The D-II NIU hockey team has a new boss behind the bench after former coach Greg Chromy did not have his contract renewed after two seasons with the team.

The Huskies finished the 2011-12 season with a record of 11-19-2-1, failing to make the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs.

“We didn’t reach the goals that we had hoped to attain,” said Brett Wheeler, Huskies hockey club president. “By the end, I think we wanted to do a lot better than we had.”

NIU hired Chuck Rinaldo as its next coach. Rinaldo spent the last six seasons as the hockey coach at Deerfield High School.

Ian Kalanges, NIU hockey club general manager, said there were a couple of things that set Rinaldo apart from the rest of the candidates.

“I guess one is his background of playing,” Kalanges said. “He had played at the NCAA level in college and grew up playing high-level AAA hockey before that, and then after that, his success with the programs he has worked with. The high school team he was with has won two state championships in four five years, I believe. Two state championships in five years.”

Rinaldo, who has spent almost a decade coaching at the high school level, said NIU was the perfect fit for him.

“I think they’ve shown some decent success and some growth, and I feel like with my knowledge and ability, I might be able to continue that upward growth that they’ve had,” Rinaldo said. “They’ve got some good players. It seemed like a good challenge and a good opportunity to fit in.”

Rinaldo said all of his teams have a few certain traits that he tries to instill.

“I believe in hard work and discipline and being a student of the game,” Rinaldo said. “No matter how much hockey you have played and where you’ve played, there always is more to learn.”