The confirmed facts are few. Rensselaer Athletic Director Ken Ralph was successfully vague at a Tuesday press conference, refusing to name any candidates.

“It’s wide open,” Ralph said. “We are looking for a motivator and an educator. We want someone who will have our guys charging out of that tunnel ready to play whether it is in front of 500 or 5,000 people, but will also maintain the traditions and academic excellence Dan established here.”

Ralph said RPI would like to conclude its search and hire a head coach in roughly five weeks, prior to the College Hockey Coaches Association spring meeting. However, doing so will be tough given Rensselaer has yet to establish a search or selection committee.

Finding interested candidates will likely be the easy part. Ralph confirmed he already has received several resumes via e-mail but would not give names. He confirmed he has several individuals in mind and that the search would include current RPI staffers, including men’s hockey assistant coaches Frank Bretti and Jeff Matthews. Women’s head coach and former men’s assistant coach John Burke will not be considered for the position as he and the athletic department work out a new contract.

“This will be an external and internal search,” Ralph said. “We will certainly be willing to talk to Frank and Jeff.”

Ralph would not commit to what type of coach he was looking for, saying age, stature, and style of play would not matter.

Bretti, who is running the Engineers’ day-to-day operations and does the majority of RPI’s recruiting, certainly has familiarity with the program and has previous head coaching experience at Iona from 1998-2003. He refused to comment extensively about the job opening.

“We will have to see where things go in the coming weeks,” Bretti said. “For now the focus is on Dan.”

Ralph refused to limit the search to strictly RPI alumni and the athletic department press release called the search “international.”

However, Ralph’s vagueness Tuesday has resulted in name dropping. Former NHL and RPI star Joe Juneau ’91 tops the list of notable and popular selections. Juneau has returned to RPI several times since retiring prior to the NHL lockout two years ago. Other RPI alums such as San Jose Sharks scout Graeme Townshend ’89 and Kevin Constantine ’81 also post noteworthy credentials.

Outside the alumni ranks, the names of Providence Assistant Coach Stan Moore and Union Head Coach Nate Leaman are being bounced around. Leaman, in his third year at Union, refused to comment on whether or not he would be interested in the RPI position or if he was happy with his current position. Instead he offered sincere regret in regards to Fridgen’s departure.

“I’m surprised and disappointed to see a guy of his character leaving our league,” Leaman, who led the Dutchmen to sixth in the ECACHL this season, said. “I enjoyed our battles over the past three years. He was a class guy and that reflected in his players’ play on the ice.”

Moore meanwhile was still in shock, only finding out during an interview that his “good friend” had resigned. Moore acted as Colgate interim head coach in 2003-04 guiding the Raiders to a 22-12-5 record.

“I’m shocked, and I’m just trying to process the information,” Moore said. “I feel sorry for Dan unless this is what he feels is better for himself and his family. Before I even think about how this affects me, I would want to talk to my friend and see how he is doing.”

A potential dark horse could also be Middlebury men’s ice hockey Head Coach Bill Beaney, who has produced eight NCAA Division III titles and has claimed the championship the last three seasons for the Panthers. Beaney was unavailable for comment.

However, this is mainly speculation and will end in five weeks when Ralph and the selection committee reach their final decision.