Stars' coach Johnson quits

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BY BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

It seems a new face could be seen in the Lincoln Stars’ locker room nearly every week of the season.

In the world of junior hockey, there is never a Magic Johnson or Larry Bird who becomes synonymous with a franchise. If you’re a great player in the United States Hockey League, you’re often gone the next season.

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Steve Johnson, the only coach the Lincoln Stars have had in their 11-year existence, announced Wednesday that he was quitting and heading back to his home state of North Dakota. (LJS)

Steve Johnson, the only coach the Lincoln Stars have had in their 11-year existence, announced Wednesday that he was quitting and heading back to his home state of North Dakota. (LJS)

But in 11 seasons of hockey in Lincoln, there has been one constant — Stars coach Steve Johnson.

That, however, will change next season, as the team announced Wednesday that Johnson had resigned as coach and general manager.

He will return to his hometown of Grand Forks, N.D., and work  for a family business. Johnson was an All-American at North Dakota and has extensive family in the area.

The only coach in the history of the franchise, Johnson led the Stars to overwhelming success after some wondered how hockey would fare in this football land.

Now, though, the Stars routinely are among the best in the league in attendance, and Stars bumper stickers have become a common sight.

“It will be really different seeing somebody else behind the bench — Steve’s been the face of the Lincoln Stars for 11 years,” Stars president Jim Pflug said. “He was so integral to the success we had in the early years on the ice, and that translated into success in the turnstiles.”

Johnson’s resignation is not that surprising. In recent years he has applied for coaching jobs with the men’s hockey team at North Dakota, and this spring Johnson was a candidate for the head women’s coaching job at North Dakota.

While he’s had other offers, Johnson has always said there were few places he would leave other than Grand Forks. The move will allow his two young hockey-playing sons access to year-round practice time in a place where hockey is king.

Johnson and his wife, Nancy, have three children — Ellie, 14; Luke, 12; Max, 6.

Johnson is looking forward to catching up on time he’s missed with his family while on bus trips to places such as Green Bay, Wis. Coaching in the USHL is a grind like few sports, with a 60-game regular season and playoffs that stretch eight months.

“This is real tough,” Johnson said. “I will say a big part of the decision is also being in the league for 12 years, I’ve got a little burned out on it. I hate to admit that — but I’ll be honest. I didn’t feel I was doing the job with the energy that’s required in this league. That probably weighed 50-50 with the family.”

Johnson said he has no immediate plans to be a volunteer coach. While he won’t rule out a return to coaching, he said it seems unlikely.

Still, Pflug said it was obvious Johnson was torn with the decision.

“He’s a guy who is not easy to understand completely what he’s feeling, because he does a good job of hiding that,” Pflug said. “But it was pretty apparent how much the fans, players, owners and staff have meant to him.”

The search for Johnson’s replacement began immediately. Pflug said just hours after announcing the opening he had heard from eight people who said they planned to apply — including a former Lincoln player.

The job will be highly sought-after, with former USHL head coaches, NCAA Division I men’s assistant coaches and past Lincoln Stars assistant coaches all possibilities.

Pflug says he had previously prepared for a search, and has a list of candidates, which might include current USHL coaches. He hopes to name a coach within four weeks, and Johnson will remain with the Stars through their upcoming tryout camp.

A new coach will cause apprehension for some returning players that were drafted by Johnson.

“I’m disappointed to see Coach Johnson go — you can learn a lot from a guy like that,” Stars forward Jason Gregoire said. “But it’s also exciting to see who they’ll hire. I’m sure they’ll get a great coach — they’re not just going to pull some guy off the street.”

Johnson said he’ll always have fond memories of his time in Lincoln. He’s grateful for how well his family and players have been treated by the fans and in the community.

He admitted it will be tough not being on the bench on a Friday night at the Ice Box.

“The part I’ll really miss is  game night,” Johnson said. “The hour before the game, and the 2½ hours of the game is something I’ll never be able to duplicate again probably in athletics.

“But hopefully I can duplicate that with the enjoyment I get spending that time with my kids — spending time trying to make them better hockey players and students, and enjoying their vacations more.”

Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7431 or bwagner@journalstar.com.