PHILADELPHIA – Don Lucia turns 56 in a few months and has coached college hockey for nearly three decades. His résumé includes two national titles, 650 victories and a bunch of All-America players.
The guy is pretty set in his ways.
That doesn't mean ''The Don'' can't be flexible, too, if needed. Doesn't mean he's averse to change or is unwilling to adjust his approach. Look no further than his current team.
The Gophers spent the majority of the season ranked No. 1 nationally and reached the NCAA Frozen Four because of the sum of their parts, not on the strength of a couple of one-and-done NHL hopefuls. A team that relies on its blazing speed also resembles a team built to win at the college level.
The Gophers most certainly possess some high-end talent, but the roster also reflects a deliberate tweak in Lucia's recruiting approach designed to provide stability in response to the gravitational pull of professional hockey.
A team flush with surefire NHL prospects is wonderful. Until they all leave school early.
Lucia made a conscious decision a few years ago to balance his roster with some "program" guys, players who could grow and develop and stick around for three or even four years.
He studied the success that Boston College has enjoyed with veteran rosters. That reinforced Lucia's belief that his own program needed a similar approach in order to withstand early departures to the NHL. It's OK to occasionally recruit players for specific roles.