Adam Nightingale explains how he plans to revive hockey at Michigan State University
EAST LANSING Amid the frenzy of searching for training, it’s easy to forget the human element in all of it.
On Thursday, as new Michigan State hockey coach Adam Nightingale began to think about the hiccups that had been his last two weeks, his lip quivered, and he stopped talking. He was thinking of his wife, Kristen, whom he had met in Michigan two decades earlier and who, by his side, had pursued his hockey career as a player and coach—from his first gig, making $16,000 a year, to coaching the Detroit Red Wings, To their newest and longest-running family leg, they lived in Canton, Michigan, while Nightingale coached the U.S. national team development program, and is now back here, to East Lansing.
“My wife sent me a nice message (when I got a job at MSU), she just said, ‘You know, God’s timing is perfect,'” Nightingale said during Thursday’s roundtable with reporters. “She is right.
“When you’re a coach, a lot of times it’s a selfish profession, because you’re moving and moving all the time, for long hours. And just, you can’t get here without support.”
Nightingale, his wife and three children — ages 14, 11 and 9, the youngest of whom was born when he was director of operations at Michigan State University — will be moving in again soon. He hopes this time for a long time.
Nightingale has been the MSU coach for less than a week. He got the call on Sunday in Germany – where he was coaching the USNTDP’s Under-18 team at the World Championships. His appointment was announced on Tuesday, around the time he landed after 22 hours of flying. 750 text messages were waiting for him, both from well-wishers and coaches hoping to be part of his crew. He quickly took his NCAA coach recruitment test, and then headed to Chicago to begin recruiting at Michigan State University.
On Wednesday, he met his team via Zoom – many of whom have already left campus after class. Next Monday, it will be officially introduced. But Thursday was his first chance to explain how he plans to revive the long-dormant hockey program at MSU. He did so in a wide-ranging, 45-minute discussion with the media.
Here are highlights of that conversation and questions modified for brevity and clarity:
What does the program need more than anything else?
Nightingale: Well, take a look at a lot of what is already out there. I think we can dwell on what is not there. My focus will be on what we’re going to do with it. Looking at the building (Moon Ice Arena). You are looking at the renewal. When you look at history, I match it up with anyone in college hockey. We need to be the place where every player on our team that comes and plays with us and wants to play in the National Hockey League believes in. I was fortunate to be with the best coaches. My mentors are the best coaches in the world. …I know I can help the guys get there. And I think that’s what Michigan is. It’s high end, it’s players (at a level). And we’re going out, we’re going to put together a team that develops players better than anyone else and we’re going to get the top players.
I just trained men of this recruiting age. They were young when Michigan State was winning. How do you feel about what the teenage recruits now at MSU think? How do you get them to see it differently?
Nightingale: I think one thing, for sure, is that the players want a relationship with their coach. They want to know that their coach views them as a person, first, and a player, second. They want to know that the coach has invested in helping them achieve their dreams within the team setting. And they want to communicate with them. I feel really confident, again, I don’t pretend to be a perfect coach, but if you ask the players who have played with me, I feel like I treat my players with respect. They know I coach them as if they were my son. This does not mean that it is easy. …Our practices this year were tough, really tough, like the hardest. And this is how it develops. And so we come back to the point about wanting to play in the National Hockey League. It’s really hard to get there. But this is our job as coaches, to model the development of practice. We will not have a short term vision. I think it’s important for kids to know that it’s myopic vision. … We will train hard and develop our skills and player development throughout the week. It won’t be lowered on Wednesday (with the game approaching). Because I have a long-term vision for its development.
I’ve been lucky, (with) my various stops, and then I think the game in the National Hockey League is really important. I think you have to figure out how to train (the) outstanding players, and you have to have experience with that. And not everyone has it. I feel lucky that I did. It’s not like I watched it on video, read a book, or went to a coaching seminar. I was on the bench and meeting the best players. …I (trained) the best 14-year-olds in the world (at Shattuck St. Mary’s in Minnesota) and all the way up to the best players (in the NHL).
How do you convince the fans, who have gone through so much loss and so many coaches over the past decade, that you are the number one?
Nightingale: I think this comes with time. I understand that people have different opinions. I’m more concerned about my reputation. I’m not perfect, but I think my reputation in the way I treat people, how I treat my players, how I treat my staff… it’s going to take time. I understand that. All I ask is that we need your support. We want Moon to be noisy, like the loudest in college hockey. And that’s our job to give you something to be happy about. I understand that and we’re starting to work on it now.
You are succeeding two coaches who have been great players, and they are both friends of yours. And they failed. So how do you wrap your arms around that?
Nightingale: Well, they were much better players than me. (joking aside) You know what’s cool, I spoke to Danton (Cole) for an hour yesterday and I think that says a lot about him and I think that’s what the Spartans do, you guys stick together. I know this is not easy. I don’t just sit on the sidelines and say like, “What are you doing?” I know this is really hard work. But I am grateful for what he did. I mean, I think it laid that foundation, you obviously saw the facility. And then when I think of Spartans, I think of humility and I think of class. And I thought of both when Danton took the time. I’m so excited. I understand where people will say (they have their doubts). It’s a tough job, but that’s why it’s one of the most sought after, and I think we’ll get it back where it should be.
You mentioned getting high-end talent. It is clear that the NDP often promotes itself. How do you go from that to having to be a seller?
Nightingale: I think I will go back to my unique background, to the places I visited. Not just there. And my reputation for developing players. The world of hockey is a small world and I feel confident in my reputation that way. It does not mean that I will not continue to develop as a coach. and I know that. That’s why when I put together a team, I don’t want guys yeah, I want guys who will push me and help me improve…(I) think my time in the NHL – if I was a kid, trying to make a decision and I want to play in the NHL, I think there’s a lot of merit to say, “This guy didn’t play there, he trained there. And he knows what they’re looking for.
What is your schedule for putting together a team and do you have some people in mind?
Nightingale: I have a few people in mind, but there have been a lot of people who have reached out to. My job now is to get the best players. This is the focus. I want guys who are passionate about helping people improve, on the subject of employment, have a passion for going out and connecting, have the ability to connect with a variety of age levels, that will walk into a rink with the Spartan logo on and do it with the class and do it with integrity. And I think there are some really good candidates out there and I’m starting to work through that now.
We’ve seen that with Mel Tucker in football, he’s kind of reconfigured his squad to have someone watch the transfer gate. Do you have ideas on how to not only manage the portal, but also how to manage people and scouts? Would you make a position for this type of role?
certainly. I think you want a guy who enjoys bread and butter and is well connected, well respected, and a great communicator. I think in hockey, advisors are a big part of the game. And I think it’s important to embrace that and understand that the counselor’s job is to advise the players to make the best decisions and put them in the best place, so that in the end the player gets paid. That’s when the consultant gets paid. We have the same goal as coaches. So I’m not a guy to push them (away). I work with them. We are on the same page. And so[the assistant coach]really needs to be respected in that regard. …I think now with where I’ve been (USNTDP), I mean you’re dealing with the best players, with top advisors and learning how to develop those relationships – and they know when they call me, I’m going to be honest with them.
What if you like anything about Alan Haller?
Nightingale: I think we trained the new hires together (in 2010). Not that we were close, but he was very professional. He was a police officer before and my dad was a police officer. So there is a connection there. I really liked his professionalism, and to meet him, Spartan hockey is really important to him. I wouldn’t have accepted the job (otherwise). … It was intense (in the interview process), and the resources he gave us now, 100% all involved.
What do you want the playing style and identity of the program to be?
Nightingale: I think you have to play the game quickly. Our identity will be really clear when you watch us. I think this is something about the Tom Izu teams, I think you can switch shirts and you’ll know it’s Spartan basketball. This is what we will do with our team. We’ll play smart, we’ll play fast, we’ll play hard.
Can you share some of your conversation with Izzo?
Nightingale: He was wonderful. repeatedly. I mean, you look at his gift ($1.1 million for the Moon Ice Arena project), I told him when I started (the interview process), no matter if you get this, I just want to tell you how good it was to us. I think this is where Michigan differs. Then Mel Tucker called me and said, “All you need, Adam.” And I think you can see Izu’s passion. He remembers when Spartan hockey was at its best. I don’t think a guy would give that much of his own money if he wasn’t excited about it. It’s beautiful, very cool.
Have you heard of Rick Comley (whom I played with at MSU)?
Nightingale: Yeah. This was very important to me. I contacted Coach Comley. He called me first and said, “Congratulations.” When I look at Rick, he’s a hockey legend in college. We were lucky to have him here. And he said to me, “I’ll be there to support you.” This means a lot to me. You can talk about this or that (how things ended), but I think that’s a big thing that we have to do as a group, as a graduate, is that we have to unite the group and be one. Whether you’re playing for this coach or that coach or you’re a good player, great, forward, whatever, you’re spartan.
more: Couch: Why Alan Haller and Jeff Blashel see Adam Nightingale as a perfect fit as MSU’s new hockey coach
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter: @graham_couch.
