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

[HockeyRef]

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

***************

Adam Clark at the NHL Flames Dev. Camp last week!

[Snively65]

Was wondering if those of you in the know regarding recruiting would mind answering these questions for me so that I can better understand the 'process' of identifying the recruit to having them pull the jersey over their head. It's been a bit of a learning curve for me and I'd like to be better educated which is how I operate with most things being a teacher...ha!
And if no one feels like it, well that's ok...

-So recruiting is done 'two years out'. This was said recently on a post by 'Watcher I believe. Is that the norm? Is this the 'commit' phase?

-What happens after that? Do all recruits receive and sign, a NLI and when does that typically happen in the process?

-Obviously a team can accelerate a recruit as we did with Tirone this season...what about our newest incoming player, Matt Dawson. (am assuming he is working to come here this season unless I have misunderstood) Is this similar to the Tirone example?

If a 'primer' exists out there then maybe that's what I need to learn and don't expect to become an expert but being a fan that's in it for the long run, I want to understand how it basically works.

Anyone out there that has valid info please feel free to post. I really appreciate it!!! This post is an honest attempt to better understand the above and is not intending to drag any prospect or coach, for that matter, through the muck. Just basic, objective answers please.

Anything that I know about recruiting I have learned from the UNH recruiting thread, where C-H-C, Watcher, Dan, and others post frequently. For example, on page 32 there is a post that lists UNH recruits over the next three years, and even one recruit for the 2018 season.

[HockeyRef]

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

Anything that I know about recruiting I have learned from the UNH recruiting thread, where C-H-C, Watcher, Dan, and others post frequently. For example, on page 32 there is a post that lists UNH recruits over the next three years, and even one recruit for the 2018 season.

Thanks! I do check there frequently and it's a great, fantastic resource to have. So appreciate the work that C-H-C does to keep us (and other UNH fans out there) updated about our upcoming players...guess I'm looking for info on the process as well. But I think I'm getting most of it from the posts from the gang you mentioned. As a new fan it's easy to get bummed out about players who don't become Wildcats for one reason or the other but once I began to understand that it's always a possibility of that happening, it was all good. Kind of like players not hanging around for 4 years... Yea Chuck it's the maternal thang I'm afraid The price I pay being the over-the-top fan that I am...sigh.

[HockeyRef]

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

Blurbs on Andrew Pots and TyK from Bruins/Devils pages as they enters dev camp this week...Some fellow B's fans and I are going to the Thurs morning session so maybe we'll see Andrew out there. Loving hockey in July!

Andrew Poturalski completed his first season with the University of New Hampshire in 2014-15 where he played in 40 games and racked up 14-15=29 totals. From 2011-14, the forward played three seasons for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL, appearing in 115 games while tallying 41-59=100 totals. In his final season in the USHL in 2013-14, Poturalski led the team in goals (27), assists (37) and points (64) in 60 games played. The 21-year-old Williamsville, NY native checks in at 5’10’’, 190-pounds.

Tyler Kelleher
73 • F
Led New Hampshire (HE) with 18g-24a-42pts during sophomore season and was named a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star...Posted 14 multiple-point games, including a career-high 1g-3a-4pts Dec. 31 at Nebraska-Omaha...Notched 1g-2a-3pts three times: Feb. 7 at Vermont, Jan. 16 at Massachusetts & Dec. 13 at Maine...Also recorded three 2g games: Mar. 6 vs. Connecticut, Feb. 6 at Vermont & Nov. 7 vs. Michigan State.

Really exciting stuff for Andrew and Tyler. Must be a great experience for them and awesome training.

[Snively65]

Blurbs on Andrew Pots and TyK from Bruins/Devils pages as they enters dev camp this week...Some fellow B's fans and I are going to the Thurs morning session so maybe we'll see Andrew out there. Loving hockey in July!

Andrew Poturalski completed his first season with the University of New Hampshire in 2014-15 where he played in 40 games and racked up 14-15=29 totals. From 2011-14, the forward played three seasons for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the USHL, appearing in 115 games while tallying 41-59=100 totals. In his final season in the USHL in 2013-14, Poturalski led the team in goals (27), assists (37) and points (64) in 60 games played. The 21-year-old Williamsville, NY native checks in at 5’10’’, 190-pounds.

Tyler Kelleher
73 • F
Led New Hampshire (HE) with 18g-24a-42pts during sophomore season and was named a Hockey East Honorable Mention All-Star...Posted 14 multiple-point games, including a career-high 1g-3a-4pts Dec. 31 at Nebraska-Omaha...Notched 1g-2a-3pts three times: Feb. 7 at Vermont, Jan. 16 at Massachusetts & Dec. 13 at Maine...Also recorded three 2g games: Mar. 6 vs. Connecticut, Feb. 6 at Vermont & Nov. 7 vs. Michigan State.

Really exciting stuff for Andrew and Tyler. Must be a great experience for them and awesome training.

Whenever I hear anything about the Devils, I can only remember the Seinfeld gang with their bare chests painted with red letters.

[HockeyRef]

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

Whenever I hear anything about the Devils, I can only remember the Seinfeld gang with their bare chests painted with red letters.

"Hey man I'm just trying to support the team"...for you Snively65 (couldn't find the one you mentioned..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2e7VkHwYbI

[HawkStar12]

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

I'm not the one who drummed up the "holding UNH responsible for hiring Souza when Umile retires" theory, J.D. I think that was one of the apologist UConn fans, trying to justify Cav's blatant meddling.

Reading today's press release, I don't see Coach Umile saying anything other than Souza coming on board as an equal partner with Coach Stewart ...

http://www.unhwildcats.com/sports/mi...20150710rgx966

DURHAM, N.H. – University of New Hampshire men's hockey head coach Dick Umile announced Friday that former Wildcat captain Mike Souza has been hired as associate head coach.

"Mike Souza was an outstanding player for us, he is a terrific coach and an even better person," Umile said. "I am excited to bring him back to UNH to work alongside fellow associate head coach and alum Glenn Stewart."

Souza, a 2000 UNH graduate, returns to Durham after spending the previous two seasons as a coach for Mike Cavanaugh at the University of Connecticut. Souza assisted with all aspects of the program, focusing primarily on power plays and directing recruiting efforts; he was promoted to associate head coach in April 2015. Last season, Souza played an integral role in transitioning UConn into Hockey East.

Prior to joining the Huskies, Souza began his coaching career with a two-year stint (2011-13) at Brown University as an assistant coach. There, he was responsible for recruiting, game and practice preparation and video breakdown. During games he primarily worked with forwards.

Souza graduated from UNH after a decorated four-year career with the Wildcats from 1996-2000. During that time, the squad reached two Frozen Fours, including the national championship game against the University of Maine in 1999. In 1999-2000, Souza won the Jim Urquhart Award as Student-Athlete of the Year, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a graduating student-athlete at UNH.

Souza, the 67th overall selection in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, played professionally in the American Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League from 2000-05, and he played six additional seasons (2005-11) in Europe.

"Dick Umile has been my coach, mentor and a huge influence on my decision to become a coach, and it is an honor to be part of his staff," Souza said. "I am humbled and appreciative to return to my alma mater in this capacity, and I look forward to working alongside Coach Umile and Coach Stewart with the goal of competing for a national championship this season."

Souza replaces former associate head coach Scott Borek, who took the same position at Providence College.

Guys (and gals), I'm not being naïve here and dismissing that the issue of succession hasn't come up in discussions with Souza. If I were Coach Souza, I'd sure as heck like to know the score if I was going to be changing jobs.



My takes - and feel free to agree/disagree as I claim no inside knowledge on ANY of this - but ...

* I don't doubt for a second there was a discussion between LC and Coach Umile
* Coach Umile clearly wanted Souza on board, so I don't doubt he said "That's the plan" just to placate LC
* "That's the plan" can change pretty quickly, based on any number of things that may/may not happen
==> I'm guessing Coach Parker's "plan" didn't involve retiring two years ago until he was nudged out the door
* Having LC's "support" was probably moot, lest UConn have been saddled with a disgruntled top assistant
* LC didn't wait around too long to line up Souza's replacement, so again - "support" was probably moot
* Details of a confidential employment-related discussion between two coaches shouldn't go public
* Interestingly, Coach Dennehy was not blabbing about his coaching tree when Stewart left MC last summer
==> And Stewart worked for Dennehy four (4) times longer than Souza worked for what's-his-face

In the end, LC was probably just PO'ed that he and his four (4) rings lost his top assistant to Coach Umile and his zero (0) rings. It's a tough lesson, but LC has to understand he's not working for Uncle Jerry at The Heights anymore. LC probably hasn't realized that at UConn, he is in Coach Belichick's "Cleveland" years, but he'll probably figure that out once he moves on to his next job ...

https://youtu.be/hIs5StN8J-0

[Snively65]

"Hey man I'm just trying to support the team"...for you Snively65 (couldn't find the one you mentioned..)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2e7VkHwYbI

But, that is also a great clip; thanks! We need fans like Puddy at Lake Whitt.

[HockeyRef]

But, that is also a great clip; thanks! We need fans like Puddy at Lake Whitt.

Oh I dunno...☺️😉 Section 101 has some real gems...

[Snively65]

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

Oh I dunno...☺️�� Section 101 has some real gems...

Here is another one, although not the chest painters. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ftUR6AFTNMA

[Chuck Murray]

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

https://youtu.be/hIs5StN8J-0

A dedication for Coach Luce Canaan's sycophantic apologist fans of the going-nowhere-fast program down at Storrs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTFVMMCwsss

[Snively65]

On his Twitter he says upcoming season so does this imply now...or "next year" (which to me means 2016-17)...Looking forward to learning more!

ps...hoping to see our roster finalized and to read Coach's announcement of this year's class. Maybe with this news we are moving closer to this..

2015-2016, I think.

[HockeyRef]

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

2015-2016, I think.

That's the hope you know me gotta have those dmen #'s mean a lot to me..haha Off to Ct to watch former UNHer's Goumas, Pesce, and Agosta play in the Big Assist charity gig...Collin MacD is playing also!! No vR's tho as initially projected. dang. Quite the youtube battle going on here on the board I see! Love the choice of music btw...

[Chuck Murray]

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

Saw former UNH forward Matt Fornataro getting a mention in today's Seacoastonline.com for his making it past stroke play and into the match play phase of the NH State Am:

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articl.../101031/SPORTS

There is also a Travis Banga sighting included later in the same article ...

[HockeyRef]

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

Grayson Downing makes it look easy here against UVM's Brody Hoffman (love the announcers comment)

http://video.wild.nhl.com/videocente...832355&lang=en

And here in a shoutout:

http://video.wild.nhl.com/videocente...832365&lang=en

Post scrimmage thoughts:

http://video.wild.nhl.com/videocente...832363&lang=en

Yep we will miss his contributions this season no doubt. But good things coming out Dev camps for TyK and Andrew P. Fun to see the Capt. play last night in a charity game; he, Goumas and Agosta's team white gave Jonathan Quick more than he expected.