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Maine assistant and former Bruin Bruce Crowder was offered the Dartmouth job on May 2, but on May 7 the offer was rescinded for "philosophical differences".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