UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

"UNH Freshman Justin Fregona: A Proven Goal Scorer"

[wildcatdc]

"UNH Freshman Justin Fregona: A Proven Goal Scorer"

Nice add, CHC. So, watching the video, (yes, a minuscule sample size), he appears to...

- Control the puck well in traffic
- Create chances (for himself and for others) without a ton to work with
- Be shifty enough to not get knocked off the puck, even for his size
- Be Willing to pick up and convert scraps around the net
- Be good in transition

Looks like he will be fun to watch, at a minimum.

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Thanks DC for positive post. I am glad you are coming to most games this year.

I am predicting lines and defensive pairings for the upcoming season and I have not been to the rink or talked to any of the players or coaches.

1st Line Nazarian, Blackburn, Kelleher
2nd Line Eiserman.Vela, Fregona
3rd Line Salvaggio, McNicholas, Grasso
4th Line BVR, Miller, Sacco

!st D Cleland, Marks
2nd D Wyse, Maller
3rd D Dawson, Chanter

Tirone 60-70%
Clark 30-40%

PS Mike Souza is a great recruiter as he essentially beat UNH out for 4 of the best players on the UConn team. I know some will give all the credit to Cavanaugh but they were not his recruits. They started beating us out for the top players that BC/BU/now Prov did not pursue wholeheartedly and Northeastern has beaten us out for some top players (one who left to go to an inferior league and two brothers that have been critical to their success). As Watcher knows, many of their recruits will be coming free as BU, BC, Providence and Northeastern have over-recruited at levels we have not seen in a long while. BC can handle it due to so many stars leaving for the pros but I think the others are going to cull the rosters and we might be able to take a few like Vecchione and LaLeggia when we deferred them. There are some CA stars, Western Canada stars, one or two Ontario stars and as always a good number of blue states on 95 kids that might be the next Bobby Butler. I really like this incoming class and hope the junior class achieves to their capabilities.

[Snively65]

Thanks DC for positive post. I am glad you are coming to most games this year.

I am predicting lines and defensive pairings for the upcoming season and I have not been to the rink or talked to any of the players or coaches.

1st Line Nazarian, Blackburn, Kelleher
2nd Line Eiserman.Vela, Fregona
3rd Line Salvaggio, McNicholas, Grasso
4th Line BVR, Miller, Sacco

!st D Cleland, Marks
2nd D Wyse, Maller
3rd D Dawson, Chanter

Tirone 60-70%
Clark 30-40%

PS Mike Souza is a great recruiter as he essentially beat UNH out for 4 of the best players on the UConn team. I know some will give all the credit to Cavanaugh but they were not his recruits. They started beating us out for the top players that BC/BU/now Prov did not pursue wholeheartedly and Northeastern has beaten us out for some top players (one who left to go to an inferior league and two brothers that have been critical to their success). As Watcher knows, many of their recruits will be coming free as BU, BC, Providence and Northeastern have over-recruited at levels we have not seen in a long while. BC can handle it due to so many stars leaving for the pros but I think the others are going to cull the rosters and we might be able to take a few like Vecchione and LaLeggia when we deferred them. There are some CA stars, Western Canada stars, one or two Ontario stars and as always a good number of blue states on 95 kids that might be the next Bobby Butler. I really like this incoming class and hope the junior class achieves to their capabilities.

You think that Hill and Boyd will begin season in the stands?

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

You think that Hill and Boyd will begin season in the stands?

No and No - agreed, Snively65. That's not in the Coach Umile playbook. Both of those guys will get regular ice (especially Hill, as this is his 5th season on campus). And Coach has already shown he prefers Boyd to Chanter.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

PS Mike Souza is a great recruiter as he essentially beat UNH out for 4 of the best players on the UConn team. I know some will give all the credit to Cavanaugh but they were not his recruits. They started beating us out for the top players that BC/BU/now Prov did not pursue wholeheartedly and Northeastern has beaten us out for some top players (one who left to go to an inferior league and two brothers that have been critical to their success). As Watcher knows, many of their recruits will be coming free as BU, BC, Providence and Northeastern have over-recruited at levels we have not seen in a long while. BC can handle it due to so many stars leaving for the pros but I think the others are going to cull the rosters and we might be able to take a few like Vecchione and LaLeggia when we deferred them. There are some CA stars, Western Canada stars, one or two Ontario stars and as always a good number of blue states on 95 kids that might be the next Bobby Butler. I really like this incoming class and hope the junior class achieves to their capabilities.

With all due respect, I'm not sure capturing the top 4 players on the UConn roster constitutes anything approaching "great", '1932. You tell me he got the top end of the guys going to BC, BU, Providence, etc. then I'm all ears. Even if we assume he did get those guys for UConn ... all that tells me is that he's doing a good (not great) job with the second tier of recruits, which is nothing approaching the level of what Coach McCloskey used to pull for UNH back in the good ol' days. Or even what Borek got in his early UNH years, for that matter.

And now I guess we are going to cash in on the "sloppy seconds" from the programs that have over-recruited? Opportunity to get some good (again - not great) guys into the program - yes. A working productive model for anything beyond a low-level program trying to get themselves turned around for good? Not a chance.

Please, let's reserve the use of the word "great" as distinct from ... y'know, pretty good, decent, promising etc.

Honestly, am I missing something here?

[HockeyRef]

Nice add, CHC. So, watching the video, (yes, a minuscule sample size), he appears to...

- Control the puck well in traffic
- Create chances (for himself and for others) without a ton to work with
- Be shifty enough to not get knocked off the puck, even for his size
- Be Willing to pick up and convert scraps around the net
- Be good in transition

Looks like he will be fun to watch, at a minimum.

Yes! This!! Reminds me of Kevin G...who incidentally played his first game aboard last night in Sweden. Going back to Fregona, hope is tenacious on the forecheck as we will need to improve on this. I have doubts he will play first line but it"s certainly possible.

[wildcatdc]

Yes! This!! Reminds me of Kevin G...who incidentally played his first game aboard last night in Sweden. Going back to Fregona, hope is tenacious on the forecheck as we will need to improve on this. I have doubts he will play first line but it"s certainly possible.

Looking like my tickets will be Section 117, Row H. Not sure of how my travel schedule will line up with our home games, but I will make sure my seats don't go empty when I'm not there.

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Well, I think I have lurked around these parts long enough to decide to jump in on the pre season chatter for this season.

First off, I'm among the newer blood of UNH fans (2013 was the first season) so I probably have a different perspective since I was not around for the "Glory Days" but hopefully it will be fun to join in on the conversations that happen here. I will say I am going into this season cautiously optimistic, hoping that last year was the bottom of the fallout (although not convinced it was).

Seeing what we have this year, I'll throw out some lines to start off with as well. While I like the thought of Vela and Eiserman working together I think they are better off split up to be a presence over the top two lines. Same with Cleland and Marks, maybe splitting their talents up will help some of the other d-men better by their presence.

Eiserman McNicholas Kelleher
Vela Nazarian Blackburn
Hill Miller Fregona
BvR Salvaggio Grasso

Cleland Maller
Marks Wyse
Boyd Dawson/Chanter

Tirone (60%)
Clark (40%)

Some thoughts/predictions on players for this year -

McNicholas - I think he is ready for a breakout year. He is finally getting a look in some higher profile positions (first PP unit) and while the goals were not pouring out he was succeeding. He may very well end up being the best natural center the team has by the end of the season. Vela came in as a center but was working the wing most of last year.

Clark/Tirone - Truth be told the goalie position is wide open this year. I firmly believe a healthy Clark last season would have salvaged 4-5 more wins than Tirone did. Tirone has done a lot of great work in net but the amount of squeakers through the pads really cost him. Knowing that Tirone is going to get the first chance at it (rightfully so in my opinion). They can not make the mistake they did last year of holding back on Clark until it would have been torches and pitchforks after the 6-6 Umass meltdown if Tirone went out the next night. I hope the message coming from the coaching staff at this point is compete for it, earn it, we are not just handing it to you.

Vela - It seemed like any line they threw him on last year suddenly became better. Hell he even made Kyle Smith start scoring goals (see Providence). Time to give the man some stability so he can go do his thing, hoping for a big year out of him as well.

Eiserman - Stay out of the **** box and you will do better, trust me...

The Freshmen - While I don't have anything to base a prediction on, I think this group will prove to be an improvement on the outgoing class (I know, I'm really going out on a limb there)

Then we have the defense... I guess we will see what we have there. The issue was not really addressed through recruiting and it does not appear to be getting much better in the near future. I guess I can hold out hope that the group we had finds some ways to improve on their own.

Anyway, really long winded for a first post but I might as well get my thoughts out there. That's what a forum is for. Again, I see potential in the players and a seemingly absentee head coach is a worrisome prospect but that's what is on the table for the next two seasons. Can we start an over/under on how many times we will hear the canned Umile "We didn't play a full 60 minutes" "They are a good hockey team and we found a way to lose" post game interview?

[HockeyRef]

Well, I think I have lurked around these parts long enough to decide to jump in on the pre season chatter for this season.

First off, I'm among the newer blood of UNH fans (2013 was the first season) so I probably have a different perspective since I was not around for the "Glory Days" but hopefully it will be fun to join in on the conversations that happen here. I will say I am going into this season cautiously optimistic, hoping that last year was the bottom of the fallout (although not convinced it was).

Seeing what we have this year, I'll throw out some lines to start off with as well. While I like the thought of Vela and Eiserman working together I think they are better off split up to be a presence over the top two lines. Same with Cleland and Marks, maybe splitting their talents up will help some of the other d-men better by their presence.

Eiserman McNicholas Kelleher
Vela Nazarian Blackburn
Hill Miller Fregona
BvR Salvaggio Grasso

Cleland Maller
Marks Wyse
Boyd Dawson/Chanter

Tirone (60%)
Clark (40%)

Some thoughts/predictions on players for this year -

McNicholas - I think he is ready for a breakout year. He is finally getting a look in some higher profile positions (first PP unit) and while the goals were not pouring out he was succeeding. He may very well end up being the best natural center the team has by the end of the season. Vela came in as a center but was working the wing most of last year.

Clark/Tirone - Truth be told the goalie position is wide open this year. I firmly believe a healthy Clark last season would have salvaged 4-5 more wins than Tirone did. Tirone has done a lot of great work in net but the amount of squeakers through the pads really cost him. Knowing that Tirone is going to get the first chance at it (rightfully so in my opinion). They can not make the mistake they did last year of holding back on Clark until it would have been torches and pitchforks after the 6-6 Umass meltdown if Tirone went out the next night. I hope the message coming from the coaching staff at this point is compete for it, earn it, we are not just handing it to you.

Vela - It seemed like any line they threw him on last year suddenly became better. Hell he even made Kyle Smith start scoring goals (see Providence). Time to give the man some stability so he can go do his thing, hoping for a big year out of him as well.

Eiserman - Stay out of the **** box and you will do better, trust me...

The Freshmen - While I don't have anything to base a prediction on, I think this group will prove to be an improvement on the outgoing class (I know, I'm really going out on a limb there)

Then we have the defense... I guess we will see what we have there. The issue was not really addressed through recruiting and it does not appear to be getting much better in the near future. I guess I can hold out hope that the group we had finds some ways to improve on their own.

Anyway, really long winded for a first post but I might as well get my thoughts out there. That's what a forum is for. Again, I see potential in the players and a seemingly absentee head coach is a worrisome prospect but that's what is on the table for the next two seasons. Can we start an over/under on how many times we will hear the canned Umile "We didn't play a full 60 minutes" "They are a good hockey team and we found a way to lose" post game interview?

Welcome aboard Deltabravo62! Enjoyed reading your first post (hope there's more too!) and I wouldn't worry about being 'long winded' around here kinda goes with the territory

You may be right about McNick (as we call him) he showed some good stuff last season and this could indeed be a break out year for him. We will need Eiserman to show his stuff too and like you said, stay outtta the box.

I like your ideas about splitting up the talent of course not entirely sure the coaches see things that way. We all expect Jamie Hill to get a lot of play time and I believe that player sparks others when he's not...in the box as well. He hustles out there and who knows; could be a decent year for him. The Frosh...now they will get icetime right off the bat and I'm cautiously optimistic, esp. Blackburn, Fregona and Wyse. Goal tending..now that's going to be interesting agree they will start with DT but like you said, a healthy AC will make a run for it. Who knows what could've been last year had he stayed healthy?

Anyway enjoyed your 'possibility thinking' and agree that it could be, should be, better than last season. Excited
for it to start!!

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Well, I think I have lurked around these parts long enough to decide to jump in on the pre season chatter for this season.

First off, I'm among the newer blood of UNH fans (2013 was the first season) so I probably have a different perspective since I was not around for the "Glory Days" but hopefully it will be fun to join in on the conversations that happen here. I will say I am going into this season cautiously optimistic, hoping that last year was the bottom of the fallout (although not convinced it was).

Seeing what we have this year, I'll throw out some lines to start off with as well. While I like the thought of Vela and Eiserman working together I think they are better off split up to be a presence over the top two lines. Same with Cleland and Marks, maybe splitting their talents up will help some of the other d-men better by their presence.

Eiserman McNicholas Kelleher
Vela Nazarian Blackburn
Hill Miller Fregona
BvR Salvaggio Grasso

Cleland Maller
Marks Wyse
Boyd Dawson/Chanter

Tirone (60%)
Clark (40%)

Some thoughts/predictions on players for this year -

McNicholas - I think he is ready for a breakout year. He is finally getting a look in some higher profile positions (first PP unit) and while the goals were not pouring out he was succeeding. He may very well end up being the best natural center the team has by the end of the season. Vela came in as a center but was working the wing most of last year.

Clark/Tirone - Truth be told the goalie position is wide open this year. I firmly believe a healthy Clark last season would have salvaged 4-5 more wins than Tirone did. Tirone has done a lot of great work in net but the amount of squeakers through the pads really cost him. Knowing that Tirone is going to get the first chance at it (rightfully so in my opinion). They can not make the mistake they did last year of holding back on Clark until it would have been torches and pitchforks after the 6-6 Umass meltdown if Tirone went out the next night. I hope the message coming from the coaching staff at this point is compete for it, earn it, we are not just handing it to you.

Vela - It seemed like any line they threw him on last year suddenly became better. Hell he even made Kyle Smith start scoring goals (see Providence). Time to give the man some stability so he can go do his thing, hoping for a big year out of him as well.

Eiserman - Stay out of the **** box and you will do better, trust me...

The Freshmen - While I don't have anything to base a prediction on, I think this group will prove to be an improvement on the outgoing class (I know, I'm really going out on a limb there)

Then we have the defense... I guess we will see what we have there. The issue was not really addressed through recruiting and it does not appear to be getting much better in the near future. I guess I can hold out hope that the group we had finds some ways to improve on their own.

Anyway, really long winded for a first post but I might as well get my thoughts out there. That's what a forum is for. Again, I see potential in the players and a seemingly absentee head coach is a worrisome prospect but that's what is on the table for the next two seasons. Can we start an over/under on how many times we will hear the canned Umile "We didn't play a full 60 minutes" "They are a good hockey team and we found a way to lose" post game interview?

I am so happy to see a new thoughtful younger voice. Welcome aboard! We're an aging fan base, with the older guard no longer posting, so we need your voices. Hopefully the easier availability of tickets will encourage outreach to, and access by, a new generation of fans. Recruits feel the energy of a fan base, so you can help while riding out the next two years of indifference by the powers that be.

I also like your line predictions - McNicholas as a breakout candidate (by necessity, and by experience).

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Agreed with HR and watcher, excellent post, DB62, let alone being your first. Of course, it helps that I agree with everything that you wrote. We have been watching the same team, I think. :-)

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Believe me, I will be around to post plenty during the discussions here. Like I said I have been following along for a while and finally decided to register an account and jump in.

I got the first set of season tickets last year and have renewed in the same spot for this year. Section 119 Row J 3 and 4. My step sister is a recent grad so she is always there too. If you spot a Sorkin white game jersey walking around that will be me although I will have my Blackburn WK Warriors jersey on for the exhibition (speaking to my optimism and the fact that the team sold it to me for a good price).

[HockeyRef]

Believe me, I will be around to post plenty during the discussions here. Like I said I have been following along for a while and finally decided to register an account and jump in.

I got the first set of season tickets last year and have renewed in the same spot for this year. Section 119 Row J 3 and 4. My step sister is a recent grad so she is always there too. If you spot a Sorkin white game jersey walking around that will be me although I will have my Blackburn WK Warriors jersey on for the exhibition (speaking to my optimism and the fact that the team sold it to me for a good price).

SORKIN jersey? jealous Cool you have a Blackburn one too! We are in 101 Row D seats 10/11...hope to see you there! Sorkin jersey...Speaking of Nick he is playing for the Wheeling Nailers this season.

[deltabravo62]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

I have obtained a bunch of jerseys over the last couple years. I guess it's easier when there are not a lot of people pushing for them... My road blues are an even better group with a Downing, a Goumas, and a Knodel in there.