Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

[jnacc]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

He does have experience at a many different levels and has won a lot...me thinks that this will turn out to be a good hire! Congrats Maine and I'm sure your program will not hit a sand bar and sink to the bottom of the lake like LSSU did....

[BlackI]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I like the choice. But I wish Corkum to stay on as top assistant. It goes without saying he has earned it. And I would look now towards hiring another good assistant to compliment these two. This could be outstanding if we can keep Corkum on crew with Gendron and get a strong recruiter type. I will give big thumbs up. Corkum should stay on because there isn't much for him to lose and there won't be a very long number of years(to wait-given he has made his money and/or bones). Wish he stays on. But know if he can't. But wish he would to be a part of a success story. Corkum could make it happen. To me, the best thing to give me hope as a Mainer would be Gendron and Bobby working it out. That would be a remedy to fill the seats. Think about it.

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

From email:

Dennis "Red" Gendron has been named University of Maine head men's ice hockey coach by UMaine President Paul Ferguson and Director of Athletics Steve Abbott. Gendron, who has won two NCAA Hockey National Championships and an NHL Stanley Cup as an assistant coach, will be formally announced as Maine's head coach in a series of events on Tuesday, May 28, 2013. The media along with University of Maine athletic fans and the public are invited to attend these events.

Gendron will be introduced in a press conference at 1 PM at Alfond Arena. He will speak to the media and be available for individual interviews following the official news conference. He will also be available to greet fans in the Alfond Family Lounge after the press conference.

At 5 PM on Tuesday evening, Gendron will be at Season's Grille, located at 427 Main Street in Bangor. Everyone is encouraged to come out and welcome Coach Gendron to Maine and the start of a new era in Maine hockey. Members of the 2013-14 Maine hockey team will be in attendance during the day as well.

Gendron's first college hockey coaching experience was with the Black Bears, where he assisted Coach Shawn Walsh with the 1993 NCAA Division I National Championship team.

In his 34-year coaching career, Gendron has worked with championship teams at all levels. At Bellows Free Academy in Vermont, he guided squads to four state championships in the 1980s. Gendron earned three NHL championship rings as a coach and has twice had his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. He was an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils when they captured the Stanley Cup in 1995, and was an assistant and head coach, respectively, with their AHL team in Albany when the Devils won the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003. The last two seasons, Gendron was associate head coach at Yale University; the Bulldogs earned the 2013 NCAA Division I National Championship.

"Our primary goal in this search was to find an individual who could bring the best balance to our men's hockey program as a nationally competitive team on the ice and support our student-athletes' preparation for the future based upon solid academic foundations," says President Ferguson. "We are so pleased to have found that individual in Red Gendron, who personifies that balance. His personal passion for the Black Bears and UMaine is extraordinary and will no doubt unite the Black Bear Nation."

Abbott says Gendron "truly appreciates both the history of this great hockey program and the potential that exists here to compete for Hockey East and national championships. He is an enthusiastic competitor who loves this university and is passionate about Maine hockey."

[Hoover]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

It feels GOOD to feel GOOD about Maine Hockey again...its been long over due.

I think Red Gendron will turn out to be a good hire. He has ties to Maine hockey, he's had a hand in several successes at the collegiate and professional level, and he's praised as a guy who's respected for his work ethic, innovation, and knowledge of how to get the most/best from those he works with.He's also well aware of how important the success of the Black Bears is to the entire State of Maine, as I believe they are "bigger" than even the AHL Pirates in terms of state-wide interest (someone please correct me if I'm wrong - I don't live in Maine but follow the goings-on closely).

Another poster here was lamenting the fact that Gendron is older than he/she was hoping for in a new coach, but I think he'll bring a sense of calm to the situation and to those who are familiar with his body of work. Of course, results do matter - Gendron is who they have now, and I'm encouraged for the immediate future of the program and will enjoy the new season rather than grind on about who should have been hired or who they missed out on like so many in this thread probably will.

I was sitting next to a fellow Fan Forum member as we watched the third period of the Frozen Four Championship game and for a moment we were talking about Red Gendron. In the back of my mind I thought he might be a good replacement for Tim Whithead if the rumours circulating that weekend of his impending dismissal turned out to be true. I admit that at the time I fell into the "Jim Montgomery has to be the next one..." group, but the events of the past several weeks have led me to think there would have been unrealistic expectations if he went to Orono. I'm satisfied with the hiring of Dennis "Red" Gendron and I'm looking forward to the next season to begin.

[walrus]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Just noticed another thing about Red, Masters Degree when he was Asst at Maine

http://bangordailynews.com/2013/05/2.../?ref=comments

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

It's official

[sisu458]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I'm not as sanguine re: Gendron as most of you are. He's a good guy, and a Maine home-boy, yes... But I was looking for a starving and young up-and-comer who was willing to stake his entire professional career on the job, a la Walsh.

Such a risk with the program isn't realistic anymore. Maine is no longer the nobody it was in 1984. UMO needs a proven winner that can bring excitement back.

[BassAle]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

OK here's the practical point about Corkum's post-firing comments about TW ... it's not that what he said was "wrong" or that he didn't have the "right" to say what he did. It is however a practical issue for the CURRENT UMaine coach to know that Corkum had openly campaigned for the top post, and part of that campaign was to harpoon TW after he was fired. If I'm Gendron, that tells me (1) the guy will probably continue to harbor his own agenda and aspirations for what is now MY job, and (2) if he never said anything to TW's face about disagreeing with his direction - and I admit we don't know that, but can reasonably assume TW would have dropped Corkum if they did squabble privately - then how can I trust him to buy into MY program going forward? And I'm 110% sure that Gendron will talk to TW before he would even consider retaining Corkum.

Listen, I said at the time of Corkum's comments that it was a ballsy "all or nothing" gamble for the top job from a position of weakness (i.e. assistant on a losing program). BC clearly felt he needed to distance himself from TW's ways, and he did so. But in failing to land the top job, he knows the score, and it's not likely he would be coming back.

IF he does, then more power to him and UMaine, and Coach Gendron is a lot more trusting than most coaches at that level would be under the circumstances. JMHO.

I agree. He went all in throwing TW under the bus and he lost the hand.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

OK here's the practical point about Corkum's post-firing comments about TW ... it's not that what he said was "wrong" or that he didn't have the "right" to say what he did. It is however a practical issue for the CURRENT UMaine coach to know that Corkum had openly campaigned for the top post, and part of that campaign was to harpoon TW after he was fired. If I'm Gendron, that tells me (1) the guy will probably continue to harbor his own agenda and aspirations for what is now MY job, and (2) if he never said anything to TW's face about disagreeing with his direction - and I admit we don't know that, but can reasonably assume TW would have dropped Corkum if they did squabble privately - then how can I trust him to buy into MY program going forward? And I'm 110% sure that Gendron will talk to TW before he would even consider retaining Corkum.

Listen, I said at the time of Corkum's comments that it was a ballsy "all or nothing" gamble for the top job from a position of weakness (i.e. assistant on a losing program). BC clearly felt he needed to distance himself from TW's ways, and he did so. But in failing to land the top job, he knows the score, and it's not likely he would be coming back.

IF he does, then more power to him and UMaine, and Coach Gendron is a lot more trusting than most coaches at that level would be under the circumstances. JMHO.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Can't wait to find out who he does hire to help him run the program.

It feels GOOD to feel GOOD about Maine Hockey again...its been long over due.

[walrus]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

It will all depend on who he hires for Assistants,he may have a Veteran Assistant along with a so called up and coming Assistant that he would take under his wing/show him the ropes and get the experience behind the bench and the recruiting trail,could be a worth while hiring down the road say 8 to 10 years...maybe..???

Can't wait to find out who he does hire to help him run the program.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I don't think that Corkum got a fair shake. If somehow Tim would have been fired over Christmas break (which would have been entirely warranted), then at least Bob would've been given the opportunity to coach the same crew, which would have been invaluable in assessing him vis-a-vis Whitehead.

I'm not as sanguine re: Gendron as most of you are. He's a good guy, and a Maine home-boy, yes... But I was looking for a starving and young up-and-comer who was willing to stake his entire professional career on the job, a la Walsh.

I don't see that sort of thing happening right now. I figure that Red will be well-liked, and given the same long-leash that Tim received, win lose or draw.

It will all depend on who he hires for Assistants,he may have a Veteran Assistant along with a so called up and coming Assistant that he would take under his wing/show him the ropes and get the experience behind the bench and the recruiting trail,could be a worth while hiring down the road say 8 to 10 years...maybe..???

[Fishman'81]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I don't think that Corkum got a fair shake. If somehow Tim would have been fired over Christmas break (which would have been entirely warranted), then at least Bob would've been given the opportunity to coach the same crew, which would have been invaluable in assessing him vis-a-vis Whitehead.

I'm not as sanguine re: Gendron as most of you are. He's a good guy, and a Maine home-boy, yes... But I was looking for a starving and young up-and-comer who was willing to stake his entire professional career on the job, a la Walsh.

I don't see that sort of thing happening right now. I figure that Red will be well-liked, and given the same long-leash that Tim received, win lose or draw.

[Dirt]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I'm a little disappointed that Corkum did not get the job. I would of at least signed him for 2/3 years just to see how he would do, the players love him. Him being the head coach of the U-18's has to help with recruiting.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

How about Grant coming back for a year or two. That would be quite the **** you to Timmy. The notion that Timmy was hard done by is beyond ridiculous. He was given plenty of time to turn it around and it didn't happen.

MAYBE Standbrook would like to be a Volunteer Assistant and help out with the Goaltenders,just a thought...unless he's got another Volunteer gig @ Denver..?