Minnesota State men’s hockey coach Troy Jutting made his first coaching hire in nine years Friday, and he believes he’s landed an up-and-coming assistant.

Jutting named Todd Knott, a young but experienced junior-hockey coach, to replace Eric Means on the Mavericks staff.

Last month, Means moved down the hall to become the MSU women’s hockey head coach.

“I’m extremely excited to have Todd on board,” Jutting said. “He has a lot of experience at the levels

where we recruit and he’s very well respected within the junior ranks.”

Jutting said Knott will be responsible for both recruiting and on-ice coaching, along with nine-year assistant Darren Blue.

A Red Lake Falls native and former Bemidji State player, the 30-year-old Knott has spent the last six seasons in junior hockey, most recently as head coach/general manager of the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League.

He was also associate head coach of the Des Moines Buccaneers from 2005 to 2008, helping lead that team to the USHL playoff championship in 2006, and spent two years, including one as head coach, with the now-defunct Fargo-Moorhead Jets of the North American Hockey League. In 2005, the Jets won the NAHL’s regular-season title and was runner-up at the Tier II national tournament.

But Knott said coaching in the college ranks has been a goal of his.

“Without a doubt,” said Knott, who was in Mankato on Friday looking for homes along with his wife, Angie. “I’m looking forward to working with kids for three-four years. In junior hockey, a lot of times, they’re one and done.”

Knott played at Bemidji State from 1999 to 2002 when he finished his degree in physical education. A forward, he had 14 goals and nine assists in 72 games, including a few against Minnesota State.

Jutting said he’s gotten to know Knott over the years as both have worked development camps for USA Hockey. Knott said he has long had a good impression of Jutting and the Minnesota State program.

“I’m looking forward to this,” he said. “I just think that, No. 1, Troy and Darren are good people. They work really hard, and they’re blue-collar.”

Knott said he has some familiarity with the Mavericks’ current roster. Forward Michael Dorr spent parts of three seasons in Des Moines when Knott was there, and Knott worked with defenseman Channing Boe while student teaching at Bemidji High School after college.