DU Today Looks At Gwozdecky's Coaching Protoges

(above) George Gwozdecky talks about his former players and coaches with DU Today

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FORMER ASSISTANTS
Seth Appert, head coach, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Enrico Blasi, head coach, Miami-Ohio
Bob Motzko, head coach, St. Cloud State
Bob Prier, head coach, Princeton
Joe Piscotty, director of video scouting, Anaheim Ducks, NHL
Greg Drechsel, scout, Columbus Blue Jackets, NHL
Matt Cady, director of hockey operations, Miami-Ohio
Drew Famulak, associate head coach, Ferris State
Chris LaPerle, assistant coach, McGill University (CAN)
Steven Palmer, assistant coach, Muskegon Lumberjacks, USHL
Michael Zucker, assistant coach, Omaha Lancers, USHL
Derek Lalonde, head coach, Green Bay Gamblers, USHL
Mike Mudd, general manager, Worcester Sharks, AHL

FORMER PLAYERS
Chris Bergeron, head coach, Bowling Green
Nick Larson, head coach, Colorado RoughRiders
Scott McConnell, head coach, Chicago Steel, USHL
Angelo Ricci, director/head coach, Colorado Thunderbirds
Matt Laatsch, scout, Anaheim Ducks, NHL
Mike Corbett, assistant coach, US Air Force Academy
Brian Gifford, assistant coach, Colorado Thunderbirds
Jason Grahame, assistant coach, Rocky Mountain RoughRiders
Ryan Hacker, head coach, Sartell-St. Stephen (MN.) High School
Gavin Morgan, assistant coach, University of Alabama-Huntsville
Barry Schutte, assistant coach, Bowling Green
Bryan Vines, assistant coach, RPI

Six NCAA Coaches Met With NHL Management

University of Denver hockey coach George Gwozdecky, Minnesota coach Don Lucia, Miami’s Rico Blasi, Jack Parker of Boston University, Michigan’s Red Berenson and Ted Donato of Harvard met with the NHL brass in Toronto this week.

The meeting, which Gwozdecky said included four NHL general managers, was about “the challenges we’re facing with the collective bargaining agreement coming up in (2011).”

Mike Chambers Blog has details of the meeting.

News & Notes From Around PioNation

One can't help but notice that while Coach Gwozdecky is trying to renegotiate his current contract with DU, his two proteges signed contract extensions with their respective schools. Enrico Blasi at Miami University and Seth Appert at RPI. And one of Enrico's assistants at Miami just named the head coach at Western Michigan. The family tree is growing.

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More post season honors for DU skiers. Senior Nordic skier Antje Maempel, and sophomore alpine skiers Leif Kristian Haugen and Lindsay Cone were named Collegiate Skiers of the Year by Ski Racing magazine. DU skiers swept three of the four awards. Maempel, who won the NCAA individual titles in both the classical and freestyle races for the second consecutive year, was named Women’s Nordic Collegiate Skier of the Year. Haugen, who won the 2010 NCAA individual title in men’s giant slalom, was named Men's Collegiate Alpine Skier of the Year. Haugen represented Norway at the Vancouver Olympic Games, finishing 28th in giant slalom. Cone won the Women's Collegiate Skier of the Year award after finishing second in both slalom and giant slalom at the NCAA Championships, earning All-American First Team honors in both events.

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Goaltender Marc Cheverie earned his second consecutive Most Valuable Player honor, while senior captain Rhett Rakhshani was named Most Inspirational Player as the University of Denver celebrated its 54th Annual Hockey Awards Evening at the Cable Center. Matt Donovan earned the Barry Sharp Memorial Award as top freshman, while Nate Dewhurst and Chris Nutini shared the Murray Armstrong Award as most improved players. Matt Glasser earned the Dr. Ken Bredesen Award for sportsmanship and shared the Dr. Art Mason Award for top scholar-athlete with Tyler Ruegsegger. Barandon Vossberg earned the Bob Martin Memorial Award for community service for the fourth consecutive season.

Gwozdecky Helped Turn Around Miami Hockey

(above) Before arriving at DU Coach Gwozdecky helped turn around Miami's hockey program

From: Dayton Daily News
by Pete Conrad

After four seasons and an overall record of 39-111-3, Steve Cady said, "I got called into the president's office" and was told the state of Miami hockey was "unacceptable." Cady insisted that the program could succeed if it had more resources.

Later that year Cady helped hire George Gwozdecky who replaced Bill Davidge as coach, and for the first time Miami's hockey program, Cady said, "was fully funded in terms of scholarships."

That was a major turning point. Following two more lean seasons, Miami hockey started to win and Gwozdecky guided the RedHawks to their first NCAA appearance in 1993. One of the captains of that team was Enrico Blasi, who has coached the RedHawks to five NCAA berths in the last six years.

As luck would have it, Cady, Gwozdecky and Blasi all will be together Friday, March 27, when Denver (coached by Gwozdecky) plays Miami in the opening round of the NCAA West Regional. Cady will oversee that regional and it has nothing to do with Miami's selection to play in Minneapolis, he said, noting that his role there was established prior to Selection Sunday.

Mason said it has been satisfying to see that Miami has become a national power, that the school's new arena is named after Cady and that the man who had to fight for Miami's hockey existence now plays such a prominent national role.

"He had to fight the battle back then," Mason said. "Now we can see the just rewards." [read entire article]

Thomas & Mannino Notch Up One Last Victory

(above) DU legends Andy Thomas and Peter Mannino performed one last time in front of the Denver faithful at the NCAA Skill Competition on Friday at the Pepsi Center

Photo Credit: S. Victoria

From: University of Denver Website

DENVER – University of Denver seniors Andrew Thomas and Peter Mannino helped the West squad to 13-6 win over the East at tonight’s NCAA Frozen Four Skills Challenge at Pepsi Center.

Thomas claimed the accuracy shooting contest by winning a playoff against the East’s Luke Flicek (Army). Thomas hit 3-of-4 shots in a playoff after going 4-of-8 in the opening round. Thomas also clocked a time of 4.55 seconds in the fastest skater competition, while Mannino stopped 7-of-8 rapid fire shots and 3-of-3 penalty shots.

Denver head coach George Gwozdecky and former DU assistant coach and current Miami head coach Enrico Blasi served as co-coaches for the West. Former DU assistant and current RPI head coach Seth Appert was one of two coaches for the East.

DU News, Notes & Quotes

(left) Gwoz doesn't think that Enrico was much of a catch for Mrs. Blasi

Miami, Ohio took RPI to the woodshed on Saturday night 7-3 in a battle of former DU assistants Enrico Blasi & Seth Appert.

Apparently Coach Gwozdecky had some thoughts on Blasi & Appert's spouses in the Rink Rat Blog.

First of all, there was this gem from Gwozdecky, after speaking about the knack for overachieving that Blasi and Appert share: "That overachieving has helped in many ways, including, somehow, getting their better halves to marry them."

Seth Appert had this to say about his experience in Denver in another article in the Rink Rat Blog.

"We all had fun together as a staff," Appert said, "including Steve Miller, who is a longtime assistant both at Miami and Denver. I feel fortunate to have worked with those guys and have shared so many great times, not only on the ice, but off the ice as good friends as well."

Gwozdecky had this to say about Appert & Blasi in the same article.

"They're very positive guys," Gwozdecky said, "great relationship-builders with terrific work ethic and tremendous passion for the game. Both of them were good college players, but not great college players. They had to work extremely hard in their role, and in many ways, they were probably looked upon as supplemental players, even though they were great leaders on their teams. It's a great compliment to them, because there is no doubt that being a supplemental player is so much more challenging if you're also required to be a leader. I think both Rico and Seth ooze with character and personality, and all that's good with college hockey."

Peter Mannino has moved up to #2 in Inside College Hockey's Hobey Tracker.

To Date: 12-4-0, 1.70 GAA, .934 sv%, 3 SHO
The Buzz: There are other goalies with better numbers, but it's unlikely anyone in the nation has made as many big saves as Mannino. The only goalie the Pioneers have used this season, he's allowed two or fewer goals in 12 of his 16 starts. He really hasn't been called upon to steal a game this season, though he had notable outings against Maine, Minnesota, and North Dakota. Perhaps the biggest question regarding Mannino's candidacy is his stamina: he hasn't played in more than 23 games in any of his three previous seasons at Denver.

Appert & Blasi Talk On Radio About Their DU Days

(left) Seth Appert

Former DU assistants Seth Appert & Enrico Blasi had a conversation on Fox Radio AM 980 in the Albany area today. Appert now coaches RPI and Blasi is the head banana at #2 ranked Miami, Ohio.

They had some funny stories about being roommates in Denver, their low pay at DU and talking Coach Gwozdecky into changing the Pioneers style of play in the 1999 WCHA Championship game against North Dakota (DU won 4-3). Its a good listen.

RPI Assistant Coach Shawn Kurulak played at DU from 1996-99 and was the captain of the team that won the WCHA Final Five in 1999.

Gwozdecky's Boyz To Battle This Weekend In NY

From: Rocky Mountain News
by Pat Rooney

(left) Enrico Blasi will take his Miami Redhawks into Troy, NY this weekend to battle Seth Appert's RPI Engineers

While their mentor leads the University of Denver hockey team all the way on the other side of the continent, Seth Appert and Rico Blasi will be battling for bragging rights.

Appert, the head coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Blasi, the head coach for top-ranked Miami (Ohio), remain very good friends from their time together as assistants under DU coach George Gwozdecky.

And their respective staffs are filled with similar relationships that transcend the showdown their teams will have on Saturday and Sunday at RPI's home rink in Troy, N.Y.

"I lived with Rico for two years while we were both at Denver," said Appert, who has led the Engineers to an 8-5-3 mark in his second season. "He has helped me, along with George and (DU assistant) Steve Miller, and I'm very appreciative of everything they have done. One of their assistants (Jeff Blashill) is one of my best friends and we were in each others' weddings. There is a lot of interconnection on the staffs."

Appert hoped his Engineers would host the nation's top-ranked team for the first time in more than 20 years, but the Red Hawks dropped from the top slot after suffering a home split with Alaska.

"We'll definitely be trying to beat each other," Appert said. "I'm definitely proud of the success they have had and I know he feels about the same with us here."