Michigan hockey hires two new assistant coaches; promotes Rassey and Hall
On Monday morning, the Michigan hockey team officially announced the addition of two new assistant coaches to the program. Head coach Brandon Naurato has hired Mathew Deschamps and Kevin Reiter as assistant coaches.
Deschamps played his collegiate hockey at the University of Maine, where he helped the team to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Frozen Four berths. He graduated in 2005 and played five total seasons of professional hockey with the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League.
"Deschamps is one of the best defensive developers in the game of hockey," Naurato said. "His attention to detail on the technical and tactical aspects with the puck, and more importantly without the puck is next level. He'll run the penalty kill and the defensemen in-game and will help us take another step forwards in both areas."
Reiter joins the program from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He was the goaltending coach for USNTDP from 2013-17 before he was elevated to a director of player personnel role in 2017.
"Reiter has been the general manager and sole decision maker on picking the national development team for the last eight years," Naurato said. "He knows what high-end talent looks like, how to identify it and how to work with those types of players. Reiter will be a huge asset in supporting Rob Rassey in recruiting and roster management."
Deschamps and Reiter will combine to help coach the defense and goalies, an area in which Naurato says Michigan needs to improve.
"We believe that Michigan, in general, is all about player development," Naurato said in a press release. "Adding a full-time goalie coach, who will be there seven days a week will have a huge impact on our program. A great communicator and teacher, he'll not only develop the goalies of the future for Michigan hockey but identify the right goalies we need to target during recruiting."
"Last season we led the country in goals for," Naurato said. "And with the addition of Deschamps and Reiter, they are going to make the defensive side of our game that much better and it will have a huge impact on Michigan hockey."
Naurato also promoted former assistant coach Rob Rassey to associate head coach, while also promoting former video coordinator Evan Hall to a director of hockey operations role.
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