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WCHA 2023-2024 Calamity Or Calmness?

Scanlan has retired from BSU. It will be fascinating to see who takes his place. A hirer from within? A coach with WCHA connections from out East or internationally? A long time WCHA assistant?
 
Timothy A said:
Scanlan has retired from BSU. It will be fascinating to see who takes his place. A hirer from within? A coach with WCHA connections from out East or internationally? A long time WCHA assistant?
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Allow me to be the first to congratulate coaches Johnson and Muzzy on their appointment as co-HCs.

But seriously: I know a lot of people up there were very excited about Amber Fryklund rejoining the staff as associate head coach last summer. Seems like she might be a good choice. OTOH, if you're going to promote from within, why not announce it as part of the retirement announcement like Mankato did?

link if anyone is curious https://bsubeavers.com/news/2024/4/8...y-program.aspx
 
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Timothy A said:
That kind of ruined the fun of speculating about his replacement. How boring.
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You'd best start speculating about MJ's replacement now, so that when he announces his retirement, you don't have your fun ruined.
 
Timothy A said:
It's Koch.
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If that's all the fun you can muster for UW, I'm not seeing how much fun the BSU replacement would have been. A good "Shannon Miller" to Madison rumor could have gotten us through the summer.
 
ARM said:
If that's all the fun you can muster for UW, I'm not seeing how much fun the BSU replacement would have been. A good "Shannon Miller" to Madison rumor could have gotten us through the summer.
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But only if it's Shannon Miller the gymnast. Shannon Miller the hockey coach to Bemidji as the new Associate HC.
 
ARM said:
If that's all the fun you can muster for UW, I'm not seeing how much fun the BSU replacement would have been. A good "Shannon Miller" to Madison rumor could have gotten us through the summer.
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I didn't get to post about how Muzzy would be a great fit. I feel robbed. At least StPaulSam got a good post in on it.
 
It is interesting that in light of the success of St. Clouds move from an internal hire to Idalski and the Tommies getting brains of the MN operation that both MSU and BSU chose the internal route. It makes me wonder if they are really interested in getting any better wins wise. Recruiting now is tougher than ever and I'm not sure the same old same old is the key to improvement.
 
Timothy A said:
It is interesting that in light of the success of St. Clouds move from an internal hire to Idalski and the Tommies getting brains of the MN operation that both MSU and BSU chose the internal route. It makes me wonder if they are really interested in getting any better wins wise. Recruiting now is tougher than ever and I'm not sure the same old same old is the key to improvement.
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that's an excellent point. Bemidji is a real mess on the administrative/academic side of the ball right now. For example, their enrollment is down 25% over the last decade or so. Mankato is down less but still a significant amount. St. Cloud is also down a shocking amount, about 50%. But SCSU is also committed to their hockey programs as marketing tools and as their premier programs (hence NCHC and not CCHA, no disrespect intended to CCHA). Mankato just won the D2 basketball title for both men's and women's BB. Bemidji regularly plays in the D2 football tournament and (IIRC) baseball. SCSU is tied to hockey in a way that the other two aren't (and also dropped football a few years back).

Hiring internally is also probably a little bit cheaper which is a serious concern for Mankato and Bemidji. I think SCSU has donors putting a fair bit (relatively) into hockey that the other two do not.
 
I'm not sure how any coach will be able to recruit enough top players to Bemidji to get the Beavers into the top half of the league. For all that most of us think Idalski has done well at SCSU, all that he has to show for it is two .500 seasons. Maybe MJ or Muzzy should cement their legacy by moving to Bemidji and winning a title; now that would be a great coaching job.
 
ARM said:
I'm not sure how any coach will be able to recruit enough top players to Bemidji to get the Beavers into the top half of the league. For all that most of us think Idalski has done well at SCSU, all that he has to show for it is two .500 seasons. Maybe MJ or Muzzy should cement their legacy by moving to Bemidji and winning a title; now that would be a great coaching job.
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I like to see the Swedish guy coaching with Muzzy whose name escapes me get a shot at it. I think he's a pretty top-end recruiter.
 
Timothy A said:
It is interesting that in light of the success of St. Clouds move from an internal hire to Idalski and the Tommies getting brains of the MN operation that both MSU and BSU chose the internal route. It makes me wonder if they are really interested in getting any better wins wise. Recruiting now is tougher than ever and I'm not sure the same old same old is the key to improvement.
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Amber has been waiting in the wings for years (yes, even when she left the staff to teach at BSU for a few seasons) and I’m guessing everyone associated with BSU is excited by the hire. She has for years also been in involved in the USA Hockey program so she’s known in wider hockey circles which will definitely help with recruiting. I believe you will see a noticeable improvement in the team’s performance as soon as next year. Not necessarily in terms of wins right away, but definitely in terms style & quality of play.
 
Offsides Guy said:
Amber has been waiting in the wings for years (yes, even when she left the staff to teach at BSU for a few seasons) and I’m guessing everyone associated with BSU is excited by the hire. She has for years also been in involved in the USA Hockey program so she’s known in wider hockey circles which will definitely help with recruiting. I believe you will see a noticeable improvement in the team’s performance as soon as next year. Not necessarily in terms of wins right away, but definitely in terms style & quality of play.
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I sincerely hope you are correct. The most enjoyable form of hockey is a free-flowing back and forth game.
 
Offsides Guy said:
Amber has been waiting in the wings for years (yes, even when she left the staff to teach at BSU for a few seasons) and I’m guessing everyone associated with BSU is excited by the hire. She has for years also been in involved in the USA Hockey program so she’s known in wider hockey circles which will definitely help with recruiting. I believe you will see a noticeable improvement in the team’s performance as soon as next year. Not necessarily in terms of wins right away, but definitely in terms style & quality of play.
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That is encouraging to hear. And I find myself in agreement with Timothy in hoping that Bemidji will start improving. If I wasn't a Gopher fan I'd be a Bemidji fan and mean it 100%.

Timothy A said:
I sincerely hope you are correct. The most enjoyable form of hockey is a free-flowing back and forth game.
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Agree, except when we're playing you all (wink wink)
 
Players in the portal count:

Tommies 9
UM 6
UMD 4
St. Cloud 4
BSU 3
OSU 3
UW 3
Kato 1

It's interesting that JJ with all the international experience and the Frosty time that the Tommies would not be able to retain players better. One went to Holy Cross and one to St. Cloud so far. Of course we all know it's a downer living in the twinkee cities. ;)

Portal Signees

OSU 5
UMD 3
St. Cloud 2
UM 2
Tommies 1
BSU 0
Kato 0
UW 0

It'd be neat to see the # of incoming Fr per team but I have no idea where to get that info from.
 
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