The new WCHA playoff format that tossed the bottom two teams out of postseason contention meant it was early season for pro prospects and coaching changes.
Lake Superior State, which needed just one point over its last four games to get a playoff spot, saw two big changes on Tuesday afternoon.
First, junior defenseman Kevin Czuczman signed a free-agent contract with the New York Islanders, opting to forgo his senior season. Czuczman was the top goal-scoring defenseman in the WCHA and sixth in the league in points.
Then the big blow game.
Lake Superior State fired coach Jim Roque, announcing that it would not be renewing his contract for next year. Roque was the Lakers' coach for nine years. He went 16-19-1 this year, the first year of the new WCHA and had his team ranked in the top 20 early on when it started 4-0-1, including a sweep of now-third-ranked Union. His record with the Lakers is 136-165-46.
Of course, a national search for his replacement will begin immediately.
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