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Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Like others, all of my interactions with Jamie Russell were positive, constructive, and supportive of good connections to the fans. He was always proactive with the Blue Line Club, willing to participate in any event we'd conjure up (meet the coaches, tours of the facilities, picnic outings), and actually a nice guy to talk to at luncheons and banquets. From everything I've heard, he was pretty good with the alumni and fundraising efforts too.

I do wish him well, and hope that he finds the right fit in another program.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

You may now name/speculate on candidates everyone.
Top Ten Reasons Jeff Jackson will be the next Michigan Tech Head Coach:

10) Who would want to live in South Bend? (trust me on this, I was there for two years)
9) Experience with US Under-18 and Junior National teams, OHL Guelph Storm, and asst with NHL Islanders.
7) Ten years at LSSU (six as head coach), so he knows the U.P. and recruiting for small U.P. schools.
6) Six years at Notre Dame, so he knows recruiting from the midwest and blue chip D1 players.
5) Four regular season CCHA conference titles and six league tournament trophies between the two clubs.
4) Nine NCAA appearances in 12 years.
3) Two NCAA runner-up trophies in 12 years.
2) Two NCAA championships in 12 years.
1) Wants to be head coach of a WCHA team.

And the number one reason that Jeff Jackson will be our next head coach:
Today is St. Patrick's Day, so we should be lucky in stealing him like a pot-o-gold from the Irish!

This is the guy.

You heard it here first.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

And the number one reason that Jeff Jackson will be our next head coach:
Today is St. Patrick's Day, so we should be lucky in stealing him like a pot-o-gold from the Irish!
This is the guy.
You heard it here first.
That would be awesome, he could bring along his former assistant, and my #1 candidate to replace Mikesch in a much improved fashion: http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=47186
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I will really miss Russell. I didn't know him personally but I think he was the face of the type of program that is respected by everyone involved on the inside of hockey. I fervently hope he is ok down the line and I respect the fact that he resigned because I don't think he was going to get fired. I think he did this for the good of Tech Hockey.A class guy like this does not come along every day.

I'm sure everyone wants the program to succeed, but the negativity is too much for me some times, it's why Mancini left years ago.

so.... questions... Are we going to have any more money to spend?
I like Whitten.. are we going to offer him the chance to stay?
How old is Mel Pearson?
Would Newell Brown be interested?
How about Danton Cole?

I think that whoever we can afford to get, if Tech is to be a power in hockey again that person needs to be first and foremost someone who is totally loved and respected by the players. This does not need to be someone known or experienced at the D1 level, and certainly not someone connected with Tech already. In fact no connection to Tech might be good.

So a toast..." To better days ahead"
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

One thing to remember is that since the coach resigned all players committed to Tech are free to go elsewhere I presume.
Players sign Letters of Intent with schools, not coaches, I'm pretty sure they are committed to MTU for one season, unless the new coach or MTU releases them.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

This went out as a .pdf letter to season ticket holders:

-------------------------------------------------------------
March 17, 2011

To the Alumni, Season Ticket Holders and Fans ofthe Michigan Tech Hockey Team

Dear Huskies Hockey Supporters

I want to inform you that I have accepted the resignation of head hockey coach Jamie Russell, and after careful evaluation have decided not to renew the contract of assistant hockey coach Patrick Mikesch. Assistant Coach Damon Whitten will remain on during the transition and his future job responsibilities will be determined upon the hiring of a new coach.

Jamie Russell has led this program with unquestionable integrity and discipline, and deserves recognition for that. He has accomplished much in the area of academic success and graduation rates for our hockey program.

However, it is my firm belief that our hockey program is capable of success on the ice as well, and to that end we will immediately begin a national search for a new head coach. We will look for a proven leader to take us from being a quality program off the ice to a well-rounded program that is a competitive NCAA team.

Michigan Tech Hockey has fantastic alumni, fan and University support, and I fi rm ly believe with new leadership we will soon be able to compete with the best teams in the nation, as a member of the strongest league in the NCAA.

The success of our student-athletes at Michigan Tech is a high priority for us. As we work through the process of hiring two new coaches, your support is very much valued and appreciated. We are excited to move forward and appreciate the patience which you have already shown.

I cannot promise you that the next few years will be easy, but I can promise you that I care deeply about this program and I am doing everything within my power, publicly and privately, to build the Huskies into a top-quality NCAA Division I team that all of us are proud to stand behind.

Sincerely,
Suzanne R. Sanregret
Director of Athletics
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Sorry to see the coaches go, but it's hard to argue keeping staff when you've only won 15 games over a 3 year span. Good luck to them in the future.

As far as coaching prospects go, would Pearson really have interest? He was a finalist when Watters was hired. Nice choice by the way............ Add to that another 15 years of mostly dismal hockey and MTU really doesn't look appealing.

I would hope that if at all possible, that they would hire someone who has no ties to MTU. If you want a fresh start, bring in a guy who has had nothing to do with the program.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I would hope that if at all possible, that they would hire someone who has no ties to MTU. If you want a fresh start, bring in a guy who has had nothing to do with the program.
I really don't understand why so many people use this as a requirement. You're hiring an individual, not a team's W-L record; do you really think everyone who has ever played at Tech is a born loser? There are plenty of good candidates who have had nothing to do with the last 20 years of Tech hockey but have historic ties that might boost their level of commitment.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Sorry to see the coaches go, but it's hard to argue keeping staff when you've only won 15 games over a 3 year span. Good luck to them in the future.

As far as coaching prospects go, would Pearson really have interest? He was a finalist when Watters was hired. Nice choice by the way............ Add to that another 15 years of mostly dismal hockey and MTU really doesn't look appealing.

I would hope that if at all possible, that they would hire someone who has no ties to MTU. If you want a fresh start, bring in a guy who has had nothing to do with the program.

Why would Mel want to take a big pay cut. Plus, there's no way he can recruit to Tech the way he can to Michigan. Don't doubt that former Ohio State coach John Markell already has his resume in Suzanne's in box.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I agree with this guy, although I think the Pietila bros. should lead any analysis of our future prospects.
It's true that Michigan Tech probably would have at least been competitive in the WCHA if they hadn't been hit by a freakish string of injuries. And with this year's large freshman class, next year's recruiting class with Tanner Kero, and the class after that with Jujhar Khaira, Tech is a position to have one of the most exciting, and deepest groups of forwards the team has seen in decades. But they were a program that needed to completely start fresh after such a terrible season. Whoever replaces Russell will have a lot more to work with than Russell ever had at Tech, and they'll have Jamie Russell to thank for that when they start receiving praise for turning the program around.
As I've said, there's no reason to expect a step backward from this horrible season, whoever coaches next year.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

Why would Mel want to take a big pay cut. Plus, there's no way he can recruit to Tech the way he can to Michigan. Don't doubt that former Ohio State coach John Markell already has his resume in Suzanne's in box.
He's getting paid well over 115k to be an assistant coach? I would think the desire to be in charge and the fact that Red is still going "strong."
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

He's getting paid well over 115k to be an assistant coach? I would think the desire to be in charge and the fact that Red is still going "strong."

Agreed. I've done it myself and the desire to be the head guy is powerful, but we will have to come up with a significant raise for both the head coach and the assistant. AND we will most likely need to do some other things as part of any hire that cost money as well. I would like to see us paying in the neighborhood of 160-170.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

He's getting paid well over 115k to be an assistant coach? I would think the desire to be in charge and the fact that Red is still going "strong."

According to UM- http://hr.umich.edu/hrris/reports/standard.html#ASDR, he earning almost $104k, just from the University.

(seems like a lot of personal info there... and as a contrast, Red makes ~$215k)

(not really wanting to butt in, but I've been a tech fan forever- genetics.)
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

He's getting paid well over 115k to be an assistant coach? I would think the desire to be in charge and the fact that Red is still going "strong."

I would guess his pay is in that ballpark...I don't know that he had thrown his hat into the mix for WMU, but that job in my opinion was a better opportunity than MTU is right now. So...if he didnt pursue that job, I doubt he would go after the Tech job
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread I: Not Winning and the ensuing drama.

I agree with this guy, although I think the Pietila bros. should lead any analysis of our future prospects.

As I've said, there's no reason to expect a step backward from this horrible season, whoever coaches next year.

Blake Pietila is a legitimate prospect to be a strong player. Chad Pietila was a walk on 4th liner at NMU. A solid player in that role, but hardly someone to hang your hopes on.
 
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