Mike Haviland named head coach of C.C. Tigers

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It's an interesting selection, Mike Haviland has been hired as the 14th head coach of the Colorado College Tigers hockey team. Haviland played collegiately at Elmira College a Division III school. Also, it looks to be a good hire, Haviland has coached in the American Hockey League and the National Hockey league as an assistant.

Colorado College Tigers --- Mike Haviland has agreed to become Colorado College's next head ice hockey coach. The highly regarded veteran coach with experience at the NCAA, ECHL, AHL and NHL levels will take over as the 14th coach of the Tigers later this month.

Haviland, most recently head coach for the Hershey Bears, the oldest franchise in the AHL, owns an impressive record. He earned a Stanley Cup as assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL in 2010. He was honored with the AHL's Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Coach of the Year Award for the 2006-07 season while serving as head coach of the Norfolk Admirals. He won ECHL championships as head coach of Trenton Titans in 2004-05 and the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies in 2002-03. From 1996-1998 as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Elmira College, Haviland helped guide that team to two ECAC championships.

Haviland has more than 20 years of hockey coaching experience, and became head coach of the Hershey Bears in 2013. Prior to arriving at Hershey, he served as associate head coach at Norfolk. From 2008-2012 he served as an assistant coach for the Blackhawks. Haviland got his start in the Blackhawk organization by serving as head coach of Rockford in 2007-2008. He also served as head coach for Norfolk in 2005-2007; of Trenton in the ECHL from 2004-2005; and Atlantic City of the ECHL from 2001-2004. Prior to 2001 Haviland served as assistant coach for several organizations.

Where are they now Joe Finley...

Image via WikipediaHere is a nice article talking about former Fighting Sioux defenseman Joe Finley and his journey this season as Finley finally is healthy and made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres a few weeks ago.

Dan Peters, AHL On The Beat ---- When Joe Finley came into training camp this season with the Rochester Americans on a try-out basis, he was simply attempting to earn an American Hockey League contract.

Plagued by injuries in the first two years of his professional career, the 24-year-old Finley had suited up for just eight AHL contests with the Hershey Bears over that span, while also appearing in 43 games in the ECHL.

After playing four years at the University of North Dakota, Finley suffered a forearm injury early in 2009-10 which ended his season, and followed that up with a knee injury last season, prompting him to be out of commission for three months.

Selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Washington Capitals, the 6-foot-8, 260-pound blueliner chose to battle it out and earn a contract with the Buffalo Sabres organization rather than go to a different team, where he may have been given a contract immediately.