Spartans who played for Cole at USA NTDP say he'll kick butt
EAST LANSING - Danton Cole stood at the podium on Tuesday in the Huntington Club at Munn Ice Arena after being introduced as the seventh head hockey coach in the program’s history outlining some of the expectations he had for the rejuvenation of the program going forward.
But before he got more in-depth as to how he hopes to return a program once known as a national power, one that hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2012, back to not just respectability but as a regular participant in the postseason, Cole talked about bridging the present with the past.
“We've got to engage the community, the students, the fans. Munn Ice Arena was a snake pit, and that's how it's got to be. It's got to be a hard place to come in and win,’’ said Cole, who coincidentally wore the No. 7 during his MSU playing days. “You want it to be on the other team's pre-scout, that when they come and play at Munn Ice Arena, they'd better be ready. The crowd is going to be on them. It's going to be loud. And that's how Munn was.
“When I was coming through here, there was (a streak of) 320 sellouts, and that's a goal. That's a vision. That's the plan that we have to implement.’’
As a former Spartan (1985-89) and Waverly High School grad, Cole has often talked about a potential return to his alma mater to take over the coaching duties during his 18-year coaching career, but it always seemed that the timing wasn’t right for one reason or another.
His name was rumored as a replacement for Ron Mason back in 2002 before Rick Comley was hired for nine seasons and earned the program’s third national championship, and again six seasons ago when athletics director Mark Hollis made an out-of-the-box hire, bringing in Tom Anastos.
On Tuesday, in front a large collection of media and MSU’s coaches from various sports, including a smiling Tom Izzo, Cole officially returned home, accompanied by wife Debbie and two of his three daughters, reiterating his long-term desire to eventually return to MSU - and take over a position he once called his dream job.
“I’d say the third or fourth year probably when I was back in Grand Rapids (coaching the Griffins) was when I said, you know, I can probably do that,’’ Cole said after Tuesday’s press conference. “I had started talking to Mase (Ron Mason) and he was obviously an advocate of it, so then you really start looking and you know, this has always been my place.
“Anyone who knows me, knows how deep down this place runs in me. This is a heck of a place. There’s great people here and there’s the tradition of everything I grew up with. I knew I would love to do it. I was just hoping that the time would be right some time.’’
On Tuesday, that time was finally right.
And while he made no promises for a fanbase starved for a return of the consistent success established by the legendary Mason during a 23-year run behind the Spartan bench, Cole does have a coaching resumé that includes successful stints behind college, professional and international benches. Experience that will exhibit an intense and disciplined approach to the game, something he became known for as a member of MSU’s 1986 national championship team and the New Jersey Devils Stanley Cup championship team back in 1995.
He also has the credibility of coaching collegiate standouts and mentoring successful futures in hockey. As a coach of USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program since 2010, mentoring some of America’s brightest under-17 and -18 players, Cole has helped develop the careers of successful players such as University of Denver defenseman Will Butcher, who won this year’s Hobey Baker Award and helped the Pioneers capture the school’s eighth national championship.
Other players Cole has helped develop include the NHL’s expected rookie of the year this season, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston University standout and present Arizona Coyotes draft pick Clayton Keller and present NHL superstar Jack Eichel, a member of the Buffalo Sabres, who played one year at Boston University.
Cole hopes to recruit that kind of talent and skill to MSU as part of his reformation of a program that last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2011-12 during Anastos’ first season.
“We'll identify, recruit and sign elite players to come here and to join the guys that are already here, and the pressure will be on them to get that momentum going and teach those young guys when they come in so they can take over for them,’’ Cole said. “That excellence on and off the ice is very important.’’
While some may see Cole’s task as daunting, those closest to him, such as longtime friend and former MSU teammate Kevin Miller, as well present Spartans - senior goalie Ed Minney, senior forward Dylan Pavelek and sophomore forward Patrick Khodorenko - each of whom played for Cole during his time behind the U.S. National Team Development bench - feel MSU’s latest hockey coach has the knowledge, skill set, mindset and approach to turn the program around for the better.
“He’s a good coach but he kind of brings it a little bit different than a lot of the guys are used to,’’ Minney said. “He’s pretty intense and he doesn’t accept anything other than everyone’s best. So I think it will be a good change of pace for everybody. I think if we’re struggling out there and we’re not playing to our full potential, he has the tools to be able to take us and shape us into what we need to be to win games.
“We’ve had a tough couple of years since I’ve gotten here so I think that the can be the kind of change of pace that we need to turn this program around, start winning some games and get Michigan State back on the map in hockey.’’
Miller said he and Cole have been having frequent discussions about Cole’s possible return to East Lansing.
“Well, you know, when things aren’t going good, you talk about it more, but Danton’s put in his work and he’s always had this as his job to really shoot for,’’ said Miller, a former Detroit Red Wing, USA Olympian and still a fixture in local hockey circles. “I know he’s always wanted to come back here and he’s worked really hard for it. He’s put himself in positions where he’s really moved up, built his resumé and he’s in a great spot to take over the program and build it up to where it needs to be.
“He’s going to demand a lot out of the players. He’s not going to let them get away with anything and he really has a great network out there.
“He’s been coaching top kids the past five years at USA Hockey and he’s been developing some of the best young Americans we’ve got. He knows a lot of the scouts, a lot of the NHL guys and a lot of the agents and I think that will help him get into the recruiting world and start bringing in some of those top (future) draft picks.’’
While Cole briefly addressed the need to quickly finalize a staff as well as evaluate MSU recruiting targets and verbal commitments. He indicated that he won’t necessarily retain commitments from recruits who made verbal pledges to his predecessor, the way Anastos honored those who had committed to Comley.
“It’s important that you go through and evaluate it because you want it to be fair on both sides and we’ll get to that point but it’s got to be the right situation for both,’’ Cole said. “There may be guys that were committed here and may not want to come here because they wanted to play for Coach Anastos and Coach Anastos is not here. But we will be incredibly fair because you’ve got to evaluate all of that stuff moving forward.
“But in terms of coaching, I have a lot of intensity but you change over the years because that can’t be all of the time. There has to be a stoicism there but they also have to know that you’re on their side and that you’re engaged in the battle. You don’t want to change your plan in the middle of a fight but have to be willing to adjust.
“Sometimes that adjustment is ‘Hey, you need to be over here’ (with more of a pat on the back) and sometimes, it’s a little closer to a kick in the rear end.
“But hey, I’m intense and I like the guys to be intense and into it but there’s a certain time when that’s right and a certain time when that’s wrong and the good coaches try and find the right time.’’
MSU’s fans and the Spartans’ athletic department are hoping the hiring of Danton Cole is the right time for a program in need of a good kick in the butt.
