SJHovey

So Brad thinks it will be a short turnaround on the assistant's job that's been posted. So, maybe announce on Thursday? Here is my question. Shouldn't we be hiring two assistants, one to replace Karl and one to fill Jackson's spot?

In my opinion, no. Not even close. The new reality is that kids (in all sports) are going to seek greener pastures. It's true in hockey and football and basketball. Other sports as well, I assume. The traditional powers are not going to be exempt. Kids will leave traditional powers for other traditional powers, or even schools of lesser standing if they think it will improve their situation. Matthew Wood, as a first rounder, leaves UConn to go to MN. MN exits in the first round and UConn nearly makes it to its first Frozen Four. MN loses a kid to Mankato. We've lost high draft picks to OSU or elsewhere. It's the new reality. We just have to be prepared for it so that we can pick off players from other teams as well. Boisvert was a very talented player, will likely be a Hobey Finalist candidate wherever he goes, and will play exactly one more year of college hockey. I think we'll survive without him. As for Perron and OM, I would have loved to see them stay, develop and finish their college careers here. But there have been hundreds of players as talented as they are who have come through the program before, and and hundreds more who will come after them. They are not irreplaceable. Far from it. I wish them the best. Good luck wherever they go. But if we play you, I would hope we will greet you rudely.

Given that someone here posted back in February these players had already selected their team, it seems unlikely that there is any correlation between their departures and the firing of Berry, hiring of Jackson or any player input into that process.

I watched that game last night, and the post-game festivities, and I suddenly realized something. Even after all these years, it never gets old to see a kid, wearing a BC uniform, standing on the ice crying his eyes out.

I wish him well. I would have liked to have seen him stay, but I still think we have some skill on the D line, and coming in. By the way, did he get hurt in that WMU game? I remember thinking that I hadn't seen him on the ice for awhile, and looking for him on the bench. I'll admit that I didn't see what happened if he did get hurt.

I wouldn't be surprised if the players had a close relationship with Jackson. As I understand it (having never played major college athletics) it's not unusual at all that the assistants are the closest to the players, while the head coach is more unapproachable. It's the assistants who are there, sometimes keeping secrets, helping to clean up messes, etc... I think that it was maybe Hak that talked a little about that after he was promoted. How do you, as the head coach, adapt from being their buddy to being the head coach. If Jackson is promoted, he'll have to do that.

There have been a number of posts about how far this program has "fallen" (in their opinion), that we are no longer considered a blue blood school, etc... First, I do not think that is an opinion that is shared outside this board, or outside a portion of this fan base. I suspect that if you went around and asked college hockey players, coaches, administrators, media types and fans to name the premier schools in college hockey, the blue bloods, UND shows up on all or almost all of their lists. Second, I've had the privilege of going to UND games for a long time. My first games were at the old Winter Sports building, and those were definitely not the good old days. The vast majority of my UND seasons have ended in disappointment. We lost, season over. It might have been in the national championship game, or it could have been in the first round of the conference playoffs, but either way, the dream was dead. Wait 'til next year! That is the norm! We had an incredible 20 year run from the '96-97 season through 2015-16. Incredible. I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but that is not sustainable. If you don't believe me, talk to a 70 year old UCLA basketball fan, or a current NE Patriots fan, a New York Yankees fan or an Alabama football fan in 10 years. If that is the "bar" that you want to set for this program, then no coach should want this job, and we're going to be firing coaches about every three years. We should expect our coaches to run a clean program, to work hard to recruit the best possible players (who are also good people) to come play for the program, and to teach them. That's the job of a coach is to teach. If we find someone who teaches the game the right way, we'll continue to have more success than most other programs, and we'll occasionally even win a title. I have no reason to think that Jackson can't be that guy. And finally, I think that a reality check is needed. College athletics are changing, and changing dramatically. UND (and a lot of others) are going to be at a significant disadvantage. That doesn't mean that we should give up, or do nothing, but let's not kid ourselves into thinking that whatever collective we can put together is going to compete with the likes of the Michigans, Penn States, Arizona States, etc..., of the world. We just can't. They can find way more NIL money in the cushions of their football coach's couch than we could ever raise. I understand that, and as a college athletics fan, I think it sucks. But we have to be prepared to try to win more with less. Just my two cents.

Hak's teams were different than Blais' teams, and Berry's teams were different than Hak's teams. If Jackson gets the job, I have no reason to think this won't continue to be the case.

They did.

I think what has been lost on this board is that when word went out Sunday that BB was fired, the reaction of about 99% of the college hockey world was “WTF? They did what?” The USCHO podcast guys had some interesting takes, including the idea that coaches may think twice before applying for this job if a guy who won a natty, five conference titles and a conference tournament title, and never had a losing record in ten seasons was dumped.

I have another idea on the "posting" issue, and the relatively short time candidates have to "apply." No one is going to apply for this job. Almost certainly the posting is a legal requirement put in place by the school to comply with public employee/university/state policies or laws. They make the time period short because they then have the flexibility to hire whenever they strike a deal with someone. If you were to apply for this job, and you were currently the coach at another school, that application becomes a public record. When you don't get the job, you will have a very interesting meeting with your own AD the next time you talk. This will be a job that will be offered either because our AD approached that coach, or an interested coach makes it known through back channels that they would be receptive to an offer from UND.

If anyone wants to go back and dig out the Fire Hak! threads, you'll see that I was obviously a Hak supporter. I have no problem with him coming back. He clearly will be a hire that will position us best to retain the current players we have and the recruits in the pipeline. Is he best for the long term? I guess time will tell.

That job posting reads like Dave Hakstol's resume reads.

It's probably a good thing the Board doesn't pin "Fire ______" threads.

I'm going to admit that this weekend is sort of going to be a mixture of sadness and relief for me. In the fall of 1987, a buddy that I had attended UND with was talking to me and we agreed that we should try to get tickets to the new "WCHA Final Four" that would be played the next spring in St. Paul. We started out with three tickets, since my dad wanted to join us. Within a couple of years we added a fourth seat for his brother. I think it's interesting if you look back at the conference tournament, since it started that season. You can almost divide it into three equal parts, each of which is dramatically different than the others. The first dozen years were sort of a conference tournament trying to find its footing. Those years in the St. Paul Civic Center were basically Minnesota home games, with a few of us from other schools sprinkled in. Wisconsin probably did the best job of bringing fans, and they usually brought their band, but it was a Minnesota crowd. But that fact really made the games fun, since the Civic Center was basically a house of horrors for MN, so we got to spend the tournament cheering goals by any team but MN, and laughing at their misfortune. But it certainly wasn't a party. St. Paul, in those years, was basically Gaza. They would kick you out between the afternoon and night games, and there was no place to go. The few years in Milwaukee were even worse, since the crowds were so much worse. But as the first dozen years ended, and the tournament moved over to Target Center while the X was being built, you could sort of see some growth. Other teams were having success at both the conference and national level, and it was showing in the tournament crowds. The middle years, at the X and before the WCHA broke up, were obviously the golden years, and nothing more needs be said. It was a perfect storm. You had a new arena, in a city that had made an effort to have food, drink and hotel establishments within walking distance of it. You had a period of dominance by the conference that was something to behold. Five straight national champions. Multiple programs with Frozen Four appearances. Great players. The last dozen years have been a disappointment. I will forever be grateful to the NCHC for at least giving it a shot, and a fair shot at that. I think the conference tournament, in one location, is clearly the best idea. Unfortunately, the last dozen years or so have basically felt like attending a high school reunion where some past their prime guys just want to talk about the glory days. But I think what I'll miss most of all is the annual get together with my friend from UND. 38 years is long time. During that stretch we each missed one or two tournaments for various family commitments, but it's been a good run. I'm glad that we at least get to watch UND one final time at the event.