An extended Q&A with CCHA Commissioner Anastos and Omaha Lancers Coach Hastings

Here are the extended interviews about senior goaltender Jeff Lerg with CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos and former Omaha Lancers head coach Mike Hastings.

CCHA Commissioner Tom Anastos discusses the impact Jeff Lerg has had on the CCHA.

The State News: How did you get to know Jeff?
Tom Anastos: I know the Lergs very well. His dad coached me when I was 15, so I’m very familiar with the family. I’ve watched Jeff progress and I’m not at all surprised by all of the attention he’s getting and the accolades. He’s everything you want in a college athlete.

SN: What makes Jeff so good in the net?
TA: It’s his commitment to preparation, from every regard. His fitness, mental preparation, and unbelievable work ethic have allowed him to overcome his lack of size. You don’t see many goalies under 5-foot-7 playing goalie these days. Plus he’s a heck of a teammate. It’s kind of like a pitcher in baseball — his teammates play really hard for him.

SN: What were your initial reactions when you heard he was going to be named captain?
TA: It didn’t surprise me. It’s a little unusual because he can’t interact in the same way that a skater can interact. But he’s established such a level of confidence in the coaches and team, that it wouldn’t be real if he wasn’t named the captain.

SN: How important is it to have a good goalie down the stretch of the season?
TA: If there’s one position to be hot, it’s that goaltender position. It is such a pivotal position because it’s the only position on the ice for the full 60 minutes. I really can’t say enough about how critical hot goaltending can be.

SN: Do you think other CCHA teams are weary to face the Spartans in the playoffs because of Jeff?
TA: As a former player and coach, you know that goaltending can be dynamic anywhere and anytime. If there is a goalie that can really change a game, you are always worried about that. It’s obviously been tough for anyone to score on him. I would imagine that is definitely something on the back of people’s mind when they play a team with a goaltender as good as Jeff.

SN: With Jeff being such a small goalie, how did you think he would do at the college level?
TA: I didn’t know he would have as big an impact as he’s had. I thought he would be good college goaltender and I expected him to do quite well. But he’s gone beyond my wildest expectations.

SN: Jeff and the MSU hockey team have been really involved in the community. What kind of impressions does that leave on the league?
TA: It’s awesome. It’s really grown over the years. Most of our guys weren’t overly involved years ago but now guys are really embracing and making commitments to these types of activities. It’s obviously great for the league. It’s a great reflection of schools and it’s great for those guys who are involved. It gives a better balance and better perspective when they get beyond their sport.

SN: Talk about your favorite memory of Jeff.
TA: I’ll never forget the save he made in the National Championship game on (Boston College forward) Brian Boyle. To me it was the play of the game — outside of the goal they scored to win it. Boyle flew across and Lerg caught it and just casually gave the puck up after the whistle blew. It was truly an unbelievable save but he’s made a ton of unbelievable saves. On the biggest stage at the most important time, he made a game-changing save that gave his team a huge chance to win. That will always be a save that I’ll remember for him.

SN: You mentioned that Jeff didn’t make a big deal about that amazing save. What does that say about his character?
TA: Well there’s lots of pressure on you as a goaltender. You always notice the guy that the puck went by. But he’s very humble and very self confident. He has all the characters of a high-end athlete. What makes him special is his humility. He’s very humble and he understands situations. The season they are having as a team, not every kid would react the way he’s reacting. It goes back to his character and his humility and how he’s trying to work with his teammates. He’s not pointing fingers or passing blame, but instead making the very best out of the circumstances.

SN: What do you think is going to be next for Jeff?
TA: You never know. There’s lots of professional hockey out there. I think someone will take a chance for him. The next level presents new challenges but I wouldn’t doubt him. I wouldn’t doubt his desire and the potential results.

SN: This season has been pretty tough for the Spartans. How do you think that will impact Jeff’s future in hockey?
TA: In some ways it’s probably drawn some attention because his abilities are being tested more. He’s being tested in a different way. I don’t think being on a subpar team is a factor. At the end of the day, professional organizations are going to put a lot of emphasis on size. NHL shooters are better than college shooters and they are quicker and more accurate. I would assume that many think he is a long-shot prospect. But I bet many said that about him entering college hockey, and midget hockey and basically all growing up. So you never really know.

Mike Hastings coached Jeff Lerg for two seasons as a member of the Omaha Lancers. Here’s what he had to say about his experiences with Jeff.

The State News: What is the first thing you think of when you hear the name Jeff Lerg?
Mike Hastings: I guess I would say class. He’s just a class act. To me that’s all encompassing — as a player, person, teammate, and friend. He’s just class. I’ve been coaching close to 20 years and hopefully I’ve had some impact on young men, but he’s had as much of an impact on me in the way he approaches his day-to-day life. He’s never taken a shortcut and in today’s society, I think that’s special.

SN: When did you first meet Jeff?
MH: He came to our tryout camp and he didn’t have the greatest camp and we had a guy coming back who was going to be our starter. Jeff walked into the room and said, ‘Hey, I want to let you know, I’m going to be fighting for the No. 1 job here.’ My first take was, ‘Right now you need to be fighting for a position here kid.’ He walked out of there and I thought he was either the cockiest kid I’ve ever met, or he’s going to be something special. But there was no arrogance to it at all. I’ve had other guys who said similar things but haven’t backed it up. I knew that wasn’t going to happen with Jeff.

SN: Did Jeff show flashes of leadership while on your team?
MH: He had an opportunity because our No. 1 goaltender made a couple mistakes discipline-wise and I told the team it was up to them if they wanted to keep him. One guy to benefit most from him leaving would have been Jeff, but he was the one to stand up in the locker room to say I think we need him. A lot of other guys would have sat silent or helped beat the drum to get him out of there. But not Jeff. He was a lead by example type guy. But when he spoke, because he wasn’t a loud, boisterous guy, people listened. I think that’s the most valuable type of leader you can have.

SN: When you first saw Jeff, how concerned were you with his size?
MH: It was a question. It’s a perfect picture on that you need to dig deeper than what is on the outside. It’s a perfect example, you cannot judge people by height, weight or looks. Nothing against MSU, but it’s pretty tough to argue, that if they don’t have Jeff they probably don’t win a national championship. But special people do special things. Few people in life have that tendency in the classroom, locker room and on the ice. He has a great gift at making people around him better. That is a really unique gift.

SN: What did you think of Jeff being named the captain of this year’s team?
MH: As these accolades keep coming, you are very happy for him. I was a guy that had an opportunity to coach him and it doesn’t surprise me at all. There is really nothing that surprises you anymore. He can handle it. It’s not easy, I’m sure it’s not easy at all. But he’s a guy I’d like to have on my bus.

SN: Is Jeff the best athlete you’ve ever coached?
MH: It’s pretty close. I’ve been fortunate to coach a lot of players. But I will say, Jeff is the complete package. If he’s not the best, he’s in the top couple for sure. He is such a special young man. He does so many things so well. As a coach, he helps you make the team better. You can say to your team, just follow him — just watch how he does things.

SN: How did Jeff cope with his asthma when he was with your team?
MH: He never made it an issue. A lot of people would have made it seem like a hurdle to overcome. From the first day to today, it never hopped in my mind to say ‘aww poor Jeff.’ He would not allow that to come into play. But it was just part of his day and part of his process. Anybody that has seen what he has to go through everyday just to put the equipment on has sincere appreciation for what he goes through. You always hear of guys who complain when they don’t feel 100 percent. I’d like to see them get in a car with Jeff. He’s an inspirational and very special player and young man.

SN: Where do you think Jeff will end up after this season?
MH: Nothing is going to surprise me. If he continues to do it athletically, it wouldn’t surprise me at all. The one thing I know, no matter what he chooses to do, he is going to be successful — whether that’s in the business world or in the athletic world. His value is much greater than what he just brings to the table on the ice. He makes everyone around him better and those people are hard to find. I don’t care what he does, I see him being successful. We were fortunate as a team and as a program, and Jeff took it from there. Anybody that gives Jeff an opportunity is never going to be disappointed.

SN: Freshman goaltender Drew Palmisano played for your team in Omaha as well as Jeff. How important do you think it was for him to come to MSU this season and learn from Jeff?
MH: Obviously those two goaltenders made me a better hockey coach. They are both special goaltenders. You’ve got to believe it was outstanding for Drew to see Jeff’s work habits and the attention he pays to detail everyday. I’m confident the torch will be passed on to Drew perfectly next season.