Ummm…didn’t see this coming. Knott has indeed killed his head coaching aspirations if he had any at all. Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume. The few Cow fans that have responded to me tonight have done so with a drink in their hand as their response.
This will set this program back for years with losing any consistency or continuity from the Hastings era. The next coach has a big task to gain any respect or backing after this kick in the nuts.
The MSU hockey program, athletics department and community just got screwed by people that said they loved them for the last 11 years.
For the first time in a long time I feel some empathy for Mav fans.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
I just think Kato got knocked down a peg or 2 as they thought they were in the same class as the B1G hockey schools. They were very fortunate to have landed Hastings and all of the success he brought them. Like Jan Brady learned, when the B1G comes calling for hockey, they have no chance to compete with the money, facilities and the exposure. The same thing is going to happen in a few years at Augustana with Raboin.
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
There really aren't many non-B1G programs that could truly hope to compete in that aspect.
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
One guess is that with Hastings not exactly being young, he feels he’ll have the inside track on the Wisconsin job when he retires.
Or maybe he's fine with being an assistant, and stressed with the pressures of a head coaching job, especially one that had the high expectations/success as in Mankato.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
One guess is that with Hastings not exactly being young, he feels he’ll have the inside track on the Wisconsin job when he retires.
Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
One guess is that with Hastings not exactly being young, he feels he’ll have the inside track on the Wisconsin job when he retires.
Totally agree with this. I’m guessing that was a main part of Hastings selling point. Follow me, I’ll coach for “X” many years, and you can take over.
Mike Guentzel would like to have a word with Knott on how that may end up. ?
I'm 50% factual and 50% sarcastic. When you get to know me, you will know which is which.
Or maybe he's fine with being an assistant, and stressed with the pressures of a head coaching job, especially one that had the high expectations/success as in Mankato.
Could be. It’s a stressful gig. There are numerous accounts of Lucia being a dare I say enjoyable person to be around nowadays.
Maybe Grant Potulny would be an option for Mankato.
If you caught him outside of anything official, he was usually an enjoyable person to be around.Or maybe he's fine with being an assistant, and stressed with the pressures of a head coaching job, especially one that had the high expectations/success as in Mankato.
Could be. It’s a stressful gig. There are numerous accounts of Lucia being a dare I say enjoyable person to be around nowadays.
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
Could be. It’s a stressful gig. There are numerous accounts of Lucia being a dare I say enjoyable person to be around nowadays.
That was also my first thought. Lucia actually may have been a better option for the BADgers.
I bet the numbers are pretty similar. If it's not a significant raise to stay at Kato then the smart move is to stick with what works. IMOProbably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
tDon was a known introvert, so him being a coach was a curious career choice. Hence the tough interviews, etc. He had difficulty being laid back around people he was unfamiliar with, and I can say from a personal perspective, that is a tough thing to do. For those who knew/know Quizmire from USCHO, I got some lowdown from her after she did interviews with the various WCHA coaches, and tDon was ALWAYS a short interview.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
“When your best friend is the son of God, you get tired of losing every argument.”
― Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal
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Failing to see how Hastings and Knott “screwed Mankato”. Hastings left for a bigger job and took his assistant with him. Isn’t that pretty common? Did Motzko and Raboin screw St. Cloud a couple years ago? He can love the community of Mankato and make a career advancing move as well. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.
How long of a rebuild for Wisconsin? Of course Hastings is a defense minded coach, most likely at least a few purple cows will transfer as well.
If he starts recruiting high school seniors right now? 5-6 years before they're on campusHow long of a rebuild for Wisconsin? Of course Hastings is a defense minded coach, most likely at least a few purple cows will transfer as well.
I bet the numbers are pretty similar. If it's not a significant raise to stay at Kato then the smart move is to stick with what works. IMOProbably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
I think he turned down a bigger offer from Kato. This is from the press release:
”At a time where the financial component is the primary driver, Todd had the courage and integrity to set that aside and made a decision about what was best for him professionally and for his family.”
If he starts recruiting high school seniors right now? 5-6 years before they're on campusHow long of a rebuild for Wisconsin? Of course Hastings is a defense minded coach, most likely at least a few purple cows will transfer as well.
Have to clear out the current roster, and refill the team one thinks will be successful.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
Did some digging, couldn't come up with solid numbers for last year but did get this- Mankato paid Hastings between $330K-$350K as their head coach. https://allfamousbirthday.com/mike-hastings-ice-hockey/I bet the numbers are pretty similar. If it's not a significant raise to stay at Kato then the smart move is to stick with what works. IMOProbably chasing money with Hastings I would assume.
I have a hard time believing he will make more as an assistant coach at Wisconsin versus head coach at Mankato. Very surprising decision in my opinion.
I think he turned down a bigger offer from Kato. This is from the press release:
”At a time where the financial component is the primary driver, Todd had the courage and integrity to set that aside and made a decision about what was best for him professionally and for his family.”
The new contract, which The Free Press received in a request for public information made under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, went into effect on July 1 and runs through the 2026-27 season. Hastings’ annual salary in the new deal is $335,887.39, and that could reach a maximum of $350,000.
In 2019 Wisconsin was paying Mark Oseicki $290K as an assistant. https://govsalaries.com/osiecki-mark-98689164
I have to believe that if Hastings really wanted Knott to come along, Wisconsin didn't let money be a factor.
Plus, let's be honest, the B1G has more exposure than the CCHA.
When you tell somebody somethin', it depends on what part of the United States you're standin' in... as to just how dumb you are.
If you caught him outside of anything official, he was usually an enjoyable person to be around.Or maybe he's fine with being an assistant, and stressed with the pressures of a head coaching job, especially one that had the high expectations/success as in Mankato.
Could be. It’s a stressful gig. There are numerous accounts of Lucia being a dare I say enjoyable person to be around nowadays.
I heard Lucia tell jokes and take shots at Woog at a Skate With Gophers...he was a pretty cool guy.
Ummm…didn’t see this coming. Knott has indeed killed his head coaching aspirations if he had any at all. Probably chasing money with Hastings I would assume. The few Cow fans that have responded to me tonight have done so with a drink in their hand as their response.
This will set this program back for years with losing any consistency or continuity from the Hastings era. The next coach has a big task to gain any respect or backing after this kick in the nuts.
The MSU hockey program, athletics department and community just got screwed by people that said they loved them for the last 11 years.
For the first time in a long time I feel some empathy for Mav fans.
If Hastings has any success Knott will have no issues finding a job. That is wishful thinking at best. Coaches turn down jobs all the time.
And sorry MSU didn't get screwed. That is such a lame take. Hastings has every right to take the bigger and better job just like Mel did, Motzko did, York did and many others. He knew he hit the ceiling there and moved on to a better opportunity. He offers them nothing and neither did Knott.
MAC schools in football take it as a source of pride their coaches move on. Schools like Kato are going to have to adopt a similar mentality because it's going to keep happening. And if college hockey grows at all it will get way worse.
And sorry MSU didn't get screwed. That is such a lame take. Hastings has every right to take the bigger and better job just like Mel did, Motzko did, York did and many others. He knew he hit the ceiling there and moved on to a better opportunity. He offers them nothing and neither did Knott.
Here is the context behind that statement. Just about three weeks ago during the week of the CCHA championship game Knott said the following statement to several donors at a donor get together, "I'm not going to Wisconsin, not interested". Also it has been well know that Knott has been groomed to be the next coach when Hastings left. That was the plan that the athletic department had in place. Money does matter evidently.
Now with that said, Knott has EVERY right as did Hastings to choose a job that they want even if it was for the same money somewhere else. They don't owe Mankato anything and fans need to get over that.
Right now things are very chicken little here in Mankato but all they have to do is look north to St Cloud and know that the sun will shine tomorrow and well beyond. Who will be on the list of coaches to interview for this job? Is there another Mike Hastings out there wanting his shot at a D1 head coaching gig? I have no idea who will be on that list.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Well what is he supposed to say? He probably had not been offered a concrete job there yet and Mankato probably already offered. He needs to wait and see and at the time he was telling the truth. But (and as Tony Kornheiser says "There is always a but!" ) my guess is whatever Mankato offered wasn't that great and Hastings got Wisconsin to give him something equal or better in a better place. My guess is Mankato didn't budge much on their offer (either because they couldn't or well they felt they shouldn't since he is not exactly a HOFer yet) so he took the job that has the better chance at advancing. And I realize that Mankato fans think Knott screwed his career but if he wants to be a coach at a major university some day being an assistant at one is probably the best chance. He burned at bridge at Mankato but nowhere else.
I know it sucks for the Mankato fans but they are in a league where they can compete and plenty of people will look to any head coaching job as an opportunity so they will find someone hungry. Maybe they will actually recruit college kids not AARP members!
As I said, I think the schools in leagues like the WCHA/CCHA and similar should embrace their small school status and lean into it. Celebrate who you are and really nurture it and make it the brand. Don't try and be something you are not (or can't be in the new era of college athletics and hockey) be the MAC of hockey. Plenty of great players, coaches and teams in general are the result of the MAC being what it is and schools like Mankato can do it too. Instead of being bitter that Hastings and Knott left take ownership of it and claim responsibility. (in a non-petty way)
Exactly. At the time he said it, he was still in his season, in the middle of a playoff run. If he says "no comment" or "I'm just focused on the playoffs right now" the story would blow up about how he must be planning to leave as soon as the season is over (and he may not even have had an offer yet anyway).Well what is he supposed to say?
Every time this question comes up for any coach in any sport, they answer the same way, whether they would actually be interested or not.
B1G refs... corrupt, or just incompetent?
When tDon's run ended here didn't Hastings say he wasn't interested in the Gopher job?
most likely after he was told that he wasn't going to be offered the job.When tDon's run ended here didn't Hastings say he wasn't interested in the Gopher job?
@handyman Everything you said is true, won't deny it.
I will say that Knott has known for at least 14 months that the plan of succession was in place by the athletic department for him to be the next head coach of Maverick hockey. The offer to him was $300k, which was only $50k shy of the guy who just left. Now after Saturday afternoon that plan was crumpled up and thrown away and now MSU goes through a nearly full staff rebuild, hockey ops guy Luke Regner is leaving as well. Assistant Paul Kirtland is the only one staying on. Anyway, it still feels icky how this went down with Knott.
I think one of the reasons that Hastings had MSU playing the way they have is that they embraced being better than what people thought they should be. They are a mid-tier program but they didn't play that way. Hastings worked to start the new donor program "Friends of Maverick Hockey" to help bolster that idea of being a better program than just mid-tier. The community embraced that thought as well even though it has irked the competition that they played that way. In a lot of ways MSU acted and played like they were a NCHC team who we all have pointed to as the best conference probably over the last decade.
MSU needs to find another coach that will get the team, staff, athletic department, donors, and joe smith fan to believe they are more than just a mid-tier team otherwise they will just go back to a once in a while NCAA tournament mid-tier team they were under Jutting.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Don't kid yourself, Mankato plays junior gold level of hockey. They just do it with grown men in a kids league, so they can be competitive doing it.
Okay, I'm jumping off the hamster wheel here...we're headed to that same stale discussion again.
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
Mercyhurst has kicked Carson Briere off the team.
I wonder if another green & white team, who’s in desperate need of players, will offer him a 3rd chance…
Tell me again how the Mavs didn't get screwed? Cross off #21 and #27 off that list as well since they are seniors.
https://twitter.com/davemcgauvran/status/1643322053800476672
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
It's a free country people (coaches and players) are allowed to make decisions regarding their future and where they want to be.
Is a business getting screwed if its' star sales people decide to leave/take a new job with somebody else? Nope
You're 100% absolutely correct, maybe screwed isn't the right word then. But the fallout from the decision of two coaches leaving is affecting the MSU program in a negative way that I don't think most anyone saw coming. Returning 6 skaters and 3 goalies from your last starting line up? Tell me what blue blood wouldn't have issues recovering from that!
I am the official Iowa Hawkeye football fan of GPL!
It's a free country people (coaches and players) are allowed to make decisions regarding their future and where they want to be.
Is a business getting screwed if its' star sales people decide to leave/take a new job with somebody else? Nope
It was a free country under the old rules as well. Players and universities were free to actively engage in negotiating binding contracts that obligated each party. A star salesperson isn't an exact parallel to an unpaid college athlete who is receiving a scholarship benefit, but even so, sales employees commonly sign non-compete contracts that prohibit them from taking "their customers" to a new firm engaged in the same business.
Relaxing these standards may empower the athlete to exercise his free will, but it is a two-sided coin. The obverse is that perhaps universities are no longer required to meet their obligations to the athlete.
Tell me again how the Mavs didn't get screwed? Cross off #21 and #27 off that list as well since they are seniors.
https://twitter.com/davemcgauvran/status/1643322053800476672
Whats happening is extremely tragic and unfortunate but i bet if you ask Hastings it’s not like he wanted this to happen.
The Gophers lost a ton of players off of last year's team hence the reason they have 11 freshmen (7 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goalie) on this year's team.
For a while it looked like Knies, Faber, LaCombe, and Johnson would leave after last season in which case the Gophers would have had 15 freshmen/new players on the team this season.
Certainly the loss of coaches and players sucks for Mankato.
It's a free country people (coaches and players) are allowed to make decisions regarding their future and where they want to be.
Is a business getting screwed if its' star sales people decide to leave/take a new job with somebody else? Nope
It was a free country under the old rules as well. Players and universities were free to actively engage in negotiating binding contracts that obligated each party. A star salesperson isn't an exact parallel to an unpaid college athlete who is receiving a scholarship benefit, but even so, sales employees commonly sign non-compete contracts that prohibit them from taking "their customers" to a new firm engaged in the same business.
Relaxing these standards may empower the athlete to exercise his free will, but it is a two-sided coin. The obverse is that perhaps universities are no longer required to meet their obligations to the athlete.
They already are. Players transferring isn't always because the player wants to leave at times coaches tell them they should transfer because new players are being brought in to replace them.
Under the old system coaches had a lot more freedom to change teams than players did. Now under the current system they both have similar freedoms to make decisions about their future and where they want to be.
Are we supposed to feel bad for Mankato? I don’t feel bad at all. This is the nature of the beast.
Tell me again how the Mavs didn't get screwed? Cross off #21 and #27 off that list as well since they are seniors.
https://twitter.com/davemcgauvran/status/1643322053800476672
They didn't get screwed. If they don't like it pay more or over better incentives.
Seriously Edgar a bunch of babies. (Not you)
Under the old system coaches had a lot more freedom to change teams than players did. Now under the current system they both have similar freedoms to make decisions about their future and where they want to be.
Exactly.
Does anybody think Big Ten college basketball fans are feeling bad for all the transfers the Gopher basketball team has had over the past few years and how it has gutted the team the past couple years?
Maybe UND and Mankato are swapping parts.
Does anybody think Big Ten college basketball fans are feeling bad for all the transfers the Gopher basketball team has had over the past few years and how it has gutted the team the past couple years?
The Gophers have basketball teams?