Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

[pbr]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

You guys may not like the negativity of my posts, but I've been following the team for 25+ years and except for a couple of seasons, it's been the same old excuses over and over. Maybe if the school had hired different coaches (Gwozdecky, Blais, Pearson, and Rolston) when they had the chance, things would be different. Yes, all of them interviewed but were not chosen and have gone on to a fair amount of success in their past or current jobs. It just seems that anything that could possibly go wrong, from hiring coaches, to recruits, injuries, blah, blah, blah is just going to continue. It sucks.

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

If Tech finds themselves in a really bad spot, they can always hire me. I know absolutely nothing about developing talent. But I'm sure I can find ways to manipulate and motivate the players to play their life and/or pride depends on it.

You're going to hire Arenas and Crittenton as assistants?

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

You guys may not like the negativity of my posts, but I've been following the team for 25+ years and except for a couple of seasons, it's been the same old excuses over and over. Maybe if the school had hired different coaches (Gwozdecky, Blais, Pearson, and Rolston) when they had the chance, things would be different. Yes, all of them interviewed but were not chosen and have gone on to a fair amount of success in their past or current jobs. It just seems that anything that could possibly go wrong, from hiring coaches, to recruits, injuries, blah, blah, blah is just going to continue. It sucks.

I must've missed where Gwoz and Blais ever applied for the head coaching job at Tech?

 

[The Darkness]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

You're going to hire Arenas and Crittenton as assistants?

That would definitely get me to play better.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

I must've missed where Gwoz and Blais ever applied for the head coaching job at Tech?

Yeah, it was right after Doug Woog, Jack Parker and Herb Brooks were turned away.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

As much as it ought to happen, I see it as unlikely that Bangen will go. He is young-ish and is willing to do the work of three trainers for the price of one.

If Tech had any money to play with, they'd hire another trainer and assign one of them to the hockey team full time. Sadly, they do not.

If this thing about the assistants is true (I'm still waiting for a Gazette and/or Tech Athletics article to confirm it), then I suspect Suzanne has been forced to deliver Russell an ultimatum, so he had to take some action and shake things up. Too bad about Tok, but if a clean sweep had to be made, then at least Mikesch is gone. My only concern would be that they'll feel forced to make up for it by hiring another local over a more qualified "foreign" candidate.


On a lighter note, Derek Kitti scored the game-winning goal for the Calumet Wolverines in the GLHL championship game this weekend.

 

[Painted_Bandit]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

On a lighter note, Derek Kitti scored the game-winning goal for the Calumet Wolverines in the GLHL championship game this weekend.

He also has a hat trick in the game before.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

I must've missed where Gwoz and Blais ever applied for the head coaching job at Tech?

I think its safe to assume Rolston and Pearson both did at some point. I wouldn't be surprised if Blais and Gwozdecky both interviewed for the job at some point.
Gwozdecky was an assistant at Michigan State from 1985 to 1989 and head coach at Miami Ohio from 1989 to 1994.
Blais was an assistant at North Dakota from 1982 to 1989 and coaching high school hockey in Minnesota from 1990 to 1994.
Michigan Tech was looking for a new coach in 1985, 1990, 1992, and 1996.
Its plausible that MTU interviewed both Blais or Gwozdecky but who knows how serious either side was about the situation.

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

As much as it ought to happen, I see it as unlikely that Bangen will go. He is young-ish and is willing to do the work of three trainers for the price of one.

If Tech had any money to play with, they'd hire another trainer and assign one of them to the hockey team full time. Sadly, they do not.

If this thing about the assistants is true (I'm still waiting for a Gazette and/or Tech Athletics article to confirm it), then I suspect Suzanne has been forced to deliver Russell an ultimatum, so he had to take some action and shake things up. Too bad about Tok, but if a clean sweep had to be made, then at least Mikesch is gone. My only concern would be that they'll feel forced to make up for it by hiring another local over a more qualified "foreign" candidate.

It's true about Bangen - he's shown by his trips around the league that he's even willing to work for free. Unfortunately, we get what we pay for.

As for assistants, I'm hoping Russell has a free hand with input from his now-juniors. Worst case, the entire parcel gets canned after 2 years, since no new head coach will automatically keep the previous coach's assistants.

On a lighter note, Derek Kitti scored the game-winning goal for the Calumet Wolverines in the GLHL championship game this weekend.

He also has a hat trick in the game before.

I knew I made a good choice in jerseys.

 

[bose301s]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Why does everyone dislike Mikesch? I don't know him or what he has done well enough, but the times I have met him he has seemed nice and decent at recruiting. However, the same can be said for Jamie Russell and look where he is.

 

[geezer]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Why does everyone dislike Mikesch? I don't know him or what he has done well enough, but the times I have met him he has seemed nice and decent at recruiting. However, the same can be said for Jamie Russell and look where he is.

You might get a lot of different responses on this. First, nobody dislikes him. He is a nice, decent guy. Unfortunately, he's not good at coaching ice hockey (as seen by the non-production of his reported primary areas of responsibility in offense & PP) and I don't think he's out-recruited anyone, anywhere in D1 as evidenced by MTU continuing to be every player's last choice.
I think that Jamie's biggest fault is in being too loyal to non-deserving assistants. It's not in his nature to be a rah-rah motivator, which is fine, but he needs someone on that bench who can do that work (as well as coach offense).

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

You might get a lot of different responses on this. First, nobody dislikes him. He is a nice, decent guy. Unfortunately, he's not good at coaching ice hockey (as seen by the non-production of his reported primary areas of responsibility in offense & PP) and I don't think he's out-recruited anyone, anywhere in D1 as evidenced by MTU continuing to be every player's last choice.
I think that Jamie's biggest fault is in being too loyal to non-deserving assistants. It's not in his nature to be a rah-rah motivator, which is fine, but he needs someone on that bench who can do that work (as well as coach offense).

Unfortunately, the bolded part is why Batty isn't coming here by himself, not just yet anyway. He needs that experience which he didn't get much of here, not just the fire he's known for.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Unfortunately, the bolded part is why Batty isn't coming here by himself, not just yet anyway. He needs that experience which he didn't get much of here, not just the fire he's known for.

Being a scoring machine is not a requirement to coaching offense, nor does it guarantee success at it. Most "great" players don't make good coaches because they don't really process that someone else needs to work at something that came naturally for them. Normally the best coaches are the ones that had to work hard at what they got because they understand how to teach someone else how to do.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Unfortunately, the bolded part is why Batty isn't coming here by himself, not just yet anyway. He needs that experience which he didn't get much of here, not just the fire he's known for.

Exactly. I have no doubt that Batty could be a great coach, he just needs some time to, not necessary learn the X's and O's, but learn how to teach and coach them. He's been playing hockey long enough that the game should come naturally, it is just a matter of being able to transfer that knowledge and experience on to the players. Tech plays in the WCHA, the premier college hockey league in the country, we should not go out and hire an assistant with no coaching experience because we like the guy.


and on Mikesch, I agree with geezer. I have nothing against Mikesch, he has always seemed like a class act guy, from what I have seen. But whatever he is doing is not translating to on-ice performance (since he is responsible for offensive schemes and PP). I also don't know where he is recruiting, he doesn't have obvious connections in the USHL or in western canada. I suppose he is probably delivering the guys like Kero and Hietela, but we don't know what they'll do at this level.

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Being a scoring machine is not a requirement to coaching offense, nor does it guarantee success at it. Most "great" players don't make good coaches because they don't really process that someone else needs to work at something that came naturally for them. Normally the best coaches are the ones that had to work hard at what they got because they understand how to teach someone else how to do.

I agree, and someday he'll be a great coach if he wants, but I'm concerned about whether he can coach a great offense without having seen a great o-line up close. Do you think he's had enough experience to coach a potentially great deker at Tech to do anything besides grind?

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

I agree, and someday he'll be a great coach if he wants, but I'm concerned about whether he can coach a great offense without having seen a great o-line up close. Do you think he's had enough experience to coach a potentially great deker at Tech to do anything besides grind?

Oh no, he definitely needs some seasoning at a smaller D1, D3 or minor hockey league...I could see him going back to coach a AJHL team or USHL...who knows.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

My reply from Jamie arrived today, dated Friday the 26th.

Not typing the whole thing out, so I'll summarize.

Tim,

Thanks for taking the time to write, thanks for being in the band...etc., "It is clear to me that you care deeply about Michigan Tech and the hockey program."

.

-"You are concerned that our best efforts have not translated into results. I would counter and say we had a HUGE rebuilding process to start in 2003. Is our staff responsible for the last 26 years?"

-Points to road sweeps of N.Dak and MN, progress made in 06-07, Final Five appearance, etc. "We got the ball rolling in the right direction."

.

-"I will be the first to say the last two years have been difficult."

-"We not only have had injuries, but we have been decimated by injury. When it reaches a point where you cannot dress a complete roster to play, it dramatically affects your ability to succeed."

-"To play an aggressive, hard-working style you need to play with a deep bench and this becomes a challenge with so many major injuries."

- "To me, there is no common thread to our injuries." Lists out everything from the last two years, from ankles to shoulders to Gwilliam's stroke. "If there was a pattern or a specific area we could possibly pin it down to...we may find a root cause."

.

-"Success opened new doors in recruiting and we landed some very talented players. Unfortunately some of those players never made it on campus."

-"Does that mean we can't recruit? A kid gets an NHL contract waved in front of him and now our staff sucks at recruiting?"

-Tech is not the only school to be affected by these issues, but when we are a smaller, rebuilding program the impact is much greater.

.

-Re: NMU and BSU. Respects those programs and coaching staffs however, "I coached in the CCHA and the ECAC...the WCHA is a different animal."

-"Hockey at a small school like Michigan Tech will be somewhat cyclical. We need to magnify the highs and decrease the dips."

-How? "We are expanding our recruiting areas to try and land some Europeans...We are working our butts off to get more talented kids with character and heart...We have worked to improve our facilities...We have thought outside the box to go to Europe every four years as a tool to attract new talent."

-"We are looking at every facet of Tech hockey and asking tough questions."

.

-Thanks for the letter, etc. "As a coach, I want to learn and improve every day...I can assure you of my desire to get Tech to the top and my sacrifice and work ethic to do so will be second to none."

-We will do it the right way though, and not cheat or cut corners.

-Thanks for your continued support, you are a BIG part of the program, etc.


Jamie Russell,
Head Coach

 

[Beer Pong Horn]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

My reply from Jamie arrived today, dated Friday the 26th.

Not typing the whole thing out, so I'll summarize.

He sounds like he's:
a) been thinking about this as much as all of us combined.

b) defensive because everyone assumes he's responsible for the last two decades.

c) pißed off in general, and maybe he'll be able to translate that into fire for his team in the fall.

d) blind to certain things - he claims there is no common thread to injuries, but sooner or later all those threads twist into the rope that will hang the conditioning staff. Likewise, he says we started a huge rebuilding effort in '03, which is true, but we've apparently been building on quicksand.

e) in need of a vacation so he can clear his head.


We'll do better next year, and Jamie may get his reprieve, but I'm putting my unconditional optimism in storage until at least December.

 

[Runninwiththedogs]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

Hello all.

Here is what I have learned. Both coaches are in the running for head coaching jobs. Tok with Austin/NAHL and Mikesch with Dubuque/USHL. I learned this via Fiona Quick/@QuickFacts on Twitter, but she is a solid source.

 

[Yager]

Re: Sweet Release: Michigan Tech Offseason Thread Part I

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