Two former Boston University captains and teammates have joined the Terriers’ staff as Jay Pandolfo has been named the Terriers’ associate head coach and Doug Friedman has been hired as the director of hockey operations.
The team has also added Brian Daccord as goaltending coach and Jon Sherman as video coordinator.
Pandolfo, Friedman and Daccord have over 30 years of combined experience in the NHL as players and coaches and Sherman is a BU graduate student who recently finished a two-year coaching internship with the Washington Capitals.
“This is a great day for our program,” said BU head coach Albie O’Connell in a statement. “It’s an honor to welcome back two captains from our program’s incredible run in the 1990s who have excelled at all levels of hockey. Jay and Doug are great examples of the type of players and people that BU hockey prides itself on. We are also thrilled to add someone of Brian’s caliber and experience to our coaching staff. Jon has also spent time in the NHL and will be a great boost to our video operations.”
Pandolfo recently completed his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins.
Drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round (32nd overall) in the 1993 NHL Draft, Pandolfo played 899 NHL games with New Jersey, the New York Islanders and Boston and had career NHL totals of 100 goals, 126 assists and 226 points. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Devils in 2000 and 2003 and formally retired as a player in January 2014 after playing his last season with Boston in 2012-13.
A standout for the Terriers during his four-year collegiate career, Pandolfo recorded 169 points (79 goals, 90 assists). He was a 1996 Hobey Baker Award finalist as a senior after recording 67 points (38g, 29a) and was an instrumental part of the Terriers’ 1995 national championship while helping lead the Terriers to four straight Frozen Fours, two Beanpot titles and two Hockey East championships.
“Jay is from one of the all-time great families who have been a part of BU hockey and we are thrilled to welcome him back,” said O’Connell. “He had a terrific career as a Terrier and then went on to play and coach at the peak of professional hockey. Through our recent talks, it’s clear that Jay shares the same vision and direction for our program. He was an outstanding captain my freshman year and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”
Friedman, a 1994 graduate of BU, returns to Commonwealth Avenue after serving as the program director and head coach of the USPHL’s Twin City Thunder.
Selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the 11th round (222nd overall) of the 1993 NHL Draft, Friedman played seven seasons of professional hockey, skating for the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators of the NHL in addition to stints with four AHL squads and the Milwaukee Admirals of the IHL. Friedman won the 1997 Calder Cup as an alternate captain of the Hershey Bears and was also an assistant captain with Milwaukee, Cornwall Aces, Hamilton Bulldogs, Worcester Ice Cats and Kentucky Thoroughblades.
Friedman was a four-year standout for BU, leading the Terriers to three Frozen Fours and two appearances in the national title game. He captained the Terriers to the title game in 1994 after being named as the top collegiate defenseman in New England. Friedman also won two Beanpots and two Hockey East championships with BU.
“Doug is another former Terrier great as both a player and a person,” said O’Connell. “After reaching the NHL as player, he returned to the sport a decade ago and has had some great experience along the way, most recently in the USPHL. His skill set and work ethic will enhance our program in many ways and the BU community will be excited to get yet another former captain on staff.”
Daccord joins BU after spending the past season as the special assistant to the general manager/director of goaltending operations for the Arizona Coyotes. That stint came after five seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs in their scouting and player development departments. Prior to joining the Leafs, Daccord was the goaltending coach for Adler Mannheim in the DEL for six seasons, winning the German championship in 2014-2015 He also served as the goaltending coach for the Bruins for two seasons from 2000 to 2002.
A 1987 Merrimack graduate, Daccord later earned a master’s degree in sport management from the United States Sports Academy. Upon graduation, Daccord played seven seasons in the Swiss National “A” League. He also served as an assistant coach at his alma mater for two seasons as well as one season as an assistant at Saint Anselm before he joined the Bruins.
“Brian has been involved in every level of hockey – playing, coaching, parenting and in business – and is one of the most organized and professional people I have come across in our sport,” said O’Connell. “Having Brian come on board is a huge win for our goalies and our entire program.”
Sherman graduated from Indiana University in 2018 and served as a student volunteer coach for the Hoosiers’ ACHA program. He spent the 2017-18 season with the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks as their hockey operations assistant before moving on to the Capitals, where he was involved with all aspects of team video from 2018 to 2020.
“Jon came highly recommended from the Capitals’ organization and his experience with video at the NHL level will undoubtedly be a huge asset for our team,” said O’Connell.”
