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

News & Notes From Around PioNation

Coach Gwozdecky continues to see former players and coaches earn full time positions in the coaching profession. The Omaha Lancers (USHL) announced that Michael Zucker will join the Lancers as an Assistant Coach. Zucker spent each of the last two seasons as an Assistant Coach at the University of Denver.

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The University of Alabama-Huntsville made it official and announced the hiring DU alum Gavin Morgan as an assistant coach, rounding out incoming head coach Chris Luongo’s staff. Morgan, a former University of Denver forward, played 11 years in the pros before turning to coaching with the Chargers.

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DU had fared really well in recent seasons in the Director's Cup, thanks in large part to successes in Skiing, Men's Ice Hockey and Women's Golf. But that may soon change as the NCAA is going to a new formula with corporate sponsor Capital One announcing creation of the Capital One Cup, which will be awarded to best all-around men's and women's Division I programs. Standings will be released at the end of the fall, winter and spring seasons, with the overall winners announced in July at the ESPY Awards.

Points will be awarded in 13 men's sports and 13 women's sports. Schools will earn points, much like a track meet, for finishing among the nation's top 10 in NCAA championships and media polls. Sports like football, basketball and baseball will be more heavily weighted.

If Its Zucker's Power Play...Its Got To Be Good

(left) DU volunteer assistant coach Michael Zucker

Coach Gwzodecky should leave the nicknames and naming rights to LetsGoDU as the article below clearly shows. We nominate calling the Power Play unit the "Zucker Punch."

We don't need to remind you that that LetsGoDU came up with "Catholic Rotation" for Fish(er) on Friday, Mannino on Saturday, Luke "The Goal Czar" Salazar, inspired "Lil' Sis Czar" for DU's wildest hockey fan, created the "Fifty-Seven" cheer, invented the "SuperPoll®" and of course founded the "Bring Back Boone Movement" that threatens the authority of the "Sith Lord"- Chancellor Coombe.

From: Rocky Mountain News
by Pat Rooney

DU went 1-for- 19 during power-play opportunities when it faced Colorado College but turned that around during a sweep of Minnesota Duluth during the weekend, scoring two power-play goals in each win. Gwozdecky tinkered with DU's power-play personnel and credited volunteer assistant coach Michael Zucker for the Pioneers' new look.

"He threw out some combinations for both groups last week, and we discussed it and came up with what you saw (against Duluth)," Gwozdecky said. "Obviously, it was important to our success. We call them the Zucker power plays now."

Michael Zucker Returns To DU In New Role

(left) Michael Zucker is DU's new Volunteer Assistant Coach

Sources: ZoomInfo & DU Website

Michael Zucker returns to DU as the new volunteer assistant coach this season. Three years ago he was the head coach of the University of Denver's club hockey team in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) where he helped lead DU to a 6th place finish in the Western Conference.

Zucker arrives at DU after spending the last three years as an assistant coach with the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Everett Silvertips.

For the past five years Michael has been on the USA Hockey Rocky Mountain coaching staff having participated in the District Camps as well as the National 15 Festival in St. Cloud.

“We are pleased to name Michael Zucker as our new volunteer assistant coach,” Gwozdecky said. “Michael brings a lot of coaching and tremendous technical video experience to our program.”

Zucker begins his 12th year of coaching and his responsibilities at DU will include assisting in practice planning, breaking down and analyzing game video, individual teaching and on-ice skill development.

The Morganville, N.J., native is a 1997 graduate and former club player at the University of Colorado. Zucker earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in information systems in 1997 from CU’s Leeds School of Business.