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?

Fargo Force hire former fighting Sioux Jason Herter as next head coach

Jason Herter will be the third head coach in three seasons for the Fargo Force. Herter will also is the third head coach to have connections to the Fighting Sioux hockey program (Dean Blais – Head Coach UND 1994-2004, Steve Johnson – Player 1984-1988, Jason Herter – Player 1988-1991). The last two head coaches have used their Fargo force coaching position to spring board to a coaching position in the college hockey ranks. It's nice to see UND alum doing well in their hockey careers. Here is the official press release.

Fargo Forum ---Former Force assistant Jason Herter was hired this morning by the Force to take over the team days before training camp starts Monday. The 39-year-old Saskatchewan native replaces Steve Johnson, who resigned Monday to become an assistant coach at St. Cloud State.

"Hockey is in my blood and I've always been looking for a good opportunity," said Herter, who was an assistant during the Force's first season. "I am established in the community and in the world of hockey, if a good opportunity comes up, you take advantage of it."

Herter takes over a team that returns nine players from last year's squad that advanced to the Clark Cup Finals for a consecutive season.

He becomes the team's third coach in as many years.

Herter was an assistant under Dean Blais in the team's first season.