Hakstol Renewed For 6 Seasons

CHN Staff Report

GRAND FORKS, N.D.  North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol has signed a new six-year contract, extending him through the 2017-18 season.

Hakstol took over for Dean Blais eight seasons ago. Since then, Hakstol has become the third-winningest coach in program history, compiling a 213-106-30 (.653) overall record, five Frozen Four appearances, four WCHA tournament titles and two WCHA regular-season championships.

"I'm pleased to have the opportunity to continue working and living in what I consider to be the best environment in hockey," Hakstol said. "I'm particularly grateful for the confidence Brian Faison has shown in me and my staff. We're here to win and to do it the right way."

In 2011-12, Hakstol led an injury-depleted team to its league-record third consecutive Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA Final Five champions. With eight players missing 110 games due to injury, the Sioux were forced to dress fewer than 18 skaters on 14 occasions, yet went 11-3 in those games, and made the NCAA Regional final.

Hakstol's teams have developed a reputation for playing their best down the stretch. Hakstol's career playoff record (WCHA and NCAA combined) is 42-15 (.737), 16 more wins than any other WCHA school during his eight-year tenure. Over the past eight seasons, UND has a .709 winning percentage (132-49-18) in games played after the Christmas break, compared to a .577 clip (80-57-12) in games played prior to Christmas.

The 2011-12 season marked the eighth time in as many seasons under Hakstol in which the Sioux have won 20 or more games, the second-longest streak of 20 wins in school history behind only John "Gino" Gasparini's 13 in a row from 1978-79 to 1990-91.

Hakstol, 35 years old when he was named UND's head men's hockey coach on July 9, 2004, is only the fourth Fighting Sioux head coach in the past 43 years. Hakstol, a Sioux player from 1989-92, is also just the fifth former UND player to also become head coach at North Dakota.

Prior to taking over as UND's head coach, the former Sioux captain was a member of Blais' coaching staff for four seasons and in that stint helped coach the Sioux to a pair of WCHA titles, three NCAA appearances and the 2001 national championship game.

Before joining the UND staff on July 1, 2000, Hakstol spent four seasons (1996-2000) as the general manager and head coach of the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). He was named the USHL Coach of the Year in 1997-98.

Before beginning his coaching career, Hakstol played professional hockey in the IHL for four seasons. As a defenseman on the Sioux hockey team from 1989-92, Hakstol was a three-year letterwinner and served as team captain from 1990 to 1992. He played in 107 games for UND, scoring 10 goals and adding 36 assists for 46 points.