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UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Chairs?

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  • #16
    Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
    "Hike across the street" ... jeezus, you make it sound like they're climbing frickin' Everest. I'm sure it's a longer "journey" to the rink from their dorms, I think the poor dears should be able to handle an extra 200 yards across the street ... ... maybe we can get them a designated crossing guard while we're at it.
    "I am so old that I remember when......." UNH played their hockey games in the outdoor Batchelder Rink, with the locker rooms and showers across the parking lot in what was then named New Hampshire Hall (not sure about the name now?). UNH hockey became Div 1 in 1963, after they had recruited Dude Thorn (RW) and Brad(en) Houston from Ontario, Canada, eh. Those two guys were seniors in 1965-1966 season, when I saw Houston score the first UNH goal in Snively with a booming slap shot from the point (completes the trivia question on who scored the first and last goals in Snively; glad that I got to see both of those). Other players on that team included Joe Bartlett, Bill Noble, and the Rothwell brothers, Bill H and Bill J. Also, Rube Bjorkman arrived from Minnesota as an assistant coach for the 1965-1966 season, when UNH joined ECAC-2, then ECAC the next year. Bjorkman became head coach for the 1968-1969 season, reaping the benefits of fine recruiting efforts, some of his own, which included seniors Graham Bruder, Rich David, Mickey Goulet, Mike Ontkean (of Hollywood fame, and 'Slap Shot'), and Dave Sheen, and sophomore Louis Frigon. The next season's team included sophomores Ryan Brant, John Gray, Bill Munroe, Guy Smith, and Richard Umile. Of course, by then, recruiting had to be much easier with the transition from Batchelder to Snively. :-)

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
      "I am so old that I remember when......." UNH played their hockey games in the outdoor Batchelder Rink, with the locker rooms and showers across the parking lot in what was then named New Hampshire Hall (not sure about the name now?). UNH hockey became Div 1 in 1963, after they had recruited Dude Thorn (RW) and Brad(en) Houston from Ontario, Canada, eh. Those two guys were seniors in 1965-1966 season, when I saw Houston score the first UNH goal in Snively with a booming slap shot from the point (completes the trivia question on who scored the first and last goals in Snively; glad that I got to see both of those). Other players on that team included Joe Bartlett, Bill Noble, and the Rothwell brothers, Bill H and Bill J. Also, Rube Bjorkman arrived from Minnesota as an assistant coach for the 1965-1966 season, when UNH joined ECAC-2, then ECAC the next year. Bjorkman became head coach for the 1968-1969 season, reaping the benefits of fine recruiting efforts, some of his own, which included seniors Graham Bruder, Rich David, Mickey Goulet, Mike Ontkean (of Hollywood fame, and 'Slap Shot'), and Dave Sheen, and sophomore Louis Frigon. The next season's team included sophomores Ryan Brant, John Gray, Bill Munroe, Guy Smith, and Richard Umile. Of course, by then, recruiting had to be much easier with the transition from Batchelder to Snively. :-)
      Pretty sure UNH was still Div2 until right around the arrival of Holt and Umile the player. I saw my first game in 65 and I know they were Div. 2 then. I was a kid and they beat a D1 BC on the road. Umile got there in 68ish so maybe 67? Rich David, Graham Bruder a 2 year captain I think..

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      • #18
        Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
        "I am so old that I remember when......." UNH played their hockey games in the outdoor Batchelder Rink, with the locker rooms and showers across the parking lot in what was then named New Hampshire Hall (not sure about the name now?). UNH hockey became Div 1 in 1963, after they had recruited Dude Thorn (RW) and Brad(en) Houston from Ontario, Canada, eh. Those two guys were seniors in 1965-1966 season, when I saw Houston score the first UNH goal in Snively with a booming slap shot from the point (completes the trivia question on who scored the first and last goals in Snively; glad that I got to see both of those). Other players on that team included Joe Bartlett, Bill Noble, and the Rothwell brothers, Bill H and Bill J. Also, Rube Bjorkman arrived from Minnesota as an assistant coach for the 1965-1966 season, when UNH joined ECAC-2, then ECAC the next year. Bjorkman became head coach for the 1968-1969 season, reaping the benefits of fine recruiting efforts, some of his own, which included seniors Graham Bruder, Rich David, Mickey Goulet, Mike Ontkean (of Hollywood fame, and 'Slap Shot'), and Dave Sheen, and sophomore Louis Frigon. The next season's team included sophomores Ryan Brant, John Gray, Bill Munroe, Guy Smith, and Richard Umile. Of course, by then, recruiting had to be much easier with the transition from Batchelder to Snively. :-)
        Fighting was still a part of the college still. Guy Smith I remember had a passion for that part of the game.. Perennial Yankee Conference champs! I believe Billy Munroe, Umile and no brains McShane were line mates. Good memories for sure.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by bomberhockey View Post
          Pretty sure UNH was still Div2 until right around the arrival of Holt and Umile the player. I saw my first game in 65 and I know they were Div. 2 then. I was a kid and they beat a D1 BC on the road. Umile got there in 68ish so maybe 67? Rich David, Graham Bruder a 2 year captain I think..
          Pretty sure that the Cats became Div 1 before the 1965-66 season; Umile and others were sophomores on the 1969-1970 team; frosh did not play on the varsity then.

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          • #20
            Originally posted by bomberhockey View Post
            Fighting was still a part of the college still. Guy Smith I remember had a passion for that part of the game.. Perennial Yankee Conference champs! I believe Billy Munroe, Umile and no brains McShane were line mates. Good memories for sure.
            Yikes, good call on Mike McShane, bomber; how could I leave him out? McShane was a sophomore with Louis Frigon on the 1968-1969 team, a year ahead of Umile and the others. And, what a fantastic coaching career for McShane: 2 yrs asst at Dartmouth, 2 yrs head coach at St Lawrence, 9 yrs head coach at PC, and then 12 years head coach at Norwich, where he won some Div 3 titles before retiring after the 2013-2014 season.

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
              Yikes, good call on Mike McShane, bomber; how could I leave him out? McShane was a sophomore with Louis Frigon on the 1968-1969 team, a year ahead of Umile and the others. And, what a fantastic coaching career for McShane: 2 yrs asst at Dartmouth, 2 yrs head coach at St Lawrence, 9 yrs head coach at PC, and then 12 years head coach at Norwich, where he won some Div 3 titles before retiring after the 2013-2014 season.
              No clue where you got retired from....he was listed as the head coach this past season in his 20th season there
              http://www.norwichathletics.com/sports/mice/2014-15/roster
              Yes I am the former member known as Zlax45

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              • #22
                Originally posted by The Zlax45 View Post
                No clue where you got retired from....he was listed as the head coach this past season in his 20th season there
                http://www.norwichathletics.com/sports/mice/2014-15/roster
                Oops, my mistake; thanks! I am confusing McShane with Bill Beany, who retired from Middlebury this past spring. Beany was a sophomore on the 1970-1971 UNH team, overlapping with McShane and Umile.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by The Zlax45 View Post
                  I don't think you recognize what is underneath Scheinder Arena for the players...A full training room for both hockey programs and lacrosse, an excellent weight room just for the three sports, a shooting room, locker rooms, etc...

                  Some of the facilities are showcased here for the lax team and the hockey team has their own meeting room which is similar to PC's.

                  http://www.insidelacrosse.com/articl...ovidence/30158
                  Good to know for future visits. Is that where your creepy mascot lives? Just kidding!!! We enjoyed our visit to PC (obviously) this past season and look forward to it this coming year!! Any idea when we are playing you guys assuming it's 2 down there...Had great seats right on the elevated corner would love those again..
                  Here we go 'Cats!!

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                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                    Pretty sure that the Cats became Div 1 before the 1965-66 season; Umile and others were sophomores on the 1969-1970 team; frosh did not play on the varsity then.
                    Here is a link on history.
                    http://unhmagazine.unh.edu/w01/hockeyw01history.html

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                    • #25
                      Originally posted by bomberhockey View Post
                      Here is a link on history.
                      http://unhmagazine.unh.edu/w01/hockeyw01history.html
                      Thanks for posting this link, bomber. I vaguely remember reading it in 2001, but had forgotten that Batchelder did not open until 1955. So, I must have been there when it opened, as UNH had free skates there on weekend afternoons for the townspeople; I remember either Pepper Martin or Whoop Snively blowing a whistle to get everyone to reverse direction as we skated around and around the rink. Those two guys were also very involved in youth sports programs in Durham; Whoop was head life guard at the outdoor pool, taught hundreds of local kids how to swim, and lived at the corner of Edgewood and Davis Road.

                      The article got Rich David's last name wrong, and I think that they got Charlie Holt's first year as head coach a year too early. But, they could be right about the first year in Div 1 being 1967-1968, with the ECAC-2 designation for 1965-1966 from the db hockey site meaning still Div 2 or 3? Dunno on that.

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                      • #26
                        Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

                        Originally posted by The Zlax45 View Post
                        I don't think you recognize what is underneath Scheinder Arena for the players...A full training room for both hockey programs and lacrosse, an excellent weight room just for the three sports, a shooting room, locker rooms, etc...

                        Some of the facilities are showcased here for the lax team and the hockey team has their own meeting room which is similar to PC's.

                        http://www.insidelacrosse.com/articl...ovidence/30158
                        Ive been underneath Schneider and as nice as it is that they have a shooting area, they don't have access to anything else, that UNH doesn't have access too - except, as pointed out, UNH has to cross the street to lift. You're right, however, that I probably shouldn't have included Providence with Union and Yale in terms of facilities.

                        I spent a year of my career at Michigan State. Munn is a completely outdated, dump of a facility, especially in terms of player amenities. Spartan hockey players had to cross a good portion of CAMPUS to lift at the football complex. The year after I left, they won a National Championship with the likes of former NHLers Justin Abdelkader, Drew Miller, David Booth, Corey Potter and Tim Kennedy. That team also included Jeff Lerg, Mike Ratchuk, Tim Crowder, Chris Mueller, Jim McKenzie, etc. They came for the prestige, the campus, the environment, the track record of placing professionals, etc.

                        I went to Miami University, home to one of the newest, nicest and most player-friendly facilities in the country. I also follow the RedHawks and RedHawk recruiting very closely. I rarely, VERY RARELY, hear players reference the facility as a reason they chose MU. They reference the program's new-found prestige, the coaches, the brotherhood of the team, the campus, the academics, the incredibly attractive Miami women, etc.

                        The point remains, UNH's facilities are MORE than adequate and in no way should they hinder recruiting efforts. UNH may not have all of the advantages listed above and they may not have the prestige they had in the early '00's - but, they still have enough prestige and they have plenty of selling points of their own to recruit at a much higher level...
                        Live Free or Die!!
                        Miami University '03

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

                          Originally posted by Dan View Post
                          I spent a year of my career at Michigan State. Munn is a completely outdated, dump of a facility, especially in terms of player amenities. Spartan hockey players had to cross a good portion of CAMPUS to lift at the football complex. The year after I left, they won a National Championship with the likes of former NHLers Justin Abdelkader, Drew Miller, David Booth, Corey Potter and Tim Kennedy. That team also included Jeff Lerg, Mike Ratchuk, Tim Crowder, Chris Mueller, Jim McKenzie, etc. They came for the prestige, the campus, the environment, the track record of placing professionals, etc.
                          Michigan State hasn't been consistently good in a while so you could make the argument that facilities are holding them back...
                          https://www.hockeyjournal.com/author/jeffcox/
                          Follow on twitter @JeffCoxSports

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                          • #28
                            Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

                            Originally posted by CollegeHockeyRinkReport View Post
                            Michigan State hasn't been consistently good in a while so you could make the argument that facilities are holding them back...
                            I don't think recruits ignored MSU's facilities, flocking to East Lansing to build a 2007 NC club, and then were suddenly turned off two years later. I think its more likely that an old coaching staff got older, lost its luster on the recruiting trail and MSU made a horrific replacement hire. As bomberhockey said, it could be worse. UNH has to hit on its hires to successfully transition to the future. Hiring Joe Bertagna to replace Umile wouldn't cut it...

                            Sticking with the BigTen - Michigan's Yost Ice Arena has great atmosphere and is likely the best place to watch a college hockey game, but its an average facility. Ohio State has incredible facilities and they're terrible...

                            Notre Dame had some great teams and very good recruiting classes under Jeff Jackson (but not so much under Poulin), long before Compton...
                            Last edited by Dan; 06-12-2015, 08:16 PM.
                            Live Free or Die!!
                            Miami University '03

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Originally posted by Dan View Post
                              Ive been underneath Schneider and as nice as it is that they have a shooting area, they don't have access to anything else, that UNH doesn't have access too - except, as pointed out, UNH has to cross the street to lift. You're right, however, that I probably shouldn't have included Providence with Union and Yale in terms of facilities.

                              I spent a year of my career at Michigan State. Munn is a completely outdated, dump of a facility, especially in terms of player amenities. Spartan hockey players had to cross a good portion of CAMPUS to lift at the football complex. The year after I left, they won a National Championship with the likes of former NHLers Justin Abdelkader, Drew Miller, David Booth, Corey Potter and Tim Kennedy. That team also included Jeff Lerg, Mike Ratchuk, Tim Crowder, Chris Mueller, Jim McKenzie, etc. They came for the prestige, the campus, the environment, the track record of placing professionals, etc.

                              I went to Miami University, home to one of the newest, nicest and most player-friendly facilities in the country. I also follow the RedHawks and RedHawk recruiting very closely. I rarely, VERY RARELY, hear players reference the facility as a reason they chose MU. They reference the program's new-found prestige, the coaches, the brotherhood of the team, the campus, the academics, the incredibly attractive Miami women, etc.

                              The point remains, UNH's facilities are MORE than adequate and in no way should they hinder recruiting efforts. UNH may not have all of the advantages listed above and they may not have the prestige they had in the early '00's - but, they still have enough prestige and they have plenty of selling points of their own to recruit at a much higher level...
                              Argghh! I actually thought that we had a shot at the FF in 2007, until Lerg and MSU shut us out in the regionals. I thought that our recruits were ok in 2000s (<2010-11 or so), just could not put it together in the postseason. At the time, I thought that it was our coaching staff's inability to make in-game adjustments. But, until this past year, I think that is has been a big drop off in recruiting. I have not been to Munn, but I really liked Yost on my only weekend there, and that was before recent renovations. Serious question, does Munn have a jumbotron? Miami U?

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                              • #30
                                Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

                                You must be thinking of a different year. MSU beat BU and then Notre Dame in Grand Rapids in 2007.

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