer Jr. at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Let us know where you live, and we will let you know if we have a need in your area.