RE: Gopher Hockey

time. I could see some things starting to creep into our staff that weren't healthy. You should be a family, you should have good relationships, as we try to preach to our players. Obviously getting away, I think maybe his realization of what I could contribute and my realization of how it was good to work with Don and what the program meant to everybody involved. ... From that end, it was an easy decision to come back."
The program's condition deteriorated during his absence, and Lucia bore the brunt of criticism. Embattled and feeling pressure to revive the program, Lucia replaced Hill with an assistant who spent much of his adult life in the program and had a hand in two national championships, five Frozen Four appearances and 11 trips to the NCAA tournament.
"I'm not a backseat-type driver," Guentzel said. "I like to be front and center as far as ideas and thoughts. That's one thing that was apparent from Day One. Don was looking for ideas, looking for new ways, looking for improvement, looking for some freshness and new energy."
Both men deserve credit for not letting ego or pride get in the way of doing what's best for the program. Whatever happened in the past was buried as they focused on making the Gophers relevant again nationally.
"You understand the criticalness of where we're at," Guentzel said.
Guentzel knows better than most. A native of the Iron Range, he played four seasons for the Gophers, his final one as captain, an announcement that remains a source of pride.
"Probably one of the most memorable days of my life," he said. "I knew at that point what this program means."
Guentzel witnessed life outside that fishbowl the past few years as an assistant coach at Colorado College and Nebraska Omaha and coach/general manager of the USHL team in Des Moines. He enjoyed those experiences and appreciated the opportunities, which made his decision to return to his alma mater a difficult one.
The attachment never left him though, and his passion and enthusiasm for the job returned. He's also the clear second-in-command on the staff now. As for his future, Guentzel hasn't ruled out anything. He's already learned you never say never.
"I love what I'm doing," he said. "If I was an assistant at Minnesota for a long time, I'd be comfortable with that. That's not to say I wouldn't like to try another level whether it's head coaching or try my hand in pro hockey. This to me is one of the best jobs in all of college hockey, and I'm comfortable with that."

_____________________________

Work like a Captain.
Play like a Pirate.