Re: The Greatest Coaches of All-Time
Honorable Mention
Mike Eaves
Mike Eaves has lead Wisconsin to 2 Frozen Fours, and the 2006 National Championship. The Badgers have made 5 NCAA Tournaments in his tenure, and have had only 2 losing seasons in his 9 seasons. If Coach Eaves stays at the collegiate level, expect him to crack the top-25 in the not so distant future.
Dave Hakstol
Dave Hakstol has been to more Frozen Fours since becoming a head coach, than any other coach in the nation (5). The Sioux have won 2 MacNaughton cups, along with 3 Broadmoor trophies in his tenure. Similar to Eaves, if Coach Hakstol continues this pace, he will be in the top-25 soon. At this point, it is a national title that is keeping him out of the upper echelon of coaching.
Scott Sandelin
No coach did more for themselves this past season than Scott Sandelin. If it were not for the Bulldogs run to the National Championship, he would have not been listed here. Sandelin has made the most out of his opportunities though, reaching 3 NCAA Tournaments and going 7-2 in those games. If he can continue to lead the Bulldogs to the dance, expect Coach Sandelin to rise in these rankings.
Tim Whitehead
Maine's coach, Tim Whitehead has struggled over the past few years, but his initial success following Walsh, along with what he accomplished in his first half dozen seasons at Maine put Whitehead here. Whitehead has an impressive 10-6 record in the NCAA Tournament, but missing the NCAAs four years in a row has put him in the hotseat amongst Maine fans.
Enrico Blasi
Enrico Blasi has moved into this echelon of coaching over the past handful of seasons, leading Miami to the status as a consistent contender. The RedHawks, under Blasi, have made 6 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and were Runners-up in '09. Expect Blasi to continue to move up the list and Miami to continue their success.
Joe Marsh
Joe Marsh has been at the helm of the SLU program for 25 years, and has accomplished a lot. He has made 2 Frozen Fours, reaching the title game in '88, along with 8 NCAA Tournament appearances. Unfortunately, he is only 3-11 in the NCAA Tournament. That being said, Marsh often does more with less than any other coach in the game. His 468 victories are good enough to rank 22nd All-time.
Mike Schafer
Mike Schafer has been remarkably consistent in his 15 years at Cornell. The Big Red Boss has only had 2 losing seasons, and has reached the NCAA Tournament 8 times, reaching 1 Frozen Four. If Schafer can continue to make the NCAA Tournament, and perhaps reach a few more Frozen Fours or win a title, he will continue to climb the rankings.
Scotty Owens
Scotty Owens may catch a lot of grief for his hair, but he is an excellent coach. He may be the WCHA's version of Joe Marsh, in that he does more with less, and always seems to have CC in the mix. In 12 years in the Springs, Owens has never had a losing season, has put the Tigers into the NCAAs 7 times, and reached 1 Frozen Four.
