Vintage Minnesota Hockey - History

Brendan’s head coaching career began in 1994 and ended in 2018 with an honorable record of 418-252-21.  He began at Duluth Central, where he led the team to the State Tournament in 1996 in “Cinderella Story” fashion.  Following that season, he began coaching at Duluth Marshall, where the team had a record of 8-91-1 over the previous five seasons.  Due to his dedication to his teams, he led the Hilltoppers to State Tournament with appearances in 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, and 2013. T hey played in three state championship games, won one 3rd place trophy, and one consolation championship.  Following each season, Brendan would enthusiastically prepare for the next, which was a guiding factor for each student athlete that walked into the locker room year after year.  Even when faced with the adversity of losing three consecutive state titles, he made it a point to motivate everyone around him to bring their best effort into each season. Brendan was also awarded the 3M Excellence In Coaching Award in 2006 and 2009 and the Section Head Coach of the Year in 1996, 2005, and 2007.  Beyond the decorated success on the ice, Brendan had a passion for being an integral part of current and former players’ lives.  The relational aspect of being a coach was his biggest strength. Some words used to describe Brendan by his former players are "impactful, great mentor, influential, profound, supportive, cherished, motivating, amazing man, larger than life, passionate, knowledgeable" and much more.  Many fondly remember his locker room presence to be that of positivity and excitement.  The three principles that were the backbone of his direction for young players were: do what’s right, do your best, and care about others.  These messages will forever exist as Brendan’s legacy as a coach, father, husband, brother, son, colleague, and friend.  Brendan played a fundamental role in Duluth’s hockey community.  In 1999, he spearheaded the construction of the Mars Lakeview Arena, Marshall’s first hockey facility.  He was committed to creating a space that was safe, comfortable, and accessible within the northern region of Minnesota.  In 2018 he received the James Padgett Memorial Award from the Minnesota Ice Arena Managers Association for The Achievement of Excellence in Ice Arena Management and Operations.  Unfortunately Brendan’s coaching career was cut short with an untimely death in 2021 after a 3 year long battle with cancer.  His family, friends, and hockey community can’t help but wonder what would have been next in his career but will always admire the remarkable achievements of his 25 seasons of coaching and molding the characters of young men.

Dan Forsythe was raised in No. St. Paul and played Football, baseball and hockey.  He went on to play baseball and one plus years of hockey at the U of M.  Herb Brooks, guided him into his hockey coaching career.  Dan and his wife Kari have called Forest Lake their home for the last 39 years where they raised their children, Aaron, Amy, and Kristi.  They are blessed with 7 grandchildren.  Dan Forsythe served as a high school hockey coach for 36 seasons.  His coaching career was headlined by 16 years as the Head Coach at Forest Lake High School.  In the wake of his time as a Head Coach he spent another 10 years as an Assistant Coach between the Ranger’s girls and boys’ programs.  Dan earned a reputation as a relational coach and his ability to develop rapport with students coincided with the significant growth of hockey in the Forest Lake community.  Dan collaborated with several other Minnesota High School Hockey Coaches and Herb Brooks as Forest Lake was one of the pioneering communities to offer a Satellite Training Program (STP) to its members in the early 90s.  By the end of his Head Coaching tenure the emphasis on skill development had been paying significant dividends for players in Forest Lake as the community experienced a boom in alumni playing high-level collegiate hockey and beyond. Prior to his time behind the Rangers’ bench Dan served as the Head Coach at St. Peter High School for 6 seasons and had stops as an assistant coach at White Bear Marnier and Tartan High School.  In all of his coaching posts Dan Forsythe was able to provide a transformational experience for his community, hockey players and their families.

•  1976-77: Tartan - Assistant
•  1977-78: White Bear Mariner - Assistant
•  1978-1984: St. Peter - Head Coach
•  1984 - 2000: Forest Lake - Head Coach
•  2002 - 2006: Forest Lake - Assistant (girls)
•  2006 - 2012: Forest Lake - Assistant (boys)

Jim has been a contributor to the Raider hockey program for forty five years, first as a player then as a coach.  After Cretin High School, The College of St . Thomas and the Univ. of Minnesota, ONeill began his coaching career in 1979.  He was Varsity assistant for three years before taking over the head coaching position.  His teams consisted of many multiple sport athletes that were always ready at section time.  The Raiders won multiple conference titles, played in twelve section finals, making it to State three times and the Raiders won the 2006 State AA Championship.  His teams won over 500 hockey games.  Jim also coached the Raider Baseball team where they won five State Championships.  O'Neill also has been inducted as a member of the Minnesota State Baseball coaches Hall of Fame.

After a four year playing career at Augsburg College, now Augsburg University, playing for the legendary Ed Saugestad and Mark Wick, Todd Weisjahn immediately started his coaching career in 1995 under the tutelage of Bruce Johnson at Armstrong High School.  His first head coaching gig came at Orono in 2003.  He helped guide the Spartans to a trip to the Xcel Energy Center and a state runner-up finish.  He was awarded both Section Head Coach of the Year as well as Class A Head Coach of the Year for the 2003-04 season.  After a two year stint in Orono, Weisjahn accepted the head coach position at Armstrong High School in Plymouth.  Todd was also honored as Section 6AA Heach Coach of the Year in 2012.  After leaving AHS and joining his brother-in-law, Aaron Johnson at Orono, he took a position at Rogers High School under Justin Strunk as an assistant coach.  He exercised a teaching sabbatical to coach in Grafing, Germany for EHC Klostersee serving as an Assistant Coach in the Oberliga as well as coaching youth teams for the club.  Returning from Germany, Weisjahn took over the head coaching position at Rogers and coached for three seasons.  He left in 2019 so he could attend more of his two sons’ games.  Until he returns to the high school level, Todd continues his love of coaching each summer at Buffalo STP as well as a coaching lead for the Armstrong/Cooper Mini-Mite program.

Playing Experience:

•  1990-1994 Augsburg College - 4 year Letter Winner - Assistant Captain

Coaching Experience:
(28 total years, 24 High School, 1 Germany, 3 years Mini-Mites)

•  1995-2002 - Armstrong HS - Assistant Coach -Helped implement Minnesota Hockey’s first Satellite Training Program (STP)
•  2002-2003 The Blake School Assistant Coach
•  2003-2005 Orono H.S. Head Coach
•  2004 Class A State Runner-Up
•  2004 Section 6A Coach of the Year
•  2004 Class A Head Coach of the Year
•  2005-2012 Armstrong H.S. Head Coach
•  2012 Section 6AA Coach of the Year
•  2012-2013 Orono H.S. Assistant Coach
•  2013-2015 Rogers H.S. Assistant Coach
•  2015-2016 EHC Klostersee, Germany Oberliga Assistant Coach
•  2016-2019 Rogers H.S. Head Coach
•  2019-Present Armstrong/Cooper Youth Hockey Association Mini-Mites On ice Skills Instructor