star2city Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 From a letter to the GFH from former Sioux goaltender Mike Curran: Finally, I would like to share a salient fact with everybody. Dean Blais is a finalist for a job as the head coach of a National Hockey League team. When I read that Thomas says there is plenty of time to address the Blais contract issue, I become seriously concerned. This may explain much of the earlier story. Which NHL team would Blais be a finalist for? The Pittsburgh Penquins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 From a letter to the GFH from former Sioux goaltender Mike Curran: This may explain much of the earlier story. Which NHL team would Blais be a finalist for? The Pittsburgh Penquins? The rumor I had heard was the Columbus job but that one is filled. Guys Lefty is right, there is not way Dean's Standing should be equal to the other coaches around, Dean should be paid more than Lennon, Roebuck and et al. There is no comparison Roger better stop f#(king around and get Dean signed to a contract. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 Not good news. Blais leaving could lead to some young players jumping ship also following the draft. Better ante up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted June 8, 2003 Author Share Posted June 8, 2003 I agree with the above comments. I'm not sure what Roger's thinking, but he'd better realize that UND is a hockey school, much like Florida State and Nebraska are football schools. The team regularly plays teams from all D1 schools and who have a great deal of "name" recognition, e.g., Michigan, Minnesota, Yale, etc. If you want to keep your program in that top-tier you open your wallet to attract and retain the best coaches and staff. Dicking around your school's marquee coach is not really a good negotiating tactic. Really. If Blais leaves because of a rotten offer, Roger had better be right behind him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
If only we had Belfour Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 The job Blais is up for is the Carolina Hurricanes job. He could be coaching DeFauw and Bayda again soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 I think Scott is right if Blaiser leaves, Roger will probably be right behind him. It was rummored a while back if Preisdent Charles had changed the name his head would have rolled very fast. I even heard that a prominant alumni (it wasn't Ralp) was going to push for his removal. I don't Roger better dick around too long or he may be drawing unemployment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggler Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 OK. So why does it matter that Thomas hasn't offered Blais a contract? I mean if the Canes offer Blais the job, Blais is gone. So who really cares if Thomas hasn't offered him a contract. Thomas shouldn't be putzing around, but ultimately it doesn't matter what he does if the Canes want Dean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND95 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 The job Blais is up for is the Carolina Hurricanes job. He could be coaching DeFauw and Bayda again soon When did the Canes get rid of Maurice? Hadn't heard that one yet. Hopefully the appeal of coaching in the NHL and for a team with a couple guys he coached in college doesn't cost UND Blais. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted June 9, 2003 Author Share Posted June 9, 2003 I wouldn't be so quick to stamp Blais' plane ticket to Raleigh. Coaching in the NHL is a different animal than college, or AHL. By and large, college coaches don't have a great deal of success in the NHL. It's a different game, different pressures and you have players who make more money, and have larger egos, than the coach. Besides, I'd bet any deal Blais, or any college coach, has will have an "out" provision for an NHL or other high-end job. That said, if Blais was truly interested in the NHL in the near term, he wouldn't have gone public with his frustration at the snails' pace of the current round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinnesotaNorthStar Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I don't think we can say that Blais WILL be leaving if the Canes offer him a job. But, if Thomas continues to f*ck with him...he might be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 All of this talk about Blais possibly leaving is silly, IMO. Obviously, he is not intending to leave, or he would not be making his lack of an offer an issue. If he wanted to leave, he'd sit quitely and then blame the administration for waiting too long after the fact. In fact, I wouldn't doubt that things are turning the other way. Thomas might be deliberately toying with Blais to send a message that the last two seasons have been less than satisfactory. From what I have gathered last season, there is talk that Blais is not getting the job done like he did when he first took the helm. Rip me apart if you wish, but that is what I have felt and heard in the last two seasons. Deano can't expect UND to be bending over backwards to please him when the WCHA record in the last two years has been around .500. Granted, I am very happy with his recruits for '03-04. Also, Parise was an amazing catch. However, can we expect the Thomas to go out of his way to please Deano during a period where hockey has slumped? When it comes to coaching, recent results get big contract offers, not history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airmail Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 When it comes to coaching, recent results get big contract offers, not history. Thank You OETKB, I was beginning to wonder if anyone still remembered the second half implosion from last season. (note: implosion, not explosion) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Again, I'm not saying I want Blais gone, but rather bringing up a few thing I noticed and wondering whether these have anything to do with what is happening. Some Blais statements (approximate quotes) from last season: They had a great week of practice. I don't think we're going to get much better (before getting swept) The boys are sick of practicing. They just want to play games. (They needed practice, IMO) I'm not very optimistic (After a disappointing home series - referring to the rest of the season) Some of his comments last season were a concern to me. Especially the "Not optimistic" thing. Who needs the head coach to be talking like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I wouldn't call 26-12-5 a bad record, in fact not bad if you ask me with how young the team was. If you look at the record that is 42-31-7 that is still a winning record. Besides who are we going to replace Blais with and get the same results? Frankly I think UND is a goaltender away from winning an NCAA title. Just my opinion. And the last point I do expect Thomas to go out of his way to get Dean a contract. Dean is a proven winner and he is also a Division one coach in a top program as opposed to being a Division two coach. Dean's contract should take precedence over all others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I'd agree that UND is probably capable of getting #8 this season. In my above posts, I'm just inviting some conversation about Blais and how he may have changed in the last few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 And the last point I do expect Thomas to go out of his way to get Dean a contract. Dean is a proven winner and he is also a Division one coach in a top program as opposed to being a Division two coach. Dean's contract should take precedence over all others. I agree with this. The late season swoon was a disappointment, especially the final loss to Ferris who were totally demolished by the Gophers. Still, Blais success is still very recent and I'm not ready to critisize the outcome of the last two seasons. Got to make some noise with this team this season though. After all the highly touted freshman of the losing team two years ago are now juniors, and have to prove something this season imo. Although goaltending was a problem while the Sioux were winning, it was solid during the late season swoon for the most part. That needs to continue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skateshattrick Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Goon is right on with his post. It is ridiculous to suggest that Dean Blais does not deserve a contract and a MUCH larger contract that the football, basketball and other coaches. The comment that UND should not bend over backwards for Dean because he has not done much the last 2 seasons is neither fair nor accurate. The Sioux had one bad year by their standards followed by a good year with a disappointing finish. Recall that the Sioux were an OT away from winning back to back championships in 2000 and 2001, which would have been the same accomplishment as Lucia. Blais was also Minnesota's 1st choice for a reason. By that logic, if Lucia were to lose great players like Vanek and Paul Martin early and finish below .500 (Roche and Lundbohm), and then follow that up with a record of 26-12-5, he should not expect Minnesota to "bend over backwards" to get him a new contract despite his back-to-back titles because history does not matter and the only relevant consideration is "what have you done for me lately." It appears that some of our fans have become spoiled and arrogant about the Sioux program. The Sioux expect to compete every year, but despite the great tradition and arena, its not always easy to out recruit Minnesota kids from going to their home state, or Canadian kids lured by the beauty and mountains of Colorado, or kids lured by the tradition and academics of Boston College, Michigan and others. Blais turned around a program that was in the toilet. To even insinuate that Blais does not deserve another contract based upon his past accomplishments, which are all recent, is ludicrous. He has earned more respect than to be tossed aside as just another coach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND Fan Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 I am confused about everyone's comments that Dean's salary should be much more than those of Lennon, Glas and Roebuck. I fully agree with this but his contract blows away what those three are making. I do not disagree that we should do all we can to retain Dean and that may mean negotiating with him in a much different manner than the other three. But those who are implying that he is in the same salary range as those three are very much misinformed. His outside income also blows away theirs from camps, etc. Again, I am not saying he shouldn't receive much more. The hockey program is DI and a huge money maker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OETKB Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Once again, I want to state that I want Dean in the position. In my above posts, I was raising some questions about the last few years because I like to see the comments that follow. However, I'm not calling for his head or saying that UND should snub him. Having said that, "What have you done for me lately" is always the way in coaching. Flourish or perish. It's a tough world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goon Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 Jutting Agrees to New Contract 2002-03 WCHA Coach of the Year Nets New Four-Year Deal Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State Athletic Department officials announced today that men Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted June 11, 2003 Author Share Posted June 11, 2003 If an MSUS school can afford to pay a very good coach $110k+, UND should be able to step up and pay Blais something in Lucia or Berensen's range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sprig Posted June 11, 2003 Share Posted June 11, 2003 UND should be able to step up and pay Blais something in Lucia or Berensen's range. Have no idea what Blais is getting, but I agree, it needs to be in that range if it's not. Appears Jutting's old contract was torn up (he had a year left) for the new 4 year contract. Hope the UND athletic department is paying attention Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 24, 2003 Share Posted June 24, 2003 Not to pick a scab here or restart anything, but in light of recent developments I don't think Roger Thomas has been idle during this time. He's hired two new assistant ADs and I'm sure he was a part of the hiring for the new head of the Fighting Sioux Club mentioned in there as well. And now add in that a BB arena announcement is expected later this week and I don't think Roger Thomas has been asleep at the switch. I'm sure Roger would have liked to have Dean Blais' extension done by now but you can't do everything at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottM Posted June 25, 2003 Author Share Posted June 25, 2003 Why it's very nice Roger got around to hiring office help to make coffee and answer phones ... When is he going to pay attention to "The Rainmaker"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 25, 2003 Share Posted June 25, 2003 I'm hoping that Roger Thomas' open items list has now been cut down to just dealing with The Rainmaker and then working on his golf handicap for the rest of the summer. (I'm guessing that whether we like it or not RT was feeling pressure from within UND to hire a new senior womens administrator to replace the recently retired one.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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