Courtesy of OSU
Former Ohio State men’s hockey coach Mark Osiecki has been hired by the 2013 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks, according to a press release from the team. Osiecki will be an assistant coach for the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, the primary developmental league to the NHL.
Osiecki joins IceHog head coach Ted Dent after being let go by OSU in April after “a difference in opinion over the management of the program that could not be resolved,” according to OSU athletic director Gene Smith.
The former Buckeye head man led his team to a 16-17-7 overall record and a fourth place finish in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association this past season. After beating Ferris State in the quarterfinals of the CCHA playoffs, OSU fell to Notre Dame at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit in what was the program’s first conference semifinal appearance since 2005.
“We’re thrilled to add Mark Osiecki to our coaching staff in Rockford,” Blackhawks General Manager of Minor League Affiliations Mark Bernard said, according to the press release. “Mark’s extensive experience with the player development at the collegiate, junior and international level will serve as a great asset as we continue to build the future of the Chicago Blackhawks organization.”
Osiecki went 46-50-16 while serving as OSU’s head coach from 2010-2013. The Blackhawks did not immediately respond to The Lantern’s request for comment regarding his contract with Rockford.
