Minnesota State Hockey fans received the tough news just a few weeks ago that longtime Head Coach Mike Hastings had left the program to take the Head Coaching position at the University of Wisconsin.

Today, the Maverick Hockey program officially announced his replacement.

Per MSUMavericks.com, Luke Strand will be named the fifth hockey coach in MSU Mavericks history:

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Strand comes to Minnesota State after spending the last year as an assistant at Ohio State where he helped lead the Buckeyes to a 21-16-3 record, including a third-place finish in the Big Ten Conference and a berth in the 2023 NCAA Tournament that included a convincing 8-1 opening round win over Harvard.  While at Ohio State, Strand played a key role in the Buckeye's success as he helped orchestrate the top-ranked penalty kill unit (.887).  The Buckeyes allowed just 18 power play goals this season.

MSU made it to yet another NCAA Tournament this season, their 9th appearance at the DI level and third season in a row accomplishing the feat.

Over 11 years, Hastings posted an overall mark of 299-109-25, and guided the program to new heights, including a runner-up finish in 2022.

Now, it will be Luke Strand's turn to due the same. Strand is very well tied into the area, having also coached down in Sioux City:

Prior to his time at Ohio State, Strand coached in the highly competitive United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Sioux City Musketeers for five seasons, guiding them to an impressive Clark Cup title in 2022 behind a 41-16 record.

Source: MSU Mavericks Official Site

Ten Most Disappointing Minnesota Sports Seasons

The 2021 Minnesota Twins entered the season with high expectations, but unfortunately, they've made the list of most disappointing Minnesota teams of all time.

Disappointment is a common feeling for Minnesota sports fans as the years continue. Following the NBA Championship win for Milwaukee, SportsCenter was quick to point out that Minnesota has the current longest streak of seasons without a championship appearance in the four major sports (MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL). The Minnesota Lynx also chimed in on the stat after claiming four championships since 2011.

The ten teams that are on this list all follow a similar pattern. The year prior was either a great season with a playoff run or one that featured a strong core of players that appeared to have taken the next step. Offseason/preseason expectations were high with even Las Vegas oddsmakers believing in a deep run. Unfortunately, those preseason expectations fell short for the following teams. None of the teams listed below made the playoffs.


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