Tracing Dave Hakstol's Postseason Runs In North Dakota

Today's food for thought:

In Hakstol's 7 Frozen 4 appearances, he only won one game. It was in his first year, the season when he presumably had the least influence.

— Former Flyer™ Dan K (@dxkelley) March 22, 2017

Let's go season-by-season and see if we can find any #HakstolTrends. Hak took the UND job in 2004, and his first NCAA Tournament was the following Spring.

2005

Notable UND players: Drew Stafford (sophomore), Travis Zajac (freshman)
Result: lost in National Championship

The Fighting [Redacted] made it all the way to the final, where they got creamed 4-1 by Denver. That Denver team was led by Paul Stastny and Matt Carle, so it was unequivocally a good season for Hakstol's rookie year.

2006

Notable UND players: Chris Porter (junior), Stafford (junior), Zajac (sophomore), Taylor Chorney (freshman), TJ Oshie (freshman), Jonathan Toews (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

The semifinal loss came to Boston College, who had a team featuring goalie Corey Schneider, forwards Nathan Gerbe, Brian Boyle, and Stephen Gionta. It was a 6-5 final score, and I bet it's an all-time if someone can find me a copy of the game film.

Going forward though, Hakstol's big name guys are only going to get better and they'll definitely improve enough to win a cup with Oshie/Toews right?

2007

Notable UND players: Porter (senior), Oshie (sophomore), Toews (sophomore), Chorney (sophomore), Chris Vandevelde (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

They lost to Boston College (again) in a high-scoring affair (again). This was effectively the same BC team as the previous season, and they simply overpowered UND again.

2008

Notable UND players: Chorney (junior), Oshie (junior), Vandevelde (sophomore), Brad Malone (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

It was Boston College again, and BC scored six goals again, but this time Hakstol's Fighting Racism could muster just one goal. Toews had left for the NHL before the season started, and somehow Vandevelde wasn't able to fill his shoes.

This beatdown was especially hard to swallow because it meant Hakstol had essentially wasted his two years of Toews and three years of Oshie.

2009

Notable UND players: Ryan Duncan (senior), Vandevelde (junior), Malone (sophomore),
Result: lost in first round

I included Duncan this season because even though I don't think he's anything close to a household name - and he currently plays in Austria - he won a Hobey Baker, his godparents are Dany Heatley's parents, and the only other names I could have included were Travis Zajac's Younger Brother, Jonathan Toews' Younger Brother, and Ron Hextall's Son. 

This team managed to qualify for the tournament and then lose in the first round to a New Hampshire team that was led by South Jersey Native James van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel's Little Brother. 

2010

Notable UND players: Vandevelde (senior), Malone (junior), Brett Hextall (sophomore), Corban Knight (freshman)
Result: lost in first round

The "younger brothers and future Phantoms" squad lost to Yale, of all teams. The only name that I think I recognize from their roster is Mark Arcobello. But Boston College steamrolled everyone this tournament by a total score of 24-9. Maybe the trend here is that Jerry York is a significantly better hockey coach than Dave Hakstol.

2011

Notable UND players: Chay Genoway (senior captain), Malone (senior), Hextall (junior), Aaron Dell (sophomore), Knight (sophomore), Derek Forbort (freshman), Brock Nelson (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

Hey, some new names that you might have heard of if you're an NHL fan!

Aaaand they ran into Carl Hagelin's Michigan team and then they died. Luke Glendening and Greg Pateryn were also on that team, and they eventually lost the championship game in overtime, but it was another year of accomplishing nothing for Hakstol's Fighting Hawks (were they the Hawks yet?).

2012

Notable UND players: Dell (junior), Knight (junior), Forbort (sophomore), Nelson (sophomore), Rocco Grimaldi (freshman)
Result: lost in regional final

Erik Haula-Nick Bjudstad-Nate Schmidt-Mark Alt. That's the core that beat Hakstol before the Frozen Four even began.

Boston College won the whole tournament again.

2013

Notable UND players: Andrew MacWilliam (senior captain), Knight (senior), Forbort (junior), Drake Caggiula (freshman)
Result: lost in regional final

They lost to Yale. Kenny Agostino? Is he a name I recognize? That Yale team went on to win the whole thing, so I guess that's somehow a bright spot for Hakstol. 

2014

Notable UND players: Caggiula (sophomore), Troy Stecher (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

Credit where credit is due - Hakstol led a team with only one guy who will eventually contribute in the NHL to two tournament wins before eventually losing to the team that lost to Shayne Gostisbehere's Union team. 

2015

Notable UND players: Caggiula (junior), Stecher (sophomore), Nick Schmalz (freshman)
Result: lost in Frozen Four

Credit where credit is due - Hakstol led a team with only two guys who will eventually contribute in the NHL to two tournament wins before eventually losing to the team that lost to (Googles who was on the 2014-15 Providence hockey team) Mark Jankowski's team.

And that's it. That resume of postseason excellence got Dave Hakstol a five-year contract and a fuck-ton of money to come to Philadelphia.