MSU head coach Ron Mason’s decision to leave the hockey program and become MSU athletics director surprised many of his colleagues across the nation.
“We’re certainly going to miss him at a collegiate hockey level,” Boston College head coach Jerry York said. “But more importantly, he’s going to be a terrific voice for us on a higher level.
“At the NCAA Convention, he’ll be able to represent hockey and all the general unrest we’ve been facing as far as length of season, number of games, scholarship issues.
“We’ll miss Ron as our counterpart in collegiate coaching, he’s been a tremendous influence on a lot of us, but we’ll gain also on this decision.”
York is currently sixth on the all-time wins list with 636 victories. Mason tops all coaches with 916 career victories.
Another coach with a truckload of wins under his belt, Michigan’s Red Berenson (462), said Mason’s promotion will generate more attention on the teams’ Feb. 16 meeting at Joe Louis Arena - possibly the last time Mason will ever coach in the rivalry.
“It’s a big move,” Berenson said. “It will definitely make things different - not really this year, but in the future. He built that program into one of the top programs in the country.”
Recruiting
Defenseman Evan Shaw, a 6-foot-2, 201-pound defenseman from Rhode Island, said his verbal commitment to MSU won’t waver without Mason.
“I was expecting to have him as coach,” Shaw said. “But I don’t know any other way, so I’m not that afraid about him not being there.
“The program is not going to go to rock bottom. There will still be a winning tradition.”
Shaw, who plays for the Under-18 U.S. National Development Team, said he will sign a National Letter of Intent in April.
Up, up and going away
MSU moved up to No. 4 in this week’s USCHO.com poll and to No. 3 in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine poll.
The Spartans are behind No. 1 Denver, No. 2 New Hampshire and No. 3 Minnesota in USCHO. In USA Today, MSU only trails No. 1 New Hampshire and No. 2 Denver.
Offensive defenseman
Junior defenseman John-Michael Liles earned CCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors by notching five assists in MSU’s home sweep of Ohio State last weekend.
Injury update
Senior defenseman Andrew Hutchinson, who missed both Ohio State games with a neck strain, is practicing again and will play this weekend. So will freshman forward Kevin Estrada, who missed Saturday’s win with the flu.
Freshman forward Lee Falardeau (knee sprain) is skating, but not practicing, and is listed as day-to-day for the series. Junior right wing Steve Jackson (thumb sprain) is skating but still wearing a cast on his left arm. He is not expected to play this weekend.
