Gophers hockey: Big stakes, big jobs for men’s and women’s coaches
The goals for Gophers hockey are not nuanced. It’s essentially, win big or go home. Compete in national championship games or find another job.
Minnesota is the deepest breeding ground for hockey talent, and the men’s and women’s teams at the state’s largest educational institution were once the paragons of what college hockey should be. It was with that expectation that athletics director Mark Coyle introduced Greg “Boom” May to succeed Brad Frost as the women’s head coach, and why he still hasn’t pulled the trigger on someone to succeed Bob Motkzo as the men’s coach. As May put it, “One thing that is evident to me, and sometimes I feel we need a reminder, this program set the standard for what women’s hockey is today across the country.
” That goes for both programs. They’re both rich in national titles, Olympians and NHL and PWHL stars. That’s the expectation, and Coyle said he was looking for candidates whose “knees wouldn’t buckle” when hearing that.
May officially stepped in on Monday, officially promoted from associate head coach after agreeing to terms on a four-year contract. The men’s opening remains unfilled, but that should change soon. Coyle said he has talked to multiple candidates, and it’s possible some of them might be preparing for the NCAA tournament starting Thursday.
Asked if he might have an announcement on a men’s coach in hours or days, the Gophers’ AD said he honestly didn’t know. It’s a tough vacancy to fill. “It is a job,” he said.
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