Coaching Staff

Garrett Rutledge

Head Coach

From Waterdown, Ontario, Garrett Rutledge signed as the Thunderbirds head coach in the summer of 2021. Rutledge arrived in Carolina after more than four years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).

In the 2016-17 season, Rutledge broke into the OHL as a scout for the Flint Firebirds. Just two years later, he found himself on the bench as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 campaign.

The following year, Rutledge moved up I-75 to Saginaw, where he joined the Spirit for a 41-16-3-2 season that was cut short due to the pandemic. He served as the team's video coach that year and the next, though the league did not operate in 2020-21.

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John Buttitta

Player/Assistant Coach

John Buttitta is in his third season with the Carolina Thunderbirds. In addition to his duties as Captain, Buttitta was named Player/Assistant Coach on February10th, 2022.

Before his career in the FPHL, the Cleveland, Ohio native set records at Kent State University. Currently, he is the all-time leader in goals (121), assists (150), points (271) and games played (175) for the Golden Flashes.

Buttitta earned a Bachelor's Degree in Applied Communications from Kent State in 2019.

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Nick Modica

Goaltending Coach

Nick Modica joined the Thunderbirds out of SUNY-Cortland in the winter of 2020, playing four consecutive games before the season was suspended. Currently in his third season with Carolina, the Suffern, NY native appeared in over 30 professional games before assuming his coaching duties.

At Cortland, Modica proved himself as one of the most reliable goaltenders in the SUNYAC. In 2019, he was named to the Third Team All-Conference, posting a 2.90 GAA and .927SV%.

Modica was named Goaltending Coach of the Thunderbirds on February 10th, 2022.

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