| The LA Mings are an international street hockey team and a proud member club of the VASHL.
The franchise was added as part of the 2010 expansion, which also included the Funployees and the View Askew Girls. The club did not field teams in the 2012 and 2013 Walter Gretzky street hockey tournaments and many members of the Mings played for other VASHL teams during this period. The franchise returned at the 2014 event and is still active. The team is based on a mash-up parody of the Los Angeles Kings and Ming Chen. Chen first met Smith through a fansite he created in dedication to Smith in 1995, which led to Chen being hired to create the View Askew Productions website. For many years afterward, Ming Chen continued to work on all of Smith’s online properties and was the technical expert at Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash Comic book store, featured on AMC’s Comic Book Men television show. He co-hosts the podcast I Sell Comics! with Mike Zapcic. Contents |
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2025 Roster
| # | Nat | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 5 |  |
Tyler Rutledge |
| 9 | |
Christopher Griffin |
| 15 |  |
Chris “Shaggy” Vasilas |
| 32 | |
Dave Kanis (Goalie) |
| 66 | |
Stephanie Kanis (A) |
| 75 | |
Michael Lindenbaum (C) |
| 78 | |
Drez Peregrina |
| 86 | |
Michael Randolph |
| 86 | |
Eric Berkson |
| 87 | |
Kyle Fourcaudot |
| 89 | |
Tyler Dix |
| 98 | |
Matthew Greenhut |
Team Captains
- Michael Lindenbaum, 2024-
- Stephanie Kanis & Dave Kanis, 2022-2023
- Jim Edelston, 2014-2019
- James Elkins, 2011
- Travis Hill, 2010
WGSHT Team MVPs
| YEAR | PLAYER |
| 2025 | TBD |
| 2024 | David Kanis |
| 2023 | Dave Lafayette |
| 2022 | Claude Williams |
| 2019 | |
| 2018 | Stephanie Kanis |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | |
| 2015 | |
| 2014 | Suzanne Cafasso |
Photos
Team Logos
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| Team logo used from 2010-2011 |
Team logo 2014-2015 |
Shoulder Patch / Alternate Logo 2014-present |
Team logo 2016- |
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| Retro logo revival used from 2025- |
Games
WGSHT Record
| YEAR | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | PLACE |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TBD |
| 2024 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 25 | 5th |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 26 | 9th |
| 2022 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 31 | 10th |
| 2019 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 13 | 5th |
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 13th |
| 2017 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 5th |
| 2016 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 14 | 7th |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 9th |
| 2014 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 8 | 4th |
| 2011 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 2nd |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 30 | 6th |
| Total | 39 | 12 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 121 | 209 |
Team History
The team name and concept serve as a mash-up parody of the Los Angeles Kings and Ming Chen, the longtime View Askew web designer and Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash tech expert, who first connected with Kevin Smith in 1995 via a dedicated fansite. Ming later became a regular presence in Smith’s projects, co-hosting the I Sell Comics! podcast and appearing on AMC’s Comic Book Men.
The idea for the 2010 expansion came from an immense response of people on the View Askew message board wanting to be part of the Walter Gretzky tournament experience after the first year. The team name was chosen by it’s first Captain, Travis Hill.
The team’s original logo was designed by Warren Stanley, based on an infamous moment in late 2009, when Ming suffered a black eye after taking a ball to the face during a Los Angeles street hockey game attended by many future VASHL players.
Despite an amazing debut, highlighted by a matchup against Puck U on the large Brantford rink, the Mings faced difficulties in their second year, struggling with roster commitments and a smaller lineup. After the 2011 tournament, the franchise disbanded, leaving its members to join other VASHL teams.
One standout from the original squad, Dave Kanis (née Tilly), continued to compete in VASHL, joining the Leonardo Reapers and helping them secure a championship in 2012.
In 2014, former Mallrat Jim Edelston, a longtime friend of Ming Chen, led the charge to revive the franchise. Alongside Dave Kanis, he reassembled a team with help from Jody Simpson, Stirling Bennett, Amanda Mader, and Colin Johnston, bringing the Mings back into active competition.
Originally, from 2010 to 2011, the LA Mings sported a purple, silver, and black color scheme, a tribute to their parody roots, inspired by the Los Angeles Kings and Ming Chen. In 2014, they embraced a more vibrant palette of deep blue, purple, yellow, and white, redefining their visual identity within VASHL competition and solidifying their place as one of the league’s most distinctive franchises.
After the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Edelston stepped away, joining Grace’s Tigers and passing the captaincy to Dave Kanis and his wife, Stephanie Kanis. In 2024, Michael Lindenbaum took over as the team’s new captain, continuing to play alongside Dave and Stephanie, ensuring that the legacy of the LA Mings remains strong in VASHL.
For the 2025 tournament, to celebrate their 15th anniversary season, the Mings returned to their original retro logo and colors, bringing back their classic purple, silver, and black design, offering a nostalgic nod to their early years while honoring the franchise’s longstanding legacy in VASHL.
