It was already assured that Hamline’s men’s hockey team would have a new look when practice starts next week. New head coach Doc DelCastillo has now detailed how new a look his coaching staff will have.

DelCastillo announced that Dave Dochniak, Scott Meyer, Tim Ostroot, Kasey Yoder, Sam Eccles and Mitch Ryan will serve as assistant coaches for the 2012-13 season. In addition, Michaela Olson has been named an Administrative Assistant. “I am excited to get on the ice with the guys and with our players,” DelCastillo said. “We have a lot of work to do and a short time to do it in. But this staff has a wide variety of experience and ability. That will make the transition easier.”

Eccles, Ostroot and Yoder have previous HU ties. Eccles served as an assistant with the Pipers last season. Ostroot, who works in the admissions office at the school, spent six seasons as the chief recruiter for then coach Scott Bell (2005-11). He helped find many of the players who would form the nucleus of the team’s MIAC championship and NCAA appearances.

Yoder played hockey and football for two seasons at Hamline before transferring to Augsburg to concentrate on the latter sport. He spent two seasons working with Duluth Marshall’s program and has been coaching in the junior ranks for the past three seasons.

Dochniak was the head boys’ hockey coach at St. Paul Harding for 13 seasons. He has been the head coach for the Minnesota Blades AAA team since 2003.

Meyer, who will coach the goalies, played 89 games at St. Cloud State and then three years professionally in the East Coast and American Hockey Leagues (2001-04). He comes to the Pipers after working in the USHL for the past three seasons.

Ryan played for Minnesota-Duluth and St. Cloud State. His hockey coaching pedigree includes time spent working at Orono High School and with the Upper Midwest High School Elite League.

Olson served as the Housing and Academic Coordinator at Alexandria (NAHL) while DelCastillo was the head coach there.

The Pipers hit the ice for their first official practice Monday, October 15. They open their season with a pair of games at the MIAC Hockey Showcase at Fogerty Arena in Blaine. Hamline will face Gustavus Adolphus on Friday, October 26 at 5:00 p.m. They will play Concordia on Sunday, October 28 at 2:30 p.m.