As anticipated, the WCHA voted Friday to admit Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha beginning with the 2010-11 season, making the conference a 12-team league. The expansion is the league’s first since Minnesota State joined in 1999-2000. The vote, which puts the Bemidji State program back on solid ground only months after it became the first No. … Read more
Former Cornell goaltender David McKee has pleaded not guilty to two felony rape charges in Santa Ana, Calif., after being arraigned earlier this month. McKee, a Hobey Baker Award finalist in 2005, posted $100,000 bail and is due in court for a pre-trial hearing on July 10. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s office, … Read more
Miami defenseman Will Weber was arrested in Oxford, Ohio, and charged with theft after police said he stole a purse from a bar on June 21, the Oxford Press reported. Weber, 20, a second-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, also was charged with offenses involving underage persons and … Read more
There’s no doubt that the pressure that is placed on 18-year-old kids at the NHL Entry Draft is unmatched, maybe even unfair. These kids trade skateboards and roller blades for business suits, sit through difficult job interviews with countless NHL general managers and have a media spotlight shone on them for three straight days. For … Read more
Arguably the decade’s most successful sports town recognized two of college hockey’s most successful coaches Wednesday night. Boston College’s Jerry York and Boston University’s Jack Parker were honored with the Special Achievement Award at this year’s Tradition, a fundraising who’s-who of Boston sports that benefits the New England Sports Museum. “We were up at Clarkson … Read more
Mike Hastings is moving from his position as assistant coach at Minnesota to the associate head coach position at Nebraska-Omaha. Hastings will join new Mavericks coach Dean Blais and Nick Fohr, who as an assistant coach for former UNO coach Mike Kemp, in the new staff. “Mike Hastings has a proven track record of developing … Read more
David Quinn is leaving his position as associate head coach of national champion Boston University to become the head coach of the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters. David Quinn spent five seasons as an assistant to Jack Parker at Boston University (file photo: Melissa Wade). Quinn, 42, spent five seasons at his alma mater after leading … Read more
Dean Blais is back in college hockey. Will his next move be back to the WCHA? That much is uncertain, but what’s known is that Blais is the new coach at Nebraska-Omaha, a move that was announced at a news conference Friday in Omaha, Neb. Blais, a two-time national champion in 10 seasons at North … Read more
Boston University defenseman Brian Strait’s stint as co-captain proved to be a short one. Less than two months after the Terriers won the national championship in dramatic fashion over Miami, the rising senior opted to forgo his senior season in favor of signing a pro contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who drafted him in the … Read more
Plymouth State has named Darcy Corson the coach of its women’s program. She replaces Heathey Hoffay, who posted a 1-54-1 record in the program’s first three seasons. Corson, a 2001 graduate of Bowdoin, was the head coach at Milton Academy in Massachusetts for the last two years. “She is experienced, knowledgeable and energetic and will … Read more
Former Rensselaer goaltender Nathan Marsters was killed Monday in an automobile accident in Smithville, Ontario, the Hamilton Spectator reported. Nathan Marsters holds the Rensselaer career records for games played, starts, saves and goals against average (file photo: David Silverman, RPI Sports Info). Marsters, 29, was pronounced dead at the scene after a deer crashed through … Read more
St. Cloud State has given coach Bob Motzko a six-year contract through the 2014-15 season, the school announced Tuesday. Bob Motzko led St. Cloud State to an 18-17-3 record last season. Motzko, who has a 81-58-19 record in four years since taking over for Craig Dahl in 2005, will earn more than $1 million over … Read more
Brown coach Roger Grillo is leaving the school to take a position with USA Hockey as a regional manager of the program’s new American Development Model. Roger Grillo was 120-205-52 in 12 seasons at Brown. Grillo had a 120-205-52 record in 12 seasons with the Bears. He posted three straight winning seasons — 2002-03, 2003-04 … Read more
Former Elmira player Aaron Saul will be named the head coach at his alma mater Friday, a source told USCHO. Aaron Saul is returning to Elmira, where he played. Saul, who coached Potsdam for the last two seasons, replaces Tim Ceglarski, who resigned in April.
Former North Dakota coach Dean Blais will serve as head coach of the 2010 U.S. World Junior team, USA Hockey announced Thursday. Blais, the coach of the USHL’s Fargo Force, also coached the 1994 U.S. World Junior team. “I’m honored to be selected to coach this team,” Blais said in a news release. “The World … Read more
North Dakota has until Oct. 1 to get a long-term approval from two tribes to use its Fighting Sioux nickname, and that doesn’t appear likely. The North Dakota Board of Higher Education voted 8-0 Thursday to retire the nickname, which dates to the 1930s, if a 30-year approval agreement can’t be reached with the Standing … Read more
One of the burning issues with the Nebraska-Omaha program this offseason has become a little clearer. Mike Kemp has stepped down as the Mavericks’ coach to join new athletic director Trev Alberts’ inner circle of administrators. Kemp, the only coach in the program’s 12-year history, will be an associate athletic director at the school, and … Read more
Boston College goaltender John Muse underwent hip surgery on April 30 to repair a torn labrum, the school confirmed on Wednesday. According to Boston College head coach Jerry York, Muse, who over the last two seasons has played all but seven minutes, 56 seconds for the Eagles, will return to the BC lineup no earlier … Read more
A third-period power play goal two days earlier kept the United States out of the gold-medal game at the World Championship. On Sunday, another one kept the Americans from taking home a medal. Carl Gunnarsson broke a 2-2 tie with 11 minutes remaining, and Sweden added an empty-net goal for a 4-2 victory. Sweden claimed … Read more
The United States hasn’t played for the gold medal in a non-Olympic World Championship since 1950. Maybe 2010. Russia extinguished the Americans’ hopes at a shot at gold with a late power-play goal Friday and a 3-2 victory in the semifinals. Konstantin Gorovikov broke a 2-2 tie with 1:47 remaining and former North Dakota forward … Read more