Staff

Jonny Ruiz enters his fifth season as a player with the Danbury Hat Tricks and his first as co-head coach. A cornerstone of the franchise, Ruiz holds all-time Danbury records in points (268), goals (147) assists (121), and games played (201) coming into the 2024-25 season. In his first season as team captain in 2021-22, the 30-year-old center set franchise records in single-season points (85), and goals (49). 

A native of Williamstown, New Jersey, Ruiz had another standout campaign for Danbury in 2023-24, finishing fourth in the FPHL in goals (38), and fifth in points (74). His special teams prowess was on display, tying for first in power-play goals (12) and short-handed goals (5). Ruiz appeared in his 200th career FPHL game on February 16, 2024 at Watertown. His efforts throughout 2023-24 earned him a FPHL First Team All-Star selection, as well as the Hat Tricks’ Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year awards for the third consecutive season.

A product of the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers program (EHL), Ruiz played collegiately at Johnson and Wales University (2015-17) and UMASS-Dartmouth (2017-19). Ruiz broke out with 27 goals and 44 points in 27 games in his junior season, earning MASCAC Player of the Year and AHCA Div. III All-American honors. He finished his collegiate career as team captain of the Corsair. 

An exceptional role-model in every position, Ruiz has also made his mark nationally, spending over a decade with Team USA Ball Hockey as a player, captain, and head coach of the U23 national team.

Ruiz’s leadership in all aspects as captain and player-coach for the Hat Tricks has been unparalleled, and his transition to co-head coach is a natural progression.

 Kyle Gonzalez enters his fourth season with the team and first as co-head coach for 2024-25. A key defenseman for the Hat Tricks, The 30-year-old hailing from Chino Hills, California has been a steady presence for Danbury both on and off the ice. 

In 2023-24, Gonzalez posted an impressive +14 rating in just 19 regular season games played, good for first among team defensemen, despite missing 38 games due to injury.

Gonzalez’s leadership extends beyond the ice as a player-coach, making an impact in the lockerroom and on the bench as well. His importance was especially evident during Danbury’s Commissioner’s Cup-winning season in 2022-23 when he recorded a career-high 34 points in 54 games.

A four-year player for Northland College, Gonzalez skated in 75 games for the Lumberjacks from 2015-19. The California native got started with roller hockey before joining the Anaheim Jr. Ducks youth program, on his way to reaching the collegiate rank at Northland, and finally, a professional career which has spanned in both the FPHL and SPHL.

Known for his calm and reliable presence on the blue line, as well as an unwavering perseverance across every step of his career, Gonzalez brings skill and leadership to the Hat Tricks both as a player and also in his new coaching role.

Matt Voity enters his fifth season with the Danbury Hat Tricks and his first as the General Manager. Voity has played a pivotal role in the development of goaltenders, facilitating numerous call-ups to both the professional and collegiate levels during his tenure as the director of goaltending for the Hat Tricks organization (FPHL, NAHL, NA3HL). His contributions have been instrumental in shaping the team's goaltending pipeline.

Voity began his coaching career with the Danbury Mad Hatters of the Eastern Professional Hockey League during the 2008-2009 season.

He later moved into NCAA Division I hockey, serving as the goaltending coach for the AIC Yellow Jackets from 2011-2014 and again from 2016-2019. In between, Voity worked with the University of Massachusetts from 2014 to 2016.

A former goaltender, Voity earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Connecticut State University, where he also played for the school's club hockey team.

AJ Galante enters his first season with the Danbury Hat Tricks as the Senior Advisor to the General Manager. Galante is a Danbury hockey legend, best known for his time as president and general manager of the Danbury Trashers, a minor league hockey team in the United Hockey League from 2004 to 2006. 

Appointed at just 17 by his father, Jimmy Galante, AJ gained attention for his unconventional management style, emphasizing physical play and fan engagement. Under his leadership, the Trashers became known for their toughness and for turning the team into a cultural phenomenon in Danbury. Their story was chronicled in the Netflix documentary Untold: Crime & Penalties, further amplifying the team's legacy.

After his time with the Trashers, AJ transitioned into professional boxing, spending over 15 years advising boxers, securing bouts, strategizing careers, and promoting fighters. In 2015, he founded Champs Boxing Club, a facility that trains both professional and amateur boxers from across the country.

AJ also hosts the Talkin' Trash Podcast alongside former Hat Tricks enforcer "Diamond Hands" Daniel Amesbury. Known for his dynamic personality and business acumen, AJ continues to make an impact in sports management across both hockey and combat sports, while also being a devoted husband and father.

Bob Dalessio enters his second season with the Hat Tricks as the Head Equipment Manager and brings 35 years of experience to Danbury. Dalessio has worked with 25+ teams during his long and successful career, most notably in the National Hockey League with the San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins. Dalessio was a member of the Providence Bruins (AHL) staff in 2011 and received a Boston Bruins Championship ring that season after working the playoffs. 

As Head Hockey Equipment Manager, Dalessio plays a pivotal role in ensuring the team’s readiness and success. Responsible for maintaining and repairing all player equipment, Dalessio ensures skates are sharpened, gear is properly fitted, and everything meets safety and league standards. Additionally, Dalessio oversees inventory management, coordinates equipment logistics for home and away games, and sets up locker rooms to ensure a seamless game-day experience. Dalessio supervises the equipment staff and manages the budget, balancing cost-efficiency with the team’s needs. With exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, Dalessio is dedicated to supporting players and the organization both on and off the ice.

Dalessio, married for 37 years, has five children and eight grandchildren.

Jack Klunk is in his first season as the Assistant Equipment Manager for the Danbury Hat Tricks. A former player for the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks in the NA3HL, Jack is leveraging his on-ice experience as he transitions to a role behind the scenes.

As Assistant Equipment Manager, Jack is responsible for maintaining and organizing all team equipment, ensuring it is in top condition for practices and games. His duties include sharpening skates, repairing gear, and managing the inventory of player equipment. Jack also plays a crucial role in setting up the locker room, ensuring every detail is attended to for a smooth game-day experience. Additionally, he assists with transporting equipment during road trips, supporting the team’s operational needs both at home and on the road.

Eric Presbrey is a long time, versatile athlete who has made contributions in both hockey and lacrosse throughout his career, impacting the sports community both on and off the field/ice. He will be working with the Hat Tricks organization evaluating players in the South and Southwest regions.

Presbrey's hockey career began in southeastern Massachusetts, where he participated in elite travel programs before moving on to Deerfield Academy leading to recruitment as a Division 1 college hockey player. In addition to his achievements in hockey, Presbrey also played lacrosse, competing at Deerfield and the Division 1 level for the University of New Hampshire and later playing professionally for the Boston Blazers.

Beyond his playing career, Presbrey dedication to hockey continued as he served as president of a youth hockey board in CT, focusing on nurturing young talent and promoting the sport at the grassroots level. He's a Level 4 USA Hockey coach, reflecting his commitment to coaching excellence and a deep understanding of player skill and development.

Presbrey's experiences as a player, coach, and administrator provide him with a unique perspective on athletics and what it takes to be a competitive athlete.

Doug Jones has been a long-time influence in Southern Californian hockey. A native of Connecticut, he was responsible for the formative development of several NHL draft picks, NCAA D1, USHL, NAHL, OHL, WHL and professional level players. 

Jones was with the NHL's Anaheim Ducks and worked both game day coaches stats from 1993 -2004 including their first Stanley Cup appearance and as a head youth camp instructor from 1993 - 1997. He also coached with the Danbury Whalers when they won their first FHL championship in 2013. Jones spent 10 years with the Wayne Gretzky Roller Hockey Center as Director of Hockey Development from 1997-2007. 

Jones will be recruiting from the Pacific region, currently a hotbed of talent. He recently retired after 38 years as a USA hockey referee. He currently is the director of hockey operations for Kapolei inline hockey Arenas, on the island of Oahu, HI.

Herm Sorcher is the President of the Danbury Hat Tricks. Sorcher is a 25+ year sports marketing executive and team owner. 

Sorcher began his career in 1989 with the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League. From there, he worked 17-years in Minor League Baseball (New Jersey Cardinals (NY-Penn League), Beloit Brewers (Midwest League), New Britain Red Sox (Eastern League), & Sussex Skyhawks (Can-Am League). In 2010, Sorcher was part of the Ownership group that launched the Danbury Whalers Hockey Club where he served as CEO/Managing Partner. The Danbury Whalers (2010-15) captured the Federal Hockey League Championship in 2012-13, made the Finals 3-straight seasons, and led the league in attendance all five seasons. Sorcher also spent two years as the Vice President of Partnerships for Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. 

A 1991 graduate of the University of Hartford, Sorcher hails from Freehold, New Jersey. Sorcher and his fiance Heather live in Brookfield with their three children: Jillian, Sami and Max.

Chris Buonanno is a partner of the Danbury Hat Tricks. Buonanno, a results driven automotive industry management executive, is the managing partner of Orchard Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram in Hudson, N.Y.

Prior to his time at Orchard, Buonnano served as the President/Managing Partner of Estate Motors Mercedes Benz dealership in Westchester County, New York. In addition, from 1996-2015, Buonanno was the Managing Partner of Charisma Holding Corp. and Charisma Associates LLC, two real estate companies with a portfolio on both the commercial and residential sides.

Buonanno is a 1993 graduate of the University of Hartford and resides in Armonk, New York. Buonanno has been married for 20+ years and has two sons.

Doug Lattuca enters his second season as the Broadcaster and Director of Communications for the Danbury Hat Tricks. In addition to serving as the "Voice of the Hat Tricks", Lattuca is responsible for overseeing all media relations responsibilities, managing and creating social media, website content and broadcast content, and driving business development with a focus on sponsorship, group sales, and ticket sales.

Prior to joining the Hat Tricks in July 2023, Lattuca earned a B.S. degree in Broadcast and Digital Journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University with a minor in Sport Management. While there, he was the Head of Broadcasting for the Men’s Club Ice Hockey team (ACHA) from 2021-23 where he led a media team, oversaw all broadcast content, served as the "Voice of the Orange", and assisted in promotional events and team operations. Lattuca was part of the intern team since his freshman year (2019) when he did public address announcing and color commentary. In addition, Lattuca was an intern with the Syracuse Crunch (AHL) where he occasionally called games on ESPN Radio. Furthermore, Lattuca was a voice for SU’s ACC Network coverage of DI women’s hockey and a sports staff member at the on-campus radio stations, WAER and WJPZ.

In summer 2022, Lattuca was a play-by-play broadcaster for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League and worked alongside former Hat Tricks announcer and Whitecaps public address announcer Chris Lynch (2022-23).

Lattuca grew up in Dix Hills, N.Y. on Long Island and had the opportunity to work as a broadcaster for the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League during the 2021 summer. He is a die-hard Rangers, Yankees, and Steelers fan.

For media inquiries, please contact doug@danburyhattricks.com.

Lattuca's website/portfolio: https://www.douglattuca.com

Nick Mercing is in his first year as Director of In-Game Revenue for the Danbury Hat Tricks. A senior at the University of New Haven studying sport management, Mercing is responsible for group and promotional ticket sales, preparing the arena for game days, and coordinating on-ice activities. His efforts contribute to enhancing the game-day experience and driving in-game revenue for the Hat Tricks organization.

Mercing has been associated with the Hat Tricks as an intern since May 2024 in a game operations role.

Steve Mazzola comes to the Danbury Hat Tricks after serving 31 years in the field of education. He joins the front office team as the Director of Community Relations. Steve will focus his attentions on creating school programs, community events and group outings. He especially enjoys organizing player appearances and conducting assemblies for schools and community programs. Steve is directly involved with group fundraising efforts and ensuring a great fan experience.

As an avid sports fan, Steve has visited many arenas and stadiums in all different sports, is passionate about the military and roots hard for the Jets, Rangers and everything Army West Point.

Steve has a MS Degree in Administration, a MS in Education and a BA in English Literature. He married to his wife Lori who have two boys Bryan and Matthew.

Jim Diamond is the CEO of Diamond Properties, LLC, a real estate company he co-founded with his brother in 1995 that owns and manages in excess of 70 properties totaling over 11,000,000 sq ft. Diamond is also a director of RDI, Inc., an electronics engineering and manufacturing company that he co-founded in 1989. 

In 1998, Diamond co-founded Xanboo Inc., an Internet company that was sold to AT&T in 2010. Diamond graduated with Honors and a B.A. in History from Princeton University. 

Diamond has been a Trustee of St. Paul’s School, in Concord, N.H.; Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, N.Y.; Rippowam Cisqua School in Bedford, N.Y.; and Bedford 2020 in Bedford, N.Y..

Diamond lives in Katonah, N.Y. and is married with two daughters.

Bill Diamond is President and Co-Founder of Diamond Properties, LLC, a company that has over 70 properties in seven states. Diamond is also CEO of Diamond Hospitality Group, LLC, a division of Diamond Properties that owns and operates an assortment of family entertainment centers. Diamond is also a Director and co-owner of RDI, Inc. 

Previously, Diamond was Co-Founder and President of Xanboo, Inc, a software company providing an end-to-end technology solution allowing users to command and control any type of enabled device or appliance over the Internet. Along with his wife Katie, Diamond was a Co-Founder of ACT of Conn., a 501C3 professional theater in Ridgefield Conn. bringing Broadway caliber theater to Fairfield County. 

Diamond graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Amherst College in 1991, is married, and has three children.

Jarrod Moses is the Founder, President, & CEO of the United Entertainment Group (UEG). After quickly rising through the ranks of Grey Advertising as it’s youngest President, Moses founded UEG as a joint venture with Hollywood powerhouse United Talent Agency. 

UEG has developed successful entertainment campaigns for marketers such as Procter & Gamble, Frito-Lay, General Mills, AT&T, Diageo, and Starbucks, while at the same time working closely with the world’s most influential entertainment companies Time Warner, Comcast, MTV Networks, Facebook, and Google, and celebrities such as Mark Wahlberg, Queen Latifah, Pharrell Williams, and Drew Barrymore. 

Moses, a 1991 graduate of the University of Hartford, is married with two children and resides in Manhattan, N.Y.

Chris Buonanno is a partner of the Danbury Hat Tricks. Buonanno, a results driven automotive industry management executive, is the managing partner of Orchard Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram in Hudson, N.Y.

Prior to his time at Orchard, Buonnano served as the President/Managing Partner of Estate Motors Mercedes Benz dealership in Westchester County, New York. In addition, from 1996-2015, Buonanno was the Managing Partner of Charisma Holding Corp. and Charisma Associates LLC, two real estate companies with a portfolio on both the commercial and residential sides.

Buonanno is a 1993 graduate of the University of Hartford and resides in Armonk, New York. Buonanno has been married for 20+ years and has two sons.

Herm Sorcher is the President of the Danbury Hat Tricks. Sorcher is a 25+ year sports marketing executive and team owner. 

Sorcher began his career in 1989 with the Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League. From there, he worked 17-years in Minor League Baseball (New Jersey Cardinals (NY-Penn League), Beloit Brewers (Midwest League), New Britain Red Sox (Eastern League), & Sussex Skyhawks (Can-Am League). In 2010, Sorcher was part of the Ownership group that launched the Danbury Whalers Hockey Club where he served as CEO/Managing Partner. The Danbury Whalers (2010-15) captured the Federal Hockey League Championship in 2012-13, made the Finals 3-straight seasons, and led the league in attendance all five seasons. Sorcher also spent two years as the Vice President of Partnerships for Sky Blue FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. 

A 1991 graduate of the University of Hartford, Sorcher hails from Freehold, New Jersey. Sorcher and his fiance Heather live in Brookfield with their three children: Jillian, Sami and Max.

Billy McCreary served as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Danbury Hat Tricks for three seasons, earning the 2019-20 FPHL Coach of the Year Award. In 2024, he stepped down from his coaching and management roles to accept an Assistant Coaching position with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL. While he is no longer actively involved with the team in a coaching capacity, McCreary remains a Partner in the Hat Tricks’ Ownership Group, continuing to support the organization’s growth and success.

A native of Southampton, Ontario, McCreary is a 9-year (2006-2015) Minor League Hockey veteran with a distinguished career as both a player and coach. During his playing career, McCreary spent time with the Trenton Titans (ECHL), Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), New Mexico Scorpions (CHL), and the New Jersey Outlaws (FHL). He contributed to championship teams in Huntsville (2010) and New Jersey (2012), where he also served as a dual-role player-coach. Collegiately, McCreary played for Providence College (Hockey East) and Curry College (ECAC-NE).

McCreary has an extensive coaching background, which includes stops with the Watertown Wolves (FHL), East Coast Selects-Q, Portland Junior Pirates (USPHL), North Jersey Avalanche, Seacoast Spartans, and ISS Kings. His experience spans all levels of hockey, from youth development to professional leagues.

At the youth level, McCreary achieved National, State, and International Championships. He played for the prestigious Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep in Minnesota, where he was a linemate of current NHL forward Zach Parise. During his junior hockey career with the Texas Tornado (NAHL), he recorded 45 goals and 71 assists in 98 games, earning All-Rookie Team honors and a First Team All-Star selection.

McCreary comes from a storied hockey lineage. His grandfather Bill McCreary Sr., great-uncle Keith McCreary, father Bill McCreary Jr., and relatives Ron and Bob Attwell all played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also related to Bill McCreary, a Hall of Fame inductee as an NHL on-ice official, and Mike McCreary, who officiates in minor league hockey.

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