UN(So-S)O: Blais’ Heir Named

I already pontificated on who was going to be up for the throne at Baxter Arena earlier and it, unfortunately, came to an end today.

Today UNO named former UNO defenseman (and Mike Kemp recruit) Mike Gabinet to be the head coach of the UNO Maverick program.  To me, this was tremendously underwhelming.  It would be neat to know who the other candidates officially were in this “extensive national search” UNO allegedly ran.

Here’s Gabinets’ resume:  As a player, he played defense for UNO and professionally in the AHL, ECHL, and in Europe.  This, isn’t altogether bad or good.  It actually says nothing more about the coach than that he played at the college level and professionally for a time.

As a coach, he’s entering his 5th year as a coach, he’s spent 4 years of it as an Associate Head Coach (1 year with UNO, last year, and 3 years as the Associate Head Coach of the North Alberta Institute of Technology Ooks program) and 1 year as the NAIT head coach.

This, in my opinion, is where the red flags start to fly.  One of the biggest parts of running a successful college program is having a knowledge and “in” with a wide ranging area of potential recruits.  This is why a great deal of head coaches and associate head coaches come from the ranks of the USHL.  What Gabinet did in 1 year as a head coach of a Canadian college team is no small feat, sure, but how does that translate to the NCAA?

This is also a hiring that lends itself to conspiracy theories.  The last time Blais left a program, UND, he named Hakstol as his heir.  Hakstol was a Blais guy through and through.  This time, Blais leaves with an endorsement to Gabinet, but Gabinet was no acolyte of Blais.  He is, in fact, a relative unknown in the circles of the USHL and the NCAA.  However, he was a Kemp recruit and a Kemp player and someone Kemp greatly admires and is excited to have with UNO.  In other words, Gabinet could be another Kemp.

Sure, Kemp led UNO into DI hockey, but that’s all he did.  UNO was never great under Kemp.  It was ok most of the time and good a few times.  That’s it.  Under Blais they got to the Frozen Four and garnered a reputation that spoke nationally and internationally.  Gabinet?  His main recruiting was aged out major juniors players and Tier 2 Canadian juniors players who were just happy to continue playing hockey.  To quote the age old criticism of UND back in the day “25 year old Canadians” ruled the roost.

With big shots with connections being available (assuming they applied) at the USHL level, and some even at the collegiate level, it’s hard to believe that Gabinet was far and away the best choice out there.  I don’t think Gabinet is going to be able to outsell UNO’s program against the likes of Berry at UND or Montgomery at DU or Sandelin at UMD.  Heck, he probably won’t be able to outrecruit Blaisi at Miami or Murray at WMU either.

What this means is that UNO, is headed back to where they came from during their CCHA days: mediocrity.

I’d’ve loved to know if Hastings applied.  Or even if Eades or any current associate head coaches at more recognized colleges applied.  Or what about latest commodity Jay Varady out of Sioux City (USHL)?  He had lots of coaching experience both pro, juniors, and had collegiate experience as well.

I don’t know what this will do to attendance or any sort of buzz in Omaha.  Before the Baxter came around, it seemed like there was a better atmosphere for hockey at a Lancer USHL game rather than at a UNO game.  I wonder if the Baxter will continue to entice people to look away from things like this and come anyways or will it just be the diehards at the game unless it’s $1 beer night or UND is in town?

It just seems like UNO took the cheaper, sure thing coaching choice here.  I hope I’m wrong and this is a great hire, but right now, UNO is just the southern campus of NAIT.