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A new job with the old team
Courtesy of UND Athletics
Brad Berry coaches during games in 2014 (above) and 2013 (below).
Brad Berry takes over head coaching role at UND
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Story l Brad Elliott Schlossman
rad Berry has long been associated with the UND hockey program. He played for three seasons in the 1980s and has spent nine as an assistant coach under Dean Blais and Dave Hakstol. His role is now changing. Last week, Berry was introduced as the head coach of the UND men’s hockey program, where he will essentially be the CEO in charge of running the perennial powerhouse team. He has played an essential role in nearly every area of running the program to this point — recruiting, developing and game-day coaching. But now he oversees it all. Those who know him best — and those who have played under him at UND — say this was the right call for athletic director Brian Faison, who had two viable in-house candidates in Berry and Dane Jackson. “Is Brad Berry going to be a fantastic fit for the job? Yes he is,” former UND forward Erik Fabian said. “He’s so widely respected, it’s crazy. You will see how he’s respected not only in the hockey community but
just in the community in general. Everyone knows him. He’s one of those infectious guys. His love for hockey, his love for the program and his commitment to the program are infectious. It’s going to rub off on everybody else.” UND goaltender Jean-Philippe Lamoureux played under Berry for two years in college before Berry took a job with the Manitoba Moose in the American Hockey League. Lamoureux said that development is Berry’s forte. While Berry is most widely known for his development of young defensemen, Lamoureux said he helped out in other areas as well, including goaltending. “He was totally committed to player development,” Lamoureux said. “He could really get the most out of guys. He took a lot of pride in taking a young, raw prospect and turning him into an everyday, reliable player. “This is probably going to be repetitive with everyone you talk to, but he’s just an easy guy to be around. His enthusiasm for getting
Courtesy of UND Athletics
better and learning is really high. He’s always open to learning new things. His enthusiasm definitely stood out for me.” Lamoureux also said that Berry has the ability to develop different types of players. For example, in 2004-05, UND had a rugged, tough defensive corps with players like Matt Greene, Matt Jones, Andy Schneider and Matt Smaby. Their strength was physically punishing opponents and winning board battles. It was a dominant crew. Last season, UND’s defensive
corps was considered one of the best in the country, but it was more of a puck-moving, skilled unit that could add offense with players like Jordan Schmaltz, Paul LaDue, Nick Mattson, Keaton Thompson and Troy Stecher. The two defensive corps were total opposites. “That’s a tribute to Brad,” Lamoureux said. “He’s not a guy who tries to develop everyone into the same player. He has the ability to see natural traits that an individual excels at and he’s able to highlight those traits, while developing an
The Berry file Age: 50; Hometown: Bashaw, Alta. College: North Dakota Degree: Business administration Family: wife, Suzanne; daughters, Brianna and Brooke; son, Bauer Playing career 1983-86 — North Dakota 1986-90 — Winnipeg Jets 1990-91 — Brynas (Sweden) 1991-93 — Minnesota North Stars
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1993-94 — Dallas Stars 1994-99 — Michigan K-Wings Coaching career 2000-06 — North Dakota (assistant) 2006-08 — Manitoba Moose (assistant) 2008-10 — Vancouver Canucks (scout) 2010-12 — Columbus Blue Jackets (assistant) 2012-15 — North Dakota (assistant) 2015-now — North Dakota (head coach)
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all-around game that’s necessary to play at the next level. “I think it all comes back to his passion. He wants to get better every day as an individual and he wants the group to do the same.” Berry is highly experienced both as a player and a coach. He won a gold medal at the World Junior Championship. He played in the NHL for eight seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota North Stars and Dallas Stars. He has coached at the NHL level with the Columbus Blue Jackets and in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose along with his nine years of experience at UND. “He has been around for so long and he has had different coaching perspectives,” Lamoureux said. “This was the most logical choice. This is a perfect fit with Hak leaving. “I don’t think you’re going to see a whole lot of changes. You’re going to see the same effort, the same preparation and the same commitment to the team and the program. There will be some small changes because everyone has a different personality, but Bubs (Berry) is so unique and likeable, and he and Jax (Jackson) are both so energetic and enthusiastic hockey people that there’s going to be a lot of excitement around the rink every day.” Reach Schlossman at bschlossman@ gfherald.com or (701) 780-1129.
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Herald file photo
Dave Hakstol speaks at a press conference when he was named head coach of the UND men’s hockey team in 2004.
AUND’slook back last coaching change Story l Brad Elliott Schlossman
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early November, UND had a stretch where it won just one time in seven games — a 2-1 victory over Colorado College in a game that North Dakota mustered just 22 shots. From January through mid-February, UND had another stretch where it won just twice in the span of nine games. That stretch ended with an embarrassing 5-2 loss against a struggling Alaska Anchorage team. UND led 2-1 in that game, but allowed four goals in the final 10 minutes. It was a key game for UND’s Pairwise Ranking. “That was one of those where we needed to win,” Fabian said. “Maybe ‘needed’ isn’t the right word, but it was an important game. “But there was never a sense of panic. I think that has some to do with the guys they recruit. They recruit character guys who are going to come in and work hard. Those things rub off a lot on guys.” Eventually, a special group of entertaining personalities and hard-working players turned the tide and sent the Hakstol era on course to be one of the most consistently successful stretches in the program’s history. UND promptly went on a seven-game unbeaten streak after the Anchorage setback. It dismantled Minnesota Duluth on back-to-back nights in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs, winning 8-2 and 6-1. “Looking back, for me, you just felt good,” Fabian said. “You were so confident that we were going to show up, work hard and we were going to win.” UND was sent to Worcester, Mass., for the regional to play Boston University and Boston College — a tall order in the backyard of the Terri-
Feb. 26 — UND 4, Wisconsin 1 Feb. 27 — UND 1, Wisconsin 1 March 4 — UND 2, St. Cloud State 2 March 5 — UND 2, St. Cloud State 0
pretty, but there was a special cohesiveness. A lot of that had to do with the coaching staff.” Fabian sees some similarities in what’s happening now with the transition from Hakstol to Berry as the head coach. “You give it to Brad Berry, and the respect factor is there right away,” Fabian said. “You know they are going to succeed. The program is still in good hands.”
WCHA PLAYOFFS March 11 — UND 8, Minn. Duluth 2 March 12 — UND 6, Minn. Duluth 1 March 17 — UND 3, Wisconsin 2 March 18 — Denver 2, UND 1, OT March 19 — UND 4, Minnesota 2 NCAA TOURNAMENT March 25 — UND 4, Boston University 0 March 26 — UND 6, Boston College 3 FROZEN FOUR April 7 — UND 4, Minnesota 2 April 9 — Denver 4, UND 1
“
There were no questions from our locker room about Hakstol taking over. We were like, ‘Perfect. Let’s go.’ It was a seamless transition. There was respect there from the guys right away. The older guys in our group didn’t let any doubt creep in. Erik Fabian, sophomore when Dave Hakstol took over as head coach
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leven years ago, the head coach and face of the UND men’s hockey program left for an NHL job. He was replaced by the team’s top assistant. UND’s star player and Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist gave up remaining eligibility to turn pro as well. It was a big summer of change for North Dakota. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? In 2004, Dean Blais went to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Zach Parise to the New Jersey Devils, and Dave Hakstol became the new head coach. This year, Hakstol is off to the Philadelphia Flyers, Zane McIntyre soon will sign with the Boston Bruins, and Brad Berry is the new head coach at UND. UND has been through this before. The following season ended up being a wild roller coaster that started with a load of question marks and ended in the NCAA national championship game in Columbus. Erik Fabian, a sophomore on that team and the current UND women’s hockey assistant coach, recalled that summer of change. “It was actually really seamless,” said Fabian, of Roseau, Minn. “There were no questions from our locker room about Hakstol taking over. We were like, ‘Perfect. Let’s go.’ It was a seamless transition. There was respect there from the guys right away. The older guys in our group didn’t let any doubt creep in. “We’re going to do whatever coach wants us to do. There was never a question whether Hakstol could do it. It was just, ‘Here we go.’ ” While that team ended up playing for a national championship, it wasn’t without some hiccups along the way. During late October and
ers and Eagles. “You just had a feeling in you that we were going to do this,” Fabian said. “I showed up at the regional, and maybe it was just me, but there was never a sense of doubt in Worcester that we were going to beat BU and BC. There was no doubt that we were going to do it.” UND did just that, hammering Boston University 4-0 in the first round, then topping Boston College 6-3 in the regional final to earn a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four. It was the first Frozen Four trip for UND’s senior class. In Columbus, the town where Blais had left to coach in the NHL, UND was set to meet rival Minnesota in the semifinals. “We knew we were going to beat them,” Fabian said. “I bet there wasn’t one guy in the locker room who thought we were going to lose. It wasn’t a cockiness. It was just confidence that this group had collectively.” UND did win the semifinal game against Minnesota, 4-2, before dropping the national championship to Denver, 4-1. UND outshot Denver 45-24 in that game. That team had a large senior class featuring leaders such as Rory McMahon, Andy Schneider, Matt Jones, Colby Genoway, Quinn Fylling, Brian Canady, James Massen and Jake Brandt. The captain was junior Matt Greene. “That older group was huge,” Fabian said. “There was never an, ‘oh my gosh, we’re out of it,’ when things weren’t going well. It was a special team. I know we didn’t win the national championship, but we should have. It was a special, special team. There was never any bickering. It was just such a close-knit group of guys, no complaining. “We always showed up and did our work. Our work wasn’t always perfect or
Hakstol’s first season (2004-05)
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Longevity marks tenures Each of UND’s past four coaches have lasted at least a decade at the helm UND coaches generally have enjoyed good job security — and for good reason. Most of them have won big. First seasons at the helm Dave Hakstol (2004-05), 25-15-5, national runner-up n Dean Blais (1994-95), 18-18-3 n Gino Gasparini (1978-79), 30-11-1, national runner-up n Rube Bjorkman (1968-69), 18-10-1 n
Former UND coach Gino Gasparini (top) chats with his captains. Former UND coach Dean Blais (left) gestures at an official during a game in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Photos courtesy of UND Athletics
Story l Brad Elliott Schlossman
I
f history is any indication, expect Brad Berry to be the head men’s hockey coach at UND for a while. Each of UND’s past four coaches — Rube Bjorkman, Gino Gasparini, Dean Blais and Dave Hakstol — were at the helm for at least a decade before moving on. Bjorkman coached for 10 years, Gasparini for 16, Blais for 10 and Hakstol for 11. The last UND hockey head coach who did not last at least a decade was Bill Selman, who coached for two years from 1966-68. Selman led UND to back-to-back Western Collegiate Hockey Association titles and NCAA Frozen Four appearances before leaving for Minnesota Duluth. UND coaches generally have enjoyed good job security — and for good reason. Most of them have won big. While Bjorkman lasted a decade without ever making the NCAA tournament, Gasparini took over in 1978 and brought UND back to power, raising the bar and expectations for the men’s hockey program in Grand Forks. UND made the national championship game during Gasparini’s first season at
the helm and won a national championship in Year 2. UND won another title in Year 4 and put together one of college hockey’s most dominant teams ever in Year 9, the Hrkac Circus. UND finished with a winning record during each of the first 13 years of Gasparini’s tenure, winning three national titles and four Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season championships. However, after three consecutive losing seasons, Gasparini was ousted by athletic director Terry Wanless in 1994, a move that was met with controversy in Grand Forks. A petition was started in an attempt to oust Wanless. That is the last time a men’s hockey coach has been ousted at UND. Following Gasparini’s departure, UND went outsidethe-box to hire International Falls (Minn.) hockey coach and athletic director Blais, who previously had served as an assistant coach at UND. Blais again jump-started the program, winning national championships in 1997 and 2001. He also won WCHA titles in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2004.
Blais left on his own terms, becoming the associate head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2004. UND athletic director Roger Thomas didn’t take long to find his replacement, naming Hakstol the new head coach days later. Hakstol spent 11 years at UND. He never won a national championship, but led UND to 11 consecutive NCAA tournaments (a school record) and seven Frozen Fours in 11 years (also a school record). He was a finalist for the Spencer Penrose Award as the national coach of the year eight times in 11 years. After back-to-back trips to the Frozen Four in 2014 and 2015, Hakstol was courted by the Philadelphia Flyers and eventually signed a contract to coach them, giving up his position at UND. Now, it’s on to another former UND assistant coach to head up the program. And if history tells us anything, it’s that Berry will be here for a while. Reach Schlossman at bschlossman@gfherald.com or (701) 780-1129.
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Courtesy UND Athletics
Dean Blais and Brad Berry both served as assistant coaches before being named head coach at UND.
Path to the top UND traditionally looks to former assistants to lead program
Assistants first n Barry Thorndycraft (1959-64), 2 years as assistant n Bob Peters (1964-66), 3 years as assistant n Bill Selman (1966-68), 2 years as assistant n Rube Bjorkman (1968-78), never a UND assistant n Gino Gasparini (1978-94), 9 years as assistant n Dean Blais (1994-04), 9 years as assistant n Dave Hakstol (2004-15), 4 years as assistant n Brad Berry (2015-now), 9 years as assistant
Story l Brad Elliott Schlossman as an assistant — the first for six years, the second for three. It has been an advantage for the coaches to step in after being assistants. They know the history and tradition of the program and they know the expectations. They also are aware of the areas that UND has traditionally had success recruiting and they have a strong background when selling the program to recruits. It has led to some seamless coaching transitions. Hakstol led UND to the national title in his first season as coach. Blais won a national title by Year 3. Gasparini went to the national championship game in his first year as coach and won it in Year 2. Selman and Bob Peters both went to the Frozen Four in their first years at the helm. The last four times that UND has promoted an assistant to head coach, the team went to the Frozen Four the following season. Berry will hope to have the same level of success. He was a key figure in recruiting much of UND’s team, especially the defensemen, who should be UND’s strength. Paul LaDue, Troy Stecher, Tucker Poolman and Gage Ausmus already have informed the team that they plan on being back in the fall, giving UND a strong top four.
UND to hire new assistant coach With Brad Berry’s promotion to head coach, UND will now have to search for an assistant coach to fill his spot. The job is expected to be posted sometime this week. There are a number of former UND players in the coaching ranks at the moment, most notably, Jason Herter at Minnesota Duluth. UND also could go outside-
the-box with a hire like Fred Harbinson, who has turned Penticton into a powerhouse in British Columbia, or Chris Tok, who recently left his job in Austin, Minn. The new coach will likely manage the defensemen during games and be responsible for running the power play.
— Brad Elliott Schlossman
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Courtesy UND Athletics
Gino Gasparini looks on from the bench during a game at the old Ralph Engelstad Arena. Gasparini served as an assistant coach before being named head coach at UND. Berry hopes to ride those players all the way to Tampa, Fla., and the program’s eighth Frozen Four in 12 years. Berry has been to the Frozen Four in four of the last five years as an assistant
coach. The lone time UND missed in that string was 2011-12, when the team only had 17 healthy skaters for the final two months of the season. Reach Schlossman at bschlossman@gfherald.com or (701) 780-1129.
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hen UND coach Dave Hakstol left to go to the Philadelphia Flyers, it shouldn’t have been the least bit surprising that the program looked to an assistant coach to replace him. Brad Berry, an assistant for nine years, was hired on the same day that Hakstol left to become the next head coach of the UND men’s hockey program. It’s where UND has traditionally looked for its head coaches. Seven of the last eight head hockey coaches at UND — dating all the way back to Barry Thorndycraft in the 1950s — were assistant coaches at the school prior to getting the head job. The only exception was Rube Bjorkman, who was the least successful of the head coaches. Bjorkman, the head coach at New Hampshire before coming to UND, had a career winning percentage of .447, the only coach in program history to finish his career with a sub-.500 mark. Blais was hired while he was the head coach and athletic director at International Falls (Minn.) High School, but he had served as an assistant coach at UND for nine years prior to that. Gasparini and Berry also were assistants for nine years prior to getting the head job. Berry had two different stints
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Julian H. Gonzalez, Detroit Free Press (TNS)
Referee Mike Leggo, left, explains to Phoenix Coyotes coach Dave Tippett a ruling during the first period of a 2010 game between the Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix.
From UND to the NHL
Former North Dakota athletes finding spots as NHL coaches
U
Story l Brad Elliott Schlossman
ND has long been sending its players to the NHL. During Dave Hakstol’s 11-year run at UND, he sent 20 of his former players to hockey’s most prominent league. Several of them are high-profile players as well, like two-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews, two-time Stanley Cup champion Matt Greene, $98-million man Zach Parise and U.S. Olympic shootout king T.J. Oshie. But with Hakstol leaving UND to become the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers, UND is also starting to infiltrate the NHL’s coaching ranks as well. UND now has two former players as head coaches in the NHL with Hakstol in Philadelphia and Dave Tippett in Arizona. It also has three former players as assistant coaches with Rick Wilson in Minnesota, James Patrick in Dallas and Steve Peters in Arizona. Each of UND’s last two head coaches have now left for jobs in the NHL — Dean Blais to be the associate head coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Hakstol getting the head job in Philly. New UND head coach Brad Berry already has been in the NHL as an assistant coach with the Blue Jackets. UND’s most noteable coach in the NHL is Tippett, who has been in the league for 15 years — 12 of which as a head coach. He spent six years in Dallas, leading the Stars to the playoffs
five times. After missing the playoffs for the first time in 2009, he was let go by Dallas. The Coyotes quickly picked him up and he’s been in Arizona ever since, becoming one of the top coaches in the NHL. Tippett won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach in 2010, an honor that’s recognized on a wall in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Wilson has been in the NHL for 26 years as an assistant coach, and briefly as a head coach. Sixteen of those years were with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars organization. He won a Stanley Cup with the Stars in 1999. Wilson has been with the Wild for the last five seasons, helping build a young defensive corps. Patrick was a fixture in the NHL as a player, spending 21 seasons in the league. Now, he’s becoming a fixture as a coach, too. He was hired immediately as an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres the fall after his retirement. He spent seven years with the Sabres. He’s been with the Stars for two. Peters, a goalie from Bemidji, has been the video coach for the Coyotes for 19 seasons. The NHL hasn’t released its schedule for next season, but it’s safe to say that Hakstol will run into former UND players both on the ice and behind the bench next season. Reach Schlossman at bschlossman @gfherald.com or (701) 780-1129.
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Big skates to fill UND hockey coaches through the years. JOHN JAMIESON Years: 1946-47
Through the years
Overall record: 7-6-0 (.538) DON NORMAN Years: 1947-49 Overall record: 20-17-1 (.539) CLIFF ‘FIDO’ PURPUR Years: 1949-56 Overall record: 94-75-8 (.554) AL RENFREW Years: 1956-57 Overall record: 18-11-0 (.621) BOB MAY Years: 1957-59 Overall record: 44-17-2 (.714) BARRY THORNDYCRAFT Years: 1959-64 Overall record: 71-65-8 (.521) Photos courtesy UND Athletics
Former UND coaches Al Renfrew (clockwise, from top left), John ‘Gino’ Gasparini, Bob May and Cliff ‘Fido’ Purpur.
Overall record: 26-12-0 (.684)
The sport of hockey has evolved through the years, as
BILL SELMAN
evident by photos
Years: 1966-68
of past coaches spanning from Cliff ‘Fido’ Purpur
Overall record: 39-20-3 (.653)
(bottom left), who coached UND in the 1950s, to Dave Hakstol (left), who
RUBE BJORKMAN Years: 1968-78
coached UND for the past 11 seasons.
Overall record: 149-18611 (.447) JOHN ‘GINO’ GASPARINI Years: 1978-94
Eric Hylden, staff photographer
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DAVE HAKSTOL Years: 2004-15
UND coach Dave Hakstol leads a practice in the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
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Sunday, May 24, 2015 UND coach Dave Hakstol and players (left) wear their NCAA West Region championship after defeating Minnesota in Overtime to advance to the Frozen Four for the third straight year.
Eric Hylden, staff photographer
Herald file photo
Herald file photo
Hak legacy goes GOODLUCKUND! beyond results Brad Schlossman Sports writer
something similar. It was a bold move for Hakstol, who usually keeps everything in the locker room fiercely guarded and private. But he saw benefits to opening up the locker room to fans and it has been a huge hit. Through These Doors was the first of its kind in college hockey and just concluded its fourth season. During his tenure, college hockey teams waged war with Canadian major juniors for top players — and Hakstol saw many of his high-end recruits bail for the major juniors. He soon became a leading voice within college hockey on the topic and many others. College Hockey Inc., the sports marketing and information arm, appointed Hakstol to the Board of Directors, where his influence has carried across many different areas. About three years into his tenure, Hakstol made a push toward improving UND’s relationship with NHL teams. He encouraged NHL scouts to talk to their prospects after games — some teams ban that. As he departs to the NHL himself, UND’s reputation in NHL circles is second to none. Three years ago, Hakstol noticed a trend in college hockey of teams renovating locker rooms, making them state-of-the-art to attract recruits. He began a push to do the same in Grand Forks, even though the arena was considered new.
“I still think we have the best locker room in college hockey,” he said before the renovation. “But after we’re done with this, there’s going to be no question.” When he took the job, UND had the best facility in college hockey in all aspects. Eleven years later, it still is there — a credit to both Hakstol and the Ralph Engelstad Arena staff for always pushing the envelope. About four years ago, Hakstol organized a golf outing for former players. There, he made a push for them to donate to the university and start endowments. Several former players have done just that. “In 15 years, none of us are going to be here anymore,” he once said. “But we all want this program to still be the best in the country. That’s what it’s all about.” That’s what Hakstol has been all about since he took over the job. Yes, the wins have been extremely important. That’s what puts the fans in the seats year after year. They never had to go through a down year under Hakstol. In 10 of his 11 seasons, the team won a conference championship or went to the Frozen Four. The only year they didn’t, UND was a goal away from a conference title and eight minutes from the Frozen Four. That constant success led to constantly sold-out buildings for UND and record revenues for the athletic department. But his off-the-ice efforts have been almost just as important for the reputation of the program, building its fan base, increasing revenues and setting it up for success for many years down the road. “Leave the program better than it was when you arrived,” Hakstol would always tell his players. It’s safe to say that he did that, too.
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In the end, coaches are most always judged and remembered by their win-loss record. Dave Hakstol will be no different. He will be remembered for presiding over the longest stretch of sustained success in UND men’s hockey history. He will be remembered for the second-half surges. He will be remembered for the almost annual trips to the Frozen Four. And he’ll be remembered for the gut-wrenching semifinal jinx. But Hakstol’s legacy at UND is so much more than that. The former captain and coach was always looking for ways to boost the program. And he did just as much work off the ice and behind the scenes as he did on the ice. During Hakstol’s tenure, television coverage exploded. He’s not the sole person responsible for that, but behind the scenes, he always pushed for more television coverage and UND’s athletic department delivered. When he started, home games were on locally and regionally. By the time he was done, most UND games were nationally televised and nearly all available on high definition webcasts. This allowed alums who moved out of the region to re-connect with UND hockey. In turn, fans started going to road games at unprecedented levels. Games in Denver and Colorado Springs — both large alumni bases — have essentially become home contests for UND. Those fans had their allegiances to UND re-invigorated by being able to watch games on a regular basis. When Hakstol saw the popularity of HBO’s 24/7 show — an inside-the-locker-room and behind-closed-doors perspective of two NHL teams — he asked the media relations department if the men’s hockey team could do