This is some really exciting news as former Fighting Sioux and current Fargo Force hockey coach Dean Blais has been named coach of the USA WJC team. Since winning the WJC in 2004 USA many have felt that U20 WJC teams have under achieved at the World Junior Championship. Last year's team was an utter disappointment and seen as undisciplined team.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Dean Blais, head coach and general manager for the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League and widely regarded as one of the top coaches in the United States at any level, will be head coach of the 2010 U.S. National Junior Team, it was announced today by USA Hockey.
I'm honored to be selected to coach this team," said Blais. "The World Junior Championship has evolved into one of the great events on the hockey calendar every year and I look forward to the challenge ahead."
USA Hockey also announced that Jim Johannson, assistant executive director of hockey operations at USA Hockey, will serve as the general manager of the 2010 U.S. National Junior Team and Tim Taylor, an assistant coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program and head coach of the 1994 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team, will serve as the team's director of player personnel.
The U.S. National Junior Team will compete at the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Dec. 26, 2009 - Jan. 5, 2010, in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan.
Does this mean that he will not be coaching the Force? Or can he do both?
ReplyDeleteI dunno I think he could still coach the UNO Mavs as well since Sandelin and Eaves did coach the WJC.
ReplyDeleteThe USHL has a holiday break that would allow Blais to miss only a few games. Whether it's in USHL or the NCAA he'll do both.
ReplyDeleteBlais was set to coach the USA World Junior team when he accepted the job with Columbus.
ReplyDeleteThe job then went to Scott Sandelin.