<> Michigan Tech Huskies 2021-22: STILL Our 100th Anniversary <>

[Taz]

Lateral move ok, though going from Western to Tech was lateral as well. Maybe he just wanted a change of scenery and I am sure a raise. Does anyone know how competitive the salaries are? Leaves the staff kind of young now.

He didn't go from WMU to Tech. He went from WMU to head coaching jobs in the CHL and DIII Wisconsin - Stevens Point before moving to Tech.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

6 years is a fairly long tenure for an assistant in any sport these days, and it's not always convenient to wait around for a promotion opportunity. Brooks has already been a successful D3 head coach, so there's no reason for him to go backward to a D3 or junior A head coach role. Sometimes family circumstances drive the decision to make a move. Sometimes people feel they've plateaued in their current position and need a new leader's perspective. Getting coaching & recruiting experience out east will likely expand his opportunities to land a head coach job in the ECAC or HEA in the coming years. I don't really have a problem with it regardless, people move on and it's an opportunity for us to bring in a new lead assistant with some fresh ideas. I'm hoping for someone with good USHL recruiting connections.

 

[giwan]

6 years is a fairly long tenure for an assistant in any sport these days, and it's not always convenient to wait around for a promotion opportunity. Brooks has already been a successful D3 head coach, so there's no reason for him to go backward to a D3 or junior A head coach role. Sometimes family circumstances drive the decision to make a move. Sometimes people feel they've plateaued in their current position and need a new leader's perspective. Getting coaching & recruiting experience out east will likely expand his opportunities to land a head coach job in the ECAC or HEA in the coming years. I don't really have a problem with it regardless, people move on and it's an opportunity for us to bring in a new lead assistant with some fresh ideas. I'm hoping for someone with good USHL recruiting connections.

Any rumors or to early to tell

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

my pick (which is not very educated) would be cam ellsworth as associate head coach...

 

[Lost_Husky]

6 years is a fairly long tenure for an assistant in any sport these days, and it's not always convenient to wait around for a promotion opportunity. Brooks has already been a successful D3 head coach, so there's no reason for him to go backward to a D3 or junior A head coach role. Sometimes family circumstances drive the decision to make a move. Sometimes people feel they've plateaued in their current position and need a new leader's perspective. Getting coaching & recruiting experience out east will likely expand his opportunities to land a head coach job in the ECAC or HEA in the coming years. I don't really have a problem with it regardless, people move on and it's an opportunity for us to bring in a new lead assistant with some fresh ideas. I'm hoping for someone with good USHL recruiting connections.

Do you think Joe still wants to recruit the USHL? From one of the Joe Show's, he said Tech hit a recruiting glass ceiling and couldn't get the next level of recruit with the answer being league reputation. Sounded like agents/perception played a part in it. Sounds like the reason why Tech is recruiting Canada and Europe more than they have recently. I wouldn't be surprised if Tech get someone with a strong Canadian/European recruiting connection.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Do you think Joe still wants to recruit the USHL? From one of the Joe Show's, he said Tech hit a recruiting glass ceiling and couldn't get the next level of recruit with the answer being league reputation. Sounded like agents/perception played a part in it. Sounds like the reason why Tech is recruiting Canada and Europe more than they have recently. I wouldn't be surprised if Tech get someone with a strong Canadian/European recruiting connection.

He should try harder then. We should never stop recruiting in the USHL. It's the top NCAA feeder league. I don't expect Tech to win many recruiting battles against semi-pro hockey factories like Denver and North Dakota, but it's not unreasonable to expect us to pull a few more away from Western, Omaha, and Miami.

Recruiting in Europe is an interesting angle that may pay dividends for us in the coming years. Lake State has had some success with their imports, though I'd have to think any recruiting in Russia and Eastern Europe is totally shut down now with the ongoing war.

 

[Lost_Husky]

He should try harder then. We should never stop recruiting in the USHL. It's the top NCAA feeder league. I don't expect Tech to win many recruiting battles against semi-pro hockey factories like Denver and North Dakota, but it's not unreasonable to expect us to pull a few more away from Western, Omaha, and Miami.

Recruiting in Europe is an interesting angle that may pay dividends for us in the coming years. Lake State has had some success with their imports, though I'd have to think any recruiting in Russia and Eastern Europe is totally shut down now with the ongoing war.

Agreed, but who in the CCHA is having success pulling in top USHL talent? Look at the drafted players on the rosters of those three vs 3 of the CCHA's schools of your choice. In terms of actual hockey talent, the CCHA is equal to better than those schools. (Maybe not Western. They have a very good roster, just been hit hard by injuries and off ice issues.) We know that. People who are college hockey fans know that. I bet scouts know that, but does that matter to the kids when their agent/family/advisor tells them where to go?

How many NCAA D1 hockey players are Russians? I think the Sweden/Finland pipeline could be productive. Canada has historically been a good recruiting ground. Throw in the Americans with connections to Tech, plus a few USHL players who like what Tech has to offer, and we could have a solid roster for years to come.

As of this morning, Brooks is still listed as Assistant Coach on Tech's website.

I'm interested to see who they select as the next assistant.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

I only mentioned Russia because I noticed in the last few years that a few schools had one or two of them (can't remember who). It looks like LSSU's European recruits have come mainly from Sweden and Germany, with a few from other countries - Latvia, Belarus, Slovakia. Sweden, Finland, and Germany ought to be able to produce some talent while having education systems that make it less likely to run afoul of the NCAA clearinghouse. The bigger concern I think is how some of these guys get the call to play a few games for a pro team, which can cost them NCAA eligibility.

 

[Lost_Husky]

I only mentioned Russia because I noticed in the last few years that a few schools had one or two of them (can't remember who). It looks like LSSU's European recruits have come mainly from Sweden and Germany, with a few from other countries - Latvia, Belarus, Slovakia. Sweden, Finland, and Germany ought to be able to produce some talent while having education systems that make it less likely to run afoul of the NCAA clearinghouse. The bigger concern I think is how some of these guys get the call to play a few games for a pro team, which can cost them NCAA eligibility.

Russia is known for producing great hockey players and if someone could recruit Russia, they can pull some great talent. As with everything, what is the effort/risk/reward calculation? For Tech, it seems the effort is worth the reward.

 

[John J. MacInnes]

Don't be surprised if Pat Mikesch is in the mix. Lots of USHL connections and obvious links to the program, plus he's available immediately. That would be the safe, easy pick but not necessarily a needle mover.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

While I would hope that Mikesch has grown as a coach in the last decade, I'd be skeptical of hiring a retread from the Dark Ages. I see he's had a few solid teams in his time as the Gamblers' HC, but none of them have gotten past the first round of the USHL playoffs. I know junior leagues are a little different with the way good players come in and are usually gone after only a year or two, but that's a red flag to me that he may still struggle with strategy or developing the talent he finds.

 

[manurespreader]

I agree with fade on that one. I am also sure that recruiting is top of mind in finding a replacement.

 

[davyd83]

While I would hope that Mikesch has grown as a coach in the last decade, I'd be skeptical of hiring a retread from the Dark Ages. I see he's had a few solid teams in his time as the Gamblers' HC, but none of them have gotten past the first round of the USHL playoffs. I know junior leagues are a little different with the way good players come in and are usually gone after only a year or two, but that's a red flag to me that he may still struggle with strategy or developing the talent he finds.

I believe Mikesch developed at least 18 NHL draft picks. How many players that stayed for multiple seasons showed improvement and how many didn’t? How many Gamblers games have you seen over the past 8 years? Weren’t the “dark ages” that time before Tech got a massive funding increase that greatly improved the recruiting budget?

 

[Huskiefan906]

The stars are aligned to bring Cam Ellsworth in - has all the boxes checked - solid exemplary recruiter, and the experience to be the next head coach when Joe retires. I think he elevates the program if they can get him.

 

[DrunkTrainPolka]

The stars are aligned to bring Cam Ellsworth in - has all the boxes checked - solid exemplary recruiter, and the experience to be the next head coach when Joe retires. I think he elevates the program if they can get him.

i love the the idea of ellsworth... BUT the concern here would be that both he and joe were goalies, i guess defensive focused. what is tyler's role? what was chris' role?

maybe joe and cam are too much alike??

but i am certain if he came onboard they could figure things out... as it all stands, cam would be my choice to replace joe when the time comes. joe is 59, cam is 41...

and incase y'all didn't know, joe coached cam while the HC of the soo indians...

 

[Lost_Husky]

i love the the idea of ellsworth... BUT the concern here would be that both he and joe were goalies, i guess defensive focused. what is tyler's role? what was chris' role?

maybe joe and cam are too much alike??

but i am certain if he came onboard they could figure things out... as it all stands, cam would be my choice to replace joe when the time comes. joe is 59, cam is 41...

and incase y'all didn't know, joe coached cam while the HC of the soo indians...

From previous Joe shows Joe said he wants his "top" assistant to be someone he can unload things to and not have to worry about it. With Cam's D3 experience, Joe could do that like he did with Chris. It might be beneficial to have another former goalie on staff. As much as I love Jamie, he is a volunteer and will be moving on to other things in the not to distant future. Cam could takeover goalies and allow Joe to focus on other areas. As long as Cam can mesh with what Joe is looking for in an assistant, it would be a great hire. Plus recruiter, great D3 run as a HC, ties to Tech, Cam and Joe are familiar with each other,...

 

[redwing61]

Tech Hockey Guide says the other two Finnish recruits are defensemen Kasper Vaharautio and Topi Heiskanen. Heiskanen was a second team all-star in the Finnish junior league this past season.

They also have Ryan O'Connell transferring in from Ohio State. I feel okay about our top two defense pairs now, but I have no idea where the goals are going to come from.

 

[Lost_Husky]

Tech Hockey Guide says the other two Finnish recruits are defensemen Kasper Vaharautio and Topi Heiskanen. Heiskanen was a second team all-star in the Finnish junior league this past season.

They also have Ryan O'Connell transferring in from Ohio State. I feel okay about our top two defense pairs now, but I have no idea where the goals are going to come from.

Someone had posted there are 2 goalies in this recruiting class.

Schlossman missed that one on The Rink Live's Transfer Portal Update. That addition does give us a nice top 4.

Well... Logan Pietala and Ashbrook are the obvious answer. I think bringing in 2 more centers will help. They should provide better spacing, higher percentage of faceoff wins, cleaner passes, and allow players to play their natural position. They are going to need to embrace the ugly goal. A normal offseason should help a lot of the guys develop some strength/power if they can stay at Tech for a good part of the summer.

 

[giwan]

No coaching rumors from the Paint Store?

 

[redwing61]

No coaching rumors from the Paint Store?

It's Jordy Murray.