Boston University assistant Ben Smith was named
    head coach at Dartmouth on Friday.  BU went 167-114-6
    with Smith as Jack Parker's right-hand man over the past
    eight years.  In 1987-88, Smith left the Terriers to serve
    as an assistant coach of the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team.
 
    Parker noted that Smith had helped Tim Taylor turn around
    Yale in the early 80s and had a huge impact on BU in the
    area of recruiting.  This is one of Smith's strong points
    and should result in an improved Dartmouth team over the
    next few years.
 
    After Jeff Kosak resigned to return to Hotchkiss in
    Connecticut after ten days on the job at Dartmouth, Maine
    assistant and former Bruin Bruce Crowder was offered the
    Dartmouth job on May 2, but on May 7 the offer was rescinded
    for "philosophical differences".  Anyone else know about
    this?  I can guess...
 
    Another factor in Smith's leaving, I believe, is that when
    Parker announced he was stepping down in January 1989
    to become AD (two weeks later, he decided he wanted
    to stay as coach), Smith was not given much consideration
    in the media and around BU as Parker's replacement.  Smith
    is a Harvard grad and the school reportedly wanted a BU grad
    like Buddy Powers (RPI; RIT at the time), Ron Anderson
    (Merrimack), or Steve Stirling (Babson; formerly Providence).
    Smith was clearly the most qualified man for the job.  He
    may have decided he didn't want to take his chances with
    sticking around at BU to see if he would get the job whenever
    Parker leaves - which looks like it will not be for a long
    time now.
 
    Smith is the second BU assistant to leave after this season.
    Pertti Hasanen resigned to become an agent and help players
    pursue careers in Europe (including his native Finland).  That
    deprives BU of its source of players like Peter Ahola and
    Petteri Koskimaki, two freshman from Finland who played well
    this year.
 
    I guess this leaves Bill Berglund, goalie coach, as Parker's
    top assistant.  Don't underestimate Berglund; though, he plays
    a key role in motivating the team and is a good hockey man.
    His move from Northeastern to BU last year, after he had
    coached Bruce Racine and Rich Burchill to becoming two of the
    nation's top goalies, had a lot to do with NU's Tom Cole having
    a sub-par year and with BU freshman Scott Cashman winning Rookie
    of the Year and backstopping the Terriers to the NCAA semifinals.
 
    Also, we should hear within a week or so whether or not BU's
    leading goal-scorer, Joe Sacco (Medford, MA), will return for
    his senior year or if he will sign with Toronto.  That would be
    strike three if Sacco goes and will really hurt the Terriers
    next year as Sacco is not only one-third of the Commonwealth Line,
    he kills penalties and is a serious shorthanded threat (not to
    mention the power play).  In a 5-2 Hockey East quarterfinal win
    over Northeastern in March, Sacco scored all 5 of BU's goals.
 
 
    - mike