The Success Starts Here series features profiles on SJHL Alumni who are currently, or have played hockey at a post-secondary institution. Check out the full interviews every Thursday on the SJHL Insider Podcast and check back at SJHL.ca for profile pieces Wednesdays.
When Scott Munroe sits in the stands at the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Arizona, he’s not just watching kids stop pucks — he’s watching a dream continue to grow. The former Notre Dame Hounds goaltender, University of Alabama-Huntsville standout, and 10-year professional has built a second career developing young goalies in one of hockey’s unlikeliest strongholds.
“I’ve been down here since 2019,” Munroe says. “I’m the Goaltending Director for our Junior Coyote Tier 1 program here in Arizona. I’m in charge of our goaltending all the way from our 18U division down to our 8U mites. We’re just trying to develop players, move them on to junior or college, and keep the train rolling.”
Despite losing the Arizona Coyotes franchise to Utah, Munroe remains committed to the game’s growth in the desert. “We’re still trying to tow the line and keep hockey in the Valley alive and well,” he says. “Much like the SJHL model of Stay Here, Play Here, we want Arizona-born kids to have a place to stay and play at a high level without having to leave for Minnesota or Michigan.”
Munroe’s coaching career is a natural evolution of his playing days — a path that began on Saskatchewan’s frozen roads. A product of the Notre Dame Hounds program in Wilcox, Munroe credits the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League with giving him the platform to chase his NCAA and pro hockey dreams. “I have such pride to be an SJHL alumnus,” he says. “That league gave me a chance when I wasn’t ready for the WHL. The SJHL to me is a real character-building league. It takes a special person to jump on that bus to Flin Flon and La Ronge in February.”
Those lessons carried him through a decorated collegiate career in Alabama and into a decade of professional hockey that included AHL stops in Philadelphia, Bridgeport, and Springfield, plus stints overseas in Sweden and Russia. “Playing junior hockey is a big accomplishment,” he reflects. “To play Division I and pro hockey is an incredible accomplishment. I’m proud to have done it and now use that background to help young kids reach their goals.”
Munroe laughs when asked about the grind of buses, planes, and overtime marathons. One of his most famous moments came in the second longest game in AHL history (it was the longest at the time) — five overtimes, 102 shots faced, and a lifetime of memories.
It was Apr. 24, 2008 – Philadelphia Phantoms at Albany River Rats.
“After the first overtime, you’re nervous,” he recalls. “By the third or fourth, you’re numb — just trying to stay sharp. It becomes mental — who can stay focused the longest.”
He also fondly remembers dressing for 12 NHL games, including one unforgettable night in Montreal. “It was surreal,” he says. “The fans were going crazy. Danny Brière was injured and leaned over from the tunnel asking if I wanted him to shoot a few pucks to warm me up — such a classy gesture. Those are the moments that stick with you more than the scores.”
When his playing career wound down, Munroe seamlessly transitioned behind the bench. He began with the Moncton Wildcats in the QMJHL, later moved to Trinity College in Hartford, and eventually found his home in Arizona hockey development. “The game starts to tell you when your time is coming to an end,” he says. “All I knew was hockey, so I wanted to stay in it. As a coach, you realize the more you teach, the more you learn. These SJHL kids today are better — more skilled, faster, stronger — and that’s awesome to see.”
For Munroe, the love of the game never faded, only evolved. “You have to love it,” he says. “Even now as a coach, you have to share that passion with your players. You don’t remember the wins and losses as much as you remember the time with your teammates.”
Though the sun shines year-round in Scottsdale, part of Munroe’s heart will always remain on Saskatchewan ice. “I love Saskatchewan. I love the people. I love the league. I miss it,” he says. “I don’t miss the weather — I’ll happily take the 85 degrees and sunshine — but I’ll always wave the SJHL banner.”
That blend of humility, grit, and gratitude defines Scott Munroe — a goaltender turned mentor whose story proves that Success Starts Here is more than a slogan; it’s a legacy.
Find the full SJHL Insider episode, with Munroe’s full interview, here:
