Mike Hastings made his first appearance as Wisconsin men’s hockey coach. Here’s what we learned.

MADISON – Monday afternoon the Wisconsin athletic division rolled out the purple carpet for Mike Hastings.

However because it turned out, the Badgers new males’s hockey coach had already been welcomed with open arms.

One after the other the calls and messages from UW got here.

Soccer coach Luke Fickell. Males’s soccer coach Neil Jones. Males’s basketball coach Greg Gard. Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin, too.

“(She) gave me the primary ‘On, Wisconsin!’” Hastings mentioned. “That was chilling.”

The hiring of Hastings was introduced Thursday whereas the previous Minnesota State coach was nonetheless in Mankato.

Hastings involves UW after compiling a 299-109-25 report (.719) in 11 seasons at with the Mavericks. The 57-year-old has 14 years of further head teaching expertise with the Omaha Lancers of the US Hockey League.

He has not had a dropping season in 25 seasons as a head coach.

Monday, he made his debut on the Kohl Middle in entrance of members of the workforce, Badgers coaches and directors and a few hundred trustworthy followers.

Hastings talked about his teaching roots, appreciation for all that the college has to supply and his preliminary plans for rebuilding this system.

“We’re making an attempt to get rid of each doable excuse of why we will’t go get it carried out,” Hastings mentioned. “Our journey began final evening (with a workforce assembly) and it’s going to be one that’s going to have some peaks and valleys, Hopefully much more peaks than valleys.”

Listed below are 4 issues we realized from the introductory press convention.

The seek for assistant coaches is open. That mentioned, Hastings has excessive regard for his former affiliate head coach, Todd Knott.

Certainly one of Hastings’ subsequent steps shall be to rent assistant coaches. Purposes for the positions shut Thursday.

May Todd Knott, Hastings’ long-time assistant, be a part of him at UW? Minnesota State introduced Sunday that Knott declined a proposal to develop into the Mavericks head coach. Earlier this yr Knott, who was at Minnesota State all through Hastings’ tenure, received the Terry Flannagan Award, an assistant coach of the yr award given primarily based on a coach’s profession physique of labor.

Hastings would not tip his hand about the potential of Knott becoming a member of him at Wisconsin however expressed deep regard for his colleague and pal.

“He’s somebody I believe is excellent at what he does whether or not that is in a hockey rink or in a group and even what he’s as a father and a husband and father or mother,” Hastings mentioned. “I’ve bought an terrible lot of respect for him.”

Hastings met with the workforce Sunday and as of Monday had spoken to all however a few the incoming recruits

The Badgers signed a 11-man recruiting class within the fall. 4 of these gamers – William Whitelaw, Brady Cleveland, Zach Schulz and Aiden Fink – plus freshman Charlie Stramel have been listed on the NHL Central Scouting mid-term rankings for the upcoming draft

Hastings has seen lots of the present and future Badgers play. He even famous that he tried to recruit a pair to Minnesota State. In his conversations with present and future Badgers he has supplied a window into a few of his plans for this system.

”It’s about making an attempt to allow them to understand how thrilling I believe that is going to be and the way a lot we’d like them to have the ability to push the rock up the hill collectively,” he mentioned.

Former UW coach Tony Granato personally congratulated Hastings

A lot has been mentioned about how a lot of a top quality particular person Tony Granato is and the previous Badgers coach displayed that once more by reaching out to Hastings to congratulate him on getting the job.

“Tony was one of many first ones to ship a textual content and say ‘Nice rent, you’re going to crush it,’” Hastings mentioned. “I believe that speaks concerning the Badger household and so from that standpoint, it’s humbling.”

Earlier than Mike Hastings began teaching he needed to show

Hastings teaching profession started after his enjoying profession at St. Cloud State was minimize quick after two season as a consequence of damage. His plan was to develop into a trainer earlier than his profession took that flip.

As a coach, he nonetheless considers himself an educator.

“Not far off, just a bit little bit of a unique avenue to get there,” he mentioned. “It’s loopy how life offers you the life you’re dealt after which what do you do with it. I’m blessed that that occurred and it has allowed me to get right here.”