Justin DeGriselles, an assistant coach at Hopkins the past five seasons, has been hired as the Royals' new head coach.
DeGriselles, 36, was the top assistant for Chad Nyberg, who resigned in March in anticipation of his family's move to the Willmar area at the end of the school year. He formally accepted the position on Friday, May 14.
"It's a great opportunity, something I think I'm ready for," DeGriselles said. "It's a great opportunity to to give back to the kids and the game I love. It's going to be fun. A lot of work, but a lot of fun."
DeGriselles, 36, and Nyberg were college teammates at St. Olaf. At Hopkins, DeGriselles directed the Royals' forwards during games but was heavily involved in all aspects of the program.
"I'm ecstatic," said Nyberg, who guided Hopkins to a 73-77-8 record in six seasons. "He is going to do great."
Despite the coaching change, DeGriselles will bring an element of stability to a struggling program that was looking for continuity when Nyberg was hired.
"We've had some good years since Chad took over the program, and I've been a part of it for the last five years," DeGriselles said. "We know the kids, we know the system, we know the conference.
"I think the kids feel comfortable with who their coaches are because they have dealt with them in the past."
DeGriselles, who works in sales Beloit, Wis., based Kerry Ingredients, said there won't be a major overhaul in the Royals' systems or playing style.
"For the most part, it's hockey," he said. "You are trying to stop the puck and you are trying to get it to the other end.
"We think a lot alike hockey-wise," Nyberg said. "Just the way we get things across is different."
Hopkins plays in the rugged Lake Conference, which includes defending state Class AA champion Edina, last season's No. 1-ranked team for all but a few weeks in Minnetonka and Wayzata, which beat Edina three times, twice skated to ties with Minnetonka and lost just three games.
The Lake gets even stronger next season with the arrival of 2009 state Class AA champion Eden Prairie, which will replace Robbinsdale Armstrong in the conference lineup.
"It's a battle every night, but I think it makes us stronger as coaches and as hockey players," DeGriselles said. "I think it helps us as we move to the (Section 6AA playoffs), because the section tournament isn't any easier.
Hopkins went 11-14-1 last season, losing to Benilde-St. Margaret's 6-5 in the section quarterfinals.
Included among the Royals' regular season games was a thrilling 3-2 loss to the U.S. Women's Olympic team and a dominating 6-0 triumph over Duluth Marshall outdoors in Hermantown as part of Hockey Day Minnesota.