Robb Stauber to coach U.S. Olympic women's hockey team

As she watched the U.S. women's hockey team roar through the world championships, Laura Halldorson couldn't help but notice the similarity. The speedy, skilled Americans won the gold medal with a crisp attack based on puck possession — much like the style coach Robb Stauber emphasized during his time with the Minnesota Whitecaps.

Halldorson gave the Duluth native his first job as a head coach, handing him the reins of the Whitecaps — a non-salaried team of post-college players — in 2015-16. Monday, she was delighted by the news that Stauber will coach the U.S. women's team at the 2018 Olympics. One of the greatest goaltenders in Gophers history, Stauber, 49, will spend the next 10 months preparing the Americans for next February's Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

A Medina resident, Stauber inherits a program striving to get back to the top of the Olympic podium. The U.S. won the first Olympic gold medal awarded in women's hockey, in 1998, and has three silvers and a bronze since then.

He showed he could handle a difficult task in March, when he was head coach of the U.S. team at the world championships for the first time. In the wake of a bitter salary dispute, the Americans threatened to boycott the event and canceled their pre-tournament training camp. Stauber led them to two victories over Canada and their fourth consecutive world title, demonstrating the sure hand and supportive personality Halldorson has seen since she first worked with him in 2012.

"He has a great temperament," said Halldorson, the former Gophers coach. "What stood out to me is that he's a very, very positive guy, and he coaches that way. He's patient and smart, and he's good at reading players. He wants them to know he believes in them.

"I'm really happy for him. He earned this, and he deserves it."

Stauber, who is overseeing this week's national team selection camp in Florida, hopes the U.S. can break its gold medal drought.

"I'm just excited to help them come home with a different result. I know how badly they want to win a gold medal. I know they're working toward that dream. It's a burning desire of our players."

Hannah Brandt, a former Gophers star from Vadnais Heights who played for Stauber at the world championships, agreed with Halldorson's assessment.

"He is very even-keeled," Brandt said via text from the selection camp. "He encourages us to try new things and is OK when we make mistakes.

"He brings fresh perspective to all areas of our game, and has allowed us to play free and fast, in order to wear teams down."

The first goaltender to win the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey, Stauber played for the Gophers from 1987 to '89. His 10 seasons of pro hockey included four in the NHL with Los Angeles and Buffalo.

Last December, Stauber was elevated to head coach for a two-game series against Canada, replacing Ken Klee. He retained the position for the world championships in March and guided the U.S. to a 5-0 record, including a 3-2 overtime victory over Canada in the title game.