Former Michigan State hockey coach Ron Mason dies at 76
Ron Mason, who led Michigan State to a national title in hockey and won 924 games in a 36-season career behind the bench, has died.
Spartans assistant coach Tom Newton, surrounded by Mason's family Monday morning, confirmed that his mentor and friend died Sunday night.
Mason coached a slew of talented players who went on to the NHL, including Hobey Baker winners Kip Miller and Ryan Miller.
Mason was Michigan State's coach from 1979 to 2002, leading the Spartans to the 1986 NCAA national championship, and was the school's athletic director from 2002 to 2007.
"Coach Mason defined what it means to be a Spartan," Michigan State President Lou Anna K. Simon said in a statement.
Smolinski was drafted by Boston in 1990 as a first-round pick and went on to have 651 points in the league.