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Michigan Hockey 22-23, new coach, new players, new era

M

MichVandal

Well-known member
With Brandon Naurato being named head coach, some of us can move on and look to the new season. So far, we have who we have, and with Naurato being a bench coach, maybe they stay.

And if the team has a great season, the Interim tag for Coach Naurato can be removed for next season.
 
J.D. said:
Any word on if Muckalt stays on? Hasn't he been there longer than Naurato?
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Not that I can find. He was around longer, but that also ties him to Mel’s issues all the way back to Tech.

Given the time left before the season, I’d wager the rest of the staff will stay unless they want to leave (or get asked to leave).

edit- on another hockey board, multiple people are suggesting he will stay for the season
 
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J.D. said:
Any word on if Muckalt stays on? Hasn't he been there longer than Naurato?
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He has been there longer and has head coach experience from USHL. Interesting that he was passed over for the interim position, but as far as we know he hasn't been asked to leave
 
J.D. said:
From what I have read, Naurato seems like a very bright guy.
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Apparently, he was also very involved in recruiting. So if he gets the permanent job possibly he can maintain something resembling the insanely high recruiting bar set by Mel.
 
QU/UM said:
Apparently, he was also very involved in recruiting. So if he gets the permanent job possibly he can maintain something resembling the insanely high recruiting bar set by Mel.
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It was a high bar for sure. But having loads of super high potential young players is not the key to the kingdom it would seem.
 
J.D. said:
From what I have read, Naurato seems like a very bright guy.
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Makes me wonder if Naurato is the reason the ex-coach was kept around for so long after the report was in hand. One would think if U of M didn't feel good with an in house candidate, the report would have come out sooner to get some sort of resolution.
 
J.D. said:
Being big ten champs and losing in OT at the FF means the formula worked IMO.
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Mel's "formula" was to just accept an NLI from ANYONE willing to sign one. Whether or not they would ever see the ice in a game under his watch was another story. The over-recruiting mess he left behind for the new staff in Houghton took 4+ years to clean up.

If Michigan's expectation last year with SEVEN 1st round draft picks on the roster wasn't a National Championship, Naurato will have no problem removing the "temp" from his job title next season by simply finishing 0.500 and keeping himself out of any scandals.
 
JohnsonsJerseys said:
Mel's "formula" was to just accept an NLI from ANYONE willing to sign one. Whether or not they would ever see the ice in a game under his watch was another story. The over-recruiting mess he left behind for the new staff in Houghton took 4+ years to clean up.

If Michigan's expectation last year with SEVEN 1st round draft picks on the roster wasn't a National Championship, Naurato will have no problem removing the "temp" from his job title next season by simply finishing 0.500 and keeping himself out of any scandals.
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You do realize that fans expect a national championship every single year, right? Just because they didn't get to the championship game last year does not change the expectation. It was even expected when we didn't make the tournament the year prior.

Thanks to Red for that raised expectation- which was there in the early 90's.

More than once, the team following the super talented players that left made it very deep into the tournament, including winning an NC in 1998.

Maybe you need to worry about Tech's expectations more. Do you seriously not expect to win an NC anymore? Man, that would make my dad mad if he knew that.
 
JohnsonsJerseys said:
Mel's "formula" was to just accept an NLI from ANYONE willing to sign one. Whether or not they would ever see the ice in a game under his watch was another story. The over-recruiting mess he left behind for the new staff in Houghton took 4+ years to clean up.

If Michigan's expectation last year with SEVEN 1st round draft picks on the roster wasn't a National Championship, Naurato will have no problem removing the "temp" from his job title next season by simply finishing 0.500 and keeping himself out of any scandals.
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Wasn't Shawhan an assistant under Mel? No team can "expect" a national title.
 
J.D. said:
Wasn't Shawhan an assistant under Mel? No team can "expect" a national title.
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Teams can expect to compete for one. Or fans can expect teams to compete for one. I do.

Then again, given there can only be one winner a season, I also don't call it a failure when they don't meet that expectation.
 
MichVandal said:
Teams can expect to compete for one. Or fans can expect teams to compete for one. I do.

Then again, given there can only be one winner a season, I also don't call it a failure when they don't meet that expectation.
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Right, expecting to compete for one and expecting to win it are different. Michigan had a great year. Losing to the national champion in OT at FF doesn't change that.
 
J.D. said:
Being big ten champs and losing in OT at the FF means the formula worked IMO.
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FF wasn't and isn't the goal. Most national champion teams in the past decade were comprised of *not* first round draft choices that left after two years. They were comprised older, more physical players.
 
Again, you can't just expect to win a national title. It's just not that simple in a one and done tournament. So sure it's disappointing to lose in the FF but when you win your league and lose to national champ in OT at FF that's a very good season. The teams with a lot of high picks have struggled to even have the season Michigan had. Michigan had a lot of solid upperclassmen as well. Now if they miss the tournament this year then you can question the model. But just going off last year it was a success. They don't hand you the trophy.
 
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