Mike Guentzel resigns

Mike Guentzel resigned after 14 years as an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota. Guentzel primarily worked with the Defense. He made a younge group of kids into great hockey players this year. guentzal will be missed at the University and I wish him all the best in his life and coaching career if he chooses to coach again.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA PRESS RELEASE:

Mike Guentzel, who spent the past 14 years as assistant coach of the University of Minnesota men’s hockey program, has announced his resignation to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Guentzel, 48, played for the Gophers from 1982-85 and coached the team’s defensemen for the past nine years under head coach Don Lucia. He previously was associate head coach under Doug Woog and was a key part of Minnesota’s national championship teams in 2002 and 2003.

“I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to play here four years and coach here for 14 years,” Guentzel said. “The Gopher program has been and always will be number one in my heart. I’ve had wonderful hard-working guys to work with and made a lot of friends here. That’s just something you can’t replace.”

His resignation will allow him to spend more time with his family, which includes three hockey-playing sons. His oldest, Ryan, was a freshman forward for national runner-up Notre Dame, while his 19-year old son, Gabe, played for Sioux Falls in the United States Hockey League and his 13-year old son, Jake, plays in Woodbury Youth Hockey.

“Personally, this decision gives me an opportunity to be more of a parent,” Guentzel said. “I’ve missed out on a lot of that, but I’m sure that I’ll find a way to stay in the game somehow and someway.”

 “Mike Guentzel has played a major role in the success of Gopher hockey over the years,” Lucia said. “He is an outstanding coach who helped in every phase of the program. He had great respect from the players and always brought passion to the job.

“Although I respect his decision to leave, the Gopher hockey program will miss him. I want to personally thank Mike for all he did for me and the program and wish Mike and his family all the best in the future.”

Guentzel coached five All-American defensemen with the Gophers, including 2002 Hobey Baker Award winner Jordan Leopold. He also has coached five current National Hockey League defensemen.

Prior to his career at Minnesota, Guentzel was a head coach for two different USHL teams in St. Paul and Omaha. He led St. Paul to the 1990-91 junior “A” national championship and was named the USHL Coach of the Year the following year. Guentzel has also been active in USA Hockey, serving as an assistant coach with three U.S. Junior National teams.