I brought him up in another thread but since this is fully dedicated to the New Coach. This one would be in my top 3 for sure at this point.
Todd Knott (pronounced Kuh-NOT) joined the Badger coaching staff as associate head coach in April 2023.
The 2023 American Hockey Coaches Association's Terry Flanagan Award winner for his career body of work as an assistant coach, Knott spent the prior 11 seasons on Hastings' staff at Minnesota State, first as an assistant coach, before becoming associate head coach in 2018. He spent 14 years total at Minnesota State.
Ranked the No. 1 college hockey recruiter by a panel of NHL scouts, USHL executives, agents and other college coaches according to The Athletic in the fall of 2022, Knott was key in helping Minnesota State to eight NCAA tournament appearances over 11 seasons, as well as a pair of NCAA Frozen Four trips and an NCAA runner-up finish.
As a coaching partner with new head coach Mike Hastings at Minnesota State, Knott's collegiate coaching resume mimics UW's bench boss, with eight conference regular-season titles and four conference tournament titles over the 11 seasons. That also included 11 consecutive 20-win seasons and three 30-win campaigns.
Knott is simply the best in the business," once source said to The Athletic in the college coach recruit rankings. "He can identify and recruit talent as well as anyone. He's honest and relentless in his effort."
Before his time at Minnesota State, Knott coached in the USHL beginning in 2005 as associate head coach for Des Moines, helping the team win the Clark Cup in his first season. He moved on to become head coach and general manager in Sioux City before joining the Mavericks.
Prior to the USHL, Knott served one season as assistant coach and one as head coach for the NAHL's Fargo-Moorhead Jets, helping the team win a regular-season championship and the West Division playoff title. They finished as Tier II runners up that same 2004-05 campaign.
Knott's collegiate playing career spanned 1998 through 2002 at Bemidji State where he earned his physical education degree in 2002.
Knott's family includes his wife, Angie, and their daughters Allie and Baylee, as well as their son, Jackson.