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Augustana to join CCHA year early in 2024-25 as league will adjust standings, have eight of nine teams qualify for conference playoffs

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Augustana players celebrate a home sweep over Bowling Green early in the 2023-24 season (photo: Dave Eggen/Inertia).

The CCHA announced today that Augustana will join the conference as a full member starting in the 2024-25 season, one year ahead of schedule, as recommended by the league’s management council and voted on by the board of directors.

The conference’s Mason Cup playoffs will continue to include eight teams, meaning the ninth-place finisher during the regular season will not qualify for postseason play.

“Augustana has followed through on everything asked of them by our CCHA members and this decision will allow the Vikings to continue to grow their program,” said CCHA commissioner Don Lucia in a statement. “The institution’s support of their hockey program across the board has been impressive and allowing them to compete for the MacNaughton Cup and Mason Cup is a reward for their commitment.”

For the upcoming 2024-25 season, the CCHA will use points percentage to determine standings position due to the scheduling limitations of expediting AU’s membership and the uneven number of conference games being played. While eight teams will be playing a 26-game league schedule, the Vikings have just 16 contests from which to accumulate points towards the MacNaughton Cup and qualification for the Mason Cup playoffs.

“Augustana, led by head coach Garrett Raboin, had a tremendous first year,” Lucia said. “Allowing them to compete in our playoffs is the right thing to do for their student-athletes and program as they move forward as a CCHA member.”

A full-fledged schedule awaits AU in 2025-26, but its ability to compete for not just team success within the league, but also individual conference awards and accolades was a key factor in their early entry. The team could only earn academic recognition in its first season, but will have the opportunity to garner weekly, monthly and year-end honors going forward.

“We couldn’t ask for better news as we get ready to start our second year of Augustana hockey,” said Augustana director of athletics Josh Morton. “We are so appreciative of our colleagues and fellow members in the CCHA. This opportunity is a testament to the work put in by so many at Augustana and our community.  Most importantly, it gives Coach Raboin, his staff, and our student-athletes a championship to pursue.”

The Vikings went 12-18-4 in their inaugural 2023-24 season, including a 7-7-2 mark against CCHA foes. Though not officially conference games, Augustana would have accrued 26 points from the 16 contests had they been playing under the guidelines of the upcoming season. Their 1.63 points per game would have seen them finish in a tie for third place.

“We look forward to an elevated excitement that comes with countable points in CCHA competitions and a path forward to the playoffs,” said Raboin. “Our other league members felt that we deserved an opportunity to compete in the playoffs a year early, and we’ll look to continue to add value and represent the CCHA at the highest levels possible. Not only is this a tremendous piece of our build, but our athletes, fans, and community could not be more thrilled.”

Augustana’s Midco Arena opened on Jan. 26, 2024, and hosted 10 contests to close out the 2023-24 campaign. The facility seats 3,082 spectators and includes coaches offices, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, team lounges and locker rooms for various athletic programs at the university.

Former New Hampshire coach Tortorella back with Wildcats as team’s new director of hockey operations

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TORTORELLA

New Hampshire has named Jim Tortorella as its new director of men’s hockey operations.

Tortorella returns to UNH, where he was an assistant coach for two seasons (1993-95) and an associate head coach for three seasons (2011-2014).

Tortorella spent the last six seasons (2018-24) as an assistant coach at Harvard. He oversaw the defense, penalty killing and recruiting.

In 2017-18, Tortorella was the head coach at Saint Anselm, leading the Hawks to a 17-9-1 record and winning the Northeast-10 championship. The year prior, he served as a volunteer assistant coach at Providence.

Tortorella was the associate head coach at UNH from 2011 to 2014 and previously spent 16 seasons as the head coach at Colby, where he remains the program’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 230-138-33.

Colby was consistently ranked in the top 15 nationally under Tortorella and won the ECAC championship in 1997 for the first time in 30 years. He was twice named the NESCAC coach of the year (2006, 2008) and was also tabbed the New England Sports Writers coach of the year in 2007-08, as well as being a finalist for the national Division III coach of the year three times (1996, 2006, 2008).

Tortorella has also worked with USA Hockey as the director of New England Select Teams player development(1997-2003, 2008-15) and has coached two stints with the United States World Junior Team (1999, 2000). He has also been highly involved with the American Hockey Coaches Association, including serving as the association’s president (2002-03). Tortorella currently holds a master certificate from USA Hockey, the organization’s highest level of coaching education achievement.

Tortorella, a former standout goalie at Maine, began his coaching career at Brunswick High School (1984-87) before moving on to Cony High School, where he was a two-time Maine coach of the year in five seasons.

After four successful seasons with USHL’s Force, Krier hired as new assistant coach with Ohio State men’s hockey team

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Carter Krier spent the last four seasons with the USHL’s Fargo Force (photo: Fargo Force).

Carter Krier, who spent the last four seasons on staff with the USHL’s Fargo Force, has joined the Ohio State men’s hockey team as an assistant coach.

“I am very excited to add Carter to our staff,” Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik said in a statement. “He has done a tremendous job these past four years working for the Fargo Force, including being a part of a championship this past season. His work ethic, drive and passion for the game will be a huge asset for our program.”

Krier began his time with the Force as the team’s goaltending coach for the 2020-21 season and served as assistant coach and goaltending coach the last two campaigns. The Force claimed the Clark Cup as the USHL playoff champion this past spring, won the Anderson Cup in both 2023 and 2024 as the league’s regular-season champion and reached the Clark Cup finals in 2021 and ’23.

During his tenure, Force netminders earned all-USHL and USHL goalie of the year accolades and posted the second-longest shutout streak in USHL playoff history. Eight of the squad’s goalies earned NCAA Division I scholarships. He also served as an assistant coach for Team USA for the World Junior A Challenge, where it earned bronze.

“I am honored for the opportunity to join Coach Rohlik and his staff at the Ohio State University,” Krier said. “I look forward to building a relationship with all of the current players and the program’s alumni. I couldn’t be more excited to get to campus.”

A native of Moorhead, Minn., Krier founded Edge Goaltending, which works to develop goaltenders from across the country. He started his coaching career as director of goaltending development for East Grand Forks Hockey and was an assistant coach/goalie coach for the East Grand Forks Senior High varsity team.

Krier earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from North Dakota in August 2022.

Cary Eades, president of hockey operations-general manager for the Force, spoke on the impact Krier had on their organization’s success.

“Ohio State is getting a real good one in Carter Krier,” Eades said. “All you have to do is look at the success our team had in his four years with us as we made three of four Clark Cup Finals. In particular, the goalies he developed that were key to that success show his impact on our organization. Carter is extremely dedicated and is more than just a ‘goalie coach.’ For example, last season he contributed to the Force PK unit which was No. 1 in the USHL all season long. He’s also very proven in scouting and recruiting young prospects. Carter has a very bright future in the game, and we wish him continued success with Coach Rohlik and the Buckeyes.”

Longtime Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey assistant Schuler takes over as head coach for Bulldogs

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Laura Schuler has a long history with the UMD women’s hockey program (photo: Minnesota Duluth Athletics).

Minnesota Duluth has hired Laura Schuler as its next women’s hockey head coach.

Schuler replaces Maura Crowell, who left earlier this offseason for the head coaching job at Dartmouth.

“Laura has been instrumental in the consistent success of UMD women’s hockey,” said Minnesota Duluth director of athletics Forrest Karr in a statement. “She has earned respect throughout the hockey community for her work ethic, hockey knowledge, recruiting and teaching ability. We look forward to supporting the team and staff to ensure that each athlete has a high-quality environment to develop, and helping Laura continue the program’s strong tradition.”

Schuler becomes the third head coach in the 25-year history of one of the most successful programs in all of Division I women’s college hockey after finishing her third consecutive season with the Bulldogs in 2023-24 as an associate head coach. Her return to the UMD bench in 2021-22 helped result in an NCAA championship title game appearance and three straight NCAA tournament berths for the Bulldogs.

A part of six NCAA tournament teams at UMD in all, including three NCAA Frozen Fours and an NCAA championship title in 2010, Schuler has spent a total of 10 seasons on the bench of the Bulldogs over her coaching career in Duluth, and helped those 10 UMD teams to a record of 187-105-29. Schuler not only coached all 13 of the Bulldog’s PWHL draft picks over the past two drafts during her time with the UMD program but has also coached 25 of UMD’s 41 Olympians.

“I am so excited to continue to be a part of this incredible university,” said Schuler. “This program has a proud history in the classroom, in competition and in this great community, and I look forward to building on the legacy of excellence that is UMD women’s hockey. I would also like to thank Chancellor Nies, Athletic Director Karr and the entire search advisory committee for this tremendous opportunity.”

Schuler notably owns an extensive resume of coaching and playing with Hockey Canada, and an international background that has spanned over two decades. Named the head coach of the Canadian National Women’s Hockey Team during the 2015-16 season, Schuler was again tabbed for the job over the 2016-17 season. Schuler was then chosen to lead the Canadian Olympic women’s team in the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. Schuler and Team Canada went on to face the United States where Canada took home the silver medal in a 3-2 shootout loss.

Additionally, the Scarborough, Ont., native has spent a decade coaching all three of Hockey Canada’s High Performance programs. She was as an assistant coach with the National Women’s Team in 2010-11 (Four Nations Cup – gold), a head coach of the U-22 National Development Women’s Team in 2011-12 (Meco Cup – silver), an assistant of the Canadian U-18 National Team in 2012-13 (Worlds – gold) and a head coach of the U-18 National Team in 2013-14 (Worlds – gold).

As a player, Schuler competed for Hockey Canada after her collegiate career at Northeastern. She won three gold medals at the World Championships in 1990, 1992 and 1997, two gold medals at the Pacific Rim Championships in 1995 and 1996 and two gold and a silver at the Three Nations Cup in 1996, 1997 and 1999. She was also a member of the 1998 Canadian Olympic team and won a silver medal at the Winter Games.

Schuler began her coaching career in 2001 as the head coach of UMass Boston and later at her alma mater of Northeastern from 2004 to 2008. Schuler became an assistant coach for the Bulldogs originally in 2008 and, over seven seasons, helped lead UMD to three NCAA tournament berths, as well as an NCAA title in 2010. She then spent three seasons at the helm of Dartmouth (2016-2020), with a one-year sabbatical during her tenure to guide the Canadian Olympic team in the 2018 Olympics.

Schuler graduated cum laude from Northeastern in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

As the third head coach in program history, Schuler notably has the distinction of having served as an assistant coach for multiple seasons under both of the previous head coaches at UMD – most recently Crowell (2015-23) and Shannon Miller (1999-2015).

‘Genuine devotion’ to Clarkson women’s hockey team earns Maci new role of associate head coach

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Tony Maci has been a fixture behind the Clarkson bench in recent years (photo: Clarkson Athletics).

Clarkson has announced that Tony Maci will be promoted to associate head coach for the women’s hockey team.

“I couldn’t be more happy and excited to have Tony as our associate head coach,” Clarkson head coach Matt Desrosiers said in a statement. “Over his time here at Clarkson, he has been an integral part of two national championships, Frozen Four appearances, and numerous ECAC regular-season and tournament titles. Tony is a proven recruiter and someone that our players and staff know they can rely on in any situation. He has helped develop our players into successful student athletes that are ready to take on whatever challenges that lay ahead after college, whether it be continuing their playing career or stepping into the working world.

“His genuine devotion to our women’s hockey program and all the student-athletes who have worn the green and gold jersey is why he is so deserving of this title.”

Maci has been with the program for the past eight seasons, leading the Knights to two national championships, seven NCAA tournament appearances, and has recruited numerous players that have earned All-American status, won World and Olympic Gold, and now have made their mark in the PWHL.

With Maci on staff, the Knights have compiled 215 victories, earned a pair of ECAC Hockey regular-season titles, won the program’s first three conference championship tournament trophies and have gone 8-4 in NCAA tournament play the past eight seasons.

Maci’s start as a coach at the Division I level was highly successful as he played a significant role in guiding Princeton to the most wins in program history at the time with a 22-9-2 overall record and a berth in the NCAA tournament in 2015-16.

As an assistant coach at Adrian, Maci was involved in nearly every aspect of the Bulldogs’ program. Adrian posted the best win percentage in school history in 2014-15 at 84.6%, with its second 20-plus win season in three seasons.

A native of Grosse Ile, Mich., Maci is a 2005 graduate of St. Lawrence where he was a member of the men’s hockey program.

Longtime Colgate women’s hockey assistant Decosse promoted to head coach of Raiders, ‘fully committed to preserving that winning culture here in Hamilton’

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Stefan Decosse celebrates the 2024 ECAC Hockey championship for Colgate (photo: Colgate Athletics).

After nearly a decade in an assistant coaching role, Stefan Decosse has been named Colgate’s new head women’s hockey coach.

Decosse takes over for Greg Fargo, who left in June for the head coaching role with the PWHL New York franchise.

Becoming the fifth head coach in program history, Decosse boasted a 202-69-20 record during his tenure as an assistant. He served the past nine seasons behind the bench for the Raiders, helping lead Colgate to two NCAA Frozen Fours and four ECAC Hockey championships.

“Coach Decosse has worked tirelessly over the past nine years to help build Colgate women’s hockey into a nationally-recognized program,” said Colgate VP and director of athletics Yariv Amir in a statement. “He has a deep understanding of the culture and values of both Colgate and the women’s hockey program, and he and his family have been pillars in the Hamilton and Colgate communities. We look forward to him continuing to guide our student-athletes to success on and off the ice.”

Decosse took on a number of different roles as an assistant coach, including stints as the director of recruiting, director of player development, and program liaison. Since 2019, he has ushered in five recruiting classes ranked in the top five nationally, according to neutralzone.net, including a 2023 class rated first among all 36 NCAA Division I women’s hockey programs.

“I am honored to have been selected as the new head coach of Colgate women’s hockey,” Decosse said. “Having called Hamilton home for the past nine years, I know how special this place is. The unwavering support and dedication of the staff, faculty, alumni and student-athletes has been instrumental in getting Colgate women’s hockey to where it is today. I am fully committed to preserving that winning culture here in Hamilton while finding new ways to propel the program forward on and off the ice.

“I am grateful to Yariv Amir and the members of the search committee for the opportunity to serve this storied hockey program and university. I also must extend my sincere thanks to my wife, Erin. She has supported me every step of the way in this journey. I also have the greatest appreciation and thanks to Greg Fargo for his mentorship and guidance throughout my career. I am beyond excited to serve a program that has meant so much to me and my family.”

Decosse helped place 23 Colgate student-athletes on ECAC Hockey all-league teams since his first full season as an assistant coach in 2016-17. A total of seven Raiders have reached first-team all-league honors during his tenure, while four student-athletes have been named AWCHA All-Americans. Decosse contributed to the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Frozen Four and Colgate’s only national championship appearance in 2018, leading to the nomination of three All-USCHO.com selections. In total, he has coached nine All-USCHO.com Raiders.

His recruiting classes have also succeeded at the collegiate level with Decosse mentoring seven ECAC Hockey all-rookie selections and two rookies of the year in 2021 and 2023.

“I’m thrilled for Stefan, his family and of course the women’s hockey program that he is being named as the new head coach at Colgate,” said Fargo. “His passion for Colgate, infectious energy, and dedication to our student-athletes have been key ingredients to our recent success, including four straight ECAC championships. Stefan is an exceptional recruiter and a brilliant teacher of our style of play. I can’t wait to see the exciting future he will bring to Colgate. This program is in great hands with Stefan at the helm.”

Decosse has had a hand in more than 150 ECAC Hockey all-academic team honorees, including a program-record 23 in 2022-23. His Raiders have earned national recognition with 34 AHCA All-American scholars and an NCAA Elite 90™ award winner at last year’s Frozen Four. Decosse also mentored a winner of Colgate’s prestigious Barry Goldwater Scholarship in 2024.

Under Decosse’s leadership, 22 Colgate alumni have been drafted into professional women’s hockey leagues. Six Raiders were selected in the 2024 PWHL Draft, the second-most of any collegiate program in the country. Internationally, 12 of Decosse’s Raiders have played for their country’s U18 teams while 13 have suited up on U22 squads. Decosse has also coached eight student-athletes who made national team rosters with an additional five attending international development camps. Three Olympians have played under Decosse in maroon and white.

Decosse was a two-time captain of the Geneseo men’s hockey team where he was named to the SUNYAC all-academic team every year of his career. He later received his Master of Arts at York University in Toronto, printing three papers in peer-reviewed academic publications.

Veteran college hockey coach Corbett takes on new role as assistant coach at Arizona State in ‘tremendous day’ for Sun Devils

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Mike Corbett spent eight seasons behind the bench at Alabama Huntsville (photo: Bradley K. Olson).

Arizona State has announced the hiring of Mike Corbett as assistant coach.

Corbett most recently finished his third season as assistant coach with Quinnipiac. He was instrumental in the Bobcats’ postseason success during his tenure, including the 2023 national championship.

“This is a tremendous day for our program. Mike is a great coach, great recruiter and an unbelievable human being. His experience and success speak for itself and will really help our program as we head into the NCHC,” said Sun Devils coach Greg Powers in a statement. “Mike has been someone I’ve always wanted to work with since we went Division I. His recent success at Quinnipiac in helping them get two Elite Eights and winning a national championship is something I know he wants to bring here to ASU. We got better today… a lot better.”

Before Hamden, he served as an assistant coach at Robert Morris and was the head coach at Alabama Huntsville for eight seasons.

At UAH, he was responsible for rebuilding the program after it was discontinued in 2011 and produced three playoff berths, the program’s first playoff win and win over a top-10 opponent, and multiple all-league selections. Under Corbett’s watch, the program had 46 All-WCHA academic selections, upgraded locker room facilities with two renovations and built a state-of-the-art weight room facility.

Corbett’s initial experience in college hockey came as assistant/associate head coach at Air Force, where he worked for 10 seasons and earned five tournament championships and subsequent NCAA tournament berths.

In addition to numerous years of coaching at the collegiate level, Corbett also has experience with USA Hockey, where he has served as a coach for national festivals for 23 years and will be heading to Switzerland in August as an assistant coach the U17 Team USA Five Nations team.

Corbett graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management from Denver in 1996. As a senior, he was awarded the Daniels School of Business Management leadership award and went on to earn a Master’s of Science in Management in 1998. The two-time alternate captain at Denver was also a 1997 finalist for the NCAA Hockey Humanitarian Award.

Sobieck returns to Bemidji State women’s hockey team as new assistant coach ahead of 2024-25 season

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SOBIECK

Bemidji State has announced that Emma (Terres) Sobieck has returned to the Beavers and will serve as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey team for the 2024-25 season.

Sobieck previously served as an assistant coach from 2020 to 2023 before traveling east to be an assistant coach at Minnesota Duluth during the 2023-24 season.

A former Bemidji State captain (2017-18), Sobieck played 146 games at BSU from 2014 to 2018, amassing 48 points and skating in 145 consecutive games.

Following her collegiate career, she played two seasons professionally in Germany and graduated from Bemidji State with a Bachelor of Science in individualized studies and completed her coaching certificate.

After going first overall in 2024 NHL Draft, Hobey Baker winner Celebrini leaves Boston University after one season, signs NHL contract with Sharks

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BU’s Macklin Celebrini had a stellar freshman season for the Terriers in 2023-24 (photo: Marcus Snowden).

The San Jose Sharks announced Saturday that the club has signed Boston University forward Macklin Celebrini, the first-overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, to a standard, entry-level contract.

Celebrini now gives up his remaining NCAA eligibility.

“Macklin is not only a special player on the ice, but he is a poised, confident and intelligent young man off of it,” said Sharks GM Mike Grier in a statement. “His combination of skills and hockey sense is rare, and we are extremely confident that he is ready to make the transition to being a full time NHL player.

“We could not be more excited to have Macklin locked in to formally join the Sharks organization for the 2024-25 season.”

Celebrini, an 18-year-old Vancouver, B.C., native, played in 38 NCAA games for the Terriers in 2023-24, recording 64 points (32 goals, 32 assists) along with a plus-25 rating. As a freshman, Celebrini finished second in the NCAA in points per game, ranked second in goals and was third in points. He became the fourth player in collegiate history to achieve a 30-goal, 30-assist campaign and failed to register a point in only six games this past season.

He registered a four-assist game on Nov. 11, a 10-game point streak (nine goals, 13 assists), and in his first 11 games of the season, he notched eight multi-point outings and collected a total of 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists). He helped BU to the Beanpot final, scoring a goal against Northeastern, guided his team to the Hockey East final against Boston College, and helped BU reach the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal.

Celebrini was recognized with several year-end awards and achievements, notably winning the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player, becoming the fourth freshman in NCAA history and the youngest to ever to be named the recipient of the award. He was named the national rookie of the year, New England rookie of the year, Hockey East player of the year and rookie of the year, and named first team All-American, Hockey East first team all-star, Hockey East all-rookie team, among several other achievements.

During his youth hockey days, Celebrini played with the San Jose Jr. Sharks program during the 2019-20 campaign, collecting 94 points with the 14U AAA team across 54 games (49 goals, 45 assists).

Internationally, he has represented Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championship and led the team in scoring with eight points (four goals, four assists) in five games. He also helped Canada to a bronze medal at the 2023 Under-18 World Championship and was named a top-3 player on the team for both tournaments.

Michigan State blueliner Levshunov inks NHL deal with Blackhawks, finished with Spartans after one season

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Artyom Levshunov posted 35 points in his one and only season with Michigan State in 2023-24 (photo: Michigan State Athletics).

The NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks announced Saturday that the team has agreed to terms with Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov on a three-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2026-27 season.

The Blackhawks selected Levshunov, who forgoes his remaining NCAA eligibility, with the second overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft.

“Signing Artyom gives us the opportunity to continue his development in house and take the next step into professional hockey,” said Chicago GM Kyle Davidson in a news release. “He’s a strong two-way defenseman that has all the tools to be a high-end player in the NHL, and we’re excited to continue his growth at the pro level.”

Levshunov, 18, recorded 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists) in 38 games with the Spartans during the 2023-24 campaign, helping the Spartans to both Big Ten regular-season and postseason championships. His 26 assists and 35 points each ranked second on the club.

Among all NCAA blueliners, he shared ninth in points, which was second among all freshmen defensemen, and shared 10th in goals and 12th in assists. Levshunov also earned Big Ten defensive player of the year and freshman of the year honors. Additionally, he was named to the Big Ten first all-star team and the AHCA second All-American team.

Prior to college, Levshunov helped Belarus to a gold medal at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship Division 1 tournament, posting two assists in five games.

The Zhlobin, Belarus native is the highest-selected Belarusian in NHL Draft history.

Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s hockey assistant coach Kromm leaves Pointers after three seasons, takes job with BCHL’s Smoke Eaters

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KROMM

Wisconsin-Stevens Point men’s hockey assistant coach Bryan Kromm has been named assistant coach and director of player development for the BCHL’s Trail Smoke Eaters.

Kromm comes to Trail after spending the last three seasons with the Pointers. During that span, the team posted a record of 62-18-7 and qualified for the NCAA tournament twice.

Prior to coaching, Bryan played four seasons with the University of Jamestown (ACHA). He also has ties to the Smoke Eaters history as his father, Rich, was born in Trail and is currently a pro scout with the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. His grandfather, Bobby Kromm, was part of the Trail Smoke Eaters’ 1961 World Championship team as a player-coach and played for the Smoke Eaters in the WIHL for six seasons.

“I’m thankful for my time in Stevens Point and the amazing people I’ve been able to work with,” said Kromm in a statement. “Coach Krueger and countless others have given me the experience and support I’ve needed to make it to the next level. I’m excited for the opportunity in Trail and look forward to working with young rising stars in such a prestigious league. While developing these young men, I also hope to make an impact in the community and contribute to the already rich history of hockey in Trail.”

Kromm starts his new position in Trail on July 16.

American Hockey Coaches Association tabs Vermont men’s hockey coach Wiedler as new president, starts three-year term with ’24-25 season

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Steve Wiedler runs a practice at Vermont during the 2023-24 season (photo: Vermont Athletics).

Now in its 78th year of serving amateur hockey, the American Hockey Coaches Association begins the 2024-25 season under new leadership.

Vermont men’s head coach Steve Wiedler, formerly the AHCA’s VP for outreach, succeeds Grant Potulny as AHCA president. Potulny recently resigned as head coach at Northern Michigan to take a position as head coach of the AHL’s Hartford Wolfpack. Wiedler begins a three-year term as AHCA president.

“I want to thank Forrest Karr, Brett Petersen, Joe Bertagna, and the rest of the AHCA membership for this opportunity,” said Wiedler in a news release. “The AHCA has played a major role in shaping countless coaching careers as well as molding the landscape of hockey in the United States. I’m honored to play a role within that eco system and excited to aid in the growth of our game.”

Also beginning new duties is Forrest Karr. The director of athletics at Minnesota Duluth, Karr starts his tenure as AHCA executive director, becoming just the second person to hold the title since 1991. Joe Bertagna, who served as executive director for the past 33 years, begins a new job today as AHCA media director.

“Thank you to Joe Bertagna for ensuring a smooth transition and to the AHCA officers, governors and members for such a warm welcome over the last few months,” said Karr. “I look forward to helping the women’s and men’s coaches take the association in the direction they choose to go and continuing to advocate for the sport.”

Providing some continuity for the AHCA will be secretary-treasurer Brett Petersen of Gustavus Adolphus. A longtime AHCA officer, Petersen returns for his third year in this position. He completed a 24-year coaching career at Gustavus last year and now serves as director of club sports.

2024-25 AHCA Officers, Governors and Staff
President: Steve Wiedler, Vermont
VP, Men’s Issues: Andy Slaggert, Notre Dame
VP, Women’s Issues: Grant Kimball, Yale
VP, Convention Planning: Zach McKelvie, Army West Point
VP, Membership: Ann Ninnemann, UW-Stevens Point
VP, Outreach: Maura Crowell, Dartmouth
VP, Sponsorships: Rico Blasi, St. Thomas
Past-President: Casey Jones, Cornell

2024-25 AHCA Governors
Mare MacDougall-Bari, St. Lawrence
Max Gavin, Boston College
Jeff Giesen, Minnesota State
Roger Grillo, USA Hockey
Sean Hogan, College Hockey Inc.
Sadie Lundqust, College Hockey Inc.
Drew Michals, Holy Cross
Eric Sorenson, UMass Lowell
Chris Schultz, Geneseo
Holley Tyng, Colby
Sean Walsh, Southern New Hampshire

2024-25 AHCA Staff
Executive Director: Forrest Karr, Minnesota Duluth
Secretary-Treasurer: Brett Petersen, Gustavus Adolphus
Media Director: Joe Bertagna
Membership Administrator: Kathy Bertagna

Former Plattsburgh goaltender Poreda named new assistant coach for Elmira women’s hockey team

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POREDA

Elmira has announced the addition of Jimmy Poreda as an assistant coach for the women’s hockey coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Poreda joins the team after playing in Finland, the SPHL, ECHL and AHL the last four years.

“We’re extremely excited to welcome Jimmy to Elmira,” said Elmira head coach Greg Haney in a statement. “Jimmy’s loyalty and ability to build relationships, coupled with his knowledge of the game makes him a perfect fit for our program and campus-community.”

A goaltender in his playing career, Poreda makes the transition to coaching after appearing in 77 games over his four-year professional career. Poreda spent the majority of his pro career playing in Orlando in the ECHL and Knoxville and Macon in the SPHL.

“I am very honored to join Coach Haney behind the bench at Elmira College,” said Poreda. “The passion and excitement around this program is undeniable. I look forward to continuing to build on the winning tradition here at Elmira.”

Prior to his time in the professional ranks, Poreda spent four seasons at Plattsburgh (2017-21), where he was a three-time AHCA All-American scholar.

His senior season was spent playing professional hockey in Finland due COVID-19 cancelling the SUNYAC season.

Plattsburgh grad Mulcahy, who ‘bleeds Cardinal red,’ returning to alma mater as new men’s hockey assistant coach

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MULCAHY

Neil Mulcahy, a 1987 Plattsburgh State graduate and former men’s hockey player, has been hired as the new assistant men’s hockey coach for the Cardinals.

Most recently, Mulcahy worked with the EHL’s American Hockey Academy and the Boston Jr. Terriers, serving as the team’s assistant GM and the associate head coach during the 2023-24 season. He held a variety of administrative duties with the team while also helping with the evaluation and development of the athletes.

“We are really excited to bring Neil back to Cardinal Country and add him to the coaching staff,” said Plattsburgh head coach Steve Moffat in a statement. “He bleeds Cardinal red. He is a terrific coach that understands the modern game and knows what it takes to be successful. He is outstanding with individual and team video. Neil has been involved with player development throughout his career and our team and players will benefit from his knowledge and experience.”

Prior to the EHL, he was the assistant hockey coach, recruiter and operations at Southern New Hampshire for the men’s hockey program, where he served as the recruit coordinator for prospective student-athletes and presented video analysis breakdown and data analytics to team and individuals.

After working for Verizon as a customer service specialist in the Boston area of for nearly 25 years, Mulcahy returned to hockey as the Middlesex Black Bears Jr. Prep head coach for their men’s hockey team in 2016. As the head coach, he managed successful recruitment efforts, attracting top talent to the program while also promoting academic success among student-athletes with study halls, tutoring, and progress monitoring.

Mulcahy graduated from Plattsburgh in 1987 with of a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. He was also a member of the men’s hockey team, serving as a captain of 1986-87 team that advanced to the NCAA championship, accumulating 109 points from 1983 to 1987.

Denver’s Matikka leaves Pioneers after freshman season, signs NHL contract with Utah Hockey Club

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Miko Matikka had a stellar season for DU (photo: Tyler Schank/Clarkson Creative Photography).

Denver forward Miko Matikka, who completed his freshman season with a national championship in April, has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s Utah Hockey Club.

Matikka, 20, helped the Pioneers win their NCAA-record 10th national championship last season while ranking second on the team and fourth among all freshmen in the nation with 20 goals. He was the first DU rookie to reach the 20-goal threshold since fellow countryman Henrik Borgstrom in 2016-17.

The Helsinki, Finland, native added 13 assists to finish seventh on Denver with 33 points during the 2023-24 campaign. He also placed second on the squad in power-play goals (6) and shots (111) and was third with 41 penalty minutes while concluding the year with a plus-15 rating.

Matikka totaled nine multi-goal outings during the season and scored multiple times in four games, including against St. Cloud State on March 22 in the team’s overtime win in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. He went on to score again in the conference championship game the next day, earning all-tournament team honors. He later tallied the game-tying goal against Cornell in the NCAA Northeast Regional final on March 30 to wrap up a stretch of four goals in four games and had an assist in Denver’s OT win over Boston University in the Frozen Four semifinals on April 11 at Xcel Energy Center.

After making his NCAA debut on Oct. 7 at Alaska, Matikka recorded his first collegiate point with an assist on Nov. 3 versus Colorado College and scored his first goal the next day on Nov. 4 at CC. Those contests were the start of an 11-game point stretch (11 goals, four assists), the second-longest of the season by a Pioneer, and a six-game goal streak, the longest run by a Denver player since Dylan Gambrell had a seven-game goal stretch from Feb. 13-March 5, 2016 (eight goals, 14 assists). Overall, he scored 14 goals in a 14-game period from Nov. 4 to Jan. 13.

Matikka was recognized as the NCHC rookie of the week four times, including picking up consecutive awards on Nov. 13 and Nov. 20 to become the first Denver player to repeat as a weekly conference winner since Magnus Chrona as goaltender of the week on Jan. 17 and 24, 2022. He was also selected as the NCHC rookie of the month for November after leading all conference freshmen with seven goals and ranking second among rookies with 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in eight games.

A unanimous selection on the NCHC all-rookie team, his 20 goals led all league freshmen and tied for sixth overall in the conference. Matikka was also a member of the NCAA Northeast Regional all-tournament team and was named to the watch list for the Tim Taylor Award as the national rookie of the year.

Matikka was drafted in 2022 by the Arizona Coyotes in the third round (67th overall). He had his rights moved to the Utah Hockey Club after the hockey assets of the Coyotes were officially transferred to the new franchise on June 13. He previously attended Arizona’s summer development camps in 2022 and 2023.

Second day of 2024 NHL Draft adds 48 NCAA players or recruits to total selected

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Michigan State defenseman Patrick Geary was the second of two players with NCAA experience selected on the second day of the 2024 NHL Draft on Saturday. Michigan Tech’s Chase Pietila went in the fourth round. (photo: MSU Athletic Communications).

Twenty-six NCAA schools had at least one player selected in the 2024 NHL Draft, which concluded Saturday in Las Vegas with 46 committed recruits and two college players selected in rounds two through seven.

With nine players or recruits picked in Friday’s first round, the total of selections was 57, down 12 from the 2023 total.

Michigan recruit Gabriel Eliasson was the first college-connected pick in Saturday’s seventh round. The defenseman went to Ottawa with the 39th overall selection.

The Wolverines had three recruits chosen in the two-day draft, two behind leader Boston University.

The Terriers, who also had 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner Macklin Celebrini selected No. 1 overall by San Jose on Friday, had four commits picked on Saturday. Defenseman Cole Hutson of the U.S. Under-18 Team was the first, at No. 43 overall in the second round.

Denver’s total of five players — defenseman Zeev Buium was picked 12th in the first round Friday by Minnesota — was second behind Boston University. The Pioneers had four recruits selected, all of them in rounds four through seven, led by forward Jake Fisher.

Michigan State had the most players with college experience selected. Defenseman Patrick Geary went to Buffalo in the sixth round after defenseman Artyom Levshunov was the No. 2 overall pick by Chicago. The Spartans also had two recruits, forwards Lucas Van Vliet (Vegas) and Austin Baker (Detroit) picked in the seventh round.

Minnesota and North Dakota also had four total picks, all recruits.

Michigan Tech defenseman Chase Pietila was the first player with NCAA experience picked Saturday. He went in the fourth round, No. 111 overall, to Pittsburgh.

The other NCAA teams that had recruits selected were:

• Boston College, Harvard, Providence and St. Cloud State with three apiece.

• Clarkson, Minnesota Duluth and Wisconsin with two each.

• Colorado College, Minnesota State, Niagara, Northeastern, Northern Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Omaha, Quinnipiac, St. Thomas, UMass and Western Michigan with one each.

See all the college-connected picks on this page.

Union women’s hockey coach Sciba resigns position, takes role on coaching staff of PWHL New York franchise

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Josh Sciba spent eight seasons with the Union women’s hockey team (photo: Union Athletics).

After eight years leading the Union women’s hockey program, Josh Sciba has resigned his head coaching position to accept a spot on the coaching staff of PWHL New York.

The position reunites Sciba with new PWHL New York head coach and former Colgate head coach Greg Fargo, under whom Sciba served as an assistant for four years in Hamilton from 2012 to 2016 before making the move to Schenectady.

“I want to thank Josh for his dedication to our student-athletes over the last eight years and the work that he put into our women’s hockey program. The opportunity to coach at the professional level does not come around often, and so we wish Josh well in his new position,” said Union director of athletics Jim McLaughlin in a statement. “We look forward to finding the next leader of our women’s hockey team and seeing the continued strides forward that this program will take in the future.”

“I want to thank my student-athletes, president David Harris, Jim McLaughlin, my coaching staff, and the entire Union College community for embracing my family and I over the last eight years,” added Sciba. “I’m so grateful for this experience and everything that I’ve learned throughout it. I wouldn’t be the coach that I am today without Union College. With the talented women in our locker room, a new facility, scholarships, and a very distinguished degree, I know the best years of Union women’s hockey are yet to come. Union College will always hold a special place in my heart.”

The winningest coach in Union women’s hockey history, Sciba and the program have taken steps forward in both wins and level of competitiveness over the last two seasons. The team won 11 games and earned its first-ever win over a nationally ranked team during the 2022-23 season, and the team’s 19 victories over the last two seasons are the most in a two-year span in the program’s Division I era. The last two seasons have also seen three new entries in both the team’s single-season goals and points record books, as well as three of the program’s nine hat tricks as a D-I program.

In addition, Sciba recruited and guided student-athletes to success off the ice as well. Union players merited 125 ECAC Hockey all-academic team selections over the last eight seasons as well as four College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, and two recent graduates (Meredith Killian ’24 and Allison Smith ’24) were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. The team also continued its long history of community engagement and support through multiple initiatives both in and out of the rink.

With the recent addition of athletic scholarships and a new hockey rink on the horizon for 2025, the future is bright for the Union women’s hockey program.

A national search for the program’s next head coach will begin immediately.

WCHA commissioner Dill steps down, citing personal reasons, as he enters ‘next phase of retirement’

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Tracy Dill presents the WCHA championship trophy to Wisconsin’s Britta Curl after the Badgers won this season’s WCHA playoff championship (photo: Matt Krohn).

Tracy Dill has announced that he will step down as the commissioner of the WCHA for personal reasons, effective June 30, 2024.

Earlier this offseason, Dill had the interim tag removed as commissioner and signed a two-year contract.

“I want to express my appreciation to the WCHA membership for allowing me the opportunity to serve as the league commissioner for the past two years. The strength of the WCHA is the outstanding people including the WCHA league staff, student-athletes, coaches, athletic administrators and faculty representatives. I want to thank each of them and wish them nothing but the best for the WCHA,” Dill said in a statement

Dill joined the WCHA office in July 2022 and served as the conference’s interim commissioner over the past two seasons.

“We appreciate the steadfast dedication and effort Tracy has committed to our league in providing us with an outstanding level of leadership these past two years.  The WCHA has established an operational standard others aspire to attain and Tracy was able to raise the bar even further,” said Minnesota State director of athletics Kevin Busiman, who also serves as the chair of the WCHA’s Advisory Council and Management Committee.

“He leaves our league even more well-positioned as the leader in collegiate women’s hockey. Tracy brought a wealth of experience and passion for the sport that made him extremely effective in this role and he has set the table for someone to step into that position and continue to move us forward.  We are grateful for his service and we wish Tracy and his family much joy and happiness as he steps away and transitions further into this next phase of retirement.”

Under the leadership of Dill over the past two seasons, WCHA teams have won two NCAA championships in 2023 and 2024.  The nation’s premier NCAA Division I women’s hockey conference, the WCHA has now won 21 national championships since league play began in 1999-2000.

In the past two seasons, WCHA players earned All-American honors 10 times along with Ohio State’s Sophie Jaques receiving the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award in 2023 and Wisconsin’s Casey O’Brien and Kirsten Simms being selected as Kazmaier Award top-three finalists in 2024.

Dill has helped grow the WCHA’s corporate partnership base during his tenure, which included sponsorship of the league’s annual Final Faceoff tournament with Kwik Trip along with partnerships with Cub Foods, Two Men and A Truck, Krampade, Howies Hockey Tape, Game One, Sterling Trophy & Awards, Print Labs and JLG Ice.

The visibility of the league continued to match the excellence of its teams as 15 WCHA games were televised live on FOX9+ in the Twin Cities in 2023-24, which also included coverage in Duluth, Minn., Madison, Wis., and Columbus, Ohio.  In 2024, the St. Cloud State vs. Ohio State game was included as part of Bally Sports Hockey Day Minnesota coverage and two league games were featured on the Big Ten Network.

The WCHA’s online presence has also grown as B1G+ has offered live streaming of all home WCHA games over the past two seasons along with consistent growth of followers on the league social media platforms and usage of the league’s website, WCHA.com

Dill has been involved in college athletics as a player, coach, and administrator for more than 40 years.  Prior to his time with the WCHA, Dill spent nine years at Bemidji State as that school’s director of intercollegiate athletics. Prior to his tenure at Bemidji State, Dill was at St. Cloud State for 28 years in various capacities, including coaching and administration.

The WCHA will begin the process of finding a replacement for Dill immediately.

College players selected with top 2 picks in 2024 NHL Draft

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Macklin Celebrini won the 2024 Hobey Baker Award at Boston University (photo: Matt Woolverton).

NCAA players went in the first two picks of the 2024 NHL Draft for only the third time, led by Hobey Baker Award winner Macklin Celebrini of Boston University at No. 1.

The San Jose Sharks selected Celebrini to kick off the draft Friday in Las Vegas, with Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov going to the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 2.

Celebrini was third nationally in scoring with 64 points for the Terriers as a freshman forward in 2023-24. He was the fifth NCAA player to be the top pick; the others were Michigan State’s Joe Murphy in 1986, Boston University’s Rick DiPietro in 2000, Minnesota’s Erik Johnson in 2006 and Michigan’s Owen Power in 2021.

Levshunov had 35 points in 38 games to help the Spartans to their first Big Ten championship.

They joined Power and teammate Matty Beniers in 2021 and DiPietro and Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley in 2000 as the only college duos to be selected with the first two picks.

In all, nine players who either played college hockey last season or are expected to in the coming seasons were selected Friday, the same as in 2023. The only years with more were 2007 and 2016, both of which had 11 NCAA first-round selections.

A third player who was a freshman last season, defenseman Zeev Buium of national champion Denver, was picked later in the first round. The Minnesota Wild chose him with the 12th pick.

Four NCAA recruits went in picks 18 through 21: North Dakota forward Sacha Boisvert to Chicago, Providence forward Trevor Connelly to Vegas, Boston University forward Cole Eiserman to the New York Islanders and Michigan forward Michael Hage to Montreal.

Boston chose Boston College commit Dean Letourneau, a forward, at No. 25 and the New York Rangers grabbed incoming North Dakota defenseman EJ Emery at No. 30.

Forward Matvei Gridin, who committed to Michigan but reportedly is headed to major juniors instead, was selected by Calgary at No. 28.

The final six rounds of the draft are scheduled for Saturday.

Follow picks of NCAA players and recruits at this page.

Here’s where NCAA players were selected in the 2024 NHL Draft

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