Ron Mason’s crossover from head hockey coach to athletics director will have profound implications for the world of Spartan hockey. While the program isn’t quite in a state of flux - Mason will still be the coach for the next two months and will hand-pick his successor - there are plenty of uncertainties around Munn Ice Arena. Here’s a look at how the end of the Mason era will affect the different factions of MSU hockey:
Players
When Mason decided to leave the program, many people’s thoughts immediately turned to junior goaltender Ryan Miller.
The East Lansing native has been very close to Mason for most of his life, and many wondered if Mason’s departure would cause Miller to forego his senior season for a chance at the NHL.
Miller, the 2001 Hobey Baker Award winner, said Monday that the coaching turnover will play a role in his decision, but didn’t say exactly what role that will be.
“Right now, I’m not in any position to speculate,” said Miller, whose NHL rights are owned by the Buffalo Sabres. “I’m considering my future, it’d be unfair not to. Different opportunities lie in the NHL and there are opportunities still here to pursue.
“I was going to have to decide anyway, but I haven’t even thought that deep into it, yet.”
Freshman center Jim Slater is also pondering his future. Last week, Slater said how happy he was to be honing his game under Mason’s tutelage. On Monday, the seventh-rated North American prospect in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft said he was “sad” about the coach’s sudden career move.
“We’ll have to see what the year brings,” Slater said. “The other option would be the (Ontario Hockey League). You never know, I’m just going to take it year by year.
“Coach was a big reason why I came here, but I also came here to be a Michigan State Spartan. Hopefully, I can carry on that tradition.”
Coaches
MSU’s two assistant coaches, Tom Newton and Dave McAuliffe, have both said they plan to be candidates for the head coaching job.
This probably won’t have much effect on the Spartans for the rest of the season, but once the coaching search heats up, Newton and McAuliffe could be at major crossroads in their careers.
If neither coach ultimately gets to replace Mason, whomever gets the job could either retain them as assistants or choose to bring in his own staff and cut Newton and/or McAuliffe loose.
“It’s like that for any coaching situation,” McAuliffe said. “But I’m confident in my abilities as an assistant coach or, someday, as a head coach that things will work out fine.
“The bottom line for Ron is to hire the best possible candidate for Michigan State. If that’s me, great.”
League
CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos was at Monday morning’s press conference representing the league that Mason helped form 20 years ago.
Anastos, who played for Mason at MSU from 1982-85, said he will miss Mason being behind the bench from both a professional and a personal level.
“It takes one of our more influential leaders out of the coaching ranks and into the administrative ranks,” Anastos said. “He has created a real good role model from a player’s perspective, from a coaching perspective, from an administrative perspective.
“I’m looking forward to having somebody with his passion for the sport, his inner knowledge of the sport at a school of this size that can help advance our agenda nationally. That’s always been a difficult task for our sport.”
Fans
The Spartan hockey community wouldn’t be the same without the fans. Every home game at Munn has been sold-out since 1985 and Mason helped build strong bridges between the team, the university and the community.
Physiology senior Lance Brinks,the co-director of the Slapshots student cheering section, called Mason’s promotion “bittersweet.”
“It really shows how highly the university thinks of him,” Brinks said. “As far as hockey goes, he had a good run and I hate to see him go. The transition will largely depend on who they bring in to replace (Mason).”
Rick Booms, 2001 MSU graduate and hockey season ticket-holder, hadn’t even heard that Mason was stepping down until being called on Monday evening.
“Wow, that sucks,” Booms said. “I don’t really know what to say. He did a good job while he was there and he definitely doesn’t owe us anything anymore.”
Team
Though much of the talk this week has focused on the future of Spartan hockey, this year’s team is far from done. The Spartans are ranked fourth in the nation and lead the CCHA by four points over Michigan.
What impact will Mason’s midseason announcement have on the team as a whole?
“Obviously, I hope it helps the team,” Newton said. “But honestly, I don’t think it will affect them much, I hope.
“We’re eight games away from the CCHA championship and that’s going to be our focus. We can’t control what’s going to happen after the season. We’ll control what we can, and that’s preparing for Ohio State on Friday.”
