Although Athletic Director Peter Roby was out of town last week, he still managed to make a news splash on his official Twitter, comforting Northeastern hockey fanatics.
The tweet, which read: “Search for new hockey coach is going well. Lots of interest from very qualified people,” was a desperately-needed confirmation that headway is being made on the search for the next men’s ice hockey head coach. To assume otherwise would be foolish, but considering how late in the off-season it is (the Matthews ice will be installed in around two months’ time), it’s understandable that we’re on pins and needles.
That short statement in itself lends no hints as to the timeline for the coaching search, nor does it quell the simmering anxiety of alumni and fans over who will be the coach at Northeastern. What it does is reinforce how delicate this process is for Roby. This is unequivocally Roby’s most important hire to date, and could very well define his legacy as Northeastern’s athletic director. An announcement is expected within the next week, and the anticipation is building steadily. From my discussions with those close to the program, fans can expect a lot of pieces of this puzzle to fall into place over the next week or so, including whether sophomore defenseman Jamie Oleksiak is staying or going, as well as which recruits will keep their commitments. The first item of business, of course, is the head coach.
There are several routes Roby can take when choosing a head coach. Though we are not privy to the short-list of top candidates, we can lump them into several categories.
The young up-and-comer (a.k.a. the Hungry Husky) – When Providence hired former Union College hockey coach Nate Leaman, this is what they got. He led Union to one of the best seasons in that program’s history and an NCAA tournament bid. Leaman understood how to lift up a struggling program, and that is exactly what Providence needed: a builder. But can we lump Northeastern in the same boat? Sure, there is a lot that Greg Cronin didn’t accomplish as a head coach, but let’s not kid ourselves – the Huskies’ “building” years are well behind them. Though a young, hungry coach would no doubt have the drive to establish a winning tradition, recruiting against established programs and name-brand coaches – such as Jack Parker of BU, Jerry York of BC, and Dick Umile of UNH – would be a difficult task.
Blockbuster hire (a.k.a. Mr. Name Recognition) – There are fewer people in this category just floating around, but if you can find one of these who are interested, is it possible to refuse? Let’s say Don Lucia (Minnesota head coach) was tired of the constant pressure and media scrutiny in Minneapolis, would you turn him down? (By the way, Gopher fans: calm down, that was only an illustrative example, do not read anything into it). This is the ultimate hit-or-miss situation. Either this is the best hire in program history or it ends in failure.
Sebastien Laplante (a.k.a. A Loyal Husky) – Someone who bleeds red and black, one of the program’s all-time leading scorers. Someone who has already helped shape the program into what it is today, who knows the recruiting game in Hockey East. Someone who has already established good rapport with alumni and friends of the program. A head coach who is very new to that position, but passed a brief tryout last season with flying colors (Laplante filled in while Cronin was suspended internally for recruiting violations). There are short-term benefits: having an alumnus as a head coach, increased likelihood that current players will not defect to other teams, and a better chance that incoming recruits will not de-commit. But the big unknown is whether you’re comfortable with the hire for the long-term.
My heart tells me without a doubt that Laplante is the best way to go, but my head tells me that the choices are incredibly complex when weighing the options. Roby is in the unenviable position of having to choose one of these qualified candidates, and acknowledge the gravity of his choice.
The eyes of the college hockey community are watching closely.
