Byron Pool spent seven seasons at NMU (photo: Northern Michigan Athletics).
Dartmouth has announced the hiring of Byron Pool as a new assistant coach for the men’s hockey team.
“I would like to welcome Byron and Kay Pool along with their two children, Harper and Curran, to Dartmouth. Their family will be a tremendous addition to the Upper Valley,” said Dartmouth head coach Reid Cashman in a statement. “Byron is one the most respected coaches in college hockey. He has been a part of winning cultures at every stop along his coaching career. He brings passion, integrity, and experience to our program. Byron is a developer of talent and I know he will not only make our players better but also our staff.”
Pool spent seven seasons as the associate head coach at Northern Michigan. In his first two seasons with the Wildcats, he helped the team earn back-to-back 20-win seasons, the first time it has been done in over a decade. The Wildcats achieved the same feat two years later, going 20-16-1 during the 2021-22 season and 21-17-0 in ‘22-23, the year that also saw them compete in the CCHA title game.
Prior to his three-year stint at Northern Michigan, Pool was on the coaching staff of the USHL’s Fargo Force, serving as an assistant coach before earning the associate head coach title before the 2014-15 season. During his seven years in Fargo, the Force competed in the Clark Cup playoffs four times and were named the USHL’s organization of the year.
Pool also coached the NAHL’s Bismarck Bobcats for two seasons, leading them to the Roberston Cup in 2010.
No stranger to ECAC Hockey competition, Pool played collegiate hockey at Colgate, suiting up on defense for 76 games. Following his graduation with a history degree in 2000, Pool spent four years playing professional hockey for the Corpus Christi IceRays and the Indianapolis Ice.
JF Houle spent the last three seasons with the AHL’s Laval Rocket (photo: Laval Rocket).
Clarkson has announced Jean-François Houle as the 12th coach in the history of the men’s hockey program.
Houle replaces Casey Jones, who was named associate coach at Cornell last week.
“I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to return and coach at my alma mater,” said Houle in a statement. “I am excited about the future of Clarkson hockey and eager to continue the rich history of the program. I am looking forward to becoming a mentor and instilling the Clarkson University values to the next generation of student-athletes. My family and I have forged some deep friendships within the community and we are happy to make Potsdam home again.”
Houle returns to Clarkson after nine seasons in the AHL, the last three as the head coach of the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s top development team.
In his role with the Rocket, he has developed what many in NHL circles believe is the best corps of young talent in the league. In 2022, his team captured the Montreal region when he took the team to the conference finals. While with the Bakersfield Condors from 2015 to 2021, Houle helped develop a significant portion of the current Oilers roster that reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2024.
“We are thrilled to have Jean-François Houle, a Golden Knight alumnus well known around the hockey world, to be our next Leonard S. Ceglarski Head Men’s Hockey Coach,” said Clarkson president Marc Christensen. “His exceptional record in developing talent at both the professional level, combined with his deep connection to our university as a former player and assistant coach, makes him the ideal leader to drive our men’s hockey program to a national championship.”
Houle has a dual connection to Potsdam as a player and coach for the Golden Knights. He enrolled in the fall of 1993 as one of the most highly-touted recruits in the NCAA. A 1993 NHL draft pick (99th overall) of his hometown Canadiens, Houle made an impact right away, registering 25 points in his rookie campaign, which ranked him sixth on the team that season. By his senior year, he and Todd White co-captained the team to the ECAC’s regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA regionals. In total, Houle played 143 games with the Golden Knights, scoring 49 goals with 129 points overall, but most fans remember his devastating hip checks and his emergence as one of the best penalty killers in college hockey.
“People who have been following Golden Knights hockey since we moved into Cheel Arena know JF was among the all-time fan favorites, who played every shift as if it was an overtime in the national championship. With work ethic, passion, loyalty and love for Clarkson hockey and the Potsdam community, JF is the proven leader we need. He has a deep understanding of our program’s values and a strong commitment to student athlete excellence both on and off the ice,” Clarkson athletic director Laurel Kane said.
After a pro career in the AHL and ECHL, Houle returned to Clarkson in 2003 as an assistant under head coach George Roll. Houle quickly helped the Knights back into contention in the ECAC, as the Knights advanced to the ECAC championship game in 2004 and then won the ECAC title in 2007, as well as an ECAC regular-season title in 2008, with the team advancing to the NCAA tournament in both seasons. In his years as assistant coach, Houle was an integral part of recruiting and developing a great corp of Clarkson All-Americans and professional players, including Steve Zalewski, Grant Clitsome, David Leggio, Nick Dodge, and Shawn Weller.
Houle left Potsdam in 2009 to take over as head coach with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the QMJHL. After the team folded, he was immediately hired back in the greater Montreal region by the QMJHL’s Blainville-Boisbriand Armada where he was named the 2012 coach of the year was a finalist for the award in 2014.
JF and his wife, Mia, have been returning to Potsdam over the last year, as their son Noah is entering his sophomore year at Potsdam, where he is a member of the Bears’ men’s lacrosse team. Their eldest daughter Emma recently graduated from UC Santa Cruz, and they have a seven-year-old daughter, Lucy.
Reid Lesswing and Scott McDonald will be the first head coaches at St. John Fisher.
St. John Fisher has named Reid Lesswing head coach of the men’s hockey team and Scott McDonald will take the helm as head coach of the women’s hockey team.
The university announced the addition of intercollegiate men’s and women’s hockey teams earlier this year broadening its total number of athletic teams competing in the NCAA Division III ranks to 26.
“We are excited to welcome Reid and Scott to our roster of talented and committed coaches at Fisher,” said St. John Fisher VP for enrollment management Jose Perales in a statement. “We are thrilled that they will serve as the inaugural head coaches for our men’s and women’s hockey programs, and look forward what they will bring to the university; their experience and enthusiasm, and most importantly, their support of our student-athletes.”
Lesswing comes to Fisher from Plattsburgh, where he has served as the assistant coach of men’s hockey and operations manager since 2019. Under his leadership, the team finished this last season with a 21-5-2 record.
Prior to his time at Plattsburgh, he was the assistant coach of men’s hockey at Fredonia, Castleton, and for Team South Africa IIHF Division 3. Professionally, he played for the Louisiana Ice Gators in 2014.
A collegiate athlete himself, Lesswing was a member of the Castleton men’s hockey team. He was selected as team captain in his senior year.
He has been recognized with the SUNYAC coaching staff of the year award and most recently, his team ended the season as the USCHO No. 8-ranked team in D-III.
Lesswing is a two-time graduate of Castleton, where he earned a BS in Business Management and an MS in Athletic Administration.
“I am excited to join the St. John Fisher community and begin building a hockey program that aligns with the success that St. John Fisher athletics is known for,” said Lesswing. “To be named the first coach of the men’s varsity hockey team is a tremendous honor for me. I certainly would not be in this position without the support of other coaches that have mentored me throughout my coaching career. I am thankful for this opportunity to develop our players into leaders in the community as well as student-athletes both on and off the ice. I am excited to take on this new challenge and bring St. John Fisher hockey to the spotlight.”
McDonald joins Fisher after three years as the player development coach of the Bishop Kearney Selects girls hockey program. In addition, he is owner/leader of Maverick Hockey Development, where he designs custom hockey development programs for all Rochester, N.Y., area youth hockey organizations.
Prior to his time at Bishop Kearney, McDonald served as the head women’s hockey coach at RIT from 2006 to 2018, where his 12-year overall record was 205-154-29. He led the team to the Division III national championship in 2012.
In addition, the team had four NCAA tournament appearances, and achieved two CHA playoff titles, two ECAC West playoff championships, and three ECAC West regular-season titles. In 2009 and 2011 respectively, McDonald was named conference coach of the year, and in 2011 and 2012, he was national coach of the year runner-up.
Between 2003 and 2006, McDonald served as the assistant coach of the men’s team at RIT. He also served as assistant coach of the men’s hockey team at Utica for one year.
Professionally, McDonald played for the San Angelo Outlaws in San Angelo, Texas, and the IK Viking club in the Swedish Professional League.
McDonald is a graduate of Niagara, where he was a member of the NCAA Division I men’s hockey team.
“I am truly humbled and honored to be the first head coach of the St. John Fisher University women’s hockey program,” said McDonald. “The culture and commitment the athletic department has is second to none. I’m extremely grateful to be joining this staff and begin building our hockey program from the ground up within their standards. Fisher’s strong academic and athletic programs will give us the opportunity to quickly build our program into a perennial contender and challenge teams, not only in the UCHC, but nationally.
“Rochester has an amazing hockey community that is only getting stronger with the addition of both men’s and women’s hockey.”
Saint Michael’s women’s hockey graduate Meghan Sweezey has been named the program’s new head coach, effective July 1.
She succeeds Chris Donovan, who coached the Purple Knights during their first 24 years of varsity play and oversaw the program joining the NCAA Division I NEWHA in 2017-18.
Sweezey previously served as the squad’s top assistant coach and owns Girls 4 Hockey, which she founded in 2016 to continue growing the game.
“I’d like to thank the Saint Michael’s College administration and athletic department for affording me this incredible opportunity,” said Sweezey in a statement. “I’d also like to thank Chris Donovan for his continued support and tireless efforts on behalf of the program over his tenure. Without him, I would not have come to Saint Michael’s as a student-athlete and would not have this opportunity, along with countless others. I am very excited to lead the Purple Knights program and to work in this capacity for my alma mater. While I have worked for the school in other capacities, hockey is near and dear to my heart, and I look forward to giving back to the program, sport, and community that has given me so much.”
Sweezey returned to the women’s hockey program as a volunteer assistant coach in 2013-14 before moving into a role as the top assistant coach the next year, serving in that capacity for four seasons. Sweezey remained with the squad as strength and conditioning coach in 2018-19 before aiding her alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach the past two winters.
For the better part of her coaching tenure, she was also employed as the college’s assistant director of alumni and parent relations (2012-18) before spending two months as the interim assistant director for admissions. Sweezey remains a familiar face on campus through her assistance to alumni relations at events such as reunion.
“It is incredibly special to see our alums go into the world and make an impact,” said Saint Michael’s associate director of athletics Meggan Dulude. “It is even more special when they decide to return to make that impact on current and future Purple Knights. We are thrilled to have Meghan return to Saint Mike’s athletics to lead our women’s ice hockey program. The program and the NEWHA have grown significantly in the last few years, and we believe Meghan has the skillset, experience, and coaching philosophy to move us forward.”
Sweezey, who started a skills clinic in Reading, Mass., in 2012 for girls between the ages of five and 14, founded Girls 4 Hockey in the Burlington, Vt., area four years later, with the goal of engaging players ages four through adult in skills-based programming, focusing primarily on female player development. Within seven years, G4H grew from one program serving eight individuals into 14 programs serving 620 individuals by 2023. Sweezey and her G4H coaches work with an additional 300 players through private skills clinics. She oversees all aspects of G4H, not only coaching and developing practice plans but recruiting and training an all-female coaching staff, performing marketing and advertising, managing finances, and collaborating with local youth hockey organizations on creative initiatives that continue growing the game.
For the past several years, Sweezey has worked with the Vermont Shamrocks AAA Select Hockey program, assisting spring team organization, tryout facilitation and skill development as well as serving as a bench coach for 10U and 12U spring tournament teams for the past two seasons. Sweezey previously coached girls at the high school level in her native Massachusetts. She was the junior varsity head coach at Reading Memorial High School in 2011-12, which was also her second year as a varsity assistant at the school. In 2010, Sweezey was the volunteer head coach of Reading Youth Hockey’s U19 JV squad. During three summers (2008-10), Sweezey supervised and coached girls ages 14 to 17 at the USA Hockey New England District Development Camp.
Sweezey gained additional leadership experience beyond the rink as the events manager for Special Olympics Vermont between 2018 and 2020, managing all major fundraising events, including its marquee event, the Penguin Plunge, which raises nearly 40% of SOVT’s annual operating budget. As the head of the 2020 Penguin Plunge, Sweezey helped SOVT set a since-broken fundraising record while attracting nearly 1,400 participants.
A senior captain for Saint Michael’s in 2009-10 after twice serving as an alternate captain, Sweezey graduated tied for first in program history in career games (103), power-play goals (12) and short-handed goals (3). She was also third in points (71), tied for third in assists (39) and fourth in goals (32). Sweezey landed on the ECAC East all-academic team each of her final two seasons. After earning bachelor’s degrees in psychology and English, Sweezey completed a master of education in school counseling at Suffolk in 2012.
The NHL’s Minnesota Wild has announced that Mike Snee has been hired as vice president of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and community relations, a newly created position.
One of the original staff hired in 1998, Snee will return on June 17 to align and guide the strategic direction of the two entities that embody the Wild’s mission to “create a Greater State of Hockey.”
Snee has achieved great success driving community engagement and collaboration at all levels of hockey, energized by a deep-rooted passion for growing the game. During his 12-year tenure as executive director of College Hockey Inc., Snee designed and implemented a strategic plan that resulted in several new hockey programs at NCAA schools, a Canadian broadcasting rights agreement and a significant increase in revenue.
Previously, Snee was impactful as the executive director of Minnesota Hockey, receiving the 2013 Minnesota Hockey President’s Award for exemplary service to youth hockey in the state. He also accepted the 2019 Oscar Almquist Award for his contributions to the success of high school hockey in Minnesota.
“Mike’s enthusiasm for strengthening the hockey community and growing our sport is unparalleled,” said Matt Majka, CEO of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment, parent company of the Wild, in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome Mike back to the Wild. His strong background and ability to lead and create connection across all levels of the game will be invaluable as we continue to focus on our community impact, especially within hockey in Minnesota.”
In his new role, Snee will work to expand the reach and impact of the Wild Foundation and community relations efforts that collectively assist hundreds of organizations and thousands of people each year. In particular, he will focus on implementing new initiatives within the Wild Foundation and raising charitable funds that drive the growth and success of nonprofit youth hockey associations and high school hockey teams throughout Minnesota.
“I am grateful to the Minnesota Wild for creating this opportunity and honored that they have selected me to lead it,” said Snee. “There is nowhere in North America where hockey is as accessible, affordable, meaningful, and successful as it is throughout Minnesota. I look forward to waking up every day to help make something that is already spectacular even better.”
Snee is a longtime member of the USA Hockey Congress, providing guidance and expertise to the national governing body for ice hockey in the United States. The St. Thomas graduate also serves on the boards of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame and the Minneapolis Youth Hockey Association and has coached youth hockey and baseball for over 20 years.
Prior to his nine-year stint in sales and sponsorship for the Wild, he worked with the Minnesota North Stars and Minnesota Moose hockey teams.
Ben Syer’s first coaching staff at Princeton has been finalized as he welcomes Connor Jones as an assistant coach while retaining Tommy Davis and Shane Talarico on staff heading into the 2024-25 season.
Jones, a former NHL player with four years of professional hockey playing experience, joins the Tigers after spending the past two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights as a scout focused on college free agents. In his first season with the Golden Knights, he was part of an executive group that guided Vegas to a Stanley Cup.
In addition to his experience identifying and recruiting potential free agents for the Golden Knights, Jones has years of experience as an on-ice clinician as owner/operator of Champions Hockey School in British Columbia and also as a lead instructor with the Kurt Nichols Powerskating School in New York.
Syer and Jones have an extensive history dating back to Jones’ days playing for Quinnipiac where he was a four-year letter winner and helped the Bobcats to the 2013 national title game. A two-time alternate captain while at Quinnipiac, Jones was recruited to Hamden by Syer while he was on staff at Quinnipiac and was coached by him during the 2010-11 season before Syer joined the coaching staff at Cornell.
All total for his time as a Bobcat, Jones played in 153 college hockey games and tallied 129 points on 49 goals and 83 assists. He was named Quinnipiac’s male student-athlete of the year in 2011 and was also a Dean’s List student. He graduated with a degree in public relations and went on to earn his master’s from Quinnipiac in sports journalism.
After graduating, he signed an ATO with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons. In 2015, he signed with the New York Islanders organization and spent the next four seasons there that included four NHL games during the 2016-17 season. In addition to his time with the Islanders’ organization, he went on to play pro seasons with Thurgau (Swiss League) and Vasterviks IK in the Swedish Elite League as well as his final pro season with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets in 2021-22.
For his professional career, he played 446 games and registered 177 points on 60 goals and 117 assists.
Jones will work primarily with the forwards, while Davis will handle defense and Talarico will coach goaltenders.
Davis enters his fifth season behind the bench with his alma mater and his seventh season overall as part of the team staff after serving as director of hockey operations from 2018 to 2020. Few in college hockey coaching bring the balance of coaching experience and Princeton Hockey knowledge that Davis does and he has been instrumental in coaching Princeton’s power play which has been among the nation’s best during his tenure including the 2023-24 unit which ranked No. 1 in ECAC Hockey and No. 4 in the country at 27.8%.
Talarico is beginning his third season with the Tigers and has worked with a young Tigers goalie group that includes rising sophomore Arthur Smith.
Kirby Proctor was a defensive stalwart for the Mavericks over his five seasons at UNO (photo: Omaha Athletics).
Following the completion of his undergraduate degree at Omaha, Mavericks defenseman Kirby Proctor has been selected the 2024 recipient of the annual NCHC postgraduate scholarship.
Proctor becomes the fifth Omaha player to earn the scholarship in its nine years of being awarded.
Proctor graduated from Omaha in May with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, while majoring in marketing. He also completed minors in finance and psychology, finishing with a 3.8 cumulative grade-point average. Proctor was a finalist for the NCHC senior scholar-athlete award in 2023 and received the Mavericks’ Bob Kruger Commitment Award in 2020 for his community service as a UNO student-athlete.
“The conference is proud to award Kirby with this year’s NCHC postgraduate scholarship,” said NCHC commissioner Heather Weems in a statement. “Maintaining an impressive GPA, earning a degree and consistently being a leader and contributor on the ice is no easy feat. Kirby has shown he’s a deserving recipient and we look forward to helping him further his business administration education.”
On the ice, Proctor was a five-year stalwart on the Omaha blue line, finishing his career as the Mavericks all-time leader in games played with 172. The Okotoks, Alta. native posted career highs in 2023-24 with seven goals, eight assists and 15 points in 40 games. Proctor completed his college career with 51 career points (17 goals, 34 assists) for the Mavericks. He then signed with the ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions to end the season, playing a trio of regular-season games and six playoff games.
“Having heavily debated pursuing an MBA in my time at Omaha, I was elated to hear of this nomination,” Proctor wrote in his NCHC scholarship nomination. “During this internal debate [last year] I landed on dedicating my time and efforts into showing the utmost value to my Omaha family in my last season there, so having the opportunity to complete my academic goals would bring a distinct sense of wholeness to my time at UNO, knowing that I was able to maximize my potential in my relationships, sport, and academics.”
In addition to his work in the classroom and on the ice, Proctor has given back to the sport he loves and community he’s called home the last five years. During his freshman season at UNO, he was a volunteer assistant coach with Omaha’s youth hockey program, setting up drills and practice plans. Proctor has provided 1-on-1 instruction and training for 10-to-14-year-olds, as well. He has also volunteered his time at Lifegate Church in Omaha in the children’s ministry.
“To be selected for this scholarship is an honor. Attending UNO for the past five years has been one of the biggest blessings of my life and I feel beyond privileged to continue my education towards a postgraduate degree,” Proctor said. “A huge thank you to the academic staff at UNO for setting us up for success with all the work they put in behind the scenes and the NCHC for providing student-athletes with opportunities that go above and beyond hockey.”
The NCHC’s postgraduate scholarship is funded by a grant from the El Pomar Foundation in Colorado Springs, which has also supported the NCHC by providing its office headquarters on the grounds of the Penrose House and helping cover the cost of the Penrose Cup. Proctor’s scholarship award amount will be $7,500.
“The NCHC membership is thankful for the continued support of the El Pomar Foundation and its board of directors,” Weems said. “Along with our achievements on the ice, we must also remember to recognize our student-athletes’ successes in the classroom. We are happy to share in this honor with El Pomar.”
To be eligible for the NCHC’s postgraduate scholarship, the student-athlete must be a senior or grad student on the official NCAA hockey roster with at least a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average, who plans to continue his academic studies beyond his undergraduate degree. The recipient must enroll in a postgraduate degree program within three years of receiving the scholarship to collect the financial aid. The winner is chosen by a vote of the NCHC’s faculty athletics representatives (FARs) from among the nominees submitted by each school’s FAR.
PREVIOUS NCHC POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
2016 – Gabe Levin, Denver
2017 – Aaron Hadley, WMU and Kirk Thompson, Omaha
2018 – Joel Messner, Omaha
2019 – Ryan Galt, Omaha
2020 – Erich Fear, Denver
2021 – Kale Bennett, Western Michigan
2022 – Jason Smallidge, Omaha
2023 – Aidan Spellacy, St. Cloud State
2024 – Kirby Proctor, Omaha
Cornell’s Mike Schafer has announced his retirement after the upcoming season (file photo: Eldon Lindsay).
Cornell announced Thursday that men’s hockey head coach Mike Schafer will retire following the 2024-25 season.
Concurrently, Cornell announced that Schafer will be replaced by current Clarkson head coach and former Cornell assistant Casey Jones.
Jones will join the Big Red coaching staff this year as associate head coach before taking the reins next spring.
“I’ve had a 38-year coaching career in college hockey – 33 of them at Cornell,” said Schafer in a statement. “It’s been a tremendous experience helping the players and teams over the years to reach their goals while helping create Big Red pride and building spirit through Cornell hockey. I feel now is the perfect time for me to begin the transition into retirement.
Schafer is a 1986 alumnus of Cornell, while Jones graduated in 1990.
“Mike Schafer is a legend in the world of college hockey and is on a very short list of the most impactful people in the history of Cornell athletics,” Cornell athletics director Nikki Moore said. “For nearly four decades as a player, captain, assistant and, ultimately, head coach, Mike has poured his heart and total effort into the success of the program, and more importantly, into the individual student-athletes who have played for him and have flourished on and off the ice thanks to his mentorship.”
In his 28 seasons behind the Cornell bench, Schafer has led the program to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the 2003 Frozen Four.
Following the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season, Schafer was named co-recipient of the Spencer Penrose Award, given to the nation’s top head coach, sharing the honor with the University of North Dakota’s Brad Berry. Cornell was 23-2-4 and ranked No. 1 in the nation when the season was halted in mid-March.
Schafer has been named ECAC Hockey’s Coach of the Year five times (2002, 2003, 2005, 2018, 2020) and Ivy League Coach of the Year four times (2018, 2019, 2020, 2024) since the award was established in 2016.
Under Schafer, Cornell has claimed six Whitelaw Cups (ECAC Hockey tournament titles), surpassing the legendary Ned Harkness for most in Big Red history. He has also guided Cornell to six Cleary Cups as the conference’s regular-season champion, including three over the past seven years, and 13 Ivy League titles.
A defenseman during his playing days, Schafer was a four-year letterman and a two-year captain. He appeared in 107 games for Cornell, scoring 70 points (10 goals, 60 assists), and capped his collegiate career by leading the Red to an ECAC Hockey championship and No. 5 national ranking as a senior.
“When Coach Schafer approached me this past spring about his desire to retire, his focus was to support the current student-athletes and to make sure he left the program in the best possible position,” said Moore. “Casey emerged as the right successor for this esteemed program.”
Jones, a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award in 2019, has spent the past 13 years as Clarkson head coach.
“This is a really exciting moment for myself and my family – returning to my alma mater, the place where I met my wife and where I spent the best four years of my life,” Jones said. “Mike is a great friend and someone I have unlimited respect for, and I’m excited to celebrate what he has helped build before accepting the challenge of leading Big Red hockey into the future.”
“I would personally like to thank Casey for all that he has done for the men’s hockey program and Clarkson University,” said Clarkson athletics director Laurel Kane. “He has led this program with the utmost integrity and has always had the best interest of the program at heart.”
A national search to replace Jones at Clarkson will begin immediately.
Grant Potulny coached Northern Michigan for seven seasons.
Grant Potulny stepped down as Northern Michigan coach to take a job in professional hockey, the school announced Tuesday.
Athletic director Rick Comley, who won NCAA championships as coach of the Wildcats in 1991 and Michigan State in 2007, is the interim coach.
Associate head coach Byron Pool and assistant coach Nick Peruzzi also resigned to take other coaching positions.
Potulny had a 128-113-17 record in seven seasons at Northern Michigan. It was his first college head coaching job after eight seasons as an assistant at Minnesota, where he won two NCAA championships in a playing career that stretched from 2000 to 2004.
The Wildcats underwent a large-scale roster change after the 2023-24 season, with 14 players leaving via the transfer portal, according to a list maintained by Gopher Puck Live. Their 2024 freshman signing class included three NHL draft picks — goalie Hampton Slukynsky and defensemen Rasmus Larsson and Vladislav Lukashevich.
Comley has been Northern Michigan’s athletic director since 2022. It’s his second stint in the position; he also had the job from 1987 to 2000 while he was coaching.
Princeton’s Sarah Fillier, center, was selected first in the 2024 PWHL draft by New York (photo: PWHL).
Princeton forward Sarah Fillier was the No. 1 overall pick by New York in the 2024 PWHL draft on Monday, when 34 of the 42 players selected were former NCAA athletes.
Fillier, who had 93 goals and 194 points in 120 college games and helped Canada to the gold medal in the 2022 Olympics, led an all-college first round. Danielle Serdachny of Colgate went to Ottawa at No. 2, with Claire Thompson (Princeton, Minnesota), Hannah Bilka (Ohio State, Boston), Cayla Barnes (Ohio State, Montreal) and Julia Gosling (St. Lawrence, Toronto) following.
Ohio State had the most players selected with eight. Colgate (six) and Clarkson (four) were next.
Aurora has announced the appointment of Mandy Montgomery as women’s ice hockey coach.
MONTGOMERY (photo: Aurora athletics)
Montgomery comes to Aurora experience as both a coach and student-athlete at the Division I and III levels, most recently as an assistant coach at Elmira College and before that an assistant coach at SUNY Canton.
With Montgomery on the bench at Elmira, the program went 84-12-4, winning four conference titles, making three NCAA Tournament appearances while coaching eight All-Americans, 10 All-Conference student-athletes and 30+ Academic All-Americans. Montgomery’s extensive hockey background also includes two years as an assistant at Division I institutions.
In 2014-15, Montgomery joined the coaching staff at her alma mater, Sacred Heart University, where she worked primarily with the team’s goaltenders and defense. In 2016-17, she worked at Colgate University.
“Throughout the interview process, Mandy’s successful pedigree as a coach and student-athlete stood out as a great fit for our program,” said Jim Hamad, vice president for athletics. “AU Women’s Hockey is poised for a new level of success on and off the ice under Mandy’s leadership.”
Montgomery takes the reigns of the AU women’s ice hockey team which finished last season with an 16-10-2 overall record and went 11-4-1 in the NCHA.
“I am excited to lead a dedicated group of student-athletes who share this competitive mindset on the ice and in the classroom,” Montgomery said. “I also have to give credit to Grant Kimball and Jackie Kooistra for building the foundation of this program from the ground up.”
Montgomery has coached at several USA Hockey development camps and possesses a Level 3 certification from USA Hockey’s Coaching Education Program and training in concussion management and strength and conditioning.
As a student-athlete on the ice, Montgomery spent the first two years of her collegiate career as a member of the inaugural St. Norbert College women’s ice hockey teams in 2010-11 and 2011-12. As a sophomore goaltender with the Green Knights, she recorded shutout victories in two of her five starts.
Montgomery then transferred to Division I Sacred Heart and played her final two seasons with the Pioneers. She was second on the team in minutes (652:42), saves (442) and victories (4) as a junior, helping the Pioneers achieve an 18-win season.
Montgomery graduated summa cum laude from Sacred Heart in 2014 with a degree in English and received her master’s in general education from Elmira College in 2020.
Hiram College has announced the addition of D-III men’s ice hockey starting in the 2025-26 season. Hiram will also add women’s lacrosse and women’s bowling.
CURTO (photo: Hiram Athletics)
Jeffrey Curto, Ph.D., assistant professor of sport management, will head the first varsity men’s ice hockey team in Hiram history.
“This is a historic period for Hiram athletics and its new total of 26 varsity sports,” director of athletics Scott Pohlman said in a statement. “Our academic and athletic administration have been working hard to make Hiram the ideal destination for the Division III student-athlete.”
Hiram will be the only Division III men’s ice hockey team in the state of Ohio.
“I’m honored that Hiram College and Scott Pohlman selected me as the first head coach for the new men’s hockey program at Hiram College,” said Curto. “Becoming the only NCAA Division III hockey program in the state of Ohio gives players from Ohio a chance to play at a high level, stay in the state and gain a tremendous education.”
Prior to coaching at Hiram, Curto was the associate head coach of the Eastern Kentucky University Division III ACHA hockey team in Richmond, Kentucky in 2016 and previously coached at the high school and U16 levels. He holds a Ph.D. in sport management from Troy University.
Hiram men’s ice hockey will host games at The Pond – Ice Rink & Sports Complex in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Curto will begin serving as head coach in 2024-25 before the Terriers officially take the ice the following academic year.
Located in Hiram, Ohio, 35 miles southeast of Cleveland, Hiram College has an enrollment of 731 and was founded in 1850.
Cutter Gauthier played the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons for Boston College (photo: John Quackenbos).
USA Hockey has announced that Cutter Gauthier has been named the 2024 Bob Johnson Award recipient.
Named in honor of U.S. coaching legend Bob Johnson, the award annually recognizes excellence in international hockey competition.
Gauthier, an alternate captain for the 2024 U.S. National Junior Team, helped lead Team USA to the gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Sweden this past January. The forward tallied a team and tournament-leading 12 points, enroute to earning the Directorate Award as the top forward in the tournament.
The Scottsdale, Ariz., native led all players in the championship with 10 assists. He also scored two goals, including the game-winner late in the third period of Teams USA’s semifinal victory over Finland.
Gauthier was named to the tournament’s Media All-Star team and was also tabbed as one of Team USA’s three best players of the tournament.
A two-year player at Boston College (2022-24), Gauthier received the Bob Johnson Award at the USA Hockey President’s Awards Dinner tonight in Denver.
Assumption has announced that Joe Grossman has been hired as the new women’s hockey head coach.
“I am incredibly excited to welcome Coach Grossman to our Assumption athletics family,” said Assumption director of athletics Eric Gobiel in a statement. “Joe brings a wealth of coaching and leadership experience from multiple NCAA Division I programs and has a clear vision for what it takes to succeed at this level. He is a student-centric coach, and I am confident he will use his experience to elevate our program in the coming years.”
Grossman comes to Assumption after spending last season as the women’s hockey assistant coach at Stonehill.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to join Assumption University as head coach for the women’s hockey team,” Grossman said. “I look forward to building a strong, competitive program that embodies the spirit and dedication of our student-athletes. Together, we will foster a culture of excellence on and off the ice while working towards our goal of a NEWHA championship. I can’t thank Eric and the entire staff enough for their warm welcome and clear vision for the future. Go Greyhounds.”
Prior to Stonehill, Grossman served as an assistant coach for Harvard for six seasons. Previously, Grossman worked with the American Hockey Academy, Nichols College, and several other youth, high school, and junior programs.
During his playing days, Grossman was part of the 2007 Ivy League championship team at Dartmouth.
Greg Fargo helped shape the Colgate women’s hockey team into a perennial contender (photo: Olivia Hokanson).
Greg Fargo, the winningest head coach in Colgate women’s hockey program history, announced that he is resigning from his position at the end of June to take the head coaching role for Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) New York.
Fargo transformed Colgate women’s hockey into a perennial national power, most recently guiding the Raiders to the NCAA Frozen Four for the second time in program history – both under his tenure – a regional championship, and fourth straight ECAC Hockey title.
“Leaving Colgate is bittersweet,” Fargo said in a statement. “The people – especially our players and staff – have made the past 12 years incredibly rewarding. The Colgate community has been a significant part of my family’s life, and we’ve built relationships and memories that will last a lifetime. It has been an honor to serve as the head coach of this program, and I am deeply grateful to every player and coach, past and present, who contributed to realizing our vision.
“I know the Colgate women’s ice hockey community takes pride in the program we have built together. I am immensely grateful for the support from current and former players, their families, my colleagues, the administration at Colgate, and the Hamilton community.”
During his 12-year tenure, Fargo led the Raiders to seven 20-win seasons, five NCAA tournament berths, four ECAC Hockey championships, three regional finals, and two Frozen Fours including a national championship appearance in 2017-18. He guided the development of six professional women’s hockey draftees, five Olympians, two ECAC rookies of the year, a two-time Patty Kazmaier finalist, and nearly 30 all-conference honorees.
“I know that I speak for so many in the Colgate community in thanking Greg for an incredible 12 years coaching at Colgate,” said Colgate VP and director of athletics Yariv Amir. “Through his tenure he has transformed our women’s hockey program into a model for both Colgate and Division I. While it’s sad to see his run as head coach end, we are excited for him to embark on this new chapter of his career, growing and building the sport of women’s hockey at the professional level.”
Fargo leaves Colgate with a 334-170-39 (.651) career record, including 255-147-34 at Colgate, the highest winning percentage (.624) in program history. His 334 career wins rank 20th all-time in Division I and his .651 win percentage was 10th-best among active Division I women’s hockey head coaches.
Fargo was a recipient of the 2022 Jerome Balmuth Award for successful and transformative teaching at Colgate. He was named the 2018 AHCA national coach of the year after leading the Raiders to the national championship game for the first time in program history.
Fargo joins the professional ranks, where he will reunite in New York with former players Jessie Eldridge and Olivia Zafuto. The newly-formed PWHL, now in its second season, consists of six franchises, three each from the United States and Canada.
“As I move on to this new chapter with PWHL New York, I carry forward the lessons and experiences that have shaped me,” Fargo said. “I am excited to continue growing as a coach and to pursue new challenges in the premier league in women’s hockey.”
A national search for the next Colgate women’s hockey head coach will begin immediately. Assistant coach Stefan Decosse will serve as the primary contact during the transition.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday approved an adjustment to the rules for checking from behind and contact to the head to provide game officials additional options when adjudicating these penalties in men’s and women’s ice hockey for the 2024-25 season.
The new rule provides guidance and additional levels of penalty options for on-ice officials.
It strengthens rules regarding clear violations of contact to the head to include a major penalty (five minutes) and at least a game misconduct or disqualification. The past two years, a standalone major penalty was permitted to be enforced in some instances. Along with this adjustment, a minor penalty option is available to game officials. This is intended only for actions that are inadvertent or when the player making contact is using otherwise legal tactics.
Officials will have all options available for hitting-from-behind infractions (minor, major and major/game misconduct or disqualification).
Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Rules Committee members discussed checking from behind thoroughly last month and focused on the growing trend of players turning to create contact, often just before it occurs. With contact to the head, the committee focused on the players delivering contact, particularly cases where otherwise legal contact resulted in a major penalty.
Game officials will be given more latitude to consider an opponent’s actions causing contact to the head or checking from behind.
High-sticking the puck
The panel approved a rule change making pucks played at shoulder height legal and not whistled for a high-stick violation. Previously, any puck played with a stick above 4 feet was considered a high-sticking violation.
This change simplifies the rule to shoulder height as a way of taking away the need for on-ice officials to judge whether the puck is 4 feet off the ice. This standard will also be used when goals are scored.
Shootouts
To standardize competition, panel members approved mandating the use of a shootout after the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime period. NCAA championships selection committees have indicated that a shootout will not be part of any selection criteria.
Other rules changes
— When using video replay, officials will have the ability to review a major penalty and downgrade it to a minor penalty or no penalty. Officials can add to a major penalty during the review (game misconduct or disqualification).
— As part of the supplementary discipline process, a conference can appeal a disqualification penalty to the secretary-rules editor and national coordinator of officials. No other penalties can be appealed or reduced.
— “Deliberately directed” was removed from the hand-pass rule to more closely align it with the National Hockey League rule.
— In postseason games that use a video replay official, it is optional to clear game-winning goals in overtime. If a review is needed, the on-ice officials will make the final determination.
— A rule proposal dealing with continuous play was also approved. When referees signal a stoppage of play because they have lost sight of the puck but, in the immediate and continuous action, the puck enters the goal, officials will be allowed to award a goal. Previously, blowing the whistle took away this option.
— A rule dealing with the scoring of a goal during a delayed penalty was removed. Previously, if a goal was scored during a delayed penalty call, the penalty was enforced, and the nonoffending team received a power play. Removing this rule will result in the penalty being nullified.
— In women’s ice hockey, the panel approved additional language identifying unintentional collisions and plays where the pursuit of a loose puck creates contact.
Laila Edwards and Cutter Gauthier have been honored with USA Hockey awards (Edwards photo: Tom Lynn/Gauthier photo: Brody Hannon).
USA Hockey will honor 12 individuals at its President’s Awards Dinner on June 7 at the Denver Marriott Tech Center as part of its four-day annual meeting that begins on June 5.
Player of the year honorees include Bob Allen Women’s Player of the Year Laila Edwards and Jim Johannson College Player of the Year Cutter Gauthier.
Edwards etched her name in the hockey history books this season becoming the youngest American skater to be named MVP at an IIHF Women’s World Championship. The Cleveland native earned the honor after posting a tournament-leading six-goal performance at the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship, helping to anchor the U.S. to its 23rd-straight medal in the event.
Edwards, who became the first black woman to skate for the U.S. Women’s National Team at an international event, recorded eight points, the third highest point total at the tournament. She notched her first career goal during the team’s preliminary round game against Czechia and also posted her first career hat trick during a 5-0 semifinal victory against Finland.
She shined in the gold medal game, recording a team-leading two points, including the first U.S. goal midway through the opening period. In addition to earning tournament MVP honors, she was also voted to the tournament’s Media All-Star Team.
As a sophomore at Wisconsin during the 2023-24 season, Edwards recorded 56 points (21 goals, 35 assists), skating in all 41 of the Badgers’ games.
The forward earned Third Team All-WCHA honors, recording four points (two goals, two assists) in the WCHA Final Faceoff championship game and a goal and assist in the national semifinal game against Colgate, propelling Wisconsin to an NCAA Frozen Four championship game appearance.
Edwards also represented Team USA during the 2023-24 Rivalry Series, making her U.S. Women’s National Team debut in a 5-2 victory over Canada at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles in Game 2 of the series.
A sophomore forward, Gauthier was a standout at Boston College during the 2023-24 college hockey season. The Scottsdale, Ariz., native helped lead the Eagles to both the Hockey East regular-season and tournament championship, and propelled BC to its first national championship game appearance since 2012.
Gauthier led the nation in scoring with 38 goals, including a chart-topping 10 game-winners, and ranked second nationally with 65 points. His 13 power-play goals ranked second nationally, as he tallied an impressive 1.59 points per game.
Gauthier, who signed an entry-level contract with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks following the college season in April, was named an AHCA Division I First Team All-American as well as earning All-Hockey East First Team honors.
Gauthier’s goal-scoring ability and dominance made him a Hobey Baker Memorial Award Hat Trick finalist and a Hockey East Player of the Year finalist. He also received the Walter Brown Award, presented annually to the best American-born college hockey player in New England.
On the international stage, Gauthier helped Team USA to a gold medal at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. The alternate captain tallied the game-winning goal late in the third period in the United States’ 3-2 semifinal victory against Finland. He registered a tournament-leading 12 points and earned the Directorate Award for Best Forward, as well as a nod on the Media All-Star Team. His 10 assists were the third-most by an American in a single World Junior Championship.
Hampton Slukynsky (photo: Fargo Force).
In addition, Fargo Force (USHL) goalie Hampton Slukynsky, an incoming Northern Michigan freshman, was named Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year and Fargo teammate Mac Swanson, an incoming North Dakota freshman, was tabbed the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year.
Slukynsky backstopped the Force to a historic season in 2023-24. The netminder helped his team to a record-breaking 50-10-2 regular season, setting a new mark for most single-season team wins in USHL history, before leading Fargo to its second Clark Cup title.
The netminder finished the USHL regular season with a 28-3-0 record in 33 games played. His 28 wins and five shutouts each led the league. He also paced all USHL goaltenders by a considerable margin with a 1.86 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He was named USHL Goaltender of the Year and earned First Team All-USHL honors.
The Warroad, Minn., native was a postseason workhorse for Fargo, as he started all 12 games during the team’s Clark Cup playoffs run, posting 9-3-0 record. His 1.69 goals-against average in the playoffs tied for the league lead, and his .931 save percentage ranked fourth.
On the international stage, Slukynsky helped the 2023 U.S. Junior Select Team to a third-place finish at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge in Truro, N.S., in December. He started five games for Team USA, compiling a 4-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L) record. He posted a 2.99 goals-against average, which ranked second-best in the tournament, and a .872 save percentage.
Mac Swanson (photo: Fargo Force).
Swanson led all USHL skaters with 51 assists and ranked third in the league with 77 points in 55 games played. Swanson’s stellar performance earned him USHL Player of the Year honors, and he was also named USHL Forward of the Year and a USHL First Team All-American.
The Anchorage, Alaska, native’s success continued into the postseason, where he paced all skaters in goals (5), assists (12), and points (17) and was named the USHL Clark Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player after leading Fargo to a Clark Cup championship.
On the international stage, Swanson appeared on the 2023 U.S. Junior Select Team that finished third at the 2023 World Junior A Challenge in Truro, N.S., in December. He led all skaters at the tournament with nine assists and tied for a Team USA lead with 11 points in six games. He also was selected to participate at the 2024 Chipotle All-American Game in January.
Jim Clare
Other awards include Army West Point alum Jim Clare being named the Walter Yaciuk Award winner, former NCAA on-ice official Mark Sampson winning the Chet Stewart Award, former New England College and Middlebury coach and New Hampshire player Bill Beaney honored with the Distinguished Achievement Award, and former Harvard women’s player Amy Lowe taking home the Wm. Thayer Tutt Award.
Clare was involved in youth hockey and coaching education both in Illinois and at the national level for over 25 years.
A native of Weymouth, Mass., Clare played youth hockey in the Boston area before going on to play NCAA Division I hockey at West Point. He spent seven years as a captain in the Army before retiring in 1994.
Clare moved to Illinois and shortly after began his involvement with Amateur Hockey Association Illinois in 1998 when his oldest son started playing youth hockey.
Clare coached every level from 6U to 14U for Sabre Hockey Association in Naperville, Ill., as his three sons progressed through the program. He also coached the Sabres’ girls 19U team for five years. From 2003-16, Clare served on the Sabres’ board of directors, including a 10-year stint as the club’s president from 2006-16.
In 2010, Clare joined the AHAI board of directors, where he served as vice president of membership. During his time there, Clare was part of nearly every AHAI committee over the years, including Try Hockey for Free, the suspension/review committee, and the A Step Ahead concussion prevention committee, among others.
Clare’s dedication to inclusion and growing the game was evident throughout his career. He also organized coaching clinics specifically for coaches in the disabled hockey section and played a role in the growth of the AHAI special hockey program.
On the national level, he was a USA Hockey coaching education program instructor for nearly a decade and for three years from 2016 to 2019, ran in-person coaching clinics in Illinois. When clinics went virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic, Clare ran online seminars up until his final season in 2023.
On Sept. 23, 2023, Clare passed away at age 58 after a courageous battle with cancer. He left a legacy and profound impact on American hockey through his education of thousands of players and coaches that will be felt for many years to come.
Mark Sampson
Sampson’s impact on officiating in New England has been felt for nearly five decades. A leader in the state of Massachusetts, Sampson has been active in the hockey community as a player, coach, official, supervisor, instructor and mentor, leaving his mark on the sport at nearly every level.
An official himself since 1973, Sampson officiated for 44 seasons, including everything from youth games to juniors to college hockey and beyond.
The Longmeadow, Mass., native patrolled the ice at all levels, wearing the stripes at the USA Hockey National Championships in 1993, 1994, 1997, 2003, and 2010 while serving as the supervisor of officials at the 2018 USA Hockey Girls National Championship. He also officiated NCAA Division I and III men’s hockey and NCAA Division III women’s hockey.
Sampson served as the district supervisor for the sixth district of Massachusetts Hockey for 29 years where he worked with local officials on development opportunities within the state and dedicated much of his time to recruiting and mentoring new officials in the area. He also spent a decade as the assigner for the Interstate Junior Hockey League.
For his efforts, Sampson was honored with the Massachusetts Hockey Milt Kaufman Award in 2001, earned the Al Pinciak Award in the 2005-2006 season and was recognized with the Golden Stripes Award in 2010.
A staunch advocate for development, Sampson has been a key instructor at USA Hockey officiating seminars and led all on-ice instruction as part of USA Hockey’s officials certification process.
Sampson served as the head of the officiating evaluation program for the state of Massachusetts and continues to foster a development pipeline for officials at all levels.
Bill Beaney
Beaney’s profound impact on college hockey has cemented the legendary coach in the lore of hockey greats. He spent over 30 years behind the bench, including 28 years at Middlebury College and seven seasons at New England College. An influential coach, Beaney not only made his mark on the ice, but helped shape the modern hockey landscape across the country.
During his tenure at Middlebury, Beaney led the Panthers to eight national championship titles, including five-straight from 1995 to 1999. The team also won eight NESCAC titles between 2000 and 2010, with the program doubling up on both a conference championship and national championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Thirty-nine players received All-America honors under Beaney’s tutelage, as the Lake Placid, N.Y., native helped amass 516 wins at Middlebury.
Beaney began his coaching career following graduation from the University of New Hampshire in 1973. He headed up the program at Bellows Free Academy in Vermont, leading the school to three-straight state titles before jumping to the college ranks with New England College in 1978.
At the collegiate level, both at Middlebury and New England College, Beaney recorded a 602-260-59 record, an impressive .696 win percentage, and retired in 2015 as the winningest coach in NCAA Division III men’s hockey. He also led the Middlebury men’s golf team and served as an adjunct professor until his retirement in 2023.
Inducted into both the Lake Placid Hall of Fame in 2009 and Vermont Sports Hall of Fame in 2019, Beaney is a four-time Edward Jeremiah Award recipient, given to the top men’s hockey coach in Division III.
One of the pioneers of small-area games, Beaney’s coaching philosophy has transcended the sport and helped change the way the game is taught in the United States. His history with USA Hockey spans over 40 years, as Beaney was active in developing curriculum for coaching clinics and has presented his philosophies internationally over the years.
Internationally, Beaney was an assistant coach for the 1994 U.S. National Junior Team and was named USA Hockey Coach of the Year in 1999.
Beaney attended New Hampshire and skated four seasons for its men’s hockey team, serving as the captain his senior year during the 1972-73 season.
Amy Lowe
Lowe’s philosophy on success is simple, it’s never about the wins or losses, but about growing the game and encouraging as many hockey players possible to lace up the skates. Her selfless dedication to enhancing hockey at the grassroots level in both the Massachusetts area, and across the country has left an indelible mark on the sport.
A native of Stoneham, Mass., Lowe has spent the better part of two decades laying the foundation of youth hockey in her hometown program of Nashoba Youth Hockey. She served 20 years as a board member of Nashoba Youth Hockey and was also the director of initiation programs for the association from 2006 to 2023.
She helped establish the association’s first girls’ hockey program in 2005 and became the director of girls’ hockey during the 2007-08 season, a role she held until 2023. Lowe dedicated her time to growing the girls game over the years and ensuring the rink is a welcoming place for all who come to play.
In 2015, Lowe forged a partnership between Nashoba Youth Hockey and the Boston Bruins Academy to advance development programs in the organization. She spearheaded growth relationships with the Bruins to help expand Nashoba’s Learn to Play and Learn to Skate programs and was awarded the Mike Cheever “Grow Hockey” grant for Nashoba Youth Hockey in 2018.
Lowe comes from a hockey family and started playing hockey as a child after her mother helped start the Stoneham Girls Hockey program, giving both Lowe and her older sister a team to play for. As a teen, Lowe began coaching and officiating, working with local youth and girls leagues.
Lowe attended Harvard University where she played four seasons for the Crimson NCAA Division I women’s hockey team. Lowe graduated with a degree in English and later became a teacher at New Hampton School in New Hampshire where she also served as head coach of their girls hockey team and continued playing hockey in adult leagues during her free time.
Former Buffalo Sabres first-round pick Daniel Paille spent five seasons with Canisius (photo: Canisius Athletics).
Canisius has announced that assistant coach Daniel Paille has left the program to “pursue another coaching opportunity.”
Paille, a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres and Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins, was named an assistant coach in August 2021 and prior to his promotion, spent two seasons (2019-21) as a volunteer assistant coach with the team, assisting in the day-to-day operations of the program.
During his time at Canisius, Paille aided in the development of the team’s forward group while also overseeing the team’s penalty kill unit. He has mentored three players who have earned a total of five All-AHA selections. Paille has been instrumental in the Griffs making pair of appearances in the title game of the AHA tournament, highlighted by the program claiming its second crown in 2022-23.
Paille was selected 20th overall by the Sabres in the 2002 NHL Draft. He spent 11 seasons in the NHL, amassing 85 goals and 87 assists in 582 regular-season contests split between the Sabres, Bruins and New York Rangers. He chipped in 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 75 postseason games, helping the Bruins capture the Stanley Cup in 2011 and make a finals appearance in 2013.
Maura Crowell has spent time coaching at Minnesota Duluth and Harvard (USCHO.com file photo).
Dartmouth has announced the hiring of Maura Crowell as the head coach of the women’s hockey program.
Crowell replaces Liz Keady Norton, who resigned after three seasons to return to Milton Academy.
“A week ago, we launched a national search to find the best coach in the country to lead our program, and from the first conversation with Maura, it was clear that we found her,” Dartmouth director of athletics and recreation Mike Harrity said in a statement. “Maura’s track record of success at the highest level speaks for itself, and I have no doubt that she will elevate our program to a championship level and help our students strive for excellence on and off the ice. We are excited to welcome Maura, Shelby, and their daughter Blake to the Dartmouth team.”
Crowell spent the last nine seasons as the head coach at Minnesota Duluth, returning the Bulldogs to national prominence with a 174-115-25 record, including three consecutive 20-plus win seasons. In her time at the helm in Duluth, Crowell has an overall NCAA tournament record of 6-5 and five NCAA tournament berths (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2017) to go with two NCAA Frozen Four appearances (2022, 2021).
“This is a great opportunity to lead at one of the best academic institutions in the world. Dartmouth women’s ice hockey has a rich history and I look forward to working with the student-athletes and staff to return the program to national prominence,” Crowell said. “Hanover is a beautiful New England town and my family is excited to become a part of the Dartmouth community. Thank you to athletics director Mike Harrity for trusting me with the program.”
In the 2016-17 season, Crowell was named the USCHO.com Division I women’s coach of the year, as well as the CCM/AHCA Division I women’s ice hockey coach of the year and was named a CCM/AHCA Division I women’s ice hockey coach of the year finalist in both 2022 and 2021. Crowell was also crowned the 2016-17 WCHA coach of the year after she guided UMD to its biggest turnaround in program history with 25-7-5 overall record and the Bulldogs first NCAA quarterfinal game on home since 2010.
Crowell has overseen two Patty Kazmaier Award top-3 finalists (Gabbie Hughes and Lara Stalder), as well as a Patty Kazmaier top-10 finalist (Élizabeth Giguère).
Crowell has guided two U.S. Under-18 squads to World Championship medals, a gold medal in 2020 and a silver medal in 2019 and has two gold medals as an assistant coach in 2016 and associate head coach in 2018.
Prior to her arrival in Duluth, Crowell spent five seasons at Harvard, including serving as Harvard’s associate head coach in 2014-15 after filling an interim head coaching role in 2013-14. She was a Crimson assistant coach from 2010 to 2013. Crowell built an impressive resume over five years (2005-10) at the UMass Boston helm with an overall record of 73-53-4 — making her UMass Boston’s all-time winningest coach. Crowell’s collegiate coaching resume also includes a two-season stint (2003-05) as an assistant coach at Connecticut College.
A Mansfield, Mass. native, Crowell enjoyed a rewarding four-year playing career at Colgate and helped the Raiders to three straight ECAC playoff appearances and a spot in the 2000 ECAC championship game. She earned ECAC all-academic accolades as a senior alternate team captain in 2001-02.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Thursday approved an adjustment to the rules for checking from behind and contact to the head to provide game officials additional options when adjudicating these penalties in men’s and women’s ice hockey for the 2024-25 season.
