A Trip Down Memory Lane: UND vs. Providence

The last time North Dakota faced Providence, assistant coach Dane Jackson was a freshman forward at UND. #tbt pic.twitter.com/VerExOtZW8
— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDMHockey) October 23, 2014

Here's a blast from the past. It is weird that UND hasn't played Providence since the 1989 season. Brad Schlossman broke the history of UND vs. P.C. All-Time UND has a 8-5 record against P.C. UND holds the edge against Providence (5-2, .714) in Grand Forks.

UND and Providence haven’t played since the old WCHA-Hockey East scheduling alignment. Their last meeting was 1989 in Providence. The teams have played four times in Grand Forks — 1987, 1986, 1983, 1981.

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Where's all the antipathy coming from in regards to UND head coach Dave Hakstol

Game five and six on the season and the Fire Hakstol thread is already made it's first appearance of the season on Sioux Sports. I will be covering this topic more this week. This is a post that I originally Posted at the Hockey Writers Combine, a site that I used to write for that's no longer active. P.S Hak isn't going any where. UND isn't going to fire him. 

Recently, ESPN posted an article that was written by Craig Custance on their Internet site (subscription required) about possible future coaching candidates for NHL and AHL jobs. UND head coach Dave Hakstol was listed as the top college coach candidates by Custance. I mean, it makes sense to me.  I have always been a big advocate of coach Hakstol’s work and I think he’s a very good college hockey coach.

Naturally, UND Hockey beat writer Brad Schlossman posted a quote from the article on his media blog.  Why not? The head coach of the team you cover just made a major publication and he’s getting major props. Kind of blows up the Hakstol hater’s story line as well.

Almost on cue, the haters came out to post their displeasure and thoughts about coach Hakstol.  It’s funny how brave people become when they can hide behind the anonymity of a computer screen and a fake name. None of these people, would have the guts to say these things to Dave’s face.

Top college coach candidate

Dave Hakstol, North Dakota — He runs the powerhouse North Dakota college hockey program, one that continues to pump out NHL players such as Jonathan Toews, T.J. Oshie, Travis Zajac, Drew Stafford and Matt Greene.

“This guy is really intelligent,” said one NHL source. “I think he’s got a pro mind.”

Hakstol signed a six-year contract in 2012 that would keep him behind the bench in North Dakota through 2017-18 and said his focus is on sustaining his success there.

“I have a high level of respect for the guys who are able to produce successful and sustainable results at the NHL level. At some point in my career if I was able to earn an opportunity to work with a good organization, it would be a consideration,” Hakstol wrote in an email on Monday when asked whether he has NHL interest. “All that being said, I don’t spend much time thinking about hypotheticals. I feel like our entire staff has been around the game long enough to have a real appreciation for what we have here and has a commitment to producing that long-term success and sustainability at UND.”

So if you look at Coach Hakstol’s impressive resume, he’s lacking “one thing” an NCAA title. My question is; does this impressive resume deserve this much scrutiny, angst and antipathy? I don’t know, I don’t believe it does.

Years at UND: 9
235-119-37 (.648)
NCAA Appearances: 9
NCAA Frozen Four Appearances: 5
NCAA Championship Appearances: 1
WCHA Final Five Appearances: 9
WCHA Final Five Championships: 4
WCHA Final Five Championship Appearances: 5
WCHA MacNaughton Cup Championships: 2

I guess I don’t understand where the flames of discontent are coming from? The coaching staff at the University of North Dakota is second to none. All three coaches played hockey at UND. All three coaches have played professionally in the NHL, AHL or IHL, so they have the experience necessary to play at the next level. Dane Jackson (AHL) and Brad Berry (NHL) have coach in the professional ranks. Not a lot of Division I hockey programs can make that claim.

(Video) UND takes DU to the Wood Shed 6-1

Great effort by the guys in Green and White. I will let the video do the talking. 

Not a good weekend by the guys wearing the stripes, I thought that Scott Bokal and Brian Thul were absolutely brutal. After further review, it was more Scott Bokal that was the "weak link" in that officiating crew. I made a comment on the UND game chat that after UND went up 3-1 that DU would come out and get the next three power plays in a row. Actually, the Pioneers got the next four power plays in a row. 

Ironically, this is also this same crew that whistled UND for seven consecutive penalties in a row during the November 21, 2009 game, which UND lost 3-2. That resulted in both officials being disciplined by the WCHA. 

Of course the WCHA doesn't officially make announcements on issues like this, because they don't like to publicly discipline their officials. They take care of matters in house. I was able to confirm this through two sources that had knowledge of the situation.

They will only publicly discipline someone if they make a bomb threat in an airport. 

This was also a game where Ben Blood was tripped, but the on ice officials incorrectly ended up putting Blood in the penalty box. 

According the UND SID Jayson Hajdu, the officials apologized for their mistake after the game for the egregious mistake. I hope going forward that the NCHC doesn't think that they need to employ any of these people in the new league, neither of these two guys deserved to officiate in the NCHC.  

During the run of four consecutive minor penalties, the two minute minor for too many men on the ice was funny because, they blew the whistle while DU had possession of the puckl. I even remember the announcers wondering why the play was blown dead. 

I included a few clips to prove my point. Steph Pattyn was assessed one of the weakest cross-checking penalty I have ever witnessed in my life; during the third period, that was an absolute joke. You can see the camera pan to the coaches on the bench and look at the players expression as well as assistant coach Dane Jackson.

Scott Mayfield should be sitting out the first game of next weekend’s series against the Minnesota Gophers after his horse collar on UND forward Connor Gaarder, the sophomore pugilist wasn't happy with that move, he followed up that bush league horse collar by butt-ending Gaarder twice.  Then luckily for Mayfield, he is rescued by the officials before Andrew MacWilliam was able to take a pound of flesh from him. 

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Where do we go from here? RW77 and the new Job Opening

Well, consider me one of shock... though it isn't shock because Eades is gone. It's more of shock that Eades isn't gone due to a new position...either head coach at the DI level or USHL level.

I think Eades is one of the more up and coming coaches at the collegiate level among the cadre of attractive candidates that do not have DI head coaching experience.

  I haven't a doubt that Eades' unemployment will be measured in weeks rather than in months. Best of luck, Cary. Here's to success wherever you end up (unless it is against UND).

The NEW UND coach:

UND has basically two directions: First would be to promote Dane Jackson to Associate Head Coach and hire an Assistant Head Coach. The other would be to hire an Associate Head Coach.

First, hiring a new Assistant Coach:

This would be the least expensive option as they wouldn't necessarily have to shell out as much money as they'd have to if they went for an Associate Head Coach. Not to mention that it opens the most options to UND. Although UND doesn't have to follow "tradition" of hiring former UND or at least WCHA coaches or players, a new assistant can be ANYONE... including poaching a coach from the ranks of Major Juniors if they really wanted. They can also go in the direction of giving a guy his first shot at the DI level...having no real coaching experience outside of the volunteer variety... for example: Karl Goehring.

Possible Candidates can be from a large variety of sources from juniors up to the pro ranks. With how open this possibility is, I'm not sure anyone other than Karl who jumps out at me. Perhaps Tony Hrkac would be willing to take a shot at this position.

Option Two: Hire a new Associate

This is the more costly option but it holds a lot of intriguing names. People who have made their names known in the past could become candidates. Some names that come to mind include: Jason Herter, John Marks, Steve Johnson, even Chad Johnson could come up. There could be non-UND candidates, such as Shattuck's Tom Ward (he was a former Minnesota Assistant Coach). Hey, I hear John Hill and Troy Jutting are available. But then again, hiring John Hill would kill our program. Heh, we should make a run at one of the Sutters. They'd know how to undo the major junior influence. After all, no one knows more about Major Junior recruiting away NCAA players better than the Anti-NCAA Sutter family. I'd also love to see James Patrick be included in the list but he's doing well as an NHL Assistant and probably has a future at that level.

Like with the other option: They could go completely out of the blue. So my questions to the readership are: What direction do you think UND will take? Who do you think will be a candidate? Any you'd like to see on the list that I haven't mentioned?

Through These Doors, episode 5

Another awesome job by the UND SID office. Stick tap to Matt Schill and Jayson Hajdu.

 This week's episode "Beards and the Bye Week" focuses on what UND is doing as it heads into an off weekend after getting swept at Minnesota. It's a work week, but there's some lighter moments, as the team compares facial hair for Movember with some ribbing at the expense assistant coach Dane Jackson during faceoff drills. [Fighting Sioux]

Goon's Ramblings 8-28-06.

Dane Jackson Picked as UND Next Assistant Coach
Apparently not all in town are happy with the selection of Dane Jackson as the next assistant coach of the Fighting Sioux. Below is a letter that was written to the editor of the Grand Forks Herald that was in this Sunday’s paper.

UND hockey misses great coaching candidate
GRAND FORKS - Taking nothing away from Dane Jackson, whom UND recently hired as men's assistant hockey coach, UND missed an excellent opportunity to promote a Grand Forks native. Steve Johnson (UND 1984-1988) also had applied for and vigorously pursued the position. Johnson not only won a national championship at UND, but also was a Hobey Baker runner-up, first team All American, Western Collegiate Hockey Association and national scoring leader and went on to become U.S. Hockey League coach of the year on three separate occasions. He also has international coaching experience, having coached three U.S. national teams. His USHL record consistently is among the league's best and includes five championships in 10 years in Lincoln, Neb.

Johnson also was instrumental in UND's recent success, having placed 20 Lincoln Stars players at UND, including eight players on the 2004-05 UND team that finished second in the NCAA Frozen Four. In addition to passing up the opportunity to hire Johnson, UND could jeopardize its recruiting of elite U.S.-born players. All three current UND coaches are Canadian-born players. UND has sent a message to U.S.-born players that its recruiting focus is elsewhere. This is unfortunate, because 16 of UND's players last year were U.S.-born, while 11 players came directly from the USHL. This is a number that potentially could shrink over the next few years.

Many USHL coaches vocally supported Johnson in his bid to become a UND assistant. His reputation within the league would have been a major asset to UND's recruiting efforts. Without that connection, UND will have more and more difficulty landing top U.S. players. USHL coaches will take this news as a negative reflection of their league's value to UND. It is truly unfortunate that UND athletics expects so much financially from students, businesses and others in this community but missed a prime opportunity to give something back. Jay LaDue

Goon’s World Perspective on the Matter

First off, Dave Hakstol is the head coach of the Fighting Sioux. It is his prerogative to hire whomever he wants to hire, it's his decision. Let's get over ourselves. Ok, so Hak is great coach, it's his decision to hire the best person suited for the job, that person in Hak’s mind is Dane Jackson. I am cool with that.

I think as Sioux fans our next response should be to welcome aboard Dane Jackson, glad you’re here and congratulations on getting the position, not whining from malcontents unhappy with the decision.