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Michigan State Hockey 202?-202?

This is bizarre timing. Cole was at the academic gala Monday night with the players, and the banquet is Wednesday night. Somehow he's out on Tuesday afternoon.

And the most amazing thing is that nothing leaked, as is what usually happens at MSU. That would highly suggest this is a unilateral move by Alan Haller.
 
Pirateasaur said:
Wow! I am shocked our AD pulled the trigger. Let’s hope he’s got far more of a plan than Hollis ever did.
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I'm a bit shocked by the timing, given that our season ended weeks ago. Regardless, this is the correct decision. Haller should be applauded for making it.

This is a sad day. Personally, I like Danton. I also think he still has the ability to be a good coach somewhere. That said, this program is in a really bad spot right now and he's responsible for that. MSU is not competitive. There's a real possibility that we're losing 30 games next season. He had to go.

I'm hoping we consider candidates outside the MSU bubble. I think an outside perspective would be helpful and healthy right now. Anastos and Cole were branches from the Mason coaching tree. Ron was great, but that was heyday was decades ago. Modern-day college hockey is a dramatically different sport and MSU needs to make a hire that accounts for that. It's dangerous for MSU to continue living in the '80s, '90s and early '00s. You can overdose on nostalgia.
 
They were hosting a recruit this morning, and the postseason banquet is tomorrow night. So you have to assume one of three scenarios:

A) There was a major NCAA violation that necessitated an immediate move
B) Someone is already lined up to take the job
C) Alan Haller has zero sense of timing

I highly doubt A.
B would be a big surprise, but eventually we'll find that out.
The smart money is on C.
 
John J. MacInnes said:
They were hosting a recruit this morning, and the postseason banquet is tomorrow night. So you have to assume one of three scenarios:

A) There was a major NCAA violation that necessitated an immediate move
B) Someone is already lined up to take the job
C) Alan Haller has zero sense of timing

I highly doubt A.
B would be a big surprise, but eventually we'll find that out.
The smart money is on C.
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Maybe plunk some chips down on B.
 
Pirateasaur said:
Ooo I hope not. We just drove down that road for 5 years. I really hope we pull a proven D1 coach from somewhere.
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It's worth noting that Nightingale's U-18s are .500 this year in the USHL. (They sure beat us, though.)

I mean, I'm sure he's a fine coach, I just don't know if it's wise to take a NTDP guy immediately after letting another NTDP guy go.

That said, I wouldn't be against calling up the coach of the Lumberjacks, or the Steel, or any other up-and-comer from the USHL that I don't know about.
 
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John J. MacInnes said:
They were hosting a recruit this morning, and the postseason banquet is tomorrow night. So you have to assume one of three scenarios:

A) There was a major NCAA violation that necessitated an immediate move
B) Someone is already lined up to take the job
C) Alan Haller has zero sense of timing

I highly doubt A.
B would be a big surprise, but eventually we'll find that out.
The smart money is on C.
Click to expand...

I don't think you're giving Haller and those surrounding him enough credit. From Cole's season-ending presser more than a month ago where we heard up to 10 new recruits and possibly one 5th year returner, they must have been alarmed at how rapidly things devolved into: 1) No returner; 2) 3 existing players including a rare MSU NHL draft pick to the transfer portal; and 3) 5 uninspiring commitments including a) a depth goalie transfer with an extremely small sample size of 9 GP; and b) a local, legacy, walk-on caliber NAHL player. Cole gave them no choice, as he was easily on his way to an even worse season than the recently concluded one. It will be interesting to see how things play out.
 
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aallenpollreisz said:
It's worth noting that Nightingale's U-18s are .500 this year in the USHL. (They sure beat us, though.)

I mean, I'm sure he's a fine coach, I just don't know if it's wise to take a NTDP guy immediately after letting another NTDP guy go.

That said, I wouldn't be against calling up the coach of the Lumberjacks, or the Steel, or any other up-and-comer from the USHL that I don't know about.
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I doubt MSU hires or even considers an unknown (outside of Junior hockey circles)from The Junior ranks to replace Cole especially when so many other candidates with D1 and even NHL (looking at you Jeff Blashill) bench boss experience are or will become available here shortly.
 
FLHockeyMom said:
I don't think you're giving Haller and those surrounding him enough credit. From Cole's season-ending presser more than a month ago where we heard up to 10 new recruits and possibly one 5th year returner, they must have been alarmed at how rapidly things devolved into: 1) No returner; 2) 3 existing players including a rare MSU NHL draft pick to the transfer portal; and 3) 5 uninspiring commitments including a) a depth goalie transfer with an extremely small sample size of 9 GP; and b) a local, legacy, walk-on caliber NAHL player. Cole gave them no choice, as he was easily on his way to an even worse season than the recently concluded one. It will be interesting to see how things play out.
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Even with all of that, the timing is awful. There has to be some reason that it absolutely had to be done when it did, because no one in their right mind would arbitrarily pick that moment to pull the trigger.
 
Age be damned, get the money that is needed to bring back an alum. Jeff Jackson. He would be my first call. Michigan State hockey has been irrelevant for quite some time now. A proven coach with a track record of turning ND into a consistent NCAA tournament team. He very well might not have any interest in leaving ND. But it's worth a shot. Make him tell you no. Or else bring back Damon Whitten and pray he has what it takes like you did with Anastos and Cole.
 
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Day after Cole is fired the other Cole withdraws from portal and announces he’ll return for a 5th year. Will his brother also return?
 
wsummers said:
Day after Cole is fired the other Cole withdraws from portal and announces he’ll return for a 5th year. Will his brother also return?
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This doesn't surprise me in the least since the twins clearly weren't getting any pro traction (even tho they were both late-round draft selections). Not to mention we need 2 "experienced" dmen. I feel for the new coach whomever he may be, because given this development, recent portal activity both ways, and an NAHL commitment, next season is not going to be pretty.
 
Paul Goddard said:
I doubt MSU hires or even considers an unknown (outside of Junior hockey circles)from The Junior ranks to replace Cole especially when so many other candidates with D1 and even NHL (looking at you Jeff Blashill) bench boss experience are or will become available here shortly.
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Jim Montgomery was hired by Denver after three seasons with Dubuque. He won a national championship there before heading to Dallas.

I think it would be a mistake to exclude the best USHL coaches from this discussion.

Any successful MSU rebuild plan probably requires solid recruiting from the USHL. It helps to have someone on your staff that knows that landscape well.
 
aallenpollreisz said:
Jim Montgomery was hired by Denver after three seasons with Dubuque. He won a national championship there before heading to Dallas.

I think it would be a mistake to exclude the best USHL coaches from this discussion.

Any successful MSU rebuild plan probably requires solid recruiting from the USHL. It helps to have someone on your staff that knows that landscape well.
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True but Denver wasn’t in rebuild mode when Montgomery was hired and focus can’t solely be on USHL talent in this rebuild! I’d much rather see a mix of USHL and BCHL talent be the focus in this new rebuild.
 
J.D. said:
Age be damned, get the money that is needed to bring back an alum. Jeff Jackson. He would be my first call. Michigan State hockey has been irrelevant for quite some time now. A proven coach with a track record of turning ND into a consistent NCAA tournament team. He very well might not have any interest in leaving ND. But it's worth a shot. Make him tell you no. Or else bring back Damon Whitten and pray he has what it takes like you did with Anastos and Cole.
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The Jeff Jackson shark was jumped back in 2002! Notre Dame won’t let him go and I honestly believe Jeff Jackson still is bitter about getting ZERO consideration for the job back in ‘02!
 
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