LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

[jnacc]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Alaska Anchorage has announced their finalists for the head coaching position. It's a very underwhelming bunch. Assistants from Tech and Air Force and two D-III coaches, one with a losing career record and back to back losing seasons, the other with no D-I playing, coaching or assisting experience. Others mentioned in connection with the opening included a local high school coach and one of their own assistants. Now if this job pays 50% more than LSSU, just what kind of field do you think would apply. UAA got very little interest from top USHL coaches, top NCAA assistants or experienced head coaches. Do you really think they'd be lining up to come to the Soo?

Where do you see the Laker program heading then Rapids? I have little to no faith in Jim Roque (hopefully he will prove me wrong next year) and if he or his type are the best we can get then what hope is there. Who really wants to follow a program that does not have the resources to compete? I know my interest is waning to the point that I question if I really care all that much any longer. I once was a season ticket holder. Family obligations prevented me from re-upping but I have always made it to the majority of the games, and I always counted the months, weeks and days to the start of the next Laker season.....no longer. I'm just burned out, I have zero excitement about the new league and have realized that I find more entertainment at Eagles games than I have had at Laker games over the past few seasons. I plan to see as many Hounds games as I can next year as well...they have a very young and exciting team and even though they face the same financial constraints as the Lakers; they have managed to find a quality coach from the Junior A ranks.

Until something changes with Laker Hockey, expect very little excitement from many of the local residences...and without us what does the program have as there is very little student interest any more.

 

[davyd83]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Where do you see the Laker program heading then Rapids? I have little to no faith in Jim Roque (hopefully he will prove me wrong next year) and if he or his type are the best we can get then what hope is there. Who really wants to follow a program that does not have the resources to compete? I know my interest is waning to the point that I question if I really care all that much any longer. I once was a season ticket holder. Family obligations prevented me from re-upping but I have always made it to the majority of the games, and I always counted the months, weeks and days to the start of the next Laker season.....no longer. I'm just burned out, I have zero excitement about the new league and have realized that I find more entertainment at Eagles games than I have had at Laker games over the past few seasons. I plan to see as many Hounds games as I can next year as well...they have a very young and exciting team and even though they face the same financial constraints as the Lakers; they have managed to find a quality coach from the Junior A ranks.

Until something changes with Laker Hockey, expect very little excitement from many of the local residences...and without us what does the program have as there is very little student interest any more.

I'm as frustrated as anyone with the state of the program, but until the University makes a commitment to fund a competitive WCHA program, they likely won't show much advancement. Now that being said, the difference between top and bottom just got a lot smaller, but LSSU is still at the bottom. It's frustrating for lots of people. But until the school treats hockey like a Division I program, you could bring Jackson, Comley, Frank I or Mason back and still not have much success. I'm not happy with Roque's record, but the man to blame for the current state of the program falls 100% on the desk of Tony McLain.

 

[AnchorsAway]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Alaska Anchorage has announced their finalists for the head coaching position. It's a very underwhelming bunch. Assistants from Tech and Air Force and two D-III coaches, one with a losing career record and back to back losing seasons, the other with no D-I playing, coaching or assisting experience. Others mentioned in connection with the opening included a local high school coach and one of their own assistants. Now if this job pays 50% more than LSSU, just what kind of field do you think would apply. UAA got very little interest from top USHL coaches, top NCAA assistants or experienced head coaches. Do you really think they'd be lining up to come to the Soo?

I see your point, but that is not an apples to apples comparison. I will acknowledge that Lake State has poor funding and from what we know, wouldn't be able to pay any prospective coach much money, However if you look at it from a coaching candidates point of view the Lake State job has multiple advantages over UAA.

Lake State's program has three titles to their credit and UAA has only made the tournament three times ever. UAA has only produced 4 NHL players and no one of any notoriety while Lake State has put over 30 players in the NHL including some who have made Olympic teams, made All-Star games and won Lord Stanley. Alaska is a notoriously hard place to recruit to due to it's desolate location, UAF's program is decidedly stronger than UAA's and even they have a hell of a time getting any decent recruits to come up there. Lake State is located in a known hockey region and state, there is a successful NAHL team located less than a mile away from campus and hundreds of D1 players are produced from Michigan and neighboring states...Alaska has NAHL teams also but players are much more likely to commit to a school closer to home. Neither team has had much success recently, but Lake State has been better than UAA has and has still managed to make a habit of late of placing handfuls of players in the professional leagues that lead to the NHL, some getting the opportunity before they even finish their college careers. The money thing will undoubtedly eliminate a tier of candidates but in my opinion there would still exist a tier of candidates that would still have interest in the Lake State job that would not be interested in UAA for all the reasons listed above.....Below that is the tier of unproven and unknowns that UAA is wading through currently

 

[AnchorsAway]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

I'm as frustrated as anyone with the state of the program, but until the University makes a commitment to fund a competitive WCHA program, they likely won't show much advancement. Now that being said, the difference between top and bottom just got a lot smaller, but LSSU is still at the bottom. It's frustrating for lots of people. But until the school treats hockey like a Division I program, you could bring Jackson, Comley, Frank I or Mason back and still not have much success. I'm not happy with Roque's record, but the man to blame for the current state of the program falls 100% on the desk of Tony McLain.

I agree 100%

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

An honest assessment here - unless LSSU can pony up considerably more money for your program, I don't think you guys have it quite so bad with Roque.

What I think the facts say about Roque is that for having one of the smallest budgets in D1 hockey (for arguments' sake, we'll exclude the AHA teams), you're getting more out of your program than you think. If Shyiak was making $120-130k, and Roque is making $90k, in terms of pure apples-to-apples comparisons, I think you guys are getting a decent bargain. Roque's teams generally play a sound game with strong goaltending. You've never endured a season with single-digit wins in his eight-year tenure (admittedly, you came close two years in a row) - in Russell's eight years at Tech, we had six such seasons, including brutal, back-to-back 5-30-1 and 4-30-4 campaigns. Russell made $30-50k per year more than Roque.

On the negative side, Roque's teams do seem to fizzle out down the stretch. That is the most troubling observation I can make without actually having seen your team play very much.

If the budget at LSSU is as shoestring as you claim, I think your team is surprisingly competitive. It's a shame that your best players left early; a guy like Kyle Jean could've been a major difference maker this year, but such is the landscape of NCAA hockey nowadays.

 

[DM2SM]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

What makes you think the Norris Center Project has any direct connections to Jim Roque? What is your source for that information?

So many posts to choose from, where do I start?
Back in June of 2012 Mr. 3dognight confirmed a prior post that stated he and his group had already donated in excess of $250,000 since Coach Roque had become coach and had committed $5M to the renovation. He also stated no prior connection to LSSU and that no member of the donor group attended LSSU or lived in the area.

Addressing Coach Roque's Contract, back in March of this year, Ms/Mr. Lakers2Glory stated that she/he knew first hand that Coach Roque signed a 3 year contract last summer and had two years remaining which was far too much to consider a buyout.

Regarding comparisons between drawing a capable coach to LSSU vs. UAA, let’s do a little poll. How many of us could convince our family to move to a city that is not located in the lower 48, has winter for 9 months and gets no sunlight in the winter. By the way, how long does it take and how much would it cost to fly with a family of three to the closest city in the lower 48?
I don’t think it is a fair comparison. We would have no trouble landing quality applicants at LSSU especially if they looked at the history of coaches that got their start here.

My last point is that we have finally reached the annual point of the off season where we start to say that we should be a top half team next year and if we aren’t a coaching change should be made.
My prediction for year ONE of the new WCHA is 5th at very best. BGSU, FSU, MTU, MSU will all finish above. UAH and UAA will finish below. My thought is that UAF will finish above us and BSU will finish below. I think it’s a coin flip with NMU but we should have better goaltending so realistically we will finish 6-7 out of 10 and out of the top half. Anything more is a good year.
Does anyone know the playoff format for the new WCHA?

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Regarding comparisons between drawing a capable coach to LSSU vs. UAA, let’s do a little poll. How many of us could convince our family to move to a city that is not located in the lower 48, has winter for 9 months and gets no sunlight in the winter.

You've obviously never been to Anchorage. It's below the Arctic Circle, therefore gets some hours of sunlight even in Dec/Jan/Feb. It is also relatively close to the open ocean, which generally gives it a maritime climate. It is also a city of about 200,000 residents, and boasts more recreation and entertainment opportunities than SSM, Marquette, and Houghton ever will.

It's the distance from family, aging facilities, and lack of commitment to the program from the school that will hold the best candidates back.

Does anyone know the playoff format for the new WCHA?

Cut to the Top 8, Best of 3 quarterfinals hosted by the top 4 seeds, single elimination Final 4. Grand Rapids will host in 2014, then St. Paul in 2015, and alternate for the first four years.

 

[davyd83]

So many posts to choose from, where do I start?
Back in June of 2012 Mr. 3dognight confirmed a prior post that stated he and his group had already donated in excess of $250,000 since Coach Roque had become coach and had committed $5M to the renovation. He also stated no prior connection to LSSU and that no member of the donor group attended LSSU or lived in the area.

Addressing Coach Roque's Contract, back in March of this year, Ms/Mr. Lakers2Glory stated that she/he knew first hand that Coach Roque signed a 3 year contract last summer and had two years remaining which was far too much to consider a buyout.

Regarding comparisons between drawing a capable coach to LSSU vs. UAA, let’s do a little poll. How many of us could convince our family to move to a city that is not located in the lower 48, has winter for 9 months and gets no sunlight in the winter. By the way, how long does it take and how much would it cost to fly with a family of three to the closest city in the lower 48?
I don’t think it is a fair comparison. We would have no trouble landing quality applicants at LSSU especially if they looked at the history of coaches that got their start here.

My last point is that we have finally reached the annual point of the off season where we start to say that we should be a top half team next year and if we aren’t a coaching change should be made.
My prediction for year ONE of the new WCHA is 5th at very best. BGSU, FSU, MTU, MSU will all finish above. UAH and UAA will finish below. My thought is that UAF will finish above us and BSU will finish below. I think it’s a coin flip with NMU but we should have better goaltending so realistically we will finish 6-7 out of 10 and out of the top half. Anything more is a good year.
Does anyone know the playoff format for the new WCHA?

You may want to check your weather facts. Temperatures in Anchorage and the Soo are virtually identical Nov-Apr. In January the average high/low in Anchorage is 23/11 vs 25/8 for the Soo. And the Soo gets 50 % more snow, 110" vs 70" in Anchorage.

 

[RapidsCity]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

So many posts to choose from, where do I start?
Back in June of 2012 Mr. 3dognight confirmed a prior post that stated he and his group had already donated in excess of $250,000 since Coach Roque had become coach and had committed $5M to the renovation. He also stated no prior connection to LSSU and that no member of the donor group attended LSSU or lived in the area.

Addressing Coach Roque's Contract, back in March of this year, Ms/Mr. Lakers2Glory stated that she/he knew first hand that Coach Roque signed a 3 year contract last summer and had two years remaining which was far too much to consider a buyout.

Regarding comparisons between drawing a capable coach to LSSU vs. UAA, let’s do a little poll. How many of us could convince our family to move to a city that is not located in the lower 48, has winter for 9 months and gets no sunlight in the winter. By the way, how long does it take and how much would it cost to fly with a family of three to the closest city in the lower 48?
I don’t think it is a fair comparison. We would have no trouble landing quality applicants at LSSU especially if they looked at the history of coaches that got their start here.

My last point is that we have finally reached the annual point of the off season where we start to say that we should be a top half team next year and if we aren’t a coaching change should be made.
My prediction for year ONE of the new WCHA is 5th at very best. BGSU, FSU, MTU, MSU will all finish above. UAH and UAA will finish below. My thought is that UAF will finish above us and BSU will finish below. I think it’s a coin flip with NMU but we should have better goaltending so realistically we will finish 6-7 out of 10 and out of the top half. Anything more is a good year.
Does anyone know the playoff format for the new WCHA?

You'd better check your plane ticket prices to, because a ticket from the Soo to Minneapolis is only 46 bucks cheaper than Anchorage to Minny. Now, Anchorage is a metropolitan area of over a quarter million people. It's got just a bit more to do and see than our little town. Now, if you are that top notch D-I assistant, do you want to take a pay cut to be head coach in the Soo and have half the recruiting budget you are used to AND no be able to pay your assistant coaches a decent living wage? I mean we've got one now working a second job. Boy, that's an attractive package we present. NAHL and D-III coaches will be standing in line to apply, but don't even hope that top D-I talent will be beating down Kris's door. And oh by the way, 20 years ago means nothing today, to either potential coaching candidates or to kids you may want to play here. Do you think the 94 Championship means squat to a kid born in 94. To a potential coach, do Jeff Jackson and Frank Anzalone 1.0 mean more than Jim Roque and Frank 2? If you think they do, I hope you don't need to pee in a cup for work. Just watch for the guys in the white suits and "de plane, de plane!" Because you're about to be welcomed to Fantasy Island!

 

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

The only thing we can hope for come next season is that Roque comes to the opinion that his coaching methods have not worked and he reaches out to people who can get him to re-think everything.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

So many posts to choose from, where do I start?
Back in June of 2012 Mr. 3dognight confirmed a prior post that stated he and his group had already donated in excess of $250,000 since Coach Roque had become coach and had committed $5M to the renovation. He also stated no prior connection to LSSU and that no member of the donor group attended LSSU or lived in the area.

Addressing Coach Roque's Contract, back in March of this year, Ms/Mr. Lakers2Glory stated that she/he knew first hand that Coach Roque signed a 3 year contract last summer and had two years remaining which was far too much to consider a buyout.

Norris Center Project planning started under Roque's tenure as coach, and he likely had some input into it, but is it's completion dependent upon him staying on as coach? I doubt it. It's being done for LSSU athletics, primarily the hockey program, and I think we're all grateful for it, but I think it's independent of who is hockey coach at this point.

I know that Lakers2Glory has stated that Roque is is under a multi-year contract, but others have said he isn't, including some that are in a better position than I to know what's going on inside the program, so I'm not sure what the true story is. Maybe he's under contract for another season (or two); maybe he isn't. Not everything that Lakers2Glory has posted has been accurate.

 

[Lakers2Glory]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Maybe he's under contract for another season (or two); maybe he isn't. Not everything that Lakers2Glory has posted has been accurate.

Athletics Department said they do not issue contracts to coaches longer than 3 years. Roque said it was a long-term deal when I asked him, so putting that together, i am more than willing to say it is a 3-year deal. I know 100% that its not a year-to-year.

The donor to the Norris Project approached at least one other school that I know of before LSSU. That school was not interested due to too many stipulations for receiving the money.

Bill is correct. My sources are not always correct, but I would say 95% of the time they are spot-on accurate.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Athletics Department said they do not issue contracts to coaches longer than 3 years. Roque said it was a long-term deal when I asked him, so putting that together, i am more than willing to say it is a 3-year deal. I know 100% that its not a year-to-year.

The donor to the Norris Project approached at least one other school that I know of before LSSU. That school was not interested due to too many stipulations for receiving the money.

Bill is correct. My sources are not always correct, but I would say 95% of the time they are spot-on accurate.

You may be right, but it sounds like you are basing your contract statements strictly on what Roque told you, not because you actually are in a position to know for sure what the contract says. Other people have said it's year to year, both on this forum and I've heard that outside the forum as well. So I'm saying that for me at least, I don't have 100% confidence one way or the other about what his contract says.

As far as the Norris Center Project goes, there has been a fair amount of speculation on here about whether the project was still proceeding at all, or maybe in a scaled back fashion. It does sound like it is finally getting to the rubber meets the road stage, but I'm wondering if our AD was also trying to put more stipulations on the money, e.g. diverting more of it to non-hockey oriented programs, and that perhaps was the reason for the delays and uncertainty. Have you any knowledge of that occurring?

 

[DM2SM]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Well I found a discussion point that gets a response.
You are right that I was not aware of the demographics in Anchorage and should be more prepared. I accept all the responses. I said that Anch. gets no sunlight in the winter and it is pointed out they get a “few” hours a day. I said they get 9 months of winter and it was clarified that they get a comparable winter to us because they are on the coast. I implied that it would be expensive to fly the family out for holiday’s, vacations ect. and it is pointed out to me that it is slightly more to fly from Anch. to Minny than from the Soo. I guess I could have made it simple. My impression is that Anchorage is a hell of a long way from the rest of the world and that most people that move to Alaska are not going for the amenities of civilization but to get away from them. For this reason I think LSSU is more attractive plus I think it is safe to say that it would be difficult to get in your car and drive to Minny. I know I can do it easily from here.
More importantly and what I invite comment on is this. Mr. 3dognight stated with certainty last June that LSSU Hockey is now funded in the upper half of the new WCHA. He addressed coaching salaries, recruiting budgets and facilities once the project is complete. He said the donor group injected money and the University put in additional funds. Reread the posts from last summer. I trust Mr. 3dognight because he is working directly with the athletic department. (Bill, you are a close second.)
I could be wrong but my understanding of the part time coach is that he owned an insurance business prior to joining the LSSU coaching staff. Please correct me but I have been told that he is making the same amount of money that the previous assistant was making. Am I right in saying that concessions were made to allow him the opportunity to maintain his business and coach? Wouldn’t any of us do both if possible?
You can’t have it both ways people. Either we are trying to get better or not. Please make up your minds.

 

[eye4talent]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Looks like the Lakers got another commitment.

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=8432

Proffitt runs a good program up in Fairbanks. 9th D1 commitment this year. Pretty impressive.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

More importantly and what I invite comment on is this. Mr. 3dognight stated with certainty last June that LSSU Hockey is now funded in the upper half of the new WCHA. He addressed coaching salaries, recruiting budgets and facilities once the project is complete. He said the donor group injected money and the University put in additional funds. Reread the posts from last summer. I trust Mr. 3dognight because he is working directly with the athletic department. (Bill, you are a close second.)
I could be wrong but my understanding of the part time coach is that he owned an insurance business prior to joining the LSSU coaching staff. Please correct me but I have been told that he is making the same amount of money that the previous assistant was making. Am I right in saying that concessions were made to allow him the opportunity to maintain his business and coach? Wouldn’t any of us do both if possible?
You can’t have it both ways people. Either we are trying to get better or not. Please make up your minds.

I remember many of 3dognight's comments from last year, but I don't remember coaching salaries being discussed by him. Then again, I'm not as young as I used to be and my memory isn't what it once was. I'm not sure that coaching salaries are affected by the project (directly or indirectly), but I'll leave it up to 3dognight (or others) to address that. Everything 3dognight has posted sounds good and I think we are getting close to seeing the Norris Center renovations started. Increases in the recruiting budget are already showing up as we are starting to recruit in the BCHL and perhaps increasing our presence in the AJHL. Of course everyone would like to see us have more of a recruiting presence in the USHL as well, but we haven't seen/heard evidence of that yet.

It's my understanding also that Laprade, as #2 assistant, still has his insurance job. Nothing wrong with that if it doesn't interfere with his coaching job. I assume he is being given the same assistant's pay that Metro was given.

 

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

Looks like the Lakers got another commitment.

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=8432

Proffitt runs a good program up in Fairbanks. 9th D1 commitment this year. Pretty impressive.

Once Buddy Robinson decided to go pro, they no doubt went to their recruiting contingency list and decided to bring in Angus as a replacement to fill behind Buddy. Angus is a small guy, so presumably he is a very good skater. I think the signing period has opened up again this week, so actual LOIs should start coming in from next season's recruits, all forwards. And Johnson was already in school this season and should be eligible next season.

 

[Lakers2Glory]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

As far as the Norris Center Project goes, there has been a fair amount of speculation on here about whether the project was still proceeding at all, or maybe in a scaled back fashion. It does sound like it is finally getting to the rubber meets the road stage, but I'm wondering if our AD was also trying to put more stipulations on the money, e.g. diverting more of it to non-hockey oriented programs, and that perhaps was the reason for the delays and uncertainty. Have you any knowledge of that occurring?

Bill-I have not heard the AD or anyone involved say that directly, but I have heard from numerous people close to the project that there were disagreements between donor and AD as to where the money should be spent. From comments I received, my opinion is AD Dunbar wanted money going towards non-hockey locker rooms and things of that nature. Although I'm sure there was room to negotiate, I think both parties involved drew their lines in the sand and it took awhile to come together on an agreement to move forward. 3dognight is probably the only one on here who could say 100% for sure, but he seems to be a lost soul at the moment.

 

[DM2SM]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

I remember many of 3dognight's comments from last year, but I don't remember coaching salaries being discussed by him. Then again, I'm not as young as I used to be and my memory isn't what it once was. I'm not sure that coaching salaries are affected by the project (directly or indirectly), but I'll leave it up to 3dognight (or others) to address that. Everything 3dognight has posted sounds good and I think we are getting close to seeing the Norris Center renovations started. Increases in the recruiting budget are already showing up as we are starting to recruit in the BCHL and perhaps increasing our presence in the AJHL. Of course everyone would like to see us have more of a recruiting presence in the USHL as well, but we haven't seen/heard evidence of that yet.

Bill, as usual you may be right. I re-read the posts and it is confusing but Mr. 3dognight says in some posts that coaching salaries are one of the items that need to be addressed to bring LSSU in range with other programs in the new league. On other posts he posts that critical financial issues have been addressed by an increased financial commitment from the university as well as a fund matching program that the donor group established. Mr. 3dognight does say that the combination of these two sources put LSSU in the upper 1/3 of the new league as of last summer. No-where did I directly see thatmonies were used to increase salaries. It does say recruiting, facilities and operations were increased.

 

[DM2SM]

Re: LSSU Laker Hockey 2012-2013, Part 2

I mean we've got one now working a second job. Boy, that's an attractive package we present.

I want to be clear that I think the “Part Time” assistant coach is doing a great job. My comments are only to address your direction that LSSU can’t even afford two full time coaches. I think the “Part Time” coach is being paid the same as the previous full time assistant coaches and to make everything work he is allowed to maintain his private business. A win/win.