Orlando Solar Bears coach Anthony Noreen finalist for St. Lawrence job

The Orlando Solar Bears may be searching for a new coach for the second straight offseason.

John Buccigross of ESPN.com reports Orlando Solar Bears coach Anthony Noreen is a finalist for the job at St. Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y.

Hearing Orlando Solar Bears Head Coach Anthony Noreen is a finalist for @StLawrenceU job. Before that in USHL (Youngstown). #cawlidgehawkey

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) April 20, 2016

Noreen has risen pretty quickly up the coaching ranks after ending his collegiate career in 2007. He went from an assistant at his alma mater at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL within four seasons. After four years and three playoff trips at the junior level with the Phantoms, the Solar Bears tabbed him to be their head coach with a new front office team with the Toronto Maple Leafs changing their management of the minor league system.

Noreen had to learn a lot on the fly for sure.

“I think you certainly have a respect for how good the hockey is,” Noreen said about what surprised him about his first year as a professional coach. “I had seen a couple games here and there but never really spent a significant amount of time watching ECHL hockey. When you see things that happen in practice, on the ice in games, plays that are made, saves that are made, you have a whole new respect for how good guys who make it to the top must be. You see some of the guys that we had this year who aren’t playing in the American League and aren’t playing in the NHL, it shows how good those guys at the top are and how special players they are.”

Noreen spoke to Orlando Sports Daily, Pension Plan Puppets and Pro Hockey News last week in a wide-ranging discussion about the previous season (more coming from that interview in the coming weeks). In that discussion he noted his excitement for the offseason and the summer and helping build the roster back up with a full offseason of work ahead.

It seemed like this opportunity at St. Lawrence came out of virtually nowhere. Noreen is reportedly one of three finalists for the job.

Chadd Cassidy, Anthony Noreen, & Mark Morris look like the top 3 candidates at St Lawrence for Head Hockey Coach. Interviews this week

— John Buccigross (@Buccigross) April 20, 2016

St. Lawrence went 19-14-4 last year, reaching the ECAC semifinals before losing to Harvard. The Saints failed to qualify for the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. The program is still under transition after the retirement of 22-year coach John Marsh in 2012. The next hire would be the second hire after Marsh’s retirement.

Marsh had eight NCAA bids and five ECAC titles in his 26-year run as head coach. It is a good program in a great conference for college hockey.

The Solar Bears last year went 33-30-4-5 and finished seven points out of the final Playoff spot. The only disappointing facet of the season was the team’s missing the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the first time in three years. Otherwise, Orlando successfully began building its organization up within the Maple Leafs system and growing players to move up through the ranks. They found some quality veterans midseason and went on some incredibly strong runs as the coaching staff and the team settled into a good rhythm.

Noreen certainly had a strong showing in his rookie season as coach. It would be tough for the Solar Bears to see him go and to have to rebuild with a new coach within the Maple Leafs system.