Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

[Mook Williams]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Wow, the BU fans on here are A LOT more reasonable than the ones when I used to spend hours on this site on a daily basis back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It's tough to aargue with the results, and I don't think there's a reasonable objective argument anymore against Jerry York being the greatest D1 college hockey coach of all time.

There are many things to love about Coach York apart from the pure Ws and Ls and titles won, especially when you're a BCer like me, but my favorite underlying aspects of his coaching record are the fact that he gets his teams to peak at the right time nearly every single season (2011 being the exception), and the team overall is consistently about as classy and well-behaved as you can expect a group of successful D1 athletes to be. Not perfect, of course, but the image of the team and its general character and behavior is something that we can all be proud of. Finally, I don't remember Coach York taking a shot against a member of his own team or an opposing coach a single time in all the years that he's been at BC. He keeps it classy and dominates in the record books.

 

[Rover]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

York by the time he's done will most likely own every coaching record there is. Clealry the best college hockey coach of all time. The only coach I've ever seen who came close is Walshy at Maine, who had to build that program from scratch but his illegal activities knock him down a few pegs.

Listened to a piece on him on NPR maybe Thursday, and he was saying that he prefers to recruit 18 year olds straight out of high school as opposed to 21 year olds because they more easily adapt to the college atmosphere (dorms, restrictions, etc) than older kids. Given the trend towards older players, I wonder if that's a big factor in setting the BC program apart. Regardless, York clicks in all three areas - recruiting, motivation, and in game strategy.

Recruiting needs no explanation. Motivation is top notch. Those kids know what the goal is and keep each other focused on it, on and off the ice. They don't get too down over a loss nor excited over a win until the title game. I've always said I felt the players would go through a wall for him.

I also like how the team plays the game - in front of the net. Speaking only of my own team, it amazes me how many bad angle shots they take from the side and the corner. BC's team has perfected the pass back to the trailer for a wide open net. The whole team does it, not just the top line, meaning to me its something they drill in practice - another mark of a good coach.

 

[mookie1995]

BG wasn't a doormat before York. Mason was 160-63-6 (.712) in six seasons. BG still loves Jerry.

...and how many titles did Ron win there?

The defense rests

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

The '07 title winner was Michigan State. Pretty hard to mistake them for the team with the funny helmets.

Right. And he did something similar when they lost to Wisconsin in '06- he made them skate out and salute the BC fans that had traveled to Milwaukee.

His record the last 15 years speaks for itself. If he's not the greatest of all time, he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Brooks, Johnson, etc. And his actions in 06 and 07 show that he's top class to boot.

He's one of a kind, that's to be sure.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

He smiles more too.. game, set, match.

 

[UMLFan]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

As a UNH fan, and by far no fan of BC, I have to say York is by far the best coach I have ever seen. Can always root against BC, but can never find myself rooting against York, he does it with style and class, any school would be lucky to have him

As a Lowell fan, I'll agree with this completely.

Listened to a piece on him on NPR maybe Thursday, and he was saying that he prefers to recruit 18 year olds straight out of high school as opposed to 21 year olds because they more easily adapt to the college atmosphere (dorms, restrictions, etc) than older kids. Given the trend towards older players, I wonder if that's a big factor in setting the BC program apart. Regardless, York clicks in all three areas - recruiting, motivation, and in game strategy.

Nowadays, that's not even an issue for him. Hell, he's got three kids committed who were 14 at the time they made their college pick.

 

[Hurl82]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry:

Now that you've won 3 straight Beanpots, 3 straight Hockey East titles and 3 of the last 5 NCAA championships, could you please refrain from bringing aboard another pocket-sized Guy Lafleur this summer as a roster addition, just for the sake of competitive balance?

 

[UMLFan]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry:

Now that you've won 3 straight Beanpots, 3 straight Hockey East titles and 3 of the last 5 NCAA championships, could you please refrain from bringing aboard another pocket-sized Guy Lafleur this summer as a roster addition, just for the sake of competitive balance?

He's potentially got 2 forwards coming in next year that are 5'7" or smaller.

 

[JB]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

York is amazing, his comments about Ferris right after the game, a true class act!

Always seem up beat and positive. I'd love to see what he puts on the pad... I can see why kids want to play for him.

If I look at the greatest in history list, the only guy I might bump above him in John MacInnes, he had a impressive run out a MTU. I think he is way under rated as he wasn't at a name school. Getting good players to Houghton must have been a trick. Look at what has happened to them since he died.

At BC York seems to have his pick of the best groceries to cook with these days. It is one of the advantages at one of the name programs. It must be noted BC hockey was a total recruiting mess when he arrived and he fixed it.

 

[4four4]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry York is the best coach of all time on the east coast. I am biased but if he and his club were in the WCHA I don't believe they could have dominated the W like he has in HE. Why? Historically, from top to bottom the WCHA's depth is the best in the country. It is so hard to dominate the WCHA and they prove it every year. Any way congrats to Jerry York and his BC Eagles on a job well done. When you come to town I know where you are getting your pizza from. Every year Jerry sends his team photo to Campus Pizza in Stadium Village and they post it every year. It is the only non-Gopher related attire in the whole restaurant. Class act.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Let's put it this way: I don't think there's a single fanbase in the country that wouldn't happily trade their coach for Jerry York.

Anyone who claims otherwise is lying.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

So I'm guessing you think the best college coach of all time came from the WCHA? I'm guessing you think it's Herb Brooks...which is fine. The fact you don't think BC would have been quite as successful in the WCHA becomes irrelevant when it comes to national tournament results. BC is 11-4 against WCHA competition in the NCAA tournament under York.

 

[Hurl82]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry York is the best coach of all time on the east coast. I am biased but if he and his club were in the WCHA I don't believe they could have dominated the W like he has in HE. Why? Historically, from top to bottom the WCHA's depth is the best in the country. It is so hard to dominate the WCHA and they prove it every year. Any way congrats to Jerry York and his BC Eagles on a job well done. When you come to town I know where you are getting your pizza from. Every year Jerry sends his team photo to Campus Pizza in Stadium Village and they post it every year. It is the only non-Gopher related attire in the whole restaurant. Class act.

But I thought WCHA teams have played the role of the 1974-75 Washington Capitals against BC in the NCAAs three of the past five years?

Just kidding, sort of. The WCHA is an excellent league, sorry to see it go after next season.

 

[UncleRay]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry York is the best coach of all time on the east coast. I am biased but if he and his club were in the WCHA I don't believe they could have dominated the W like he has in HE. Why? Historically, from top to bottom the WCHA's depth is the best in the country. It is so hard to dominate the WCHA and they prove it every year. Any way congrats to Jerry York and his BC Eagles on a job well done. When you come to town I know where you are getting your pizza from. Every year Jerry sends his team photo to Campus Pizza in Stadium Village and they post it every year. It is the only non-Gopher related attire in the whole restaurant. Class act.

That's right. I forgot that the NC should just automatically be given to a WCHA team. Would that be the RS winner, or the tournament victor, 444?

So I'm guessing you think the best college coach of all time came from the WCHA? I'm guessing you think it's Herb Brooks...which is fine. The fact you don't think BC would have been quite as successful in the WCHA becomes irrelevant when it comes to national tournament results. BC is 11-4 against WCHA competition in the NCAA tournament under York.

I won't even argue the contention that the W is deeper, but the fact remains that BC, under York, has owned the WCHA. It's tough to dominate the WCHA, 444? Jerry's done it. Period.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Jerry York is the best coach of all time on the east coast. I am biased but if he and his club were in the WCHA I don't believe they could have dominated the W like he has in HE. Why? Historically, from top to bottom the WCHA's depth is the best in the country. It is so hard to dominate the WCHA and they prove it every year.

I'm sure he'd do well enough to get into the NCAAs where he has been ramming the WCHA in the pooper for 15 years now.

11-4 record

Combined score:
BC Eagles 64 - WCHA pushovers 38

AVG: 4.37 to 2.53
Diff: +1.73

 

[Slap Shot]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Hard to argue against it imho even if such a 'title' doesn't come by way of a flawless methodology. If he's not he's right there and it would seem he's not done yet adding banners/trophies. Hopefully none more at the expense of UM.

 

[bothman]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Listened to a piece on him on NPR maybe Thursday, and he was saying that he prefers to recruit 18 year olds straight out of high school as opposed to 21 year olds because they more easily adapt to the college atmosphere (dorms, restrictions, etc) than older kids. Given the trend towards older players, I wonder if that's a big factor in setting the BC program apart. Regardless, York clicks in all three areas - recruiting, motivation, and in game strategy.

I took this mean that he prefers "talent" to "experience" more so than adaptability etc.

One of the great lines from the Movie "Chariots of Fire" - "I can't put in what God left out...."

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

OK so discussion is about "best NCAA hockey coach" and you're talking about lacrosse. I'm not understanding how that is relevant.

Allow me to rephrase:

Harkness took 2 programs who had never even been to the NCAA tournament to titles within 4 years of taking over their programs - while coaching college hockey part time.

 

[Caustic Undertow]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Lucia is arguably better as is Gwozdecky (both have as many titles). I have no hate for Michigan, but Berenson is overrated without a doubt.

You might not have hate for Michigan, but you seem to have an objectivity-free view of Berenson. By what criteria is he overrated? Tournament appearances? Frozen Four appearances? Championships? Players developed? Disappointments? Name one criteria that others, other than York, do not share. Michigan has a streak of tournament appearances no one else comes close to matching under Berenson. He has won two championships. He has won conference titles and tournaments. He has done this with a frequency similar to other coaches.

Is it because of "flame-outs?" Michigan has failed to make the final eight in the NCAA tournament only three times in the 22 years he has been in the tournament. He has lost earlier than expected, but so have Gwoz, Lucia, Blais, Jackson, and even York (first-round blowout to CC last season, anyone?). That is balanced out by years where Michigan has out-performed its expectations, such as... last season.

Is he overrated because Michigan players don't succeed in the NHL? 24 played this year.

Is he overrated because other coaches have done more? York has, but nobody has argued that he is better than York. Nobody. Has Lucia done "more?" They were talking about firing him last year. Has Gwoz done "more?"

If you are arguing he is not as good as York, there's no need; I made it for you in a post which you disputed for absolutely no reason. If you are arguing he is not a top coach in college hockey, you are arguing from pride rather than from fact, and from emotion rather than reason.

I understand not liking someone from a competitive standpoint; I don't like York from that standpoint. I used to loathe Joe Sakic, too (born-and-raised Wings fan here) but I had to recognize his skill and career accomplishment. My competitive view of York does not cloud my judgment about how good he actually is. You may root against Red, but your argument lacks substance.

 

[Onion Man]

Re: Jerry York is the best NCAA hockey coach of the last 30 years, maybe of all-time

Berenson is a competent regular season coach who can't seem to succeed in the postseason. He has an easy recruiting job since it's Michigan and they have a made to order USNPT pipeline in Ann Arbor. He consistently flops in the CCHA playoffs and, despite all the talent he has, has appeared in just one NCAA final since the 1998 season (last year obviously). First round loss to Air Force a few years ago, first round loss to Cornell, etc. If not for Regionals at Yost years ago, maybe he misses one of those FFs in the early 2000s, too.

To answer your question with another, if he has 24 NHL players, why does he have 2 NCAA titles since Clinton was President? In my opinion, Berenson can't win the big one. It's as simply as that. If my argument lacks substance, please tell me why a guy who has one of the easiest recruiting jobs in the country has less Frozen Four appearances than Maine or UNH since 1998?

A better coach and UM has a run like BC is on right now at some point.