Louis Mass enters his fifth season on the Silvertips coaching staff, handling development of the program’s defensemen who have stifled WHL opponents and ranked among the top teams in the entire Canadian Hockey League with the lowest goals-against-average in three seasons. Mass was promoted to associate coach on Jul. 15, 2021.

Making an instant impact on the Silvertips blueline, Mass has been a part of three U.S. Division title squads. During the pandemic shortened 2021 season, the Tips led the WHL in penalty kill percentage (88.4) and were second in the league and entire CHL with 1.9 goals allowed per game.

He has helped six Silvertip defensemen develop into NHL Draft selections or sign three-year, entry level contracts: Kasper Puutio (Florida), Ronan Seeley (Carolina), Gianni Fairbrother (Montreal), Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia), Jake Christiansen (Columbus) and Olen Zellweger (Anaheim). In 2018-19, while he led a defensive corps that allowed the WHL’s second lowest average of 26.9 shots per game, he helped Fairbrother, Wylie, and Christiansen reach the double-digit plateau in goals. After the completion of his first two seasons, Seeley (2019) earned an invite to Team Canada’s U-18 selection camp, in preparation for the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Zellweger earned spots with Team Canada at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Hlinka Gretzky Cup Team Selection Camp, and a gold medal at the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.

Zellweger and Seeley both earned invitations to Hockey Canada’s roster at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Zellweger would later shatter the Silvertips’ franchise record for points by a defenseman and lead all Canadian Hockey League defensemen in scoring (78 in 55 games). Both Seeley and Zellweger achieved double-digits in goals as well.

After serving as assistant coach of the University of Alaska-Anchorage (NCAA) for three seasons (2015-18) and helping promote eight Seawolves onto the pro ranks in the last three years, the native of Anchorage, Alaska previously spent 13-plus seasons as a player or coach at the professional level with the Alaska Aces, Louisiana IceGators, Pee Dee Pride, and Pensacola Ice Pilots of the ECHL, and as a player or coach helped guide the Aces to three Kelly Cup championships.

Mass, 45 (Oct. 17, 1976), served behind the Aces bench for eight seasons (2007-15) in assistant coach, director of player development, and strength and conditioning roles under head coaches Keith McCambridge, Brent Thompson, and Rob Murray, helping guide the Aces as a coach to a pair of Kelly Cup titles in 2011 and 2014 and three trips to the Kelly Cup Finals. During a span ranging in four of six seasons (2008-14) with Mass on their coaching staff, the Aces led the entire league in fewest goals against per game, and were second in the ECHL (2.3) in 2012-13, when they captured their third straight Brabham Cup for the top regular season record in the league at 106 points, most in the ECHL since 2007-08. During Mass’ eight-year tenure behind their bench, the Aces helped promote 69 players to the American Hockey League level, including former Silvertips forwards John Lammers and Chris Langkow. Four players during that span were named to the ECHL All-Rookie Team, and 12 players were named First or Second Team ECHL All-Stars.

Mass spent five-plus seasons as a defenseman in the ECHL with Alaska, Louisiana, Pee Dee, and Pensacola. He was a part of the 2005-06 Aces team that earned their first Kelly Cup title in franchise history and cruised to the Brabham Cup title with 113 points and a 53-12-7 record, alongside Silvertips alumnus and forward Alex Leavitt (who led the league with 91 points in 72 games). The 6-foot-4, 215 pound former blueliner skated for four seasons at Bowling Green State Univ. (NCAA) where he was a four-year teammate with Tips head coach Dennis Williams and served as assistant captain of the program as a 2000-01 senior.

Mass, who splits his residence between Snohomish, Wash. and Anchorage, is also an owner of Elite Sports Performance, the premier strength and conditioning and skill development facility for athletes in Alaska. He has also served in youth hockey on the board of directors and as a coach with the Anchorage Hockey Association and with USA Hockey as a Coaching Education staff member.