Gophers reward Bob Motzko with bigger deal than Wisconsin gave Mike Hastings

When Wisconsin lured men's hockey coach Mike Hastings from Minnesota State Mankato this past March, he received a higher salary than Gophers coach Bob Motzko.

Now, Motzko makes more again.

Hastings received a five-year contract at Wisconsin worth $700,000 per season, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

And now Motzko will make $750,000 each season — base salary, plus payment to his retirement fund — under the terms of a contract extension he signed this week. He was previously set to make $665,000 this season.

His contract, obtained by the Star Tribune, runs through 2027-28. Motzko, 62, led the Gophers to back-to-back Frozen Four appearances, including last season's NCAA championship game loss to Quinnipiac in overtime, and won the Spencer Penrose Award last season as Division I men's coach of the year.

Hastings won three Penrose Awards at MSU and led the Mavericks to two NCAA Frozen Four appearances. Wisconsin was off to a 9-1 start this season and No. 1 national ranking before the Badgers were swept by Michigan State last weekend.

Hastings was making far less at MSU before Wisconsin hired him to replace Tony Granato, who made $600,000 last season, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. Hastings' deal with Wisconsin includes built-in $25,000 annual raises.