Abalan named Steel's head coach as Muse joins Predators' NHL staff
After leading the Chicago Steel to the USHL's Clark Cup championship, head coach Dan Muse is moving up to the NHL to become an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators.
Mark Abalan, the Steel's associate head coach, will take over as head coach of the Geneva-based club, team officials announced Friday.
Under Muse, the Steel set team records for wins (38) and points (81) while qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons and winning their first Eastern Conference title. In all, 23 players from the championship team earned NCAA commitments.
"I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that Larry Robbins gave me two years ago to become the head coach of the Chicago Steel," said Muse. "I am proud of what this organization has built over the past two years and I will cherish the memories and relationships that my family and I have made."
Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said he's impressed with Muse's energy and passion.
"He has worked his way up through the coaching ranks, first winning an NCAA title at Yale in 2013, then taking a Chicago team that had missed the playoffs eight straight seasons and turned them into the Clark Cup champions in just two seasons," Laviolette said of the 35-year-old Muse. "We are excited to welcome him to the organization."
Steel owner Larry Robbins said it's only natural that the team's championship has led to new opportunities.
"We measure success in three ways: the achievements of the team, the development of the players and the advancement of our professional staff," said Robbins. "Dan's leap from the USHL to the NHL is the fitting culmination to a season that brought our first Clark Cup Championship, fostered tremendous player development and advanced our two assistant coaches to NCAA Division I coaching positions. We are forever grateful to Dan for laying the foundation."
Abalan, 41, joined the organization last month. He served five years on the bench with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers, and was head coach of the Boys U16 team at Shattuck-St. Mary's prep school in Minnesota.