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Looking at the season as of right now what coaches do you think will be looking for work elsewhere come next season. I think the Scott Owens era is over in Colorado. The Tigers were a consensus top 5 team in the nation at the beginning of the year, now they are done before the 15th of March. I think Lucia saved himself by making it to the Final 5, if they Gophs would have tanked to St. Cloud I would suspect he would spend the 2010 season behind the bench of Tony Lucia's Beer League Hockey team. O yeah, Hakstol is probably getting the pink slip as well, haha!

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I don't see Colorado College getting rid of Scott Owens the season after winning the MacNaughton Cup. Now next season if CC falls off the earth then he's gonna be in some hot water.

I'd agree with you if he had a post-season title of some sort under him but he doesn't. CC has been an underachieving program since the days of Donny Lucia. Face-breaking info right there.

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I wouldn't have any knowledge of the situation but I'd be surprised of Owens was going to get the ax. For a while I thought Owens was profiting from the momentum created by Lucia, but just when it looked like he ran out of good players he started recruiting other good players and has maintained a pretty competitive program. They haven't finished strong, that is true. But it seems for a program that used to be Tech-like, Lucia rebuilt it and Owens has pretty much maintained it. The wrong coach and they could be a bottom dweller. Owens has kept them from falling to that. I think he's safe.

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I wouldn't have any knowledge of the situation but I'd be surprised of Owens was going to get the ax. For a while I thought Owens was profiting from the momentum created by Lucia, but just when it looked like he ran out of good players he started recruiting other good players and has maintained a pretty competitive program. They haven't finished strong, that is true. But it seems for a program that used to be Tech-like, Lucia rebuilt it and Owens has pretty much maintained it. The wrong coach and they could be a bottom dweller. Owens has kept them from falling to that. I think he's safe.

I just don't see them winning a championship with Owens, so in my opinion it comes down to whether they're simply content being competitive or willing to take a risk on getting a coach in there that can get them over the hump. CC has had some very good teams, but it just seems like they're perennial playoff busts. I would think it would be a reasonably attractive job for a good enough coach that wouldn't run the program into the ground.

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Looking at the season as of right now what coaches do you think will be looking for work elsewhere come next season. I think the Scott Owens era is over in Colorado. The Tigers were a consensus top 5 team in the nation at the beginning of the year, now they are done before the 15th of March. I think Lucia saved himself by making it to the Final 5, if they Gophs would have tanked to St. Cloud I would suspect he would spend the 2010 season behind the bench of Tony Lucia's Beer League Hockey team. O yeah, Hakstol is probably getting the pink slip as well, haha!

I agree with Dagies. You need to know some history here before you can even begin to think about these things. CC was a bottom feeder for a very very long time. I don't see Scott Owens being forced out there at all. That program is highly respectable. Hockey at CC is not the fanatic religion that it is at other schools, so I doubt you will see alumni clamoring for change. I believe Lucia is safe for another year. But I don't believe that it is going to be a comfortable year. The bleeding of players from UM to the pros will continue this off-season, partly because a couple of players are ready and partly because of issues. There have been too many issues the past few years with this team and they seem to continue. Lucia's future next year is going to be hitched to getting a large immediate impact from the incoming freshmen class. Not an enviable position.

Shyiak at UAA has made a very favorable impression on people, and UAA's finish this year was a strong positive. Likewise, Russell at MTU is well respected and they suffered horribly this year due to many season ending injuries. The MTU team played this year with pride and continued to work hard. If UM could capture that they would be a much better team. Eaves at Wisconsin had a much better year than expected. The Dasher Dancer is safe as well, even with his issues.

In trouble, I don't know that there are any in the WCHA. Jutting at MSU-M would be the most likely. He has been on the hot seat before and I believe that they underachieved this year. The Bruess issues probably won't have a bearing on this, as Jutting appears to be his own worst enemy. St. Cloud did not have a good year, but I think Motzko is in good standing. He will have to turn things around in the near future, and he does have some good recruits coming in. Sandelin at UMD is likely safe after UMD had an unexpected up year, although they sagged a little at the end. Beating UM on Thursday night would help him out. UMD should have a good year next year, and if they don't then the crowd might start calling for change.

I would not expect any coaching changes this year in the WCHA, unless coaches decided on their own to make a change.

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I just don't see them winning a championship with Owens, so in my opinion it comes down to whether they're simply content being competitive or willing to take a risk on getting a coach in there that can get them over the hump. CC has had some very good teams, but it just seems like they're perennial playoff busts. I would think it would be a reasonably attractive job for a good enough coach that wouldn't run the program into the ground.

next year could be a very tough year for cc with all that they lose or could lose(Bachman)

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In some respects Owens is constrained by the talent he can bring on board due to CC's higher academic requirements. You may not see alot of CC alums in the NHL, but you may see them at top tier medical and grad schools. Moreover, I think as long he keeps them reasonably competitive in the league and nationally, he'll be there for a while.

With regard to Lucia, I don't understand the thinking that he'll be forced out soon. He runs one of the finest programs in the country, and has a couple of Titles too. If Minnesota ran at the bottom for 2-3 years in a row, maybe. Then again, I fully understand gopher fans' thinking that he's past his peak, since it's been a few years since they were in the FF.

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Owens and Lucia are two of the coaches in the WCHA most likely to leave their programs on their terms. Lucia won't go anywhere until after '11-'12. My guess is he will start adding single year extensions after this season as well. Owens runs a fine team and is one of CC's own. No way to they dump him.

The only teams I could see making a move would be MSU or UMD if they could make Blais an offer he couldn't refuse. Both those programs seem to be in decent shape so I really don't see any movement.

UW might be the most likely if only because when Eaves snaps again they really won't have much of a choice.

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Owens and Lucia are two of the coaches in the WCHA most likely to leave their programs on their terms. Lucia won't go anywhere until after '11-'12. My guess is he will start adding single year extensions after this season as well. Owens runs a fine team and is one of CC's own. No way to they dump him.

The only teams I could see making a move would be MSU or UMD if they could make Blais an offer he couldn't refuse. Both those programs seem to be in decent shape so I really don't see any movement.

UW might be the most likely if only because when Eaves snaps again they really won't have much of a choice.

Lucia only leaves before then for health reasons.

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