Chicago Mission alumni all started their ice hockey careers with the Chicago Mission, one of the top AAA youth hockey clubs in the U.S. Christian Dvorak, Vinnie Hinostroza, and Christian Fischer all started their ice hockey careers with the Chicago Mission, one of the top AAA youth hockey clubs in the U.S. They later reunited as teammates on the Arizona Coyotes for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons before their paths diverged. Here’s a closer look at their journey to Arizona.
Schmaltz and Dvorak’s chemistry began during their time as linemates with the Mission. In 2009, playing for Chicago’s 13u AAA team, Dvorak led the team with 54 points, closely followed by Schmaltz with 50. They played with Toronto Maple Leafs winger William Nylander the next season, collectively scoring 140 points in 77 games. Born just weeks apart in 1996, Schmaltz and Dvorak were eventually paired again in Arizona, thanks to a key trade.
Drafted 20th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Schmaltz was traded to the Coyotes during his third season in exchange for forwards Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini. Dvorak, drafted in the second round by Arizona the same year, expressed his surprise and excitement at reuniting with Schmaltz: “I played with Schmaltzy for a while back then with the Mission, like four or five years. You don’t think about that possibility ever aligning again, so it’s pretty crazy that we’re together again,” he said (from ‘Christian Dvorak, Nick Schmaltz reviving childhood chemistry with the Coyotes,’ The Athletic, Oct. 25, 2019).
Their chemistry continued to thrive in the NHL. In the 2019-2020 season, Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet combined Schmaltz and Dvorak with winger Conor Garland. This line proved instrumental in helping Arizona reach the playoffs for the first time in eight years. Garland led the team with 22 goals, Schmaltz topped the assists (34) and points (45), and Dvorak achieved career-best numbers with 22 goals and 38 points. This line exemplified a balanced mix of player types: Dvorak as the 200-foot player, Schmaltz as the playmaker, and Garland as the sniper.
Arizona’s general manager, John Chayka, emphasized the value of their longstanding connection: “Certainly, as we talked about building a team here, one of the competitive advantages is, if you can get people who grow up with one another and clearly have a care for one another and go through a process together, it allows for synergies and a lot of team-building opportunities.”
