Dean Blais

[Ghost of Smith]

I'm not on the ledge about this news. I just understand the fact that UND went through some crap years until Blais came and interjected some life back into that program. Yes, UND does have a great hockey tradition and sometimes that helps the recruiting process but Blais recruited and recruited well. I'm not even feeling like I'm streatching when I say that Dean built that beautiful arena as well as put ND on the map in terms of the talent that was coming out of the high schools. He made hockey an attraction in ND at the university level as well as the high school level.

I really really hope that they take a careful look at who is going to be the next coach and examine what made Blais successful and fill the position with the person who has those similar attributes. He was a special coach and the next coach has huge shoes to fill. I wish him the best of luck.

[redwing77]

It's hard to see him go, but there is something also that weighs heavy. Word has it that Dean's wife isn't doing so hot health-wise. The move may be hard on her, but perhaps there are better facilities and physicians in Columbus that could help her? I don't know if that weighs in at all, but a number of prominent people have moved to other larger cities from the area to seek treatment that they could not otherwise get in North Dakota due to size and demographics. Noteable transient helth care seekers are John Odegaard (UND Aerospace routinely flew to Houston, TX to seek cancer treatment), and a number of prominent businessmen traveling to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for treatment.

[Spark's Fan]

This is the first and only message I will write. I've read the comments, listened to the speculations, and have had to sit and put up with comments about things that "credible sources" know little about. What people need to understand is that it's a game, a way of life, but a game. It's been confirmed that he's leaving, but the decision was made with the most important people in his life in mind--HIS FAMILY! So, to all of you that don't understand or wil continue to justify the decision, keep that in mind.

[Basil]

I think that is no more than hennessey's speculation. Although hennessey did predict that parise would leave.

It didn't take much of an insider to figure out Zach wouldn't be spending 4 years at UND. I think UND needs to give one of the assistants the job (at least for this year) and then see how it goes. On the staff, under Blais, was there one person doing the majority of the recruiting? If so, that is the guy that should be head coach now.

[Bubz]

Chance at head coach....

Hakstol 40%

Sandelin 40%

Johnson 20%

Sound about right?

[defensivend]

Dean Blais has always said that he wanted to coach in the NHL so this isn't really

a surprise.So as for all the speculating about why it really came from his own mouth he said" he didn't want to reach 60 like Gino and wonder if I could've made it at the next level "and hopefully he will have the same sucess he has had at this level in the show. But you should not over look the assistant coaches that we have they are the ones who have done most of the recruiting as has been done in the past. Blais has done his fair share but these guys need to be reconized for a lot of the players that are here. Don't sell them short we will do fine without Dean.

[ScottM]

Chance at head coach....

Hakstol 40%

Sandelin 40%

Johnson 20%

Sound about right?

I'd like it better if the percentages were:

Sandelin: 45%

Johnson: 45%

Hakstol: 5%

Other: 5%

Haks hasn't demonstrated a winning record on his own bench, and I think he needs a few more years before taking over a program like this.

[Fighting Sioux Fan]

Maybe Columbus will draft Stafford...

[jk]

Hennessy definitely said that he would be surprised to see Bochenski back, and he did not make it sound as though it related to Blais. I can confirm the earlier poster who noted that Hennessy really sounded quite sure the job would go to Hakstol.

[defensivend]

This was in the Herald's web page :

Hakstol to get Sioux interim job

Dave Hakstol will be named interim men's head coach hockey today.

Hakstol, the Sioux associate head coach, will take over for Dean Blais, who has resigned to take a job with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.

Hakstol will be the interim head coach and Brad Berry will be the interim associate head coach.

A search for Blais' replacement will begin immediately, Sioux athletic director Roger Thomas said.

Blais was named associate head coach of the Blue Jackets on Friday.

[sagard]

All I can say is wow. Congrats to Coach Blais. UND is a premier program with the premier facility in the nation. I'm sure there will be inquiries from all over the country to fill the job.

If I were doing the picking I'd go for someone with WCHA head coaching experience. The WCHA is truly brutal and the pressures on the coaches has to be very high. There is no reason for UND to settle for less.

[WPoS]

Well, as a Gopher fan all I can say is this:

UND will still have a good year next year regardless of whom is at the helm, just too much dang talent. The long term affects are what I am curious about, namely recruiting. Other thing will be how your team reacts under new coaching style...maybe you'll keep one goalie in nets all season!

I'd love to see UND back to their early 90's stats, but I just don't see that happening overnight if ever...but one can hope!

WPoS

[DAR]

I don't really see that Bochenski has anywhere to go. I have heard nothing that Ottawa is even really interested in signing unless he wants to accept a piss poor contract with little or no bonus. He was a late round draft pick and I don't think Ottawa is interested in giving him much money. We shall see.

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

Wow...congrats to Dean and good luck. Talk about coming out of left field.

I think Sandelin is the front runner for sure, and Eades, Johnson, Marks, and Hakstol will also be considered. The only question is if Sandelin will leave UMD...otherwise I think he at least gets offered the position.

I throw another name out there too...Mark Johnson, UW Women's Coach. Word is he might be a little upset at Bucky for hiring Eaves instead of him when Sauer left. Not sayin', just sayin'.

[kr]

I'm really, really going to miss listening to CB on the Coaches' Show, and maybe even more so, the early morning once a week "talk"/interview . . . yes, some of it could be bulletin board material . . BUT a lot of it was the unvarnished truth and all of it was down-right hysterical. I'm glad that CB is leaving at this time, simply, because it is his choice. That's the best way to have a coaching change. Other schools have weathered coaching changes: ie. Maine's program survived the traumatic loss of Walsh; UND will be fine.

I can understand the rational for Hakstol being the front runner -- if I recall rightly, Hakstol was promoted to Associate Coach the year UND placed 2nd nationally, because CB was dealing with a family member's illness. Hakstol AND Berry did a fine job that year, as they have every year. Also, and this probably bears NO weight in the selection process, but Hakstol's wife is employed with the UND Alumni Office and they (Hakstol and wife) actually WANT to live in the GF area. Sandelin would be a great choice, but does he really want to leave a program that he has developed, his players, close to home, a place his family (read: wife) seems to like better than GF? I'm partial to Steve Johnson 'cause it's been said/stated/gossiped that he has the same temperment/coaching demeanor as CB and Sandelin; in addition GF is his home town and he knows and appreciates what GF has to offer.

[ScottM]

I throw another name out there too...Mark Johnson, UW Women's Coach. Word is he might be a little upset at Bucky for hiring Eaves instead of him when Sauer left. Not sayin', just sayin'.

I understand that there was a pretty strong "Badger Bob" contingent in Wisco that was upset that Eaves got the job over Mark, or even Dahl. Anyway, I think he would be an outside shot at the best, as he prays for Eaves to fall apart.

[Wantagh]

Link to Blais article in the Forum

This link says something about what the players thought. And a little into the future of Brandon.

[PCM]

"We want to improve on that - we were one game away from the Final Four," Bochenski said.

I'm guessing that Brandon knows what it's really called and the reporter doesn't.

It's nice to hear that Bochenski and Stafford say that they'll both be back next season.

[sprig]

Blais has stepped down as coach of the world juniors.

[Sioux fan since '90]

CONGRADULATIONS TO DEAN BLAIS. I wish the best of luck to him and his family. Boy, was I surprised when I heard the news he was leaving for the NHL. I understood he didn't want to coach in the NHL, because at that level, you start dealing with player contracts, and their managers for money, what they want to be paid, and when they should play. I understand it's the coach who makes the final decision on how much playing time the player gets, but it's still adds to the stress of coaching. I know he will be the assistant, but it still adds to the stress. He will certainly be missed by myself, and everyone else who follows Sioux hockey. I really liked the way he handles the team, and the media. The team likes and respects him, and he always knows how to handle a situation with the media.

The next coach certainly has some big shoes to fill, but I think whoever they pick as a head coach, will do just fine. I will miss being able to hear him on the internet every weekend after the game. I don't get the chance to see the Sioux games, because I am in southern Minnesota just outside the Twin cities, and we all know what that means. Goofer City! Everything here is gopher this, and gopher that. Not that the U of M doesn't have a good program, I'm just sick of hearing everyone talk about their beloved gophers, like they're better than everyone else, even when they loose. Down here, the Wooger, and Mazzocco talk about how much better the gophers are all the time, even when they play other teams besides the Sioux.

Sorry if I rambled, but I just had to get that out. I'm really sorry to see Dean Blais leave, but this is a good opportunity for him, and like everybody said, it was his FAMILY he thought about first. Not hockey, or the program here, and that's the way it should be.

Best of luck to Dean Blais and his family!

[dakotadan]

You can tell this is big news when over 8,000 people have checked out this forum on Blais! And I am sure it is going to rise alot more in the next few days

[Supertrex]

I can't believe the papers missed this headline: "The Blaiser is a Blue Jacket"...Congrats to DB - we're going to miss him...

[MinnesotaNorthStar]

You can tell this is big news when over 8,000 people have checked out this forum on Blais! And I am sure it is going to rise alot more in the next few days

That and the two artticles in the Herald yesterday...and 2 more in the Sports section today

[jk]

Off-topic for a bit. Welcome back, dagies. Quite the news on your return to the internet. I'll give you a primer to help your reading. USCHO has about 500 posts, mainly blown up by nervous Bulldogs. POI is about as cheerful as it has ever been (no one complaining about Vanek's effort, or goaltending, or Ballard's defensive deficiencies, as there are no games being played). They can see ahead to the time when MN once again belongs exclusively to the Gophers (hopefully just wishful thinking). SS is pretty appreciative of Blais, and desperately anticipating news of his replacement.

[dagies]

I was wondering who the "dark horse" candidate might be outside of the normal handful of UND-tied candidates, and Tom Ward's name is an interesting one.

Looking at this from another angle, what about a guy like Gwoz? Heck of a coach and I would think this job would be a step up. Not advocating him, but since it's open season on the Blais-replacement question I'm throwing it out there.

Whoever says Hakstol is the likely candidate due to the Gino-Blais hiring model, don't forget Blais was an assistant and went on to coach high schools before being hired back. Maybe Eades is then our next coach.

Personally, I feel Sandelin has done nicely in the WCHA as a coach and should be considered a front runner. And don't forget that we won championships with Scott on the bench and only came up short after he left. Coincidence or not I don't know.

I just hope the settling process works quickly. If players leave because of this, let's just get it over with. If recruits back out, get it done. Let's find out what hand we have to play and then play it. I hope it doesn't take a season to deal out the hand.