Mike York, a collegiate All-American and a 10-year veteran of the National Hockey League, enters his seventh season with the Lake Superior State hockey program in 2023-24. In July 2021, York was promoted to Associate Head Coach and agreed to terms on a multiyear contract extension. Previously, York served as an assistant coach since joining the Lakers in July 2017.

In the most recent season, the team finished the season with a 9-25-2 record and an 8-17-1 mark in conference play.

In 2021-22, York helped guide the Lakers to a statement win, defeating then No. 1 ranked and eventual national runners-up Minnesota State on Nov. 26. The team finished the season with a 18-18-1 record, including a 13-14 mark in the program's first season in the newly reestablished CCHA. 

In 2020-21 the Lakers recent success continued as the program made its 11th all-time appearance in the NCAA Division I Tournament after receiving an automatic bid. The Lakers secured a place in the tournament after winning the 2021 WCHA Championship on Saturday, March 20 in a 6-3 victory over Northern Michigan. The year's accomplishments included a second place regular season finish in the WCHA standings, winning the program's first WCHA Championship, qualifying to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 25 years, posting the program's 1000th all-time win, and ending the season with the program's highest win percentage in 25 years. Lake Superior State finished the 2020-21 season with a 19-7-3 overall record and a 13-6-0 mark in conference play. 

During York's third season with the Lakers, the team posted a 14-23-4 overall record and a 11-14-4 mark in conference play. The Lakers held the seventh place spot in the WCHA standings to qualify for the playoffs for the second straight year with York behind the bench. 

In 2018-19, York was part of the coaching staff for the Lakers most successful season since 1995-96 as the team posted a 23-13-2 overall record and a 16-10-2 mark in WCHA competition. The 23 wins marked the highest single season total for the program since the 1995-96 season. Additionally, the Lakers eclipsed 20 wins for the first time since the 2006-07 season, recorded the program’s longest winning streak since 1996-97 (seven games), won the first Great Lakes Invitational Championship in program history and captured a WCHA playoff series win for the first time after defeating the Bemidji State Beavers in the Quarterfinals. 

In his first season with the Lakers, the team finished the season with a 10-22-4 record and a 8-17-3 mark in conference play. 

York joined the Lakers staff in July 2017 after returning to his alma mater, Michigan State, in a student assistant coaching capacity during the 2016-17 while he completed his degree requirements.

York, who was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Rangers in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, played 10 seasons in the NHL amassing 332 career points on 127 goals and 195 assists in 579 games.  York skated three seasons for the New York Rangers (1999-02), three with the Edmonton Oilers (2001-04), two for the New York Islanders (2005-07), one with the Philadelphia Flyers (2006-07), one with the Phoenix Coyotes (2007-08), and one for the Columbus Blue Jackets (2008-09).  

York was named to the 1999-00 NHL All-Rookie team after scoring 50 points with 26 goals and 24 assists in 82 outings for the Rangers.  He received a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, skating for Team USA and also played in the 2002 NHL All-Star Game as a member of the North American team.  

York’s most productive season in the NHL occurred in 2001-02 when he played 69 games with the New York Rangers before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers to finish the season (12 games). He tallied 57 points (18G, 39A) with the Rangers and four points with the Oilers (2G, 2A) to post 61 points in 81 games. York recorded at least 50 points in a single season four times during his NHL career.

A native of Waterford, Mich., York played in Germany for the Iserlohn Roosters in 2004-05 during the NHL lockout season and eventually would finished his playing career with Iserlohn, spending his final five (2011-16) seasons there.  He was bestowed with the honor of having his jersey number 78 retired by the organization.

Prior to his 17-year professional career, York was a two-time (1997-99) first-team All-America selection, a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist, and the 1999 Central Collegiate Hockey Association Player of the Year during his four seasons (1995-99) at Michigan State under Head Coach Ron Mason.  He garnered CCHA All-Rookie Team accolades as a freshman in 1995-96 before achieving honorable menton All-CCHA laurels in his 1996-97 sophomore year.  York helped guide the Spartans to both the CCHA regular-season and tournament championship titles in 1997-98 by scoring a career single-season best 61 points on 27 goals and 34 assists. His final season (1998-99) season in a Spartans' jersey featured a 54-point output (22G, 32A) as MSU not only won the CCHA regular-season crown for the second straight season, but advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four.  For his efforts, he also was tabbed the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward and MSU's Most Valuable Player to go along with his CCHA Player of the Year Award.  

York, who ranks 12th among MSU's all-time scoring leaders with 210 career points (79G, 122A) in 158 games, became the eighth Spartan men's ice hockey student-athlete to be inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame by virtue of his 2015 induction.  He earned a bachelor's degree in communications from MSU in 2017.     

York lives in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. with his wife, Aimee and their two children, Ivy and Connor.