Former North Dakota coach Hakstol tabbed first bench boss for NHL expansion club Seattle Kraken, who begin play in 2021-22

Former North Dakota coach and alumni Dave Hakstol was announced Thursday as the Seattle Kraken’s first head coach. The Kraken start play in the NHL with the upcoming 2021-22 season. Hakstol previously led UND to seven NCAA Frozen Four appearances in 11 seasons. Hakstol, appointed head coach at UND on July 9, 2004 after four … Read more

Former Robert Morris women’s assistant Kindret takes reins of Saint Anselm women’s college hockey program

Saint Anselm has hired Jen Kindret to serve as the school’s head coach for women’s hockey, becoming just the third individual to lead the Hawks program since its inception. Kindret comes to the Hilltop from Robert Morris where she served a two-year stint as the top assistant coach for the Colonials. Helping the team to … Read more

Newly created Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation looking to ‘right this wrong,’ bring Robert Morris men’s, women’s teams back into fold

A new entity, the Pittsburgh College Hockey Foundation, released a statement Wednesday evening introducing itself and proclaiming its intentions to bring back the Robert Morris men’s and women’s college hockey teams. Both teams were cut by the university in May, citing a “series of strategic initiatives.” Following that announcement, RMU men’s coach Derek Schooley said … Read more

American International names former Johnson and Wales, Nichols coach Izzi new VP for athletics

American International College has named Louis Izzi Jr. as the vice president for athletics. In this role, Izzi will focus on strategy, leadership, and development within the athletics department. “Lou brings a wealth of experience in intercollegiate athletics to his new role at AIC,” said AIC president Vince Maniaci in a statement. “His areas of … Read more

Dartmouth adds new assistant in Thibodeau, who comes to Big Green with reputation as ‘tremendous developer of talent’

Dartmouth has announced the addition of Troy Thibodeau as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 men’s hockey season. Thibodeau spent the last three seasons as a member of the coaching staff of the USHL’s Tri-City Storm. Prior to his move to Nebraska and behind the bench, Thibodeau served as the director of hockey operations for … Read more

Northeastern veteran bench boss Madigan promoted to AD; associate coach Keefe to take Huskies’ helm

Jim Madigan, who over the last decade had re-elevated Northeastern men’s hockey to a national power, will step aside from his position as head coach to assume the role as Athletic Director for the university. He replaces Jeff Konya, who recently accepted a similar position at San Jose State University. Jerry Keefe, an assistant to … Read more

Hockey East announces single-elimination tournament format for men’s, women’s postseason in 2022

Hockey East has announced that a new postseason tournament format for the men’s and women’s leagues will be used beginning in 2022. All 11 men’s programs and all 10 women’s programs will compete in a single-elimination postseason tournament for the Lamoriello Trophy and the Bertagna trophy, respectively. “This new format for the Hockey East tournament … Read more

Augustana University in South Dakota aiming to add Division I men’s hockey, elevate athletics program from Division II to Division I

According to a statement released on the school’s athletics website, Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., plans to add men’s Division I ice hockey as part of “Vikings Bold: The Journey to 2030,” a strategic plan that is “an effort to provide student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a higher level, elevate the university’s profile … Read more

St. Cloud State coach Larson inks seven-year extension to coach Huskies through 2027-28 season

Brett Larson 2019 January 18 St. Cloud State University hosts Western Michigan in a NCHC contest at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center (Bradley K. Olson)

St. Cloud State and men’s hockey coach Brett Larson have agreed to a contract extension that keeps Larson with the Huskies through the 2027-28 season. “Since his arrival at St. Cloud State and very first meeting with the team, Coach Larson has demonstrated an impressive capacity for leadership and coaching,” said SCSU director of athletics … Read more

Bowling Green, Providence, Wisconsin, Yale to play 2021 Holiday Face-Off event Dec. 28-29 in Milwaukee

The inaugural Holiday Face-Off college hockey tournament will be held at Fiserv Forum, home of the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, Dec. 28-29, 2021, and will include Bowling Green, Providence, Wisconsin and Yale. Semifinal play will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 28 with the championship game and third-place game on Wednesday, Dec. 29. Matchups and game times … Read more

Trimboli succeeds Smith as USA Hockey president, elected to three-year term

Mike Trimboli, who has been involved in grassroots hockey as a player, coach, official and administrator for parts of the last six decades, was elected president of USA Hockey at the Board of Directors meeting as part of the organization’s virtual Annual Congress. Trimboli, who will serve a three-year term, succeeds Jim Smith, who served … Read more

Longtime Harvard women’s coach Stone garners USA Hockey’s 2021 Distinguished Achievement Award

Longtime Harvard women’s hockey coach Katey Stone has been named the recipient of USA Hockey’s 2021 Distinguished Achievement Award. The Watertown, Conn., native has had a storied career at Harvard, a tenure that began with the 1994-95 season. The 2021-22 season will mark her 27th at the helm of the program. Stone has guided the … Read more

Reigning Hobey Baker winner Caufield nets top college hockey player accolades from USA Hockey

USA Hockey announced Wednesday day that Wisconsin forward Cole Caufield is the Jim Johannson College Player of the Year for the 2020-21 season. Established in 1994 to recognize the accomplishments of the top American-born player in NCAA Division I men’s college hockey, the award is presented annually by Bauer Hockey. In 2019, it was renamed … Read more

Wisconsin adding former college hockey stars Duggan, Geoffrion to school’s athletics hall of fame

Twelve athletes, staff and supporters of the Wisconsin Athletic Department will be inducted into the organization’s hall of fame in 2021, Director of Athletics Barry Alvarez announced on Tuesday. “Every year it gets harder and harder to select our inductees into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame and this year was no different,” said UW … Read more

Former UMass Lowell assistant coach Pagliero moves to Penn State for similar role with Nittany Lions

Penn State announced Wednesday the hiring of Juliano Pagliero as an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions men’s hockey team. Pagliero has a decade’s worth of coaching experience, including eight years at the Division I level, and comes to Penn State after spending the previous three seasons at UMass Lowell. “Juliano is a great fit … Read more