Shama: Lucia Anticipates New Contract Talks

[BleedGopher]

per Shama:

Veteran Gopher hockey coach Don Lucia told Sports Headliners yesterday he wants to talk with athletic director Mark Coyle about a contract extension after the season. “We’ll have a conversation this spring and see where things are at,” Lucia said.

Coyle became athletic director last spring when Lucia had only a year left on his contract. A two-year extension was signed last fall taking Lucia through the 2018-2019 season. Lucia said the two men agreed last year further contract discussions will happen after this season.

Lucia doesn’t want a situation where he will be coaching next season with just one year to go on his deal—prompting speculation about job security and being a deterrent to recruiting. “Mark, I think, will be very fair,” Lucia said. “We’ll just wait until the year ends and sit down and see where we’re all at.”

New athletic directors are sometimes known for wanting to hire their own coaches, and Tracy Claeys received that message when the first-year Gophers football coach was dismissed last January despite a 9-4 record. Lucia referred to any similarity between him and Claeys as “apples and oranges.”

“I think I have a pretty long track record that speaks for itself,” Lucia said.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!

 

[Derhey]

I am probably in the minority but I love the Don! I hope they sign him to a 10 year contract.

 

[Gopher04]

I'm for signing him to an extension to see what he can do with the new talent but at some point he's got to start getting results on the national scale.

 

[JTristesse]

per Shama:

Veteran Gopher hockey coach Don Lucia told Sports Headliners yesterday he wants to talk with athletic director Mark Coyle about a contract extension after the season. “We’ll have a conversation this spring and see where things are at,” Lucia said.

Coyle became athletic director last spring when Lucia had only a year left on his contract. A two-year extension was signed last fall taking Lucia through the 2018-2019 season. Lucia said the two men agreed last year further contract discussions will happen after this season.

Lucia doesn’t want a situation where he will be coaching next season with just one year to go on his deal—prompting speculation about job security and being a deterrent to recruiting. “Mark, I think, will be very fair,” Lucia said. “We’ll just wait until the year ends and sit down and see where we’re all at.”

New athletic directors are sometimes known for wanting to hire their own coaches, and Tracy Claeys received that message when the first-year Gophers football coach was dismissed last January despite a 9-4 record. Lucia referred to any similarity between him and Claeys as “apples and oranges.”

“I think I have a pretty long track record that speaks for itself,” Lucia said.

http://shamasportsheadliners.com/

Go Gophers!!

So did Tubby

 

[north45]

I'm for signing him to an extension to see what he can do with the new talent but at some point he's got to start getting results on the national scale.

I don't see this team going far in post season play. A lot of offense but not very good at taking care of business in their own end. I think the first team they run into with a solid D and good goaltending it will be time to find the golf clubs.
Lucia's post season successes are getting to be pretty far back in the rear view mirror. If he can't take this team to at least the Frozen Four then I say , show Don the door!

 

[UncleSam'sMisguidedChild]

I don't see this team going far in post season play. A lot of offense but not very good at taking care of business in their own end. I think the first team they run into with a solid D and good goaltending it will be time to find the golf clubs.
Lucia's post season successes are getting to be pretty far back in the rear view mirror. If he can't take this team to at least the Frozen Four then I say , show Don the door!

Though I agree with you about how far this team might go in the tourney, I totally disagree with you about what kind of team might beat them. I think a team that plays solid D but doesn't really score much is perfect for the Gophers to play against given our defensive and goaltending deficiencies. I think the Gophers can score on anyone. It's the teams that have a lot of offensive talent that scares me, such as Ohio State. I don't want to play a wide open game and hope our D-men can clear out a rebound late in the game or pin the game on Schierhorn standing on his head, which, I know, absolutely CAN happen. He's just been so inconsistent.

As far as Coach Lucia's contract goes, I just don't really know. On one hand, we do keep on winning. Things are back closer to normal after those few lean years of missing the tournament consecutively. On the other hand, though, in the last 14 years I can only think of three teams that were legitimate title contenders, with only one of them actually making the championship game. I also see the rise of SCSU, Mankato, and UMD. There's plenty of talent on the way, but the teams we've had in the past have had tons of talent too. For me, there's no good answer, but that means there's really no wrong answer. If Don goes, so be it. We'll survive. If he stays, will it be worse than if he goes? I kinda doubt it. People here, including me, are extremely hungry for another championship, so our patience is wearing thin with Lucia. Fact is, though, they're VERY hard to come by. Winningest program ever.....5 titles. It's hard to do.

Either way, I'll be here, cheering. Go beat the pants off of Michigan and MSU and bring that 6th consecutive conference championship home, boys!!

 

[KillmeNow]

You know, if it was the Michigans and Boston Colleges and Boston Universities and North Dakotas beating us and winning all of the Natl Titles that we aren't, I'd be more concerned, but it isn't, for the most part, it's the UMDs, and Providences and Yales and Unions and Quinipiacs and Ferris States and Miami Universities of the college hockey world that as a whole, have had the more success. But none of those schools have more than 1 title, and Q with 2 runner up finishes is the only program with multiple trips to the Final Game. Union has 2 Final Fours, but so does Minnesota over the past 5 years. Of the Blue Bloods, its true UND and BC each have a title and UMn does not, and that sucks. The question is, can Lucia deliver the U at least 1 title in next 5 years? If not, and 2-3 other Blue Bloods do win Titles, then that has to be seen as a problem, and one keeping Lucia as coach won't fix. If 4-5 non-blue blood schools win the next 4-5 titles, then it would be hard to blame Lucia, if he's at least getting the Gophers to 2-3 Frozen Fours in that time.

I think the problem for awhile was Lucia recruited TOO WELL, bringing in too many one and dones and two and dones. Since then, it seems to me that Lucia has tried to change the kind of recruits he goes after, going after smaller players who have potential to become great college players but who aren't worth the risk for NHL teams to take out of college early. Thing is with those kinds of players, there is more of a chance that they won't pan out. But when they do, or if they ever do, then we could end up with another back to back kind of stretch. That seems to be what explains the last 10-15 years.


Personally, I'd almost rather have Lucia get lucky one more time, this year, win another title, leaving us stuck with him for another 6-10 years after that, and stuck with getting to a few Frozen Fours with no titles, than to have him lose in the 1st round this year, get fired, and risk bringing in a new coach, who could be the new multi-title winning coach, but more likely could end up turning the program into something less than it is right now.


A really important thing to ask might be, is there anyone out there who is a sure thing, someone who we know would want the job, and who we know could come in and bring in he same level or recruits or better and who we know knows how to coach, and who we know would be available? There are a lot of factors, and considering all of them, it might just be the best idea to keep Lucia and hope he can figure out how to put together a championship team.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

I don't see this team going far in post season play. A lot of offense but not very good at taking care of business in their own end. I think the first team they run into with a solid D and good goaltending it will be time to find the golf clubs.
Lucia's post season successes are getting to be pretty far back in the rear view mirror. If he can't take this team to at least the Frozen Four then I say , show Don the door!

This year's seniors played in the national title game.