What They Are Saying About WMU Head Coach Jeff Blashill....
“Jeff came in two years ago after a long recruiting process with the Indiana Ice. His character and professionalism had as much to do with our success, as his coaching ability. With a Clark Cup in hand and our recent run in the Semi-Finals, you have gained both a top coach, along with someone who is going to be a first class representative of your school long term. We gained a great friend, a Clark Cup and are very proud that Jeff was part of the Indiana Ice family. On behalf of the Skjodt family and our entire Indiana Ice organization, we wish his family much success in the future.”
Paul Skjodt, President/CEO, Indiana Ice
“He’s very good at understanding players and teaching them and finding ways to get his points across. Every player learns differently. He’s not necessarily doing the same thing for everyone. One thing that helps him is the way he presents himself and the way he prepares. He’s always organized. He’s very good in that aspect. Recruiting obviously he can handle. Look what he’s done with the Indiana Ice. He’s in his second year. He won the whole thing in his first year. That doesn’t happen by fluke. You’ve got to coach well to win in that league.”
New Jersey Devils defenseman Andy Greene in an interview with the Kalamazoo Gazette (played under Blashill at Miami from 2002-06).
“He’s an excellent communicator. Not only can he spot talent, but he does a good job selling and promoting the program. It’s not an easy transition playing with teammates and coaching the same player a year later and doing it as seamlessly as he did. It’s a testament to his maturity and his ability to communicate with people.”
Bob Daniels, Head Coach Ferris State University, on Blashill’s transition from player to assistant coach.
“He’s a guy who demands the best out of you all the time and he gets it out of you. It might be a Monday morning practice after a long weekend and he’ll get in your face and tell you what is. One of the things I appreciated with coach Blashill is he’s going to make sure you’re there (mentally). As a player, you appreciate that, maybe not at the moment because he’s in your face screaming at you, but you appreciate it in the end.”
Torey Krug, Michigan State Spartan Defender, All CCHA-Rookie Team member, played for Blashill last season with the Indiana Ice.
“He’s an absolutely sterling representative of our league. From our standpoint, it’s a great loss. Jeff Blashill is not someone who’s easily replaceable. He had a wonderful experience at Miami (of) Ohio. Many give him credit for having put the team together that was a Frozen Four finalist last year. Seventeen players on that team were from the USHL. He regularly used the USHL as a resource for what became a nationally reputed program. I suspect he’d do the same at Western Michigan.”
Skip Prince, United States Hockey League Commissioner
“He is the kind of coach who expects everything you have every day, whether its practice or a game. He demands the best out of every player no matter what your role is on the team is. I think its a thing that made him a great assistant Miami and will make him great head coach. I thought he exemplified everything what Miami and any other program is about. Caring for everyone in the organization and the surrounding family.”
Ryan Jones, Edmonton Oilers forward and former Hobey Baker Finalist at Miami, who played under Blashill.
