Scott Sandelin, the winningest coach in University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey history, has accepted an assistant coaching appointment with the 2026 U.S. Collegiate Selects, the team that will contest the famed Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, this December.
Sandelin’s résumé reads like a championship chronicle: three NCAA titles (2011, 2018, 2019), twelve tournament appearances and six Final Fours, plus the development of four Hobey Baker Award winners, among them Max Plante, who captured the 2026 honor.
A Legacy of Excellence
He will work alongside veteran coaches Mike Souza and Casey Jones, forming a three‑man staff that blends experience with fresh perspective as the Selects prepare for a schedule that opens against Frölunda HC on Dec. 26, 2026, before a potential showdown with host HC Davos on Dec. 27 or 28.
The upcoming roster will feature 25 student‑athletes drawn from all six NCAA Division I conferences, including two Bulldogs — goaltender Adam Gajan and forward Zam Plante — who earned spots on the squad the previous December.
Sandelin’s own international pedigree dates back to 1982, when he represented the United States at the Spengler Cup as a player, giving him a unique perspective as both competitor and coach.
His selection underscores the tournament’s reputation as the oldest invitational hockey event, first staged in 1923, and highlights the growing bridge between collegiate excellence and global competition.
Beyond the ice, Sandelin’s appointment reflects the broader impact of Minnesota Duluth’s hockey program, a university that also fields teams in other sports and maintains a strong academic profile, as evidenced by its affiliation with peer institutions such as the University of New Hampshire, Cornell University and the University of North Dakota.