Not trying to be too harsh because it's NMU but those "winning seasons" seem more like some of Penn State's winning seasons early on where they beat Sacred Heart a bunch of times and then weren't great in a fairly easy to win conference.
At this point I'd just like to see Coyle do his due diligence and interview the people you'd expect him to (and maybe some others). In the past it seemed like he had one name in mind and got them quickly, doing the bare minimum to interview a couple other candidates as well. Seems like that's not gonna work here though I suppose technically that isn't official yet.
In theory this makes total sense but AD's normally don't fire a coach unless they know who they want to replace him or her with and they often times want to act quickly to get that person. With high level positions like this I wonder how much is even learned during an interview there are likely hiring people they already know.
They've been atrocious since Grant left, which you could read two ways. Either he was winning some games at a really difficult job or he left the program in tatters.
I'm coming around to the idea of hiring him a little more since yesterday, but it's still pretty uninspiring.
He got players to go to Northern Michigan that never would have gone there overwise so it's not that surprising things went bad after he left since players can quickly leave via the portal.
It's extremely uninspiring. If your best argument is "well he could win here instead!" then you could say that about literally any coaching candidate.They've been atrocious since Grant left, which you could read two ways. Either he was winning some games at a really difficult job or he left the program in tatters.
I'm coming around to the idea of hiring him a little more since yesterday, but it's still pretty uninspiring.
I’m not getting the vitriol over Potulny. No one wins at NMU and he was able to get some talent up there.
It’s not that they don’t win*, it’s that they’re one of the worst teams in the country
*It really doesn’t matter if they never win with anyone. It just shows you’re about as good as anyone else who has landed there. Pass.
Hes not there anymore he’s in the AHL
right and he left it in and incredibly dire state.
Northern is a brutal place to recruit to. I have lived in Michigan for 35 years. If I had a kid who a D1 hockey prospect and was recruited by all the schools in the state, NMU and LSSU would be ranked slightly above Wayne State -- which folded their program in 2008.
The NIL and transfer portal has made it nearly impossible for schools like NMU to compete, which is lamentable. If you one uses endowment as a placeholder for ability to pull in NIL, NMU is a very remote last place among MI schools with D1 hockey. I readily offer that just because a school has a huge endowment does not mean it has a high NIL, but I would guess that there are few if any schools with low endowments but high NIL.
I would not be surprised if his motivation to leave NMU was impacted by the realization the best he could hope for was what he already accomplished. Toe Blake could not have done any better.
Objectively, his resume is much stronger than Raboin’s. But I will give you that David Carle did not have much of a resume either. Both have the potential to be 15 year head coaches. And any coach has the potential to be 3 years and out.
Pairwise final year rankings during the 7 years Grant was the head coach at Northern Michigan
2017/18 #20
2018/19 #24
2019/20 #34
2020/21 #31
2021/22 #26
2022/23 #28
2023/24 #48
The average the first 6 years was 27 the last year was clearly the worst.
I suspect the last year taught him that with the dramatic NIL/portal changes that the max ceiling at Northern Michigan was always going to be a problem, so he started looking at other opportunities. When your players are being poached be bigger brands/teams and it is likely not going to get any better it's natural you are going to look for other opportunities.
Why do you want to stay in a fight (sports is ultra-competitive hence the fighting reference) where you have one hand tied behind your back?
Is being in the 20s/low 30s of Pairwise a good or bad season at Northern Michigan? I'm in the camp of it being a good season at Northern so his head coaching experience at Northern is a positive as is his 8 years of assistant coaching experience here along with his playing experience as captain so I see why he is a possibility.
We went through a 23 year National Championship draught before Grant ended it in the picture that is my avatar here. Our current National Championship drought is 23 years. He did once so who is to say he can't do it again?
I'm not saying he should or shouldn't be the head coaching I am just pointing out why he is at or near the top of the list.
His best season is 20th in the pairwise and then the program went backwards for 6 years after that. All the points about NMU being a difficult place to recruit and win are valid but quitting after you went 48th in the PWR because it's hard... doesn't inspire a ton of confidence nor should he be at the top of the list. If he didn't have strong M ties there's nothing about that resume that'd make him an appealing candidate.
This isn't an attack on CHA or anything, I appreciate looking at it from a more positive (devil's advocate?) angle but you could find 100 other coaches who have a similar resume but didn't win a national championship here.
Grant is also not doing very well as an AHL head coach. Yes the Rangers org is kind of a mess, but his record with Hartford is not inspiring confidence.
also it should be obvious that there’s a world of difference between scoring a national championship winning goal as a player, and building a national title winning team as a head coach. Ability to do one does not necessarily equal ability to do the other. If it did, you’d see a lot more coaches throw on the pads themselves at the Frozen Four
The fact that Raboin and Barr are basically the only two realistic candidates that people are saying should be the head coach is why some people during the season were pumping the brakes on if firing coach is a slam dunk.
If Raboin or Barr doesn't get the job (maybe they don't want it and/or Coyle has information that we don't know that is a factor in not offering them the job) maybe there isn't an option better then Bob but after how bad this season was fans were going to be pissed if he stayed so the decision to bring in new leadership was made.
Be careful what you ask for you might get it.
IMO change is often difficult, and fans are never going to agree.
No matter who gets the job there will be an adjustment period, but we will likely come out of the change in a good place so I'm not nearly as worried about who gets hired as others are.
If you think I am saying Grant is a better coach than Bob, is somebody who is a slam dunk to be a good coach here, is necessarily who I think should be the coach you are missing my thoughts/point.
It is much easier to say you need to fire the existing coach it is much more difficult to say who the new coach should be.
We all knew Grant's name would be in the mix when Bob left so here we are. Will he get the job who knows?
Who do I want to be the coach? I don't really have an answer because as a civil engineer I'm programmed to makes decisions on the choices I have available to me and I don't know what the options really are because it is only Coyle, the coaches, and maybe others who factor into the decision that know who the real options are.
With the dramatic changes in the portal coaches no longer really leave a program good or bad because every player can leave once the coach leaves. The players chose to come to Northern because of Grant. The new coach hasn't been able to bring in players that are as good as the player Grant did.
Kinda off topic but as a Packer fan I was mostly arguing the same after this season, a lot of people wanted LaFleur fired and the potential replacements were retreads like Stefanski who might be successful at an org that isn't the Cleveland Browns but it didn't seem like there were a lot of great options (Flores was another possibility, forget who else). I was mostly against it because I think the team had been playing well despite its roster limitations/injuries up until Parsons got injured. Stefanski got picked up pretty quickly by Atlanta and the Vikings were smart to rehire Flores which wouldn't have left many options had they fired him. That would've likely been a much bigger disaster had they fired him.
Be careful what you ask for you might get it.
With Gopher hockey the dynamic is quite a bit different and moving on from Motzko was inevitable some time between now and March 2028. You just gotta hope Coyle isn't completely clueless and his hires of PJ, Medved, and Motzko seem to indicate that he isn't so hopefully that remains the case.
Lou said in an interview the other day that he's already had a lot of really quality candidates already reach out to him for support, so I have to think there's a broader list than just Larson and Potulny.
It now makes sense why there are so many holes in @trixr4kids thinking after all he is a cheesehead. He is the swiss cheese fan on this site. 🤣
In all seriousness trix has made a lot of point over the years that I have agreed with.
Oh no this can't be a good thing. 🤣
I would be happy with Potulny as he will have juice with the current era. Get a good staff and he’ll be in there.
I have a sneaking suspicion that if Augustana didn’t make it after tonight Rabs is announced this week.
I felt bad for wooger stepping aside like he did for all he meant to the U. I had and still have nothing but respect for him but when we got Lucia I remember telling a buddy give it 5 years max and we will win it and did. I was pumped up excited when he came here like a kid at Christmas. It felt right. All I’m hoping for is that same feeling now with whoever Coyle gets here. I don’t know gotta just trust it and roll with the punches but so far the feeling isn’t great. Hoping that changes.
“Good pace, a lot of north and south, or it could be east and west, I’m not sure but either way…” Wooger
Haven’t seen Blasi mentioned as a candidate. What gives there?
The AHL is a developmental league. Winning is about the third or fourth priority. Developing talent, assessing if talent is ready for the next jump, being a place for NHL'ers to rehab, and a place for borderline players to be sent down and work out issues in their game are much bigger priorities.
In fact, one of my earlier posts referenced that the AHL experience is a selling point, especially for players who come to the U-- 2/3 of which have a dream of playing in the NHL. He can tell them what they need to make that step. This is including playing a 200 foot physical game, perhaps the biggest gap for the team over the past.... 45 years?
I’m not a Potulny apologist, though it may be coming off that way :). I started off thinking that when he left NMU that meant he was going to be off the UM radar. Thinking it through changed my perspective. I have reconciled that I will unlikely to be part of the interview team, and at that is the crucial piece of information none of us have.
Incredible laziness by Coyle if Russo is correct… holding zoom interviews while he watches random ncaa basketball games:
https://twitter.com/russohockey/status/2035344850300579987?s=46&t=UtlPiq7Vt1Te97QT76L7LQ
https://twitter.com/russohockey/status/2035354643434254737?s=46&t=UtlPiq7Vt1Te97QT76L7LQ
Incredible laziness by Coyle if Russo is correct… holding zoom interviews while he watches random ncaa basketball games:
https://twitter.com/russohockey/status/2035344850300579987?s=46&t=UtlPiq7Vt1Te97QT76L7LQ
https://twitter.com/russohockey/status/2035354643434254737?s=46&t=UtlPiq7Vt1Te97QT76L7LQ
ffs
Coyle is a bum.
The AHL is a developmental league. Winning is about the third or fourth priority. Developing talent, assessing if talent is ready for the next jump, being a place for NHL'ers to rehab, and a place for borderline players to be sent down and work out issues in their game are much bigger priorities.
In fact, one of my earlier posts referenced that the AHL experience is a selling point, especially for players who come to the U-- 2/3 of which have a dream of playing in the NHL. He can tell them what they need to make that step. This is including playing a 200 foot physical game, perhaps the biggest gap for the team over the past.... 45 years?
I’m not a Potulny apologist, though it may be coming off that way :). I started off thinking that when he left NMU that meant he was going to be off the UM radar. Thinking it through changed my perspective. I have reconciled that I will unlikely to be part of the interview team, and at that is the crucial piece of information none of us have.
I’ve followed the Rangers very closely throughout my life (personal connection). Their AHL has always sucked at developing players, including now. These days most franchises try to avoid having prospects spend years in the A, because it’s not good for skill players
Why does it seem like AD is the role that old men go to until they can ride off into retirement. I want someone young and hungry who will hold coaches accountable to winning standards. Get Coyle out of here and hire someone who gives a damn about the success of the programs.
Whoever in our athletic dept decided to leak that specific coaches were interviewing for the job before their current teams’ seasons are confirmed over should probably be disciplined or fired
Last night some people were believing that Raboin and Larson had both turned down the job after being offered it. Now if Russo is right Larson is being interviewed this weekend.
If we put things together it seems likely that nobody has been offered the job and that Raboin may taken himself out the running before get interviewing (hence the Augustana AD's tweet on X).
It also possible that things could change after Augustana's season is officially over either this weekend if they miss the NCAA tournament or at some point during the NCAA tournament.
I suspect Augustana's AD wants people to stop talking about their coach leaving when they could still make the NCAA tournament which could have led to the tweet.
Last night some people were believing that Raboin and Larson had both turned down the job after being offered it. Now if Russo is right Larson is being interviewed this weekend.
If we put things together it seems likely that nobody has been offered the job and that Raboin may taken himself out the running before get interviewing (hence the Augustana AD's tweet on X).
It also possible that things could change after Augustana's season is officially over either this weekend if they miss the NCAA tournament or at some point during the NCAA tournament.
I suspect Augustana's AD wants people to stop talking about their coach leaving when they could still make the NCAA tournament which could have led to the tweet.
Watch Augustana win the national championship as the 15 seed, pull a 2013 Yale
Why does it seem like AD is the role that old men go to until they can ride off into retirement. I want someone young and hungry who will hold coaches accountable to winning standards. Get Coyle out of here and hire someone who gives a damn about the success of the programs.
I suspect this is because people hiring ADs think they need to have a lot of experience which lends itself to hiring older people.
And then Raboin says "My work here is done so I am taking my talents to the Twin Cities." 😉 🤣Last night some people were believing that Raboin and Larson had both turned down the job after being offered it. Now if Russo is right Larson is being interviewed this weekend.
If we put things together it seems likely that nobody has been offered the job and that Raboin may taken himself out the running before get interviewing (hence the Augustana AD's tweet on X).
It also possible that things could change after Augustana's season is officially over either this weekend if they miss the NCAA tournament or at some point during the NCAA tournament.
I suspect Augustana's AD wants people to stop talking about their coach leaving when they could still make the NCAA tournament which could have led to the tweet.
Watch Augustana win the national championship as the 15 seed, pull a 2013 Yale
Yeah idk, it seems like a risky thing for the AD to tweet if he potentially isn’t returning. Which makes me think he probably is but who knows.
You likely are right but if it plays out where Raboin does end up leaving there will probably be Augustana fans who are pissed he is ditching them so the AD will likely try to back away from the tweet saying "I made the tweet because I thought he was committed to being here. It is very disappointing that is he is not." (basically try to pass the blame off on to Raboin).Yeah idk, it seems like a risky thing for the AD to tweet if he potentially isn’t returning. Which makes me think he probably is but who knows.
Raboin to my knowledge hasn't said anything yet about the tweet.
I don't expect Raboin will be the next Gopher coach.
I work for a public organization and normally you are required to interview people before you can offer anybody the job even if you have a top candidate, so I find it very difficult to believe anybody has been officially offered the job yet.
I work for a public organization and normally you are required to interview people before you can offer anybody the job even if you have a top candidate, so I find it very difficult to believe anybody has been officially offered the job yet.
I don’t think the fans on here are saying Raboin was offered the job and declined. They (and I) are saying he declined an interview.
I’ll concede that we don’t know everything as fans squinting through the proverbial glass but from my vantage point Coyle is not handling this very well at all.
I work for a public organization and normally you are required to interview people before you can offer anybody the job even if you have a top candidate, so I find it very difficult to believe anybody has been officially offered the job yet.
I don’t think the fans on here are saying Raboin was offered the job and declined. They (and I) are saying he declined an interview.
I don’t think he declined to even interview, because (a) Russo said that he was scheduled to, and (b) others said that he did speak with Coyle in some capacity yesterday. I think it’s certainly plausible that he may have told Coyle to wait until Augustana’s season is over before continuing in the hiring process.
I felt bad for wooger stepping aside like he did for all he meant to the U. I had and still have nothing but respect for him but when we got Lucia I remember telling a buddy give it 5 years max and we will win it and did. I was pumped up excited when he came here like a kid at Christmas. It felt right.
In I think the 97-98 seasons (could have been 96-97) I watched Lucia’s CC team absolutely trash the gophers in a 2-game sweep at Mariucci. In one of the games, CC scored 5 or 6 goals that were all tic-tac-toe into an open net.
My (fuzzy!) memory was that when the Woog era ended, really the only names circulating were Blais and Lucia, and I was 1,000% on the Lucia side (I knew Blais was a good coach, but all I could see was green).
The difference in the team, even in that first season (with all of Woog’s recruits, some of whom would eventually win us a title), was just amazing. Those early Lucia years were the most exciting in my time as a fan, really only matched by getting to watch the Cooley-Knies-Snuggerud line skate for a season.
Haven’t seen Blasi mentioned as a candidate. What gives there?
no idea, and his team’s season is over now. His track record on paper between both Miami and UST would make him one of the front-runners, definitely ahead of Larson. maybe he really wants to lead UST to NCHC glory, who knows.
I felt bad for wooger stepping aside like he did for all he meant to the U. I had and still have nothing but respect for him but when we got Lucia I remember telling a buddy give it 5 years max and we will win it and did. I was pumped up excited when he came here like a kid at Christmas. It felt right.
In I think the 97-98 seasons (could have been 96-97) I watched Lucia’s CC team absolutely trash the gophers in a 2-game sweep at Mariucci. In one of the games, CC scored 5 or 6 goals that were all tic-tac-toe into an open net.
My (fuzzy!) memory was that when the Woog era ended, really the only names circulating were Blais and Lucia, and I was 1,000% on the Lucia side (I knew Blais was a good coach, but all I could see was green).
The difference in the team, even in that first season (with all of Woog’s recruits, some of whom would eventually win us a title), was just amazing. Those early Lucia years were the most exciting in my time as a fan, really only matched by getting to watch the Cooley-Knies-Snuggerud line skate for a season.
Agree, I wasn’t following on “pride on ice” then but curious about what that time was like on a forum. My fuzzy memory as well with CC they had “it” and to get their coach, like I said felt like Christmas and with MSC covering everything on tv, pregame. Postgame, coaches interviews between periods, geezus even back then they covered behind the scenes team profiles. Who were roommates and even where they ate dinner on Wednesday nights. (Taco night at the Koalska home). Such a great time to be hooked on gopher hockey!
“Good pace, a lot of north and south, or it could be east and west, I’m not sure but either way…” Wooger
I have no idea of all the dynamics surrounding the coaching search, but I will say this: if Garrett Raboin has taken himself out of consideration for the Gophers job, I'm not going to question his reasons. If someone is happy where they are professionally, it's no reflection on their character or desire if they choose to stay put.
Mike McMahon said in his newsletter that they didn't contact Barr. They did reach out to Todd Richards and Seth Appert and possibly Blasi but the Larson/Potulny finalist thing is real.
Mike McMahon said in his newsletter that they didn't contact Barr. They did reach out to Todd Richards and Seth Appert and possibly Blasi but the Larson/Potulny finalist thing is real.
Jesus effing Christ. What is Coyle doing.
If Coyle never contacts Barr there is obviously a reason(s) why.
If it turns out the two candidates that most people were focusing on all season as replacements for Bob were never really options (for reasons we may not know) it would speak to while fans are often times very passionate (which is generally a good thing) we also often times don't really know what is truly an option.
*Dons tinfoil hat*
*Dons second tinfoil hat*
You know, after the initial farkup of someone leaking that raboin had already been contacted, I could easily see it playing out like this:
1. Both Raboin and COyle play damage control by denying there's a 'there' there.
2. Leak that you're interviewing two other candidates (despite nanne saying several people have reached out to him - though this could easily be just two)
3. Still conduct interview w/ Raboin but quietly. Allow his season to play out. Hire him within a day or two of it ending.
This is obvious wishcasting on my part. But the fact that all of this is leaking is either a *massive* indictment of the AD, his office, or it's selective leaking after that initial embarrassing leak.
Anyways. Suffice it to say, we know nothing. Shit is going on behind the scenes. And I think we all agree these leaks need to have someone sent packing.
*Doffs both hats*
Mike McMahon said in his newsletter that they didn't contact Barr. They did reach out to Todd Richards and Seth Appert and possibly Blasi but the Larson/Potulny finalist thing is real.
Seth Appert? Todd Richards? Christ. Absolutely not.
And I think we all agree these leaks need to have someone sent packing.
Yes, it is frustrating that whoever leaked the interview lists didn’t stop and think about how it might affect Rabs at his current job. Even regular people get to check the “do not contact my current employer” box when applying to new jobs.
*Dons tinfoil hat*
*Dons second tinfoil hat*
You know, after the initial farkup of someone leaking that raboin had already been contacted, I could easily see it playing out like this:
1. Both Raboin and COyle play damage control by denying there's a 'there' there.
2. Leak that you're interviewing two other candidates (despite nanne saying several people have reached out to him - though this could easily be just two)
3. Still conduct interview w/ Raboin but quietly. Allow his season to play out. Hire him within a day or two of it ending.
This is obvious wishcasting on my part. But the fact that all of this is leaking is either a *massive* indictment of the AD, his office, or it's selective leaking after that initial embarrassing leak.
Anyways. Suffice it to say, we know nothing. Shit is going on behind the scenes. And I think we all agree these leaks need to have someone sent packing.
*Doffs both hats*
Well Augustana is not making the NCAA tournament, so their season ended last Saturday which was before it was reported he was a candidate. 😉
Coyle is a dumpster fire.