Hakstol moving on from ‘building process’ before Denver series

(Photo: Gabriella Chernoff/WCSN)

For Arizona State players and coaches, the past few weeks brought a changed dynamic and locker room. Acclimating to a new system often takes time, and head coach Dave Hakstol is well aware of that.

After holding a mini-camp in the Sun Devils’ bye week before their series at St. Cloud State, now is the time to translate that reconstruction onto the ice.

“I’m not big on the building process anymore,” Hakstol said. “We had our opportunity. We had our weekend off. So, right now, we have to do the things necessary for us as a team to go out and win games regardless of who that is against.”

After three weeks with Hakstol, ASU must put his readjusted blueprint into action. Hakstol isn’t starting from scratch, though.

Former head coach Greg Powers brought the Sun Devils to the Division I level 11 years ago and to the NCHC three years ago, setting the blueprint for tradition in the desert prior to his departure.

“You don’t tear down history. You don’t tear down tradition. You don’t tear down previous success. You respect it,” Hakstol said. “I have got just a ton of respect for the people that have done a lot of the hard work here. What we want to do now is, with a good plan in place, continue to elevate the program. There’s work to do.”

With two series under his belt, Hakstol’s 3-1 record marks a new era in Tempe, sweeping UMass Lowell and splitting ASU’s NCHC-opening series with St. Cloud State.

The special teams seemed to transition seamlessly, as the penalty kill and power play rank among the top 10 units in the nation. Against the Huskies, half of ASU’s goals from the weekend came on a man advantage.

While dominance on special teams could win the Sun Devils games, as it did on Friday against St. Cloud State, it could also indicate a lack of production at full strength.

However, Hakstol remains unfazed by this possible problem.

“5-on-5 have liked our poise regardless of situation of game or of momentum swings,” Hakstol said. “We’ve been able to calm down on the bench, understand what the next shift needs, and go out and do that, and push momentum back the right direction.”

Hakstol’s debut in the desert comes after two road series in three weeks, yet ASU’s upcoming opponent will be its hardest challenge yet. The newly-made team now prepares for its biggest test, facing off against defending national champion No. 4 Denver at Mullett Arena.

“They’ve had about as much success as anybody in the country over the past few years,” Hakstol said. “They’re extremely well coached. They’ve got a high level of skill. You know, in my opinion, they don’t do a lot of things that beat themselves.”

While ASU can’t rely on the Pioneers to lose the game themselves, they can rely on the crowd roaring behind them.

For the second time this season and the first time in almost a month, maroon and gold will paint the stands. Mullett Arena’s home crowd always brings an advantage, which Hakstol will experience for the first time behind the bench.

“I’ve been in this building before,” Hakstol said. “I’ve watched college games in this venue, and it’s awesome, fans are right on top of you. I’m just looking forward to the excitement of getting home.”

ASU’s fans are ready to be back in the arena, and the Sun Devils hope to display the same tenacity on the ice in a potential statement series.

Last time ASU was in Mullett Arena, the players on the rink were similar; however, the roster looks a little bit different now.

After only appearing in two games with ASU, third-year forward Nic Chin-DeGraves is no longer listed on the Sun Devils’ roster. The Penn State transfer tallied an empty-net goal and an assist in the team’s opening weekend against Lindenwood and has not skated in a game since.

“(Chin-DeGraves) took a short leave of absence. He was back with the team for a day or a day and a half. It was his choice to leave the team, and I don’t have much else to share on that,” Hakstol said.

With the stage set for this weekend and a fresh sheet of ice, ASU aims to put Hakstol’s adjustments and his brand of hockey into action against a dangerous opponent. Three weeks of preparation and four games under Hakstol now lead to the biggest series the team has had this year.

“They work hard,” Hakstol said. “They’re doing their best to pay attention to detail, and obviously there’s been a lot of detail that’s been thrown at them the last few weeks. But they’ve handled it well. They show up every day, they work. They give an honest effort.”