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

[Snively65]

One can only hope...sigh. I will have my fingers crossed. Maybe burn some sage, heck, it can't hurt! Gaaaa... Well Chuck as per those posters who are no more, what made them go away in the first place? Not happy with the team? Not happy here? I mean, other boards are speculating about upcoming lines, d pairs, etc...we could do the same? I asked about that awhile back maybe too early in the season. This thread has some good stuff and you guys enjoy the stories of the past which are always cool to read about. Sure there's disillusioned fans out there; guess there's always going to be. I say get behind the team, come to some games! We need a thriving fan base...sure couldn't hurt. Soooo excited for the coming weeks with games starting!! Year 36 begins for me tomorrow teaching; hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend! BTW...his name is Marty

And, now you know the story of Jimmy "Bunny" Poriveau (aka Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau). :-)

[NCAA watcher]

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

There are a few tense moments, from past AND present posters, but overall I'm left with the following:

(2) Ultimately, I do think Coach Umile moved to arrest the gradual downturn in the program's fortunes ... but we can only wonder if we'd be further down (up?) the road to recovery if he's acted sooner? Better late than never, I say;

Chuck, why do you goad me into criticism when I try, I really try, to be positive

The positive. Umile finally got one good recruiting class, 2013-14 to 2017-18, which should keep the program stable if not a puncher's chance at a HE title (not NCAA worthy).
The negative. Outside of 2014 class, the list of recruits vs. de-commits is staggering. Recruiting and management of the incoming recruits to keep them on track was abysmal.
The neutral to negative. It is good that Umile finally set his personal loyalties aside and made a hard decision. The utter mess of hiring a friend in Tortorella (a mess not because he was a bad on ice coach, but he lacked the youth and recruiting chops that the program needed) took another 3 years to fix. He also addressed recruiting, but I have a hunch this was less him holding Borek accountable, but rather him telling Borek that he finally had an end-point, the 2018 season, and therefore Borek would be wise to jump to a new spot.
Finally, reverting back to an overarching theme with which others may/will agree, I think the best for the program's long-term return to vitality was a change at the HC. I went into this viewing the HC coaching change as a way to get momentum. Let's just say, in the abstract, I hate the concept of a HC in waiting. It has some positives, but also a lot of negatives. But more importantly, it was an artificial construct needed because of what I view as a selfish decision to hang on for as long as possible (until your last accomplishment, the 2014 class, leaves.) Apres mois, le deluge.
Naming a presumptive HC diffuses the "change" that one can sell, and also ties UNH to someone who would have been available to them in 2018. On the plus side, everyone is recruiting for 2018 now, so perhaps getting a head start will be a positive. The results of the next few months, as they fill the 2018 class, will begin to tell whether Mike can sell a 16 year old kid on the "trust me, I'll be your HC when you arrive, you'll be one of my first core guys" speech.

So, Chuck, to get to the answer of your question of why I do not post about the team, I have always been more interested in the GMing -- picking the team -- and seeing a long-term plan (same with the Sox, and Anderson Espinoza, Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi). The Umile regime is locked in until 2018. What I will be interested in is the UNH Recruits thread, and if we start seeing 1999s, 2000s and 2001s buying into what Souza is selling. That, more than how Umile duct-tapes the absence of Masonius, will be the interesting thing this season.

[Chuck Murray]

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

Chuck, why do you goad me into criticism when I try, I really try, to be positive

Apparently, my role here is to stir the pot. And you, sir ... your contributions are always worth the read.

The positive. Umile finally got one good recruiting class, 2013-14 to 2017-18, which should keep the program stable if not a puncher's chance at a HE title (not NCAA worthy).
The negative. Outside of 2014 class, the list of recruits vs. de-commits is staggering. Recruiting and management of the incoming recruits to keep them on track was abysmal.

That's an often overlooked/undersold point. And as we've seen most recently with Masonius, it's still happening.

The neutral to negative. It is good that Umile finally set his personal loyalties aside and made a hard decision. The utter mess of hiring a friend in Tortorella (a mess not because he was a bad on ice coach, but he lacked the youth and recruiting chops that the program needed) took another 3 years to fix. He also addressed recruiting, but I have a hunch this was less him holding Borek accountable, but rather him telling Borek that he finally had an end-point, the 2018 season, and therefore Borek would be wise to jump to a new spot.

Spot on, as usual 'Watcher. As I said, "better late than never" ... but late nonetheless.

Finally, reverting back to an overarching theme with which others may/will agree, I think the best for the program's long-term return to vitality was a change at the HC. I went into this viewing the HC coaching change as a way to get momentum. Let's just say, in the abstract, I hate the concept of a HC in waiting. It has some positives, but also a lot of negatives. But more importantly, it was an artificial construct needed because of what I view as a selfish decision to hang on for as long as possible (until your last accomplishment, the 2014 class, leaves.) Apres mois, le deluge.
Naming a presumptive HC diffuses the "change" that one can sell, and also ties UNH to someone who would have been available to them in 2018. On the plus side, everyone is recruiting for 2018 now, so perhaps getting a head start will be a positive. The results of the next few months, as they fill the 2018 class, will begin to tell whether Mike can sell a 16 year old kid on the "trust me, I'll be your HC when you arrive, you'll be one of my first core guys" speech.

I do agree overall that I'm not a huge fan of having a designated "coach in waiting" on the staff, but if it does give Coach Souza a better base from which to recruit for the future, I'm willing to be convinced in favor. We'll see, and hopefully sooner than later.

So, Chuck, to get to the answer of your question of why I do not post about the team, I have always been more interested in the GMing -- picking the team -- and seeing a long-term plan (same with the Sox, and Anderson Espinoza, Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi). The Umile regime is locked in until 2018. What I will be interested in is the UNH Recruits thread, and if we start seeing 1999s, 2000s and 2001s buying into what Souza is selling. That, more than how Umile duct-tapes the absence of Masonius, will be the interesting thing this season.

'Watcher, you post here about the program often enough, and what you post is insightful. My points about folks who we've lost along the way is more to the issue of folks who've dropped entirely by the wayside - not a fall-off on volume/quantity of posting. Heck, by that last measure, I've fallen off too. And as for the *missing* ... given my long absence(s) over the last decade, I do understand that life can take us all along different paths, and interests/obligations/priorities do change, for all of us.

But the overall gradual slide of the program from near the top of the D-1 mountain is reflected not only on the ice, but off the ice in the stands, in the media, and here and on other similar settings. The appearance and rise of the Monarchs as another NH hockey option may also have played a (small?) part in the drain on the support from more casual fans in the center of the state and beyond? Now with the AHL having moved, and being replaced by the ECHL ... maybe there is an opportunity to draw back a small sliver of the absent fan base, who may not be as interested in low-level minor league hockey as they were in guys on the precipice of the NHL? Again ... we'll see.

[HockeyRef]

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

Small world! I went to Kennett High and played ball for Coach Burns. He only retired 3 years ago, Coached at Kennett for over 40 years!!! And Deron used to summer here in Conway and he would play men's league and run Summer Camps for the kids. I work at the Arena here in Conway and run most of the programs now. We've missed him in the last few years as he's been over in Europe playing Hockey.

Are you talking about Bob Burns? I coached against him in my early days of teaching...back in 1980-83...kind of had that "Robert Redford" thing going on... If I'm thinking of the same guy...small world. He had great teams usually and was well known to us in the North Country...have you seen the new Kennett High School? Very nice.

[Greg A]

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

Are you talking about Bob Burns? I coached against him in my early days of teaching...back in 1980-83...kind of had that "Robert Redford" thing going on... If I'm thinking of the same guy...small world. He had great teams usually and was well known to us in the North Country...have you seen the new Kennett High School? Very nice.

From what my wife's brothers tell me, Burns had a unique coaching style that no all warmed up to. But they all acknowledged that he had a tremendous feel for the game. My brother-in-law Kevin was the catcher and captain of the Kennett team which won the state title in, I think, 1978. From what I gather Burns was an institution in North Conway. I remember him coming to my mother-in-law's wake with a quite a presence.

[Greg A]

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

Chuck, why do you goad me into criticism when I try, I really try, to be positive

The positive. Umile finally got one good recruiting class, 2013-14 to 2017-18, which should keep the program stable if not a puncher's chance at a HE title (not NCAA worthy).
The negative. Outside of 2014 class, the list of recruits vs. de-commits is staggering. Recruiting and management of the incoming recruits to keep them on track was abysmal.
The neutral to negative. It is good that Umile finally set his personal loyalties aside and made a hard decision. The utter mess of hiring a friend in Tortorella (a mess not because he was a bad on ice coach, but he lacked the youth and recruiting chops that the program needed) took another 3 years to fix. He also addressed recruiting, but I have a hunch this was less him holding Borek accountable, but rather him telling Borek that he finally had an end-point, the 2018 season, and therefore Borek would be wise to jump to a new spot.
Finally, reverting back to an overarching theme with which others may/will agree, I think the best for the program's long-term return to vitality was a change at the HC. I went into this viewing the HC coaching change as a way to get momentum. Let's just say, in the abstract, I hate the concept of a HC in waiting. It has some positives, but also a lot of negatives. But more importantly, it was an artificial construct needed because of what I view as a selfish decision to hang on for as long as possible (until your last accomplishment, the 2014 class, leaves.) Apres mois, le deluge.
Naming a presumptive HC diffuses the "change" that one can sell, and also ties UNH to someone who would have been available to them in 2018. On the plus side, everyone is recruiting for 2018 now, so perhaps getting a head start will be a positive. The results of the next few months, as they fill the 2018 class, will begin to tell whether Mike can sell a 16 year old kid on the "trust me, I'll be your HC when you arrive, you'll be one of my first core guys" speech.

So, Chuck, to get to the answer of your question of why I do not post about the team, I have always been more interested in the GMing -- picking the team -- and seeing a long-term plan (same with the Sox, and Anderson Espinoza, Yoan Moncada, Andrew Benintendi). The Umile regime is locked in until 2018. What I will be interested in is the UNH Recruits thread, and if we start seeing 1999s, 2000s and 2001s buying into what Souza is selling. That, more than how Umile duct-tapes the absence of Masonius, will be the interesting thing this season.

Watcher, I with you more or less on what you have to say here but, like Chuck, I am taking a wait-and-see attitude. I can see the negative of committing to an untested rookie as your head coach but, on the other hand, I can understand the rationale of having continuity in the program. My overall takeaway is twofold. First, Umile is looked upon as an institution at UNH. He is been around longer than any other coach and is the highest paid. Based on the respect that the UNH institutional community has for him, it is understandable that he would hold sway if he made known his idea of a succession plan. Secondly, UNH Hockey is not in the position it was 15 years ago. Then it was a hot commodity, with highly competitive teams and sellout crowds. Back then I could see head coaches of other teams knocking down the door if a vacancy occurred. Not now though. So best to go a different route and hitch your wagon to someone you think who can carry on the tradition.

[Darius]

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

Plus we are 1/3 of the way to reuniting the S line, this time behind the bench. Anyone know what Sadowski and Shipulski are up to? Actually with Stewart we are 2/3 to an all new S Line.

[UNHJourney34]

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

Are you talking about Bob Burns? I coached against him in my early days of teaching...back in 1980-83...kind of had that "Robert Redford" thing going on... If I'm thinking of the same guy...small world. He had great teams usually and was well known to us in the North Country...have you seen the new Kennett High School? Very nice.

Yes, the new school was a huge improvement. It opened my Freshman year at Kennett, so I actually spent all 4 years in the new building.

I was talking about Bob Burns. He retired after bringing Kennett back to the state championship a few years ago. His final stud was Jeff Locke, who is a starting pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and actually made the MLB all star game last season.

[Greg A]

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

Scarano Speaks on Athletic Stipends

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/20...gKO/story.html

Above is the link to a pretty good article, written by John Powers of the Globe, on the start up of stipends given to college athletes. While the focus is on football and basketball, there were some interesting quotes from Joe Bertagna and Marty:

"We're all over the place." said Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna, who says half of the league's schools are giving stipends and the other half either will not or haven't decided, mirroring the national hockey landscape.

"A full grant in aid in athletics is the best deal on campus," said University of New Hampshire AD Marty Scarano. On the issue of whether to give stipends to some sports and not others, Scarano said "It's a very divisive initiative, and it's divisive within an athletic department." On stipends for hockey players, Scarano noted that UNH is not giving stipends but makes sure that its athlete's needs are seen to. "There aren't kids walking around in tennis shoes in winter," said Scarano. "We give kids what they need, not what they want." If the Wildcats start losing prospects to their paying Hockey East rivals, though, they may have to offer stipends, wrote Powers. "We have to make sure we don't fall behind." said Scarano.

So there you have it. Joe says half of the Hockey East is giving stipends. I assume that means Notre Dame, BC, UConn and Providence to begin with since they are all in big conferences in either football, basketball or both. The article includes quotes from both the Northeastern and BU ADs that their schools are not giving stipends. We know UNH isn't either, and I will assume Merrimack is not as well. That leaves four schools - Maine, Vermont, UMass-Lowell, UMass - with two of them giving stipends, two not. My guess is it is UML and UMA giving, Maine and Vermont not. If this is going to be the way of the world, how long before UNH joins it?

[New Hampshire 'Cats Fan]

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

Updated image of the jumbotron provided by Danny Tirone:
https://twitter.com/D_Rone35/status/639218883514208257

[Chuck Murray]

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

It just wouldn't be right if UMaine wasn't giving the stipends out. They've done it before, y'know.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

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

and, now you know the story of jimmy "bunny" poriveau (aka jacques "rabbit" poriveau). :-)

lol.

[C-H-C]

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

"Incoming UNH Freshman Jason Kalinowski"

[Snively65]

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

Just 35 days until the buzzing Yellow Jackets from western Massachusetts arrive at Lake Whitt. Drop the puck!

[HockeyRef]

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

Woot!! And of course there's the exhibition game the weekend before...will you be gracing our presence at Lake 'Whitt sir??? Hope to run into you! Or see you on the dance cam...