UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Mike Buckley was promoted to goalie coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 17th after the 2016-17 goalie coach Mike Bales took the job with Carolina. This came as a pleasant surprise to Buckley. The UNH coaches promptly identified their top candidates to replace Buckley as the volunteer goalie coach of UNH. Given that the candidates have had to consider career changes and the financial implications of committing to an unpaid position, it has taken time to finalize the arrangements.

As of this moment, Drew Commesso has not committed to another school though the speculation on twitter is that BU will be selected. Commesso's longtime goalie coach, Brian Eklund became the volunteer goalie coach for BU in early September, 2016. 14-year-old Commesso enthusiastically committed to UNH in December, 2016 - that is, knowing that Eklund was at BU:

http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/20...-commesso.html

Since he verbally committed to UNH, he has tweeted or retweeted some positive messages about UNH hockey the last being this one from June:

Congratulations Coach #MikeBuckley @gdsgoalies https://t.co/prwn0DjFc8

— Mike Lowry (@UNHRecruitsCHC) June 12, 2017

Reading between the lines, it is likely Buckley's decision to relinquish his volunteer goalie coaching position at UNH was a factor in Commesso's decision to withdraw his commitment. If anyone thinks Coach Souza didn't make efforts to allay any concerns of Drew and his family about who would replace Coach Buckley as the UNH goalie coach, then IMO you don't know how Coach Souza does his job.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Goalies tend to stick by their goalie coaches apparently....
Mike Robinson (DOB: 3/27/1997) verbally accepted an athletic scholarship offer from the University of New Hampshire last August. He has been training with Mike Buckley of Goaltending Development Services(GDS) for 10 years.

Minor corrections: Mike Robinson verbally committed to UNH in August 2014 ( https://www.sbncollegehockey.com/col...-robbie-barker ).
He signed a National Letter of Intent with UNH in November, 2015 ( http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/20...n-in-ushl.html )

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Reading between the lines, it is likely Buckley's decision to relinquish his volunteer goalie coaching position at UNH was a factor in Commesso's decision to withdraw his commitment. If anyone thinks Coach Souza didn't make efforts to allay any concerns of Drew and his family about who would replace Coach Buckley as the UNH goalie coach, then IMO you don't know how Coach Souza does his job.

Decisions boil down to many many factors. Commesso said he wanted a rural campus and bought into Souza. Seems not so much. There's also momentum to see if other top recruits or friends buy in. Here's what I wrote in March.

Mike Souza's mellow message does not scream determination. He comes across more as a nice guy than intense. If that is who he is, he needs an intense, passionate recruiter who can will it into being. Sean Coady (included for Greg's benefit) and Mark Osiecki at Wisconsin fall into that group. I look for signs of this (see the serial commits at Wisconsin when the new staff went there), but was a bit disappointed that (1) Kelleher/Gildon didn't cause Limoges to flip, and (2) Commesso wasn't able to bring his classmate Liam Connors along with him. Either one of those things might have sent a stronger message to the community.

Instead, in the next five months -- including the selects tourneys where the hotshot kids get offers -- we got two bottom 12 forwards (Pierson and Sweeney). You can't breathlessly cite Commesso's commitment as a positive for Souza, and then shrug off the decommitment as natural because Commesso really committed to Buckley. It's not helped by "if you think Souza didn't try, you don't know him." We've now got seven years of recruiting history for Souza, and "knowing how he does his job" isn't helping.

[Lemonade]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Mike Buckley was promoted to goalie coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 17th after the 2016-17 goalie coach Mike Bales took the job with Carolina. This came as a pleasant surprise to Buckley. The UNH coaches promptly identified their top candidates to replace Buckley as the volunteer goalie coach of UNH. Given that the candidates have had to consider career changes and the financial implications of committing to an unpaid position, it has taken time to finalize the arrangements.

As of this moment, Drew Commesso has not committed to another school though the speculation on twitter is that BU will be selected. Commesso's longtime goalie coach, Brian Eklund became the volunteer goalie coach for BU in early September, 2016. 14-year-old Commesso enthusiastically committed to UNH in December, 2016 - that is, knowing that Eklund was at BU:

http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/20...-commesso.html

Since he verbally committed to UNH, he has tweeted or retweeted some positive messages about UNH hockey the last being this one from June:

Congratulations Coach #MikeBuckley @gdsgoalies https://t.co/prwn0DjFc8

— Mike Lowry (@UNHRecruitsCHC) June 12, 2017

Reading between the lines, it is likely Buckley's decision to relinquish his volunteer goalie coaching position at UNH was a factor in Commesso's decision to withdraw his commitment. If anyone thinks Coach Souza didn't make efforts to allay any concerns of Drew and his family about who would replace Coach Buckley as the UNH goalie coach, then IMO you don't know how Coach Souza does his job.

I think you are spot on. Being a goalie the goalie coach is a HUGE factor that most people underestimate. Goalies work specifically with the goalies in workout/video sessions, etc. The goalie coach is more important than the head coach for development. Just look at Robinson and his decision to come to UNH was certainly impacted enormously by the fact his long term goalie coach was there. Buckley isnt just a run of the mill goalie coach - he is one of the most highly regarded coaches int he country and he was also coaching Stanley Cup champion goaltenders in Fleury and Matt Murray which would have been a huge draw for any UNH goalie recruit. Obviously, once Buckley left (no one can even question the move as its a paid goalie coach position for Penguins) it swung the decision and you cant blame any party involved. Coach was doing whats best for him and player is doing whats best for him in each case here. I am sure Coach Souza tried but I am not sure he is at fault in this case at all.

[Dan]

And it can't be sloughed off with derision "if you think Souza didn't try, you don't know him." We've now got seven years of recruiting history for Souza, and "knowing how he does his job" isn't helping.

Sure makes you wonder if the natural conclusion is he's just not good at the job. In what column does 'recruiting effort' show up in the standings table??

Carvel kept Makar. It's what good recruiters manage to do. Meanwhile, Farabee, Ryzcek, O'Neil, Commesso...

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Decisions boil down to many many factors. Commesso said he wanted a rural campus and bought into Souza. Seems not so much. There's also momentum to see if other top recruits or friends buy in. Here's what I wrote in March.


Instead, in the next five months -- including the selects tourneys where the hotshot kids get offers -- we got two bottom 12 forwards (Pierson and Sweeney). You can cite his committing as a positive for Souza, and then justify the decommitment as natural because Commesso really committed to Buckley. And it can't be sloughed off with derision "if you think Souza didn't try, you don't know him." We've now got seven years of recruiting history for Souza, and "knowing how he does his job" isn't helping.

Your post that claimed UNH coaches were playing golf this summer and not performing coaching duties and Chuck's claim that Coach Souza has been sitting on his hands struck me as derisive.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Your post that claimed UNH coaches were playing golf this summer and not performing coaching duties and Chuck's claim that Coach Souza has been sitting on his hands struck me as derisive.

You're right. It was a snark directed at Umile, but to reflect my utter disappointment about UNH's results (perhaps not efforts) this summer, which were wholly underwhelming.

[bothman]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

How nice! And just in time!

Here's another tweet - a glimpse at what happens when you hire a proven recruiter, with an actual resume and don't tie him to an anchor for three years...

NZ Recruiting Class Rankings Updated. #1 @UNDmhockey, #2 @TerrierHockey, #3 @UMassHockey, #4 @GopherHockey, #5 @DU_Hockey @collegehockey pic.twitter.com/5y8SXOH5fu

— Neutral Zone (@_Neutral_Zone) August 23, 2017

#UMass

But, I guess its really not fair to expect UNH to compete for recruits with the Minnesota State's of the world. For so many reasons (err, excuses), really...

the rankings are crap. If you actually click, you will see guys listed in the wrong years etc. don't pay much attention.

[Dan]

the rankings are crap. If you actually click, you will see guys listed in the wrong years etc. don't pay much attention.

Perhaps. But, I don't need rankings to tell me UNH is getting lapped in recruiting by nearly every major program, nearly every HE program (certainly including UMass) and many smaller/far less prestigious programs. It is pitiful...

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

You're right. It was a snark directed at Umile, but to reflect my utter disappointment about UNH's results (perhaps not efforts) this summer, which were wholly underwhelming.

Fair enough. I'm also keeping an eye on outcomes - both in the recruiting domain and in the standings.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Sooooo what's Packy Munson up to these days? A pathetic attempt of humor after this day of discovery

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Your post that claimed UNH coaches were playing golf this summer and not performing coaching duties and Chuck's claim that Coach Souza has been sitting on his hands struck me as derisive.

I was a mite harsh, sure, and I'm not exactly one to lose sleep over missing out on someone who projects as a one/two year recruit. But Souza was given a lot of credit in landing Commesso in the first place, and now (as Dan said) we have a lot of excuse-making now that he's on his way out the door. We (myself included) were probably erring on the side of generosity in giving Souza too much credit for landing him in the first place, if it was Captain Skype who was the real draw to UNH. So now Buck is gone for good, and Commesso's goalie binky is heading to BU (oops - there goes that derisive thing again ). Shocking (not really) And I guess that whole "lure of the rural campus" was BS a mirage too, unless BU has changed radically since I last visited.

As cynical as I've become about UNH Hockey in recent years, I think the optimism about Commesso's pending UNH arrival shows how much most of us (myself included) really want to believe Souza is the guy to turn this rudderless program around. And if I'm a little derisive, it's only because my faith has been shaken. Again.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

'Watcher can you post our latest projection of current players and prospects when you have the chance thanks.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

2017
Sr.Salvaggio--Sr.McNicholas---Jr.Vela
Sr.Eiserman---So.Blackburn----So.Grasso
So.BVR--------Jr.Nazarian-----Fr.C.Kelleher
Sr.C.Miller---So.Fregona------Fr.MacAdams
Fr.Sato-----Jr.Cefalu-------So.Sacco

Sr.Marks-----So.Wyse
Fr.Maass-----Fr.Gildon
Sr.Chanter---Jr.Dawson
Fr.J.Miller......Sr.Boyd
So.Nonis

Sr.Tirone---Sr.Clark---Fr.Robinson

2018
Sr.Nazarian---Jr.Blackburn----Jr.Grasso
Fr.________---So.C.Kelleher---Sr.Vela
Jr.BVR--------Fr.Crookshank---Jr.Fregona
Fr.Esposito---Sr.C.Miller-----So.MacAdams
So.Sato----Sr.Cefalu-------Jr.Sacco

Jr.Wyse------So.Gildon
So.Maass-----So.J.Miller
Sr.Dawson----Fr.Green
Fr.Verrier ---Jr.Nonis

So.Robinson---Fr.________

2019
So._________--So.Crookshank---Jr.C.Kelleher
Sr.BVR------Sr.Blackburn----Sr.Grasso
Fr.Wazny-------Sr.Fregona------Jr.MacAdams
So.Esposito---Fr.Pierson-----Fr.________
Fr.___________--Jr.Sato-------Sr.Sacco

Jr.Gildon----Sr.Wyse
Jr.Maass----Jr.J.Miller
So.Green----So.Verrier
Fr.Bahn------Sr.Nonis

Jr.Robinson---So._________

2020
Jr._________--Jr.Crookshank---Sr.C.Kelleher
So.Wazny------Fr._________----Fr._________
Fr._____---So.________--------Sr.MacAdams
Fr.Sweeney----So.Pierson-----Jr.Esposito
So._________--Sr.Sato-------Fr._________

Sr.Gildon----Fr.______
Sr.Maass----Sr.J.Miller
Jr.Green----So.Bahn
Jr.Verrier---Fr_______

Sr.Robinson----Jr.________

[Whalers]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

If BS35 ever plays any pickup hockey at the SitSomeMore Center, he will have no need to wear a cup. If he had any stones that needed protection, he would have dealt with the dick situation 4-5 years ago. This is not revisionist arm chair quarterback chat, but just someone who enjoys being a good business man. The steady decline of the program has been nauseating and pretty clear for most to see, that is most outside of the Oyster River watershed. When your long-term, good customers (yours truly and 3,000+ others per game) see the value proposition turn upside down, and vote with their pocketbook, one may want to see the urologist, swallow a few of the blue pills to get some blood flowing again (there is that whole no stones and dick theme again) and get back in the saddle.

Several years ago as the energy and excitement started to be like Elvis and leave the building, I always remember the hum of the ceiling lights at the Sits Center. The noise was high pitched and annoying (sort of like a tight, turtleneck induced whistle) and I asked myself why I could hear that sound and not the murmur of the fans waiting for the next round of excitement. I know that "Larry Bird isnt walking thru that door", and neither is Cox, Mowers, McFlicker, and now Commesso. What BS35 should be asking is, why I havent heard that light hum lately. It may be because they replaced the lights, but I wouldn't know. I don't care enough to go to the games any more.