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Its official. The new team in Albert Lee has been approved by the NAHL. The Thunder is set to join next year.

who is going to be the coach?

aflac wrote:who is going to be the coach?

The coach will be decided in the next few weeks.

Any rumors out there on who is the front man?

The Thunder, is owned by Chicago businessman Barry Soskin, will play its home games at the Albert Lea Ice Arena. "Our top priority is to bring affordable, family entertainment to the Albert Lea community, while providing our players with all of the necessary resources to advance both athletically and academically," said Soskin, the Thunder's president.

Any website for this team yet? And have they signed any tenders for next season?

Paul Willett from Delano, MN has been named the new head coach for Albert Lea. Willett has been the Varsity hockey coach for Mound-Westonka boys program for the past 4 years. He resigned from the Mound job on Friday.

Congratulations Paul!

Congrats Paul!

Too bad for Albert Lea, from what I hear they went after quite a few est. Jr. coaches and they couldn't land one. They really tried to get Fatis from Rochester but he just signed a new deal and lets face facts why would you leave Rochester for Albert Lea, and now with the Ice Hawks looking to join the NAHL in a year or two Rochester is the better choice for sure.

Good luck Albert Lea, I think you've got a solid chance!

Why would they want Fatis he is at the place he needs to be, he would fail in a higher league. He is not a good fundementals or shills coach! I would also be shocked if Roch joins the NAHL they just added 3 teams they don't need anymore teams. They are way too stretched out as it is!

A coach in the NAHL doesn't need to be a great skills or fundamentals coach. You can hire a staff of assistants to help with those things. As the head coach you're main priority is to set up a system that allows the players you've picked for your team to succeed and win games. The NAHL is more about winning games while the MNJHL is about developing players to move up to the NAHL or Div-III so the way you describe Nick, he would be a better fit in the NAHL.

Helo,
How can you tell me that NAHL is not about development!! Listen kids are playing jr so they can mature and develope more that is why they play Jr and yes it is about winning but development is first. Nick would need a new assistant then if he was to coach in the NAHL!

Why would they not want Coach Fatis? Winning Coach, good reputation among USA Hockey and Hockey Canada.

A new Asst. Coach or another Asst. Coach would be right I think. Anyone who has dealt with Nick knows he is a great systems coach. From what I've seen, he reads the ice as well as any coach in Rochester for a long time.

The NAHL needs Rochester, as of now the "Minnesota" division is
Bismarck, Alexandria, Albert Lea and North Iowa. They will need to add at least 2 teams to make it a real division. If Owatonna gets a team back and Rochester joins this division the travel cost could almost be reasonable. If more teams in the 'footprint' don't join look for Bismarck to fold soon, Fargo was the jumping point from Alex to Bismarck. With Fargo out Bismarck is a long way away from everywhere.

crash wrote:Why would they not want Coach Fatis? Winning Coach, good reputation among USA Hockey and Hockey Canada.

A new Asst. Coach or another Asst. Coach would be right I think. Anyone who has dealt with Nick knows he is a great systems coach. From what I've seen, he reads the ice as well as any coach in Rochester for a long time.

The NAHL needs Rochester, as of now the "Minnesota" division is
Bismarck, Alexandria, Albert Lea and North Iowa. They will need to add at least 2 teams to make it a real division. If Owatonna gets a team back and Rochester joins this division the travel cost could almost be reasonable. If more teams in the 'footprint' don't join look for Bismarck to fold soon, Fargo was the jumping point from Alex to Bismarck. With Fargo out Bismarck is a long way away from everywhere.

Owatonna is in. I've heard rumors that the F-M Jets may land in Blaine. Bismarck is still a long way from everywhere...

Looking more like the Western Chicago Tier 3 NAHL Thunder. I hope the coaching staff can pull this team out from under the wings of a ridiculously inept "Director of Hockey Operations".

Willett is a very capable coach. If you haven't seen the teams and players he's coached, don't "diss" the Organization for selecting him.

Willett is not the "Director of Hockey Operations" and I did not intend to "dis" him. He seems like a very capable hockey guy and I hope he does well. Look into this D.oH.O. guy and you might see what I am saying. After meeting Paul and his assistant, I was a bit more optimistic about this bunch.

MNHockey08 wrote:Its official. The new team in Albert Lee has been approved by the NAHL. The Thunder is set to join next year.

It's Albert L-e-a.


Jackstraw,
No really, what do you think of the DoHO? Don't hold back

Jim Perkins
Director of Hockey Operation
http://www.albertleathunder.com/exec.php?exec_id=25667

I heard the team tendered that Royce kid, but haven't heard anything else. What other tendered players have you heard about?

Royce is OK, he would have been a pretty good MJHL player but he's not the kind of kid you tender in the NAHL.

This could be a long year in Albert L E A , but you know all the talented MN kids that didn't get drafted or tenderd will show up to camp so who knows!

crash wrote:Royce is OK, he would have been a pretty good MJHL player but he's not the kind of kid you tender in the NAHL.

This could be a long year in Albert L E A , but you know all the talented MN kids that didn't get drafted or tenderd will show up to camp so who knows!

I talked to Willett about a wek ago, and he was talking about Royce. From what I hear this kid is big. 6'2 220Lbs, I think? Thats a pretty big kid if you ask me!

What in the world is going on????????????

Coaching staff gone?

TriedThat2 wrote:What in the world is going on????????????

Coaching staff gone?

I've heard that the GM resigned earlier this week and that the coaching staff resigned yesterday. Sounds like Owatonna all over again down here.

jackstraw wrote:Looking more like the Western Chicago Tier 3 NAHL Thunder. I hope the coaching staff can pull this team out from under the wings of a ridiculously inept "Director of Hockey Operations".

It seems the G.M. and the coaching staff just realized who they are really working with.

WOW,

if what they say is true, my sources are telling me that indeed the Coach and G.M. are GONZO, but not so sure about the assistant coach. Have not heard if he stuck around or not. My guess would be no, but he might have.

What happens now? What happens with all of the draft picks, tenders and camp invitees? I know I would want my "own" players.

Wonder what happened, I feel bad for the players, coach jumping ship after developing relationships. Whatever, I am sure he had a reason.

Short List of potential replacements?

Well maybe the next guy will last a whole game before he sees how much of a mess this program is!

I wouldn't let my son play in this program.

Well, I dont know much about the ownership of the AL team, so I cannot comment on them, and I am not one to bash anyone. HOWEVER, the latest rumor on the block is there has been a job offer made. To whom I will not say, but it is not what I would call a wise decision for a program. If this person gets the gig I will sit back in my loft and chuckle a little.

I have heard of 2 people getting offers, 1) would be a wonderful choice, but most likely won't take the job. 2) Yeah, Ive got nothing