Massachusetts-Lowell’s Norm Bazin has been named the Spencer Penrose Award winner as the Division I men’s coach of the year. Bazin led the River Hawks to Hockey East regular season and playoff titles and a No. 1 regional seed in the NCAA tournament. Lowell plays Yale in the Frozen Four semifinals on Thursday. Finalists for … Read more
Wisconsin forward Brendan Woods has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, giving up his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility. Woods was en route Tuesday night to join the team’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte, where he’s expected to spend the rest of the season. A fifth-round pick by the Hurricanes in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, … Read more
Union announced Tuesday that it has extended the contract of coach Rick Bennett through the 2019-20 season. Union finished the 2012-13 season 22-13-5 (10-8-4 ECAC), clinching its fourth straight 20-win season and in the process, making Bennett the first coach in program history to record 20 wins in each of his first two seasons behind … Read more
Maine fired coach Tim Whitehead on Tuesday after 12 seasons and with one year remaining on the four-year extension he signed in 2010. “This is about the future of our marquee program,” said Maine director of athletics Steve Abbott in a press release. “Since 2008, UMaine has experienced declining Hockey East success, season ticket sales … Read more
Longtime St. Cloud State athletics director Dr. Morris Kurtz joined Penn State on April 1 as the school’s special assistant to operations. Kurtz will assist associate athletic director Joe Battista and the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey programs as they move into Pegula Ice Arena and the Big Ten for the 2013-14 season.
The Winnipeg Jets announced Monday they have agreed to terms with Denver sophomore goaltender Juho Olkinuora on a contract. Olkinuora played in 24 games with the Pioneers during the 2012-13 season and posted a 13-6-5 record, a 2.35 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage. “We could not be happier for Jussi,” DU associate head … Read more
Minnesota’s list of players leaving for the pros after their junior season has reached five after forward Erik Haula and defenseman Mark Alt signed contracts. Haula signed with the Minnesota Wild and is expected to finish the season with Houston of the AHL. He was a seventh-round pick by the Wild in 2009. The Philadelphia … Read more
North Dakota junior defenseman Derek Forbort has given up his final year of eligibility and agreed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings selected Forbort in the first round (15th overall) in the 2010 NHL draft. Forbort recorded six goals and 39 assists in 115 career games at North Dakota … Read more
After first being reported by the Daily Gazette, Union junior goalie Troy Grosenick has given up his senior season with the Dutchmen to sign a free-agent deal with the San Jose Sharks. “We’re happy for Troy,” Union coach Rick Bennett said in the Gazette. “It’s more gratifying to know that he’s going to finish his … Read more
Dartmouth junior forward Matt Lindblad signed a free-agent deal with the Boston Bruins on Thursday and will report to the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League. “I want to wish Matt well as he takes the next step in his hockey career,” Dartmouth coach Bob Gaudet said in a news release. “Matt is a … Read more
The New York Islanders announced Friday that they have signed Denver sophomore defenseman Scott Mayfield to a three-year entry-level deal. Mayfield will join the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League. “The Pioneer program is proud and happy for Scott and family,” said DU associate head coach Steve Miller in a statement. “He is … Read more
Josh Berlo has been named the new director of intercollegiate athletics at Minnesota-Duluth. He spent the past 12 years at Notre Dame as the senior assistant athletics director for guest relations and event marketing.
Minnesota has lost two more players who would have been seniors next season. Nick Bjugstad and Zach Budish have given up their senior season with the Golden Gophers to sign professional deals on Wednesday. That comes after defenseman Nate Schmidt signed with the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. Bjugstad signed with the Florida Panthers, who picked … Read more
Seven coaches have qualified as finalists for the Spencer Penrose Award, given to the top coach in Division I men’s hockey. To be a finalist, a coach must be given his league’s coach of the year award or lead his team to the Frozen Four. For 2013, that group includes: • Yale’s Keith Allain, a … Read more
A pair of Frozen Four participants and the national points-per-game leader are the three members of the 2013 Hobey Hat Trick. Quinnipiac goaltender Eric Hartzell, St. Cloud State forward Drew LeBlanc and Boston College forward Johnny Gaudreau were the three top vote-getters from the 23-person selection committee for the Hobey Baker Award. One of the … Read more
Larry Noble Jr., who played on the Bulldogs’ only other Frozen Four team, connects the teams: “The coaching is and was first-rate.” Brian Sullivan reports.
The New England Hockey Writers Division I and II/III men’s and women’s all-star teams and awards were announced Tuesday. This year’s winners will be formally honored at a banquet on Tuesday, April 16 in Saugus, Mass. 2012-13 NEW ENGLAND MEN’S DIVISION I ALL-STARS AND AWARDS CLARK HODDER AWARD – DIVISION I COACH OF THE YEAR … Read more
The Winnipeg Jets announced Tuesday they have signed Michigan freshman defenseman Jacob Trouba to an undisclosed contract. Trouba played 37 games with the Wolverines during the 2012-13 season and recorded 29 points on 12 goals and 17 assists with 88 penalty minutes. He was named to the CCHA All-Rookie Team and earned best offensive defenseman … Read more
Former Denver coach George Gwozdecky made one thing perfectly clear at his farewell news conference Tuesday at Magness Arena: He’s not done. Gwozdecky, 59, was released from his contact at Denver on Monday following an impasse over a possible extension that would have kept him behind the Pioneers bench past the expiration of his existing … Read more
Ohio State junior forward Chris Crane has signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, forfeiting his final year of eligibility. Crane was selected by the Sharks in the seventh round (200th overall) of the 2010 NHL draft. “This is a great opportunity for Chris,” OSU coach Mark Osiecki said in a news … Read more