Guy Perron, the University of Maine women’s ice hockey coach the past two seasons, will replace Grant Standbrook as the recruiting coordinator/top assistant coach for the Black Bear men’s team.

“I’m really excited to be given this opportunity,” said the 40-year-old Perron, a four-year standout and two-year captain at Maine. “It was a tough decision to leave the women’s program, no question about that. The women have been very strong and everyone has put a lot of effort, discipline and sacrifice into it. At the same time, this was a great opportunity for my family and for me to get back in the men’s game.

“It’s going to be a big challenge. But I always look forward to challenges and things that need to be accomplished,” added Perron, who served as an assistant for the men’s team in 1991-92, 94-95 and 03-04.

Standbrook retired from his position after 18 years and will be the volunteer assistant.

Second assistant Campbell Blair left to become the first assistant/recruiting coordinator at the University of Alaska-Anchorage.

Lauren Steblen, the top assistant under Perron for two years, is expected to be named the interim head coach of the women’s program.

Kate Blair, Campbell’s wife, had been the second assistant but she has accompanied her husband to Anchorage.

So the men’s and women’s programs will have to hire a second assistant coach.

Perron will have his hands full because Maine is the only school in Hockey East that isn’t within a three-hour drive of an area that has a significant number of potential Division I players.

So Maine has always had to recruit all over North America and Standbrook was able to attract players who have led Maine to two NCAA championships, 10 Frozen Fours and a current streak of eight straight NCAA Tournament appearances. He has recruited 32 All-Americans at Maine.

Perron said he was indebted to head coach Tim Whitehead for giving him this chance and was quick to point out that Standbrook will still be very much involved in the program.

“I don’t see much change in how we approach recruiting,” said Perron. “We’re going to try to get the best players who will fit the Maine style of hockey.

“We’ll cover all the bases and, hopefully, get the best kids out there. We’ll bring in what we need to win a national championship,” said Perron, who was the coach and the general manager of the Chicago Freeze of the North American [Junior] Hockey League from 1997-2003.

“This is a great move for the university and for Guy,” said Whitehead. “He’s a fabulous person and an outstanding coach and recruiter. We worked together in 03-04 and we had a real good year. He did a fabulous job with the women’s program.”

Perron said the women’s program will be in very capable hands if Steblen, a 2002 Maine grad, becomes the head coach.

“She’s phenomenal. She has brought in two unbelievable [recruiting] classes,” said Perron. “She is really energetic and committed to the program.

“She’s a great fit for the program and she’ll continue what we started,” added Perron.

Steblen was a defenseman at St. Lawrence University before transferring to Maine. She spent two years as an assistant at Bemidji State (Minn.) before returning to Maine.