Northern Michigan University athletic director Rick Comrie, left, listens as current NMU president Brock Tessman speaks during a press conference Wednesday about the search for a new hockey coach at Northern. Comrie has also been named interim head hockey coach for the Wildcats, who have also begun the search for a replacement for Grant Potulny, whose resignation was announced Tuesday. (Journal photo by Steve Brownlee)
MARQUETTE — Despite going through the process, which includes establishing an advisory committee, Northern Michigan University athletic director Rick Comrie hopes to name the Wildcats' new head hockey coach within just a few weeks.
“We understand the time factor, but we want to move forward with the process of finding a new coach.” Comrie said during a press conference at the Superior Dome on Wednesday morning. “Ultimately, if we find the right people, our program will be successful.”
Plural form “coach” This suggests that the new coach will also need to assemble a group of assistant coaches after NMU head coach Grant Potulny announced his resignation on Tuesday, as well as associate head coach Byron Poole and assistant coach Nick Peruzzi.
The university reported that Potulny was searching for employment. “At the professional level.” Some have speculated that it will be a team from the American Hockey League (AHL), the National Hockey League's (NHL's) top minor league, while others have further narrowed it down to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins of Pennsylvania, which are affiliated with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.
In fact, the SB Nation website dedicated to the NHL team Pennsburgh, listed at www.pensburgh.com, featured a headline from an article dated Wednesday. “REPORT: Grant Potulny named Wilkes-Barre coach”
Potulny has reportedly been connected to the job through Pittsburgh assistant general manager Jason Spezza, who is also listed as leading Wilkes-Barre's coaching search.
According to the Pennsburg website, Potulny and Spezza were teammates for one season with another AHL team, the Binghamton New York Devils, in 2004-05.
Meanwhile, the College Hockey News website reported that Poole is the leading candidate for the assistant coaching position at Dartmouth College, while Peruzzi is under consideration for the assistant coaching position at the University of Connecticut.
Comrie was joined at Wednesday's press conference by NMU President Brock Tesman and a representative from NMU's sports information department.
“This is a big day for Northern Michigan University.” Tesman said at the start of the event. “Congratulations to Grant, Nick and Brian. This is a great opportunity for them.”
He added that in his relatively short time at Marquette University, he has realized how important an NCAA Division I hockey program is to the school and the surrounding community, and that Comrie, with his years of experience in the sport, is a valuable asset to the team. “Piloting the ship”
“These are very difficult times.” Comrie began his remarks by saying, “We have already begun this process (searching for a new coach). My phone has been ringing off the hook day and night.”
“It's a terrible time to find a coach, but it's also a great time. It's important to have a coach who understands the appeal of (the Upper Peninsula) and what NMU is all about.”
He said the advisory selection committee's first meeting will be on Monday, but he didn't want to reveal the names of the committee members yet at Wednesday's meeting.
“The selection of the new manager will be decided by me, subject to the chairman's approval.” Comrie said.
Due to NCAA rules enacted over the past few years, starting the day of Potulny's resignation, all current players, freshmen and transfer students have a new 30-day window to enter the transfer portal, meaning they have a month to decide whether to play and attend another school.
Under normal circumstances, the transfer portal would have closed on May 14th for most players.
Comrie said he has heard there is one current or recruit player currently considering entering the portal.
The Grand Forks (North Dakota) Herald reported that Potulny's freshman recruiting class is one of his best and one of the best in the nation, with three NHL draft picks in Hampton Slukinski, Vladislav Lukasevic and Rasmus Larsson.
Because Potulny resigned voluntarily, NMU is not obligated to continue paying him the $285,000 annual contract bonus he signed in 2018 that was scheduled to run through the 2025-26 season.
Comrie also denied speculation that he could be the new coach.
“I think it's close to zero.” The 77-year-old former Wildcats coach spoke about the possibility of taking over as head coach next season. “But I still have my skates.”
Comrie comes to Marquette from Lake Superior State University, where he played from 1967-1971 and served as head coach from 1973-1976. Not only did he found the NMU program in 1976, but he also served as the school's sole head coach until 2002, compiling a record of 538 wins, 429 losses and 68 ties over 26 seasons.
He led the Wildcats to an NCAA national championship in 1991 and a runner-up finish in 1980, and also made four appearances in the Frozen Four.
During his tenure as NMU's coach, he served in the dual role of athletic director from 1987-2000, returning to that role in August 2022 as the retiring coach.
After turning down at least three offers to transfer to other schools during his tenure at Northern, Comrie left Marquette in 2002 for Michigan State, where he coached for 10 seasons until 2011, winning a national title in 2007.
The Spartans job must have been appealing to Comrie because his former coach at LSSU, Ron Mason, had just left the MSU job to become the athletic director at Michigan State.
Comley coached at three schools for 38 seasons and compiled a record of 783 wins, 615 losses and 110 ties, good for fifth all-time in wins by a Division I coach.
Among other honors, he was inducted into the NMU Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, the UP Sports Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2023.
Potulny, 44, is the third coach in Wildcats history, joining Comrie and former Comrie assistant Walt Kyle, who was head coach for 15 years from 2002-2017 with a record of 265 wins, 263 losses and 68 ties.
Potulny played for Northern for seven seasons from 2017 to this year, compiling a record of 128 wins, 113 losses and 17 ties, including 95 wins, 69 losses and 11 ties in WCHA and CCHA league play.
Last season, the Wildcats struggled in the CCHA with a 12-16-6 record, including 10-10 losses and four ties, and Potulny recorded 20 or more wins four times in seven years and appeared in two conference tournament championship contests in the past four years without a win.
Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, extension 552. His e-mail address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.
