Hastings hits the ice (updated)

For the first time since spring of 2008, Mike Hastings ran a hockey practice as head coach. On Monday, the new Minnesota State coach was on the ice with the Mavericks. It was the first day of preseason practice, and coaches get two hours of ice time per week with their entire roster. The official start of the season is Saturday, Oct. 6, and MSU will play an exhibition game against Lethbridge on Oct. 7.

"It's really nice to be handling it again," said Hastings, who spent the last three seasons on the bench at Nebraska Omaha and the year before that as an assistant at Minnesota. Prior to that, he spent 14 seasons as the head coach of the USHL's Omaha Lancers.

Monday's 40-minute, up-tempo practice at All Seasons Arena was a good one, Hastings said, but it's still early.

"For me, I'm still learning about the team, and they're still learning about how things are going to be done," he said.

Other notes:

• Hastings said he wants the Mavericks to play an aggressive brand of hockey, both offensively and defensively, and much of Monday's practice seemed focused on that. "We've got a long way to go to play that type of style," he said. "You have to be in elite shape, and we're not there yet. ... But I like the group; I like what I see."

• Hastings said team captains have yet to be voted on but he's counting on the leadership of the Mavericks' seniors. That group includes last year's captain, defenseman Tyler Elbrecht, and one of the team's top goal scorers, Eriah Hayes. It also includes goalie Phil Cook, forward Eli Zuck and defenseman Evan Mosey.

• Hastings is also aware that success will depend on a big step forward by a group of freshmen coming off a solid year. That group includes three notables: WCHA All-Rookie selection Jean-Paul LaFontaine, last year's MSU points leader Matt Leitner and defenseman Zach Palmquist.

• The Wenatchee Wild of the NAHL was on hand to watch practice. The Washington-based team practiced at ASA and also toured the university. The team will do the same at other colleges throughout the state this week, according to assistant coach and former MSU goaltender Chris Clark. Good to see Chris again.

• Update: MSU has put its preseason prospectus on the web. Read that here.

Hockey's in the air

Call it the end of pre-preseason and the start of preseason.

The Minnesota State men's hockey team had its first practice of the season with coaches on Thursday, going through an hour-long workout at All Seasons Arena. Starting Thursday, coaches get two hours of ice time with their teams per week until the official start of the season on Oct. 1.

"This is the preseason," MSU coach Troy Jutting said afterward. "We're setting up for the first practice.

"It was good. The intensity was good. The kids worked hard. It was short, so we don't get too far into things. But it's a chance to start getting used to the pace."

The Mavericks will have another hour-long practice on Friday and then have three 40-minute practices in each of the next two weeks, Jutting said.

Senior goaltender Austin Lee said it was a good first day.

"It was good to get the first-year guys acclimated to the speed of practice. That's always fun," he said.

Senior Michael Dorr said he and fellow captain Tyler Elbrecht have been running captains practices as well as some on-ice drills to get ready for Thursday. The team has also been running and doing other dryland workouts.

"Guys are in good shape," Dorr said. "But there's a difference between on-ice shape and running shape."

Jutting praised MSU strength and conditioning coach Tom Inkrott, saying he "did a great job this summer with the kids."