Michigan International Prep School (MIPS) is an online charter school that’s renowned for its personalized education, outstanding academics, and flexible schedule.
And there’s also this little tidbit: In the past few years, it’s been sending more players to the National Hockey League every year than any other high school in the world. In the 2025 NHL draft alone, 23 MIPS alumni were selected.
How did a Michigan charter school become a pipeline to professional hockey?
It’s all thanks to the creative partnership that MIPS has formed with USA Hockey. Many hockey fans know that Michigan is home to USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program (NTDP), in which the best young players from across the country come to our state during their high school years to play for the national team.
The team is housed at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, and the players live with host families in the area while they’re playing for the NTDP. Living in Michigan also means they need to attend high school in Michigan, and since it would be impossible to attend a brick-and-mortar school due to the students’ rigorous hockey schedule and travel, an online high school is the best fit.
That’s where MIPS comes in – and it’s been a godsend for the players.
“Michigan International Prep School has partnered with USA Hockey’s NTDP since 2020-2021 school year, providing the educational component for their student-athletes training at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth,” said Cara Bondy, the Community Engagement and Program Coordinator at MIPS.
“A dedicated MIPS staff member works onsite to support the players’ learning needs. Through our program, students are able to take rigorous NCAA-approved courses that meet state standards while also receiving some of the best hockey training in the world,” she said.
Online charter schools are all about providing a quality education for students whose educational needs are best served in that environment. It could be students with severe medical issues, or students who experienced bullying in their previous school, or students who live in remote areas of the state.
Or it could be the best young hockey players in America. Cookie-cutter schools don’t work anymore. Schools need to be flexible to meet the diverse needs of students, and there’s no better example of that than Michigan online charter schools like MIPS.
“Our flexible learning model allows student-athletes to balance demanding practice and travel schedules with high-quality academics,” Bondy said. “It gives them the time they need to train, compete, and still enjoy family life.”
Since the partnership began five years ago, one of the biggest events of the year for the MIPS staff is the NHL Draft in June, as they watch numerous former students selected.
In the 2025 draft, MIPS had 23 grads selected overall, including four players in the first round – James Hagens (Boston Bruins), Logan Hensler (Ottawa Senators), Will Horcoff (Pittsburgh Penguins), and Cullen Potter (Calgary Flames). Several of the players move on to play in college before joining their pro teams, while others go into the minor leagues. More than 70 MIPS alumni have been selected in the NHL Draft in the past five years.
And some of them have already made it to the NHL. If you’re watching games, this season, you should know that Rutger McGroarty (Pittsburgh Penguins), Cutter Gauthier (Anaheim Ducks), Frank Nazar (Chicago Blackhawks), and Ryan Leonard (Washington Capitals) are all MIPS alumni.
The 2025 NHL Rookie of the Year, Lane Huston of the Montreal Canadiens, is also a MIPS alum. Lane’s high school celebrated the honor on Facebook by writing, “Way to go, Lane! Your MIPS family is cheering you on every step of the way!”
For the student-athletes, MIPS has been the perfect fit. E.J. Emery, a 2024 MIPS grad who was drafted by the New York Rangers, said, “MIPS offered me great flexibility to fit school within my busy hockey and training schedules. It tailored the class work to suit my lifestyle and helped promote a personalized and adaptable schooling experience for me.”
Several MIPS alums who played for the USA Hockey NTDP are also homegrown Michigan products, including Frank Nazar of Mt. Clemens, Hunter Brzustewicz of Shelby Township, Zach Schultz of South Lyon, and Dakoda Rhéaume-Mullen of Northville. Rhéaume-Mullen is currently playing at the University of Michigan while he waits to start his pro career.
Bondy said that MIPS’ partnership with USA Hockey has been so successful that other programs are starting to take note.
“In addition to our NTDP partnership, MIPS also works with several other sports and hockey programs, as well as many independent hockey families,” she said.
Michigan’s charter school community is proud to have had its graduates sprinkled throughout professional sports, including WNBA star Rickea Jackson (a graduate of Detroit Edison Public School Academy), NBA standouts Josh Jackson (who won a state championship at Detroit Consortium) and Derrick Walton Jr. (Chandler Park Academy grad), and rising pro baseball star Werner Blakely (also a DEPSA grad).
And now, thanks to MIPS and USA Hockey, we have a whole lot to cheer for in the NHL, as well.
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