Alaska-Anchorage head coach John Hill has resigned his position to become an assistant coach at Minnesota, ending a tenure that saw a modest turnaround after the Seawolves hit rock bottom with a one-win season in 2002-03. On Friday it was announced that Hill, 44, has accepted the Gopher assistant’s position which opened up when Bob … Read more
Providence head coach Paul Pooley officially resigned Friday and will head to Notre Dame next season to serve as an assistant to recently-hired head coach Jeff Jackson, ending days of speculation about the future of the Friars’ coach. Pooley, having just completed his 11th season behind the Providence bench, will reunite with Jackson, after the … Read more
St. Cloud State will announce the hiring of Bob Motkzo as an assistant coach on Tuesday as expected by many. The St. Cloud Times reports that Motzko will be given a two-year deal. Motkzo comes to St. Cloud after spending four seasons with Don Lucia at Minnesota. Motzko played his collegiate hockey at St. Cloud … Read more
When Mike Eaves was hired to coach his alma mater in 2002, two questions were raised. Could Eaves take Wisconsin back into national contention, and if so, would he stick around? The first question was answered in the affirmative when Eaves led the Badgers into the NCAA tournament each of the last two seasons. Now, … Read more
A talk with two-time national championship coach Jeff Jackson, the new coach at Notre Dame.
Jeff Jackson, who led Lake Superior State to NCAA hockey championships in 1992 and 1994, has been named the new head coach at Notre Dame. Jackson spent nine years away from the college game since leaving LSSU after the 1996 season. In the last few years, Jackson’s name has been mentioned for just about every … Read more
Hamline University has tapped Minnesota standout Scott Bell as its next head men’s hockey coach. Bell replaces Chris Brown, who stepped down earlier this month after coaching the Pipers for one season. Bell served as an assistant coach at St. Thomas from 2003-04, where the team won the MIAC playoff championship, and coached high school … Read more
Notre Dame coach Dave Poulin is stepping down after 10 seasons to take a position in athletic administration at the University. Poulin will become a special assistant to the senior associate athletic director for athletic development. Poulin Poulin, who jumped straight from the NHL to college head coaching, informed his team this morning of the … Read more
Canisius has found its man, and to many it comes as a bit of a surprise. Dave Smith, who was an associate head coach this past season at Mercyhurst College, leading the Lakers to this year’s NCAA tournament, has been hired by the Griffs it was announced at a news conference Friday. Smith replaces Brian … Read more
In the first half of the season, Minnesota was flying, piling up goals, getting great goaltending, and ripping through the schedule. North Dakota, a big, strong team, was seeing its senior leaders play undisciplined, and its goaltending situation up in the air. A team built for the NCAAs was unlikely to get there. But by … Read more
Minnesota will get leading scorer Tyler Hirsch back in the lineup for Thursday’s NCAA semifinal against North Dakota. Tyler Hirsch practiced with the Gophers on Wednesday as he prepared to return to the lineup. (photo: Melissa Wade) Hirsch has missed the last three games, including last weekend’s two NCAA regional games, for “personal reasons.” Hirsch … Read more
Ohio State men’s hockey head coach John Markell has received a new five-year contract, effective immediately. The contract replaces Markell’s current deal, which had one season remaining. Markell, in 10 seasons, has led the Buckeyes to five NCAA tournament appearances, including in each of the last three seasons, and a NCAA Frozen Four berth in … Read more
Barry Tallackson has shouldered the weight of expectations for four years at Minnesota. Will he repeat his regional heroics at the Frozen Four?
Minnesota’s season began auspiciously. Despite the loss of several of its top players, including the early departures of Thomas Vanek and Keith Ballard to the pro ranks, the Gophers cruised through the first half of the season, racking up a 15-4-0 record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking at the Christmas break. Not bad for … Read more
Minnesota’s leading scorer, junior Tyler Hirsch, is back skating with the Gophers, less than a week after a “bizarre” post-game incident following his team’s WCHA semifinal loss. Whether he will play this weekend or not remains unclear. Hirsch After everyone cleared the ice following last Friday’s WCHA semifinal loss, and as fans were filing out, … Read more
No. 4 Michigan’s seniors class of 10 has now won three CCHA Super Six championships to go with their three regular-season CCHA titles and two Frozen Four appearances. But there is one thing missing from their collective mantle: a national championship. “[The NCAA championship] has been elusive to us,” senior captain Eric Nystrom said. “We’ve … Read more
It’s easy to get overlooked on a team that has eight 10-goal scorers, but there is one place Michigan’s Brandon Kaleniecki seems to score big goals to distinguish himself: Joe Louis Arena. “Growing up, I always wanted to play here,” Kaleniecki said of the Joe. “I’m from [nearby] Livonia, so I know I’ve watched so … Read more
This time of year, intense focus is turned towards the PairWise Rankings, that mystic, sometimes incomprehensible, source of wisdom daring us to guess the NCAA tournament field in advance. Ofttimes, the results work out like a game of craps. Sometimes, you’re better off letting others roll the dice, while at other times, you want to … Read more
Northern Michigan senior goaltender Tuomas Tarkki became the first Wildcat in 24 years to be named the CCHA Player of the Year. Eight individual honors were awarded Wednesday at Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre, including six determined by a vote of the league’s 12 coaches. NMU’s Tuomas Tarkki became the first European to win CCHA Player … Read more
One year removed from an All-American performance that earned Jim Slater a spot as a Hobey Baker Finalist, Michigan State’s senior sniper couldn’t even crack the All-CCHA team. For many around the league, the numbers just don’t add up. Blame it on unrealistic expectations or strong competition, but Slater’s 16-28–44 line is only four points … Read more