The 2010-11 season will be the third for Albie O’Connell on head coach Greg Cronin’s staff. Before joining NU two years ago, O’Connell most recently spent a season each as an assistant coach at Hockey East rival Merrimack College and the College of the Holy Cross. He played collegiate hockey at Boston University, where he won four Beanpots, the Hockey East Championship and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four twice.
At Merrimack, O’Connell worked primarily with the forwards and the power play while assisting in all aspects of the program. He assisted with practice development, personnel decisions and day-to-day operations. Under his guidance, the Warriors nearly doubled their goal scoring in the 2007-08 season and improved by nine wins in O’Connell’s season on the staff. He covered several important areas in recruiting and did extensive work in video breakdown as well.
O’Connell spent the 2006-07 season at Holy Cross, assisting in player development, recruiting and the day-to-day operation of the ice hockey program for one season under head coach Paul Pearl. The team had lost a lot from the season before, but still advanced to the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Hockey Tournament.
Prior to Holy Cross, O’Connell spent two seasons at Niagara University and one season at Colby College. He was assistant coach at Niagara from 2004-06, helping lead the team to a 35-33-3 record over that span. On the ice, O’Connell worked with the forwards, defense and power play. He also specialized in recruiting and game preparations.
At Colby during the 2003-04 season, O’Connell helped the team to a 14-7-4 record and the NESCAC semifinals. He focused on the day-to-day operations of the team and worked on recruiting.
In addition to coaching in the collegiate ranks, O’Connell has also coached extensively at USA Hockey since 2003. He has coached the USA Select 15, 16 and 17 teams at the national camp and has also coached at the Team New England camps. He spent the 2002-03 season serving as assistant coach for the Berkshire Prep School while also serving as the assistant dean of students and the student activities director.
As a player, O’Connell skated for Boston University from 1995-99 and spent three seasons in pro hockey. At Boston University, O’Connell compiled career totals of 42 goals, 66 assists and 108 points and posted 234 penalty minutes in 149 games. He scored nine goals and added 30 assists to lead the team in scoring as a senior captain in 1998-99.
O’Connell’s four years were a great stretch for Boston University. The Terriers made it to the NCAA Tournament three times and advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four twice. In 1997, BU won the Hockey East Championship with a win over New Hampshire and, in the NCAA Tournament, posted wins over Denver and Michigan to advance to the national championship game against North Dakota. The Terriers won four Beanpots in O’Connell’s four seasons.
O’Connell was a fifth-round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 1994. He played professional hockey for the Pensacola Ice Pilots (ECHL) in 1999-2000, Basingstoke Bison (British National League) in 2000-01, Atlantic Boardwalk Blues (ECHL) in 2001-02 and Cardiff Devils (British National League) in 2001-02. He was an All-Star selection in the British National League. In 127 pro games, O’Connell posted 54 goals and 78 assists for 132 points and had 94 penalty minutes.
O’Connell participated in USA Hockey camps for the Select 16 team in 1992 and the Select 17 team in 1993 and was in the Under-20 World Junior camp in 1995.
O’Connell graduated Boston University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in History.
