Hobart College Head Hockey Coach Mark Taylor recently announced that Mark Phalon has been hired as the Statesmen’s assistant coach for the 2015-16 season. Phalon replaces Sean Flanagan, who accepted a position on the UMass Lowell hockey staff.
“This is a very good career move for Coach Flanagan,” Taylor said. “He’s with one of my best friends and one of hockey’s best coaches. I can’t thank Sean enough for the work he’s done here. He has impacted our program and factored into our league championship, NCAA tournament appearance and players’ individual successes.”
“I’m excited to have the opportunity to hire someone with Mark’s experiences not just for what he can bring to the team and players individually, but also to our staff. The coaches that he has worked with in the NHL, AHL and at the NCAA Division I level are all highly respected and a couple I’ve known well for years –their recommendations made it an easy choice.”
Phalon comes to Hobart after working for two years as the video coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ organization. After the 2013-14 Toronto Marlies captured the AHL’s North Division regular-season championship and a berth in the Western Conference finals in the Calder Cup playoffs, he was promoted to the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs. There he handled pre-scouting and preparation of team video for individual and team teaching concepts, as well as in-game video. Phalon was used on ice for practices when needed and was a key coaching staff member for the Maple Leafs’ prospect camp.
“Mark Phalon was one of my favorite people to work with during my time in Toronto,” said current Buffalo Sabres defenseman Cody Franson. “When I step back and think about it, you could say that for not just my time in Toronto, but my whole career. He’s very knowledgeable to the game. Not only as an “X and O’s” guy but a guy who understands how to manage a group mid-game. Mark understands the importance of balance between being your coach and being somebody you can easily approach and develop a relationship with. This is not a quality that’s always easy to find in a coach and he manages it well. ”
Phalon also served as the Northeastern University director of hockey operations from 2008-2013. While with the Huskies, he assisted with practice planning as well as recruiting and hired and managed a student staff for game day operations. During his time at Northeastern, the Huskies made the 2009 NCAA Mid-West Regional in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and went to the Hockey East final four in 2009 and 2011. Phalon also worked at St. Lawrence as the video coach for the men’s hockey team from 2003-08. In 2007, the Saints won the Cleary Cup as the ECAC regular season champions and earned a berth in the NCAA East Regional in Manchester, N.H. In addition, Phalon brings coaching experience from numerous individual, prospect and college camps and showcases.
The Statesmen begin the 2015-16 season on Oct. 30, when they travel to take on Babson in a non-league game at 7 p.m.
