Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

And I disagree that the team has lacked talent.

love is blind. Did you watch UND @ MTU? Talent has been in awfully short supply.

[JOHN SCOTT ROCKS]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

No, the prototypical game was a 4-2 loss in which Tech would compete for one period and then fold. .

Which is exactly what happens in most cases when the talent gap is large between two teams; the skill takes over. You actually believe the players were giving up? You don't give them much credit do you.

[uaafanblog]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Which is exactly what happens in most cases when the talent gap is large between two teams; the skill takes over. You actually believe the players were giving up? You don't give them much credit do you.

I often wonder about the percentage of truly discerning hockey fans that post here. Maybe 25%? You have found one of the 75% majority if that's the case.

[BlueDevilRadio]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I often wonder about the percentage of truly discerning hockey fans that post here. Maybe 25%? You have found one of the 75% majority if that's the case.

Completely unrelated, every thought about making your blogspot site a TLD (top-level domain)? i.e. http://www.uaahockey.com or something similar?

If you don't want to hijack this thread shoot me an e-mail --- stouthockey (at) gmail (dot) com

[davyd83]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

It appears to me that the step from Assistant to Head coach is a bigger step than from D3 to D1. The recruiting, the administrative BS, the alumni back slapping on top of the pressure of winning is very tough. The "up and coming assistant" approach just hasn't worked for us.

A successful D3 coach would be coming to a larger arena, a tougher conference and a bigger paycheck and therefore consider it a promotion. He might also have something to prove since people look down their noses at D3, never mind that St. Norbert could beat Tech on most nights. A D1 assistant would be coming to a smaller arena, a similar paycheck and may view it as a step sideways or a stepping stone. Either one will have to be willing to step into the breach and embrace the challenge of overcoming 30 years of bad hockey. I think we'll be pleasantly surprised at the list of qualified candidates interested in this position...

The problem I see with bringing a coach up from D-III is the recruiting end. He is not likely to have the network to recruit D-I talent. Now, someone who has been a successful D-III coach and is now a D-I assistant at a good program is definitely a viable candidate. As far as shelling out big bucks for a D-I coach with a record of success, if he is currently employed, is Tech going to not only offer him the money, but the assistant salaries, travel and recruiting budget that it would take for him to move the Tech program ahead of his current employer. If Tech and Michigan State are interested in the same candidate, what are Tech's chances? Remember the resources that State has beyond the coach's salary. State travels to NMU, they fly. Can MTU offer flights to Grand Forks, Omaha, Minnesota, St. Cloud and Mankato? To compete for that level of coach, take the salary he desires and add about another $150,000 a year for travel, recruiting and assistant salaries above what is already there. At that point, you're only giving him what he already has. You make it a lateral move. You have to go above and beyond what he already has. That's the way you can attract the marquee type names.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

love is blind. Did you watch UND @ MTU? Talent has been in awfully short supply.

Not really a fair comparison in this day and age. It's likely that the two programs will never again have comparable levels of talent like they did in the 60s. However, you can't deny that if we'd had Baker, 100% healthy seasons out of Olson, Royer, and Gordic, and if Kattelus hadn't been a selfish crook, this team would've had better depth throughout the season, been less reliant on freshmen forwards, and had a much better shot at winning some games. I'm definitely not saying that they would've had a winning record, but I think we would've seen more wins and fewer blowouts.

If you go back and look at Russell's first 2-3 recruiting classes, compared to the classes since about 2007 or so, you can see the improvement in terms of average talent level.

It doesn't matter though, since none of that happened, and thus it was time for a new direction.

[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Not really a fair comparison in this day and age. It's likely that the two programs will never again have comparable levels of talent like they did in the 60s. However, you can't deny that if we'd had Baker, 100% healthy seasons out of Olson, Royer, and Gordic, and if Kattelus hadn't been a selfish crook, this team would've had better depth throughout the season, been less reliant on freshmen forwards, and had a much better shot at winning some games. I'm definitely not saying that they would've had a winning record, but I think we would've seen more wins and fewer blowouts.

all true, and all part of the reasons why it's true that we did lack the talent necessary to compete this year.
But here's the biggest knock on Russell, and one of the reasons I never wrote a letter in support of keeping him around: he didn't believe he could get top talent to come here, and according to many reports didn't even try in certain cases where it was available to him. (He once said in an interview, "we're not going to get that type of player to come here," in reference to blue chip NHL prospects)This lack of faith in what Tech could be beyond mostly a bunch of blue collar grinders playing 'dump and drop' was aggravating. I admit I'm a clueless optimist, but I don't see a reason to concede that we'll never be as good as UND in future. I want a coach that believes we can win a national title.

edit: that sounds too harsh. I do love our freshmen, and I think the team is heading in the right direction talent-wise.

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I don't care where the guy comes from as long as he is someone that can motivate players like few can. A Mike Krzyzewski type. After that we can get the rest of the pieces put together fairly easily. These type guys really do get a lot more from their players than everyone else, but they do not grow on trees. Kids will go anywhere to play for a top coach like this, they will beat a path to your door.

To answer the question on Hakstol. No, imho he is not that great, but the program behind him is and so they win.
Tech can be a top program, but only if we have a staff that is highly respected by hockey people all over.
Certainly we need more than just a coach but if he comes he will ask for things.
.

Also, You have to understand the difference between the top WCHA teams and the bottom is not that far. A Frattin, a Zucker, and a couple of good defensemen.

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Sorry for the double post. I am hopeful the travel issues someone referred to will be solved pretty soon.

[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I don't care where the guy comes from as long as he is someone that can motivate players like few can.

I agree, this is why I've endorsed hiring Brad Aldrich as an assistant when there's been an opening. He has an incredibly dynamic personality (think Jamie Russell on charliesheen). He coached midgets while in college, then went to Notre Dame and they came near a national title (2006/07), went to the Blackhawks and they won the Stanley Cup, went to Vancouver with the Olympic team and won silver... always an assistant/operations guy, but a very highly respected one for a kid in his 20's. I think he could recruit very successfully.

[davyd83]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I agree, this is why I've endorsed hiring Brad Aldrich as an assistant when there's been an opening. He has an incredibly dynamic personality (think Jamie Russell on charliesheen). He coached midgets while in college, then went to Notre Dame and they came near a national title (2006/07), went to the Blackhawks and they won the Stanley Cup, went to Vancouver with the Olympic team and won silver... always an assistant/operations guy, but a very highly respected one for a kid in his 20's. I think he could recruit very successfully.

He wasn't a coach at Notre Dame or Chicago. He was the video guy. And why is he not still in Chicago?

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I think whoever is head coach will have his choice of assistants.I don't think it is a separate hire.

[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

He wasn't a coach at Notre Dame or Chicago. He was the video guy. And why is he not still in Chicago?

lolz. can you imagine Tech hiring away an NHL coach? yeah, me neither. When did he quit the Hawks?

I think whoever is head coach will have his choice of assistants.I don't think it is a separate hire.

no doubt about that.

[huskyfan]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

sorry for the double post. I am hopeful the travel issues someone referred to will be solved pretty soon.

[UMDBulldogHockeyIsKing]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Also, You have to understand the difference between the top WCHA teams and the bottom is not that far. A Frattin, a Zucker, and a couple of good defensemen.

This might be one of the dumbest things I've ever read on here. One can only hope that the athletic leadership doesn't subscribe to this level of stupidity, because if they do, Michigan Tech will be in the basement of the WCHA forever.