MTSU club hockey is bringing in more experience behind the benches with the hiring of assistant coach Tom Murphy.
Murphy brings over 13 years of experience throughout his coaching and playing career. He is currently the head coach of the Nashville Jr. Predators 18U team and will continue alongside his work at MTSU.
Murphy has an extensive background in ice hockey as he began his playing career in his home city of Detroit for Brighton High School. In his senior year at Brighton, he won a state championship title and continued his career at Central Michigan University. In his time at Central Michigan, Murphy set the program record with 91 points as a defender during his career.
‘Tom brings a winning pedigree to our team,” MTSU club hockey head coach JJ Murray said. “He recently won a national championship with the Jr. Predators U18 team.”
Murray and Murphy have built a strong professional relationship since Murray took the reins at MTSU. Several players on the current Blue Raider roster were coached on the Jr. Predators, including Jacob Schenk and Anthony Paponetti. These relationships will certainly prove valuable in team chemistry but also in recruiting.
With Murphy on board, MTSU strengthens its coaching staff and makes a direct connection to one of the state’s premiere youth hockey programs. Based in Nashville and affiliated with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, the Jr. Predators program offers significant opportunities to local talent.
Under his leadership, the team recently captured a national championship, a testament to the players’ skill and the quality of the program’s development pipeline. For MTSU, the connection to a quality program like the Jr. Predators is invaluable. Murphy’s hiring brings credibility to the Blue Raider program and opens the door to more exposure to potential recruits.
“I bring a lot of energy and a lot of, and this is super corny and very cliche stuff, but I bring a lot of passion and a lot of energy to the locker room, to the bench and to practice,” Murphy said.
The addition of Murphy marks another step forward for a program quickly becoming a destination for serious hockey talent in the southeastern United States. Although specific roles haven’t been discussed yet, Murphy brings a wealth of hockey experience, especially on the defensive side of the puck.
Looking to next season, expectations are on the rise for a program that finished within the final four of AAU Division II hockey. With a strong returning core, new leadership between the benches and growing recruitment, the Blue Raiders are setting their sights on a national championship.
“I don’t go into anything with just an attitude of just winning. It’s winning the whole f*****g thing,” Murphy said. “With all the stuff that JJ has already brought to the table, I think we don’t get beat in the semifinal. I think we win a national championship.”
With the offseason underway, the Blue Raiders are already making moves to make this upcoming season the best yet, both on and off the ice.
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