Northeastern names Smith hockey advancement coordinator, McLaughlin assistant coach

Jim Madigan - The visiting Northeastern University Huskies defeated the Boston College Eagles 5-2 on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at Kelley Rink in Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.The visiting Northeastern University Huskies defeated the Boston College Eagles 5-2 on Saturday, December 9, 2017, at Kelley Rink in Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. (Melissa Wade)
Jim Madigan has tweaked the Northeastern coaching staff ahead of the 2019-20 season (photo: Melissa Wade).

Northeastern announced changes to the men’s coaching staff on Thursday.

Jason Smith will transition into the new role of hockey advancement coordinator, while Mike McLaughlin will now serve as an assistant coach on Madigan’s staff.

“I’m looking forward to having Jason take on a new and unique role on the staff as our hockey advancement coordinator,” Huskies head coach Jim Madigan said in a statement. “Jason has a robust knowledge of our hockey program, our athletic department and our university that we believe will greatly benefit our student-athletes.”

“We believe that Mike McLaughlin is one of the brightest young hockey minds in our game, and I’m very excited that he will be taking on increased responsibility as an assistant coach. He showed great promise in his short time in the role when Jerry Keefe was away at the World Junior Championship last winter.”

McLaughlin and Smith are part of a coaching staff that has led the Huskies to a 90-50-16 record over the last four seasons, including tying the school record for victories in a season in 2018-19 with 27. In that time, Northeastern has won back-to-back Beanpot championships, Hockey East tournament championships in 2016 and 2019, and earned NCAA tournament berths in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

“This is a coaching staff that has been together for a long time,” Madigan added. “I’m very proud of what has been accomplished in that time, but we all know that we still have work to do in order to achieve our ultimate goal of bringing a national championship to Northeastern. I am confident that the personnel that we have in place will provide our talented student-athletes with the necessary weapons that they need to succeed at the highest level both on and off the ice.”