It’s been almost two weeks since Bob Gaudet announced he was retiring as head coach of the Dartmouth College hockey program.
As I reported in my story on April 22, former NHL defenseman and Dartmouth alum Ben Lovejoy is the favorite to be the next bench boss in Hanover. He was the team’s volunteer assistant this past season.
Lovejoy, who hails from nearby Concord, N.H., would be an intriguing hire. While he lacks coaching experience, he is extremely smart, well-liked, and has an Ivy League pedigree, which is often of utmost importance to schools such as Dartmouth.
Whether it’s Lovejoy or someone else who takes the reins of the Big Green program, I’d expect a shakeup of the coaching staff. I’d imagine one or both of the assistants will move on, depending on who the new hire is.
Associate head coach Dave Lassonde is certainly a candidate for the job. The Providence alum has been an assistant at New Hampshire, Denver, Wisconsin and Miami. He’s also been involved with USA Hockey over the past few years at world juniors and other international events. John Rose is the other assistant coach currently.
UMD opening could have Eastern ramifications
Two-time defending NCAA champion Minnesota Duluth lost its top assistant, as I first reported on Twitter last week. Jason Herter, a former first-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks and star at North Dakota, had been an assistant on Scott Sandelin’s staff since 2011.
There undoubtedly will be be plenty of interest in the assistant position at Duluth. Most of the likely candidates are from and work in the Midwest, but one potential applicant to keep an eye on is Clarkson associate head coach Josh Hauge.
Hauge is a Rosemount, Minn., native and played college hockey at Bethel College, a Division 3 program in the state. He’s worked in the NAHL and USHL as a head coach and an assistant. Hauge has been on Casey Jones’ staff in Potsdam since 2015. He’s one of the more underrated young coaching prospects in the game.
If Hauge were to leave for UMD, that could set off a domino effect out this way.
Assistant update for UVM
New Vermont head coach Todd Woodcroft has indicated he will keep Catamount alum Jeff Hill on his staff. The Cranston, R.I., native has been a full-time assistant in Burlington the past two seasons and served as director of hockey ops and volunteer assistant prior to that.
The other assistant on the staff is still to be determined. From talking to those around college hockey, the candidates come from different backgrounds. Names mentioned range from USHL head coaches to Atlantic Hockey assistant coaches.
The only other current opening in Hockey East is at Boston University. The Terriers are in search of a new director of hockey operations after Eddie Effinger left to become head coach at Division 3 St. Olaf College.
