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It's the end of an era in St. Louis Park.

Special shout out to 14-Year Head Coach Tim Donahue and his long-time staff who have announced that this is their final season and are stepping down at the end of the year. Long-time #1 assistant Paul Olson and goalie coach Donnie Williams have been with Tim for 14 years (since the 97-98 season). 5 of the 6 coaches on the staff (varsity and JV) are St. Louis Park alumni.

Park was in the state tourney for Class A in 98 and 03 and has had several individual standouts over the years, but has fallen on hard times the last 5 seasons since Andy Sackrison, Tyler Pederson and Josh Swartout graduated with a strong class in 06.

Donahue coached for 7 years as an Assistant to John Barger before taking the head job in 1997. He is a 1987 St. Louis Park graduate. He along with Olson have two boys in the youth program in St. Louis Park. He teaches at the High School. They will remain active coaching in the youth program and Donahue will continue to serve on the board which he has for several years.

Olson and Williams have been honored in the past as "Coach of the Year" in Section 5A several years ago and Williams was named the Assistant Coach of the Year in 2010 statewide.

This was posted on Hockey Hub from a story on the SLP Patch online paper today. Shjon has run our summer training for Mites-High School the last few years. Great person

Former NHLer Shjon Podein said he would be interested in the job if it was offered to him.

Shjon Podein poses with the Stanley Cup Trophy during a 2009 charity tour. Podein, who played in the NHL for 10 years and now resides in St. Louis Park, could be in line to become the next St. Louis Park High School boys hockey coach.

Shjon Podein, who played in the NHL for a decade and won a Stanley Cup in 2001, could be in line to become the next coach of the St. Louis Park boys hockey team.

After Tim Donahue announced about a week ago that this would be his 14th and final season as head coach, speculation about Podein — who lives in St. Louis Park with his wife and two kids — began to brew. Donahue said it’s more than just rumor.

“I’m not a betting man,” he said, “but I’d definitely place a bet (on Podein being the next coach)."

While St. Louis Park athletic director Andy Ewald said he couldn’t discuss any potential candidates for the opening, Donahue said he’s talked with Podein about the job the past few years, as Donahue said he started thinking about stepping down a while ago to spend more time with family.
Podein said he didn’t want to get ahead of himself, but he did acknowledge a definite interest in the position.

“If this does happen,” Podein said, “I’d be very excited for the opportunity.”

Ewald said a formal job posting will go up as soon as the season is over, and he would then like a new coach picked within a month. Unless the 1-15 Orioles make a remarkable turnaround, the season will end in the sectional playoffs in late February.

Podein, who is from Rochester, Minn., and played college hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, moved to St. Louis Park four years ago. He and his wife, who grew up in St. Louis Park, have two young children, and Podein said he would like to settle down here — and hopefully settle into a coaching role.

“If this is a position that does come up, it won’t be me coming in for a year or two and putting my stamp on it,” Podein said. “We’re trying to build for 10 to 20 years. That’s what we’re talking about.”


Podein and Donahue have gotten closer over the past two years as Podein has taken over the local summer youth hockey programs. Donahue said it was a conscious move on his part, as he wanted to gradually ease away from coaching. He said he also began talking to Podein about taking over for him when he did step down. Recently, those talks got more serious.

“Last winter, I threw it out there. I was riding him about it,” Donahue said. “Finally, this year, he said, ‘Whenever you’re ready.’”
Added Donahue: “He’ll do marvelous things with this program.”

This is great news for SLP so far. Hopefully if he does decide to coach the team it won't too little, too late for that program.

it's always nice to see someone like Shjon looking to get involved in high school hockey.

It speaks volumes to what it means to the kids growing up, I'd sign him up post haste!