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Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

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Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Anyone their top 5? Not in any order. Bill, Cam, Ron, Dane, Keith

This talk of in or out of the Tech family should not be considered in my opinion, and whether they will be poached to a "bigger" program is a worthwhile risk as they need to succeed to do so. Had 1-2 more that could have been included in the top 5 but had to cut it somewhere.

Anything new, heard or seen on campus? Search committee? Flights in and out? Freighters?
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Are the non-conference foes understood for next year,
Tweet says 36 games with 34 plus GLI on the schedule.

Ice breaker
Union
UMD or Minny

GLI
Michigan State
BG or Mich

Ice Vegas
BC or ASU
NMU or BC or ASU

Home
ASU
ASU

There was talk of Wisconsin for the hall of fame to start the season, will there be another non conf matchup?
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Rolston and Muckalt, 1A and 1B. I like Rolston for the success he's had at the junior and college level(as an Assistant). I really like Muckalt if Tech could get Ellsworth to come in as an Assistant or Associate Head Coach and be ready to take over when Muckalt bolts for the pros in a couple of years. After that I'll play wait and see how it all plays out.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Huskiefan906 said:
Are the non-conference foes understood for next year,
Tweet says 36 games with 34 plus GLI on the schedule.

Ice breaker
Union
UMD or Minny

GLI
Michigan State
BG or Mich

Ice Vegas
BC or ASU
NMU or BC or ASU

Home
ASU
ASU

There was talk of Wisconsin for the hall of fame to start the season, will there be another non conf matchup?
Click to expand...

Wisconsin had a press release on the Hall of Fame Game. Sounded like a done deal. Tech is saying still finalizing things..
 
giwan said:
Anyone their top 5? Not in any order. Bill, Cam, Ron, Dane, Keith

This talk of in or out of the Tech family should not be considered in my opinion, and whether they will be poached to a "bigger" program is a worthwhile risk as they need to succeed to do so. Had 1-2 more that could have been included in the top 5 but had to cut it somewhere.

Anything new, heard or seen on campus? Search committee? Flights in and out? Freighters?
Click to expand...

I've heard that "stepping stone" concern expressed around the Northern hire. I can only hope that 4-5-6 years from now it is a major topic of discussion.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

The Troll mtu86 said:
Rolston and Muckalt, 1A and 1B. I like Rolston for the success he's had at the junior and college level(as an Assistant). I really like Muckalt if Tech could get Ellsworth to come in as an Assistant or Associate Head Coach and be ready to take over when Muckalt bolts for the pros in a couple of years. After that I'll play wait and see how it all plays out.
Click to expand...

Muckalt with Ellsworth may be my dream team right now.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Question: What successful college hockey programs have promoted an existing assistant coach to head coach and continued their success?
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Burnt Orange Husky said:
Question: What successful college hockey programs have promoted an existing assistant coach to head coach and continued their success?
Click to expand...

Based on a study I was working using data for the last 20 years of college hockey. I compared the final three seasons of the predecessor with the first three seasons of the successor. Only six program who had a .500+ record promoted an assistant.
  1. Minnesota State - Troy Jutting
  2. Niagara - Dave Burkholder
  3. Princeton - Len Quesnelle
  4. Alaska-Fairbanks -Tavis MacMillan
  5. North Dakota - Dave Hakstol
  6. Union - Rick Bennett
Only Rick Bennett improved on his predecessor's record, improving +0.101. Len Quesnelle had a net change of -0.239 sinking the program below .500. Tavis MacMillan also dropped UAF below .500 in his first 3 years.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

MTUHuskies said:
Is there anything to suggest Muckalt an Ellsworth would work together?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Not anything I know of, honestly it's 100% wishful thinking that has no basis, lol.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Flashy Man said:
Based on a study I was working using data for the last 20 years of college hockey. I compared the final three seasons of the predecessor with the first three seasons of the successor. Only six program who had a .500+ record promoted an assistant.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for your analysis! Since you have the data, how many successful programs hired a former assistant and continued their success?
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Regardless of whether or not you take a current/past assistant from your own team or someone from outside the program, you should expect a flatline for a couple seasons, if not a dip in terms of team success. Unless the next coach bought into the last coach's vision 100%, most will want to tweak how the team will play and will want players that fit that system. That means the team struggles to learn a new system, some players depart who don't believe in that system and it takes a few years to fill the pipeline with new talent who buy into that coach's system. That's the biggest danger of being breeding ground for future great coaches and turning them over every 4-5 years. (Well unless you're one of those teams that has a half-dozen first round draft picks on your roster every season, then is likely matters less, but talent isn't the ultimate factor in success - see BU.) I think Tech's best case scenario for the next head coach is to take the best combination of current ability and their desire to stay long term. If they have 80% of Pearson's ability but they would be content to lead Tech for the next 20 years, then I think you go with that person and hope they learn something along the way and improve themselves as well. If Tech manages to be a tourney team one or both of the next two seasons under a 1st year head coach, I think that would be above expectations.
Ryan
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Well, I think we're stopping profiles at 16 everyone...hope you checked them out because I'm pretty sure the next head coach will be one of them...
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Shirtless Guy said:
Well, I think we're stopping profiles at 16 everyone...hope you checked them out because I'm pretty sure the next head coach will be one of them...
Click to expand...
Thanks for all the work to put those profiles up. It shows the remarkable level of enthusiasm that exists for Tech hockey. I can't think of any other programs that had anything like the THG analysis. I'll be stunned if it's someone we missed. I hope we get Rolston, but I'd be pleased with Schuchuk, Shawhan or Muckalt.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

I was surprised that your Oz profile didn't mention that he was fired in Columbus after only 3 seasons, and didn't seem to be very well-liked by tOSU administrators or fans. I don't think the full story has ever come out on exactly what happened though.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Shirtless Guy said:
Well, I think we're stopping profiles at 16 everyone...hope you checked them out because I'm pretty sure the next head coach will be one of them...
Click to expand...

Great work, read each one at least once, now the real question(s) Any word? Any clue? Suzanne in town? Glenn? As big a hire as Mel was, in many ways this one is bigger for the program.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

giwan said:
Great work, read each one at least once, now the real question(s) Any word? Any clue? Suzanne in town? Glenn? As big a hire as Mel was, in many ways this one is bigger for the program.
Click to expand...

I have plenty that I believe to be true but most of it cannot be published yet. Stay tuned.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

Here is the full list of profiles, I'm 99% sure the next head coach will be one of these guys:
Bill Muckalt, The Protégé, Tri-City (USHL) HC
Ron Rolston, The Thoroughbred, Springfield (AHL) HC
Cam Ellsworth, The Young Gun, UMass Lowell (HEA) AC
Joe Shawhan, The Yooper, Michigan Tech AC
Seth Appert, The Veteran, RPI (ECAC) HC
Davis Payne, The Professional, Los Angeles (NHL) AC
Damon Whitten, The Spartan, LSSU (WCHA) HC
Dane Jackson, The Champion, UND (NCHC) AC
Keith Fisher, The Disciple, PSU (B1G) AC
Chris Bergeron, The Rival, BGSU (WCHA) HC
Gary Shuchuk, The Citizen, Michigan Tech AC
Pat Mikesch, The Phoenix, Green Bay (USHL) HC
Ben Barr, The Engineer, UMass (HEA) AC
Brett Larson, The Bulldog, UMD (NCHC) AC
Mark Osiecki, The Badger, Wisconsin (B1G) AC
Todd Knott, The Maverick, Minnesota State (WCHA) AC
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Off-season Revised - Onward and Upward

I would say, of the 16 profiled (and pretending they've all applied), I would be happiest with one of Rolston, Muckalt, or Shawhan. For a choice that's more out of left field, I think Payne or Jackson could certainly be good fits, but the job will be a harder sell. We all know Bergeron and Oz likely aren't interested. After that, with all due respect, the rest of the list feels like a speculative list of applicants from 2003, sans the D3 coaches.

But what do I know?
 
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