If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
That was the message from USA Hockey on Friday, in announcing that Bob Motzko would return as head coach of the U.S. World Junior team in 2018.
Motzko, the head coach at St. Cloud State, comes back for another kick at the can after winning it all last year, capping things off with a thrilling shootout victory over Canada in the gold medal final.
It was the United States’ first tournament win in four years.
“It’s terrific to have this staff return with Bob at the helm,” USA Hockey’s Jim Johannson said, in a release. “We’re looking forward to having the tournament on our home soil and it will be a real benefit to have an experienced coaching staff lead us in our quest to repeat last year’s gold-medal performance.”
Behind the bench, Motzko will be joined by the entire 2017 U.S. coaching staff in assistant coaches Greg Brown, Grant Potulny, Kris Mayotte and Steve Miller.
The ’18 Juniors begin on Dec. 26 in Buffalo, NY. This year’s tournament will be extra special, as the U.S. and Canada will play an outdoor game on Dec. 29 from New Era Field.