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>< Michigan Tech Huskies 2022-23: Over One Century of Hockey ><

D

DrunkTrainPolka

GO TECH GOLD!
Time for a new thread...

"Huskies to add Jordy Murray to Hockey Staff"

https://www.techhockeyguide.com/2022/07/13/huskies-to-add-jordy-murray-to-hockey-staff/
 
I recall that as a player, he had enough talent that he could produce, but he was never the flashy big star on those UW teams. That perhaps bodes well for teaching current players how to make the most of what they've got.
 
Maybe someone can help me out because I’m confused. Beside the head coach, Tech’s coaching staff consists of one assistant whose total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach and the other assistants total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer development coach and between the two of them they have a total of one year as a paid coach in hockey at any level? It was mentioned that the new hire was coming from Notre Dame and that was a positive. I quickly checked Notre Dame’s staff. One assistant at Notre Dame is Paul Pooley has been with Jackson for 17 years including 2 national championship years at Lake State. Oh, yeah, he was also the head coach at Providence for 11 years where he was a 2 time finalist for the Penrose award. The other assistant is Andy Slaggert who has been coaching since 1989, has 30 years at Notre Dame, and is credited with recruiting 56 players who were drafted by NHL teams.
I’d be interested in anyone’s thoughts about the current state of Tech’s coaching staff.
 
lawdoggies said:
Maybe someone can help me out because I’m confused. Beside the head coach, Tech’s coaching staff consists of one assistant whose total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach and the other assistants total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer development coach and between the two of them they have a total of one year as a paid coach in hockey at any level? It was mentioned that the new hire was coming from Notre Dame and that was a positive. I quickly checked Notre Dame’s staff. One assistant at Notre Dame is Paul Pooley has been with Jackson for 17 years including 2 national championship years at Lake State. Oh, yeah, he was also the head coach at Providence for 11 years where he was a 2 time finalist for the Penrose award. The other assistant is Andy Slaggert who has been coaching since 1989, has 30 years at Notre Dame, and is credited with recruiting 56 players who were drafted by NHL teams.
I’d be interested in anyone’s thoughts about the current state of Tech’s coaching staff.
Click to expand...
Joe knows what he’s doing. Check his record. It’s very similar to Mel’s and is among the best of any coach since John MacInnes retired.
 
lawdoggies said:
Maybe someone can help me out because I’m confused. Beside the head coach, Tech’s coaching staff consists of one assistant whose total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach and the other assistants total previous coaching experience was as a volunteer development coach and between the two of them they have a total of one year as a paid coach in hockey at any level? It was mentioned that the new hire was coming from Notre Dame and that was a positive. I quickly checked Notre Dame’s staff. One assistant at Notre Dame is Paul Pooley has been with Jackson for 17 years including 2 national championship years at Lake State. Oh, yeah, he was also the head coach at Providence for 11 years where he was a 2 time finalist for the Penrose award. The other assistant is Andy Slaggert who has been coaching since 1989, has 30 years at Notre Dame, and is credited with recruiting 56 players who were drafted by NHL teams.
I’d be interested in anyone’s thoughts about the current state of Tech’s coaching staff.
Click to expand...

While I share some of your same concern, Tyler has been with/around coaching since he returned to Tech as a strength/conditioning coach. Tyler, while strength and conditioning coach, has been behind the bench when one of the assistants was out recruiting to serve as the 3rd coach. Joe has been working with/around Tyler for several years and had last year to see how Tyler did as a coach. Apparently he liked what he saw and felt comfortable about bringing in a "green" coach.

Jordy has a lot going for him, son of a coach, Jeff Jackson's recommendation (assumed), on ice skill development experience (something Tech sorely needs),...

Yes they might be green, but when one steps back and looks at things, this can work and gives Tech a lot of what is needed to have a successful program.
 
davyd83 said:
Joe knows what he’s doing. Check his record. It’s very similar to Mel’s and is among the best of any coach since John MacInnes retired.
Click to expand...
Well.... On paper and at face value, yes, those statements are true. However, I would say that strength of schedule has taken a significant dip since the end of the WCHA 1.0 in 2013. In my opinion, playing in the WCHA 2.0 and CCHA 2.0 is worth about 4 more wins per season on Tech's record, regardless of who is coaching the team. The collective strength/quality of our conference since 2013 does not come anywhere close to pre-2013.

If you back out four wins per season that Tech played in those two conference arrangements, Mel drops to 110-100-29 (0.524 win percentage) and Joe drops to 85-77-16 (0.525 win percentage). For comparison, Mike Hastings record at Mankato since 2013 playing the same conference teams (and arguably a harder out of conference schedule most seasons) is 250-82-21 (0.753 win percentage).

Also keep in mind Mel/Joe are the only two coaches that even have winning records since John. So being one of the best since John isn't setting the bar super high.
 
JohnsonsJerseys said:
Well.... On paper and at face value, yes, those statements are true. However, I would say that strength of schedule has taken a significant dip since the end of the WCHA 1.0 in 2013. In my opinion, playing in the WCHA 2.0 and CCHA 2.0 is worth about 4 more wins per season on Tech's record, regardless of who is coaching the team. The collective strength/quality of our conference since 2013 does not come anywhere close to pre-2013.

If you back out four wins per season that Tech played in those two conference arrangements, Mel drops to 110-100-29 (0.524 win percentage) and Joe drops to 85-77-16 (0.525 win percentage). For comparison, Mike Hastings record at Mankato since 2013 playing the same conference teams (and arguably a harder out of conference schedule most seasons) is 250-82-21 (0.753 win percentage).

Also keep in mind Mel/Joe are the only two coaches that even have winning records since John. So being one of the best since John isn't setting the bar super high.
Click to expand...

While I agree with your assessment, it is a mute point. Yes John is the best coach Tech had. Yes the WCHA 2.0/CCHA 2.0 is not as strong as the WCHA 1.0. That's not the point. The point is Joe is proving he can coach and maintaining the level of success that a certain former Husky turned Skunk Weasel revived. We can debate if Skunk Weasel benefited from a weak WCHA 2.0, playing with WCHA 1.0 talent, and having Tanner Kero gifted to him.

The Hastings comparison is superfluous. He is a top tier coach and has built a top tier program.

I know you want us to be there, but considering Tech's 100+ year history, we are in a good place with Tech hockey. Could it be better, yes. Should we be challenging MnSU for the league championship year in year out? Of course. Let's be real though. We are settling into a competitive league with MnSU at the top and a dogfight for the remaining home ice spots. Joe successfully went through a re-building and took us to the tournament. Now the team needs to re-load and tweak some things. Hopefully there is some development and guys put in a lot of skill work this off season.
 
Reading between the lines, I interpret Brooks' departure as him wanting to focus on his family and on player development, and having less time/appetite for the level of recruiting travel that Joe wants. Thus, Joe sees this staff turnover as a "win-win" and a good opportunity for Tech to get back to his preferred staffing model of having two young assistants who have the time to focus on both the recruiting trail grind and player development. It's unfortunate to hear Joe admit that he thinks our recruiting fell behind, but he did call out Tyler's work on the recruiting trail last year, which I think is a good sign and we'll see what Jordy Murray can accomplish once he gets out there.

Also worthy of note is that Tech is currently undertaking a series of locker room upgrades to help win recruiting battles, including new showers, hydrotherapy, and a weight room expansion. They did some analysis on a possible addition to the existing facilities, but ultimately concluded that they could do what they need to do within the existing footprint.

EDIT: They also added an afternoon exhibition against Lake State on 10/1 to kick off the season and are finalizing another exhibition game against Lakehead to occur shortly after that, probably Monday evening 10/3
 
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It was a good show. Agree fully on why Brooks left, a win win. Liked hearing from Jordy, sounds like he is full of energy.

Any photos of the locker room and coach area remodel?
 
Brooks is wanting a head coaching position, the lateral move gives him experience in another league and as Joe mentioned not a team coming out of a recruiting class "high" as Tech did.

Just listening to Jordy has me excited for the next couple years of Tech hockey. We lost a tactician in Brooks, but if we are stronger, and displaying more skill and the new coaches scour the earth for talent I do not see any concerns with relative inexperience as they deserve a shot with their credentials
 
Did you get your GLI tickets yet? They have gone on sale to alumni and students. Not sure about the general public.
 
If anyone from this message board is heading up to the Tech alumni reunion / MTU Hockey 100th celebration this weekend, I'll be putting roughly 40 different jersey styles from my Huskies game worn jersey collection on display in the JMSIA. They will be hung up for public viewing starting on Saturday afternoon through the end of the evening (Blizzard's pregame party, alumni hockey game, Bill's book signing, post game social, etc). I'll have a little table near the entrance so feel free to stop by and say hi. It would be great to put names and faces with some of the USCHO forum folks.
 
Merv deserves compassion. In light of all he’s done to college hockey and student-athletes, I’d be happy to welcome him back as junior assistant to the equipment manager’s laundry boy, at volunteer pay.
 
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