He began his coaching career as an assistant with Division III power St. Norbert College (NCHA). During his time at St. Norbert College under Tim Coghlin the Knights won the NCHA Peters Cup and made it to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time in team history. Luke’s coaching and recruiting contributed to what came to be the beginning of the tradition of the NCAA tournament bound Green Knights.
The Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) was the next opportunity as Assistant coach / Assistant GM for two seasons (2003-05). In the two seasons spent with the Gamblers, Strand recruited and drafted 7 NHL picks, including current NHL star Blake Wheeler. Along with the NHL picks came 26 D-I scholarship players.
After a move to Eau Claire, WI to become the Head Coach of his Alma Mater for two seasons, while also serving as the Assistant to the Athletic Director, Strand jumped to the American Hockey League (AHL) as an Assistant coach with the Houston Aeros (Minnesota Wild’s AHL Affiliate). For a pair of seasons (2007-09) he worked alongside Kevin Constantine and Troy G. Ward. Luke’s time spent in Houston would develop 12 full time NHL players and 19 total NHL players. You can see today’s NHL lineups full of players that Strand aided in developing.
Strand then returned to the USHL to serve two seasons as Head Coach and GM of the Sioux City Musketeers. Luke’s time spent in Sioux City brought them back into the playoffs after an eight-year drought while accumulating a 58-47-15 record. The USHL team recorded 29 D-I scholarship players, highly touted college free agents Dan Dekeyser and Ryan Carpenter while having 5 NHL picks, including first round selection Jordan Schmaltz.
The Calgary Flames were the next team to reach out to Luke for his services to work as an Assistant Coach with their affiliate team the Abbotsford Heat (AHL). In Strand’s tenure in Abbotsford, his team won a division title while projecting 21 players into the NHL ranks.
The 2013-2014 season brought more success and exposure for his players as Strand was the coach of the 2014 Midget U-16 AAA National Championship team. Additionally he served as the General Manager of the Sioux City Musketeers. While in Sioux City he managed the club to bench marks in wins and points while moving to the Western Division Finals.
