Noel played for the Admirals in 1987-'88 and served as assistant coach for the team from 1998-2002. After a change in staff last season, Noel spent his year as the East Coast Hockey League's Coach of the Year for the Toledo Storm, guiding his team to a 47-15-0-10 record.

When Admirals coach Peter Horachek was promoted to assistant coach of the Nashville Predators, the Admirals' NHL affiliate this year, the door was re-opened for Noel.

Noel, whose family stayed in Milwaukee while he was gone last year, is happy to be back.

"There is a lot of joy in our life right now," he said.

To start the season, Noel will have to contend with a team of new players and a roster that is constantly changing.

"We're in a state of a little bit of flux," Noel said. "But I really like the team that we've got now … We've got some youth, which I really like to work with, we've got good speed, and we have a good mix of young players and old players. I think we'll have good balance here."

One of the new additions to the team is defenseman Curtis Murphy, a 27-year-old acquired from the NHL's Minnesota Wild during the off-season. Noel said he looks to veteran players like Murphy, center Wyatt Smith, and goalie Wade Flaherty to provide a core group of leadership for his team

Murphy is optimistic in their ability as a team.

"It's a matter of coming together as a team," Murphy said. "Gelling, finding the right line combinations and the d-pairings … I think we've got a really talented squad and we just have to come together and put a good team on the ice."

Murphy is also confident in Noel.

Noel is "going to be a good player's coach … a guy you can get a long with, but you want to play for too," Murphy said.

Another player who will be counted on to exhibit leadership skills is last year's Rookie of the Year, Darren Haydar. In his first AHL season, Haydar scored 75 points (29 goals-46 assists) for the Admirals and led the team in goals scored, assists, multiple point games (21), game-winning goals (9) and +/- (+17). The AHL All-Star also finished first in scoring among AHL rookies and seventh among all league scorers.

If Haydar feels any pressure about following up his spectacular season, he does not show it.

"I try not to think about too many individual goals," he said. "I just want to help the team win. I don't put too much pressure on myself… it's a game of hockey and it's something I do, so no pressure there.

"We're going to have about five or six 20-goal scorers this year. It's going to be an exciting team and a high-scoring team. I also think hopefully we'll be a little more consistent.

"Claude is great, he's very energetic, very enthusiastic and he communicates with his players," he continued. "That's a great atmosphere for us."

The rest of the Admirals' roster continues to change on a day to day basis due to injuries and changes, both on the Admirals and in Nashville, but Noel is not worried.

"People ask how I can keep juggling the lineup, but I look at it optimistically," Noel said. "If someone gets the opportunity (to play in Nashville), it shows the others that they should work hard so they'll get the opportunity. Not only that, it opens up more ice time that the guy just vacated. I think it's a positive, not really a negative.

"Our biggest focus is not on the opposition. I'd rather focus on our own team. This is how we need to play. Our goals are to get better, to improve, to be effective, to be efficient."