UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

I'm impressed with Higgins in the games I've seen. He's sneaky, comes out of nowhere to get a puck. he probably isn't going to get much notice until he gets stronger but he looks like he could get better and play a role beyond the checking line?.

Whitehead has him on PK duty, and he started Saturday's game with Anthoine and Cerretani. That was the only line that looked good in the first/second until Flynn got tossed.

[KnowItAll]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

You've got to be kidding me. Two good players doesn't mean the team is talented. It means those two players are talented. Merrimack had four guys put up 150+ pts for their careers on the 97-98 team. Doesn't mean it was a talented team. They even had a d-man play a lot of games in AHL. They finished 8th because they had no other talent. This Maine team is similar. A few good players doesn't make a talented team.

that is so funny... I had a whole post ready to go last night and thought that there was no point.
I wrote about Rejean Stringer cohen classen and porter. 4 great college players on a crappy team

welby was a hel1 of a goalie, but had absolutely NO defensive support... I was jumped on years ago for writing how he made 75 saves in a game and 70 were off grade A chances. I think it was Priceless's first pseudonym UMOBetterBlues that told me that it was not 75 saves and that I should learn what google is for.

ahhh memories

[rufus]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

I will say that even though they aren't the most talented guys on the team, Higgins and Swavely bring hustle on every shift.

They have Walsh-esque intangibles that make you notice when they're out there chasing down pucks.

And who knows how much better some of these guys would be if Walsh were coaching them? I mean, c'mon, he had Justin Tomberlin centering the two Ferraro brothers. Brad Purdie? Bruce Major? Jason Vitorino?

Love 'em all, but not every Walsh player was a superstar. But he got the most out of them that he could, probably more than those guys thought they even had.

['93,'99,??]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

You've got to be kidding me. Two good players doesn't mean the team is talented. It means those two players are talented. Merrimack had four guys put up 150+ pts for their careers on the 97-98 team. Doesn't mean it was a talented team. They even had a d-man play a lot of games in AHL. They finished 8th because they had no other talent. This Maine team is similar. A few good players doesn't make a talented team.

I never said this is an overly talented team. All's I'm trying to say is that they have enough talent to win more than they are winning, and thats where the coach is at fault. Goalies roaming outside the crease when they shouldn't be, players taking un-necessary penalties, and power play units giving up un-necessary short-handed goals are a result of poor coaching more than a lack of talent. Why do you think this team was picked in the top 15 or 20 in every pre-season poll? ........because some folks(coaches), who know more about college hockey than you or I, felt this team had descent returning talent, no?

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

And who knows how much better some of these guys would be if Walsh were coaching them? I mean, c'mon, he had Justin Tomberlin centering the two Ferraro brothers. Brad Purdie? Bruce Major? Jason Vitorino?

Love 'em all, but not every Walsh player was a superstar. But he got the most out of them that he could, probably more than those guys thought they even had.

And that is WHY Walsh was a COACH...he could make you believe..."IF" you wanted to and worked for it.

[BearNecessity]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

2nd / 3rd line guys? They are 2 of the top 6 forwards in the league. The only guys I would think about taking over them right now would be Kreider, Moses, Nieto. The problem is they get NO production from the 3rd and 4th lines, NONE. The 2nd line has chipped in here and there but in general haven't done much either. I think if you move Mangene between Flynn and Abbott there is still plenty of offense on the 1st line. Drop Diamond to 2nd line with Beattie and Anthoine and you may have something there. Go with an all freshman line as a 3rd line to see if you can develop some chemistry at the very least for next year.

As far as defense and goaltending, I don't see much hope. Sullivan is OK but will almost never steal a game (something this team needs). Marty looks to be a lost cause at this point. The defense is just terrible. I think Heagarty has probably been the most consistent this year, which is saying a lot after how bad he was last year. O'Neil is clearly struggling, he needs a real stay at home defensive, defenseman to be effective (something this team does not have). Nemec, Pryor, Cornell - I could do without all of them. I think O'Connor has some potential to be a player. Rutt, from the couple games I have seen him this year is too slow to contribute this year. Definitely needs to work on his skating/ speeed in the off season.

Then of course, there is the coaching. These guys have tuned Whitehead out for the last couple of years. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but as seen throughout the league- a new voice can do great things even on mediocre teams.

I think we have to be realistic. Our forecheck is non existent, when compared to top tier teams. Our forwards tend to float high omn the break and against a strong forechecking team, they don't give D much to work with.

Watch the BU game Abbott does a Zorro on a BU d who jumps in..a simple 1-1 turns into a semi break becasue O'neil and Diamond are no where to be seen in the pic You also have have forwards who bring puck down, but raely , except on PP bring back to pointy, to help change angles etc.......On top of all this, you have Ghandi Whitehead, who doesn't want contact, so guys who have been physical their whole career show up here and are told no hitting,,,,,,Think Jackie P says no hitting See how Nicastro helped Shemanski understand the value of keeping yer head up...our guys won't do that because they will get repriomanded for the hit, won't pinch down because back check is mostly poor...there are exceptions, but not something the team should see as a strength....so we can karp about D....but in the end, if they have to play 4 on 2 all the time...niot going to be pretty,,,,,

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

I wonder if Walsh meant for Whitehead to stay on the job this long if he failed?

[walrus]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

Apparently WABI interviewed Tim on tonights news about the haters. I didn't see it but I guess he said the haters would be better off helping the less fortunate and they are putting pressure on the players who want to win bad enough now. The haters are hating on Tim, not the players

[KnowItAll]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

Apparently WABI interviewed Tim on tonights news about the haters. I didn't see it but I guess he said the haters would be better off helping the less fortunate and they are putting pressure on the players who want to win bad enough now. The haters are hating on Tim, not the players

I hope the interviewer told him that THAT is exactly what a lot of us are doing with the money we WOULD have spent on season tickets, auction items, lobsterfest tickets, end-of-year banquet, FOMH membership, General Scholarship Fund ... giving it to the less fortunate, or at least more deserving.

Which player did not understand this past summer that winning in December is determined by aerobic conditioning in July? They did not want to win bad enough back then, but we are supposed to feel for them because they want to win now?

Last... did be mention how much of his $170,000 annual salary, more than almost any other state employee, he donates to the less fortunate?

[KnowItAll]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

And who knows how much better some of these guys would be if Walsh were coaching them? I mean, c'mon, he had Justin Tomberlin centering the two Ferraro brothers. Brad Purdie? Bruce Major? Jason Vitorino?

Love 'em all, but not every Walsh player was a superstar. But he got the most out of them that he could, probably more than those guys thought they even had.

as I remember it, Bruce Major was drafted ahead of Tikkanen by the Oilers, and he played for the Nordiques... in a league that none of the current crop will even sniff.

[irishfan85]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

I hope the interviewer told him that THAT is exactly what a lot of us are doing with the money we WOULD have spent on season tickets, auction items, lobsterfest tickets, end-of-year banquet, FOMH membership, General Scholarship Fund ... giving it to the less fortunate, or at least more deserving.

Which player did not understand this past summer that winning in December is determined by aerobic conditioning in July? They did not want to win bad enough back then, but we are supposed to feel for them because they want to win now?

Last... did be mention how much of his $170,000 annual salary, more than almost any other state employee, he donates to the less fortunate?

More than 1 player.

[BearNecessity]

More than 1 player.

Players can tell, and I've seen, lots of standing around in practice at Camp Whitehead.....corks is the guy who makes them work.......

[tylerzx2002]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

as I remember it, Bruce Major was drafted ahead of Tikkanen by the Oilers, and he played for the Nordiques... in a league that none of the current crop will even sniff.

Even Flynn, who easily carries the offense for this team? He's shown that he can play both Center and Left Wing.

I don't buy that he won't be a valuable prospect for some team.

[irishfan85]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

Even Flynn, who easily carries the offense for this team? He's shown that he can play both Center and Left Wing.

I don't buy that he won't be a valuable prospect for some team.

No one will argue with you. Flynn and Abbott are good hockey players. Unfortunately, we have not had a good goalie in quite some time. The defense is terrible and no one can score consistently after the first line.

[rufus]

Re: UMaine, 2011-2012 season thread, does anyone care anymore?

as I remember it, Bruce Major was drafted ahead of Tikkanen by the Oilers, and he played for the Nordiques... in a league that none of the current crop will even sniff.

Maybe so, and he was a good player at Maine, one of my favorites, but certainly never set the world on fire. He did have size though, which may have helped explain his high draft position.