LSSU coach search continues
The process remains ongoing.
After firing Jim Roque on March 11, Lake Superior State University Lakers of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association are continuing their search for a new head coach.
The dismissal of Roque after eight seasons as hockey headmaster at LSSU has resulted in a national search, according to Kris Dunbar, the school’s athletic director.
While names of potential candidates with a past or present link to the Lakers have been bandied about, LSSU has yet to decide on a successor to Roque, an indication that Dunbar is being thorough in her search.
High on the list of many Laker followers and supporters is former LSSU player and assistant coach Joe Shawhan.
Shawhan is from the Michigan Soo and had a very-successful 10-year run as head coach of the erstwhile Soo Indians of the North American Hockey League.
Shawhan has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Northern Michigan University Wildcats.
In talking with Shawhan, the feeling is that he intends to submit a formal application for the head-coaching position at LSSU.
Meantime, sources are saying that other applicants for the job include former Laker defenceman Rene Chapdelaine, who was part of LSSU’s national championship team in 1988.
Also said to be part of the application process is Damon Whitten, who has been a Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association assistant coach at Michigan State, Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech.
Sault Ste. Marie native Drew Fata, a former Ontario Hockey League, American Hockey League and National Hockey League defenceman, has also applied for the job, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
If the new Coach is a Coach from the “outside” then what happens to Doug La Prade and Tim Christian is my question.
La Prade is a Laker thru and thru so I hope that he stays.