Mavs Hire a #2: Former Player Mike Gabinet Named Associate Head Coach

Mike Gabinet (photo courtesy of NAIT Athletics)

A little less than two weeks ago on this blog, Jon posted his "Six Possible Candidates for UNO Hockey's Coaching Vacancies." Today, it was announced that one of the six will become associate head coach for the Mavs.

Former Maverick Mike Gabinet (pronounced Gab-eh-NET) will become the associate head coach of the Mavericks.

"Mike is an outstanding coach who has had great success as both a head coach and assistant at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology," said Mavericks head coach Dean Blais in a news release. "He impressed us right away with his knowledge and passion for the game and as an alum, he's all in with what it means to be a Maverick."

Gabinet recently wrapped up his first season as the head coach of NAIT, leading the team to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference Championship with a perfect 36-0 record. He was the first rookie head coach to guide his team to the conference championship since 2005-06 and the first rookie head coach in Canadian college hockey history to guide his team to an undefeated season. Gabinet was named the ACAC Coach of the Year.

Gabinet played four seasons for the Mavericks from 2000-2004 and was a solid, standout defenseman. He played in 130 career games, netting six goals and 41 assistats -- a mark that still ranks ninth all-time in scoring for UNO defensemen. Gabinet was also a team leader, serving as an alternate captain during the 2003-04 season. Drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in 2001, he played professionally in the AHL, ECHL and in Europe before starting his coaching career in 2012.

An assistant coach with the Ooks, Gabinet faced his former team as a coach in the exhibition opener during the 2014-15 season. His Ooks soundly beat the Mavs 4-0.

"I am really excited to come back to Omaha and share this great community with my family," said Gabinet. "I am looking forward to working alongside Dean and his staff in helping our student-athletes, the team and the program continue to grow."

He also apparently looks really nice in a suit.

Here's hoping that Gabs is given the opportunity to build a stronger relationship between the coaching staff and hockey fans. It's been several years since the UNO coaching staff has done any significant outreach to season ticket holders and fans. While he's a great guy to talk with, that's just not Dean Blais' thing. Because Gabinet is very recognizable as a former player (and a very tall one at that -- 6' 3"), he could play a role in fan outreach because he is recognizable, in strong contrast to several of the previous assistant coaches. He'll also be able to provide insight into the UNO Hockey community, culture, and college experience for prospective student-athletes, something that we think is essential in recruiting. Ask almost any #oldbull and they will tell you that Omaha's support of the team and players distinguishes it from other programs.

Combine that with top-notch facilities now available with the opening of Baxter Arena this past season (it will be back to normal after last night's fire by the time the 2016-17 season rolls around) and the Mavs are setting themselves up for a bright future.

Related Story Links:
OMavs.com news release
Omaha World-Herald story about the Gabinet hire
Gabinet Wikipedia page