Boys U16 Hockey

Rich Metro, Boys U16 Head Coach 

Email: rich.metro@s-sm.org

Phone: 507-333-1576

Rich Metro, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., joined the Shattuck-St. Mary's coaching staff in the fall of 2018. 

Metro has more than 20 years of combined collegiate and professional hockey experience. Prior to joining SSM, Metro was an assistant coach at Lake Superior State University from 2014-2018, where he was the team’s offensive and recruiting coordinator. Also during this time, he served as the Director of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association bantam camps and LSSU summer hockey camps. This was his second assistant coach role at LSSU, having previously served from 2007-2011. In between his time at LSSU, Metro gained valuable head coach experience in France while coaching Les Ours de Villard de Lans, League Magnus professional hockey team, from 2011-2014. He earned multiple “Coach of the Year” honors from various French publications.

As a professional hockey player, Metro played Les Ours de Villard from 2001-2007, where he earned the title of French National Champion as well as the leading scorer and won two Championship titles.

After winning two national championships with Sault Michigan Hockey Association teams, Metro played for the Soo Hawks and Marquette Electricians AAA midget teams, and the Waterloo Blackhawks of the United States Hockey League. He would play collegiate hockey at Northern Michigan University. While at NMU, Metro was recognized as the Wildcats' Rookie of the Year and served two seasons (1997-99) as a team co-captain. He concluded his four-year (1995-99) career at NMU with 59 points (24-35--59) in 148 games played, which included a career single-season high 20 points (11-9--20) in 34 1997-98 outings.

Metro played at NMU for coach Rick Comley. Metro's positive attitude and leadership helped guide the 1998-99 Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament his senior year after winning only seven games his freshman year in 1995-96.

Rob Lehtinen, Boys U16 Associate Head Coach

Email: rob.lehtinen@s-sm.org

Rob Lehtinen enters his second season at Shattuck-St. Mary’s as the Co-Head Hockey Coach of the 15O Boys hockey team.  In his first season he helped guide the 150 Boys team to the USA Hockey National Championship game and finished with an overall record of 48-9-4. 

Lehtinen got his start in coaching at Northern Michigan University NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey program from 2010 to 2021, where he started as Director of Hockey Operations & Video Coordinator (2010-2014) and then was named Assistant Men’s Hockey Coach (2014-2021) where he played an integral role with skill development of student-athletes, special teams- penalty kill situational play, practice planning and recruitment of players across North America and Europe. In his time as Assistant Coach at Northern Michigan, the Wildcats made two appearances to the WCHA Playoff Championship games (2018 & 2021) and had two players earn NCAA Division I All-American honors and several All-Conference players in the WCHA.   

Lehtinen has been involved with the USA Hockey National Player Development Festivals in Buffalo, NY. Coaching teams at the Select 17 Festival in the summer of 2019 and the Select 16 Festival the summer of 2021.  He’s also worked as a player evaluator & coach at the Michigan Evaluation Camps for Michigan Amateur Hockey Association in the spring from 2015-2019 in Taylor, MI.

Lehtinen played for the Northern Michigan University Wildcats in the CCHA from 2003-2007. In his four years playing for the Wildcats the team made three appearances in the CCHA Super Six Championships in Detroit, MI. He was named the team’s Best Defensive Player (2004-2007) and the team’s Unsung Hero Award recipient (2006-2007). Prior to college, Lehtinen played two seasons with the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL (2001-2003), where he was a member of the USHL Eastern Conference Champions in 2002-2003. After College, Lehtinen played professionally for the Arizona Sundogs of the CHL and helped captured the CHL Playoff Championship- Ray Miron President’s Cup in 2007-2008 in his first professional season. He also played with the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL.  

A native of Marquette, Michigan, Lehtinen received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health and Physical Education with Coaching minor from Northern Michigan University in 2014. Rob and his wife, Angela have two children, Stella and Luc.