UVM Catamounts 2019/20

[TovarishchLisa]

I can't think of a subtitle at the moment so whatever, maybe i'll edit one in if it comes up if such a thing is possible.

Gone from last year's roster: Coughlin, O'Neil, Puffer graduated, Massie left early, Frechette is presumed cut, Aldworth (that QU transfer) left on his own fruition.

In: Andrew Lucas, Simon Boyko, Jacques Bouquot, Riley McCutcheon, William Lemay as freshmen, Thomas Beretta as a grad transfer from Michigan Tech.

Lots of questions:

-Offense has been on the struggle bus the last couple years but does have some players w/ tools
-Renovated Gutt is going to be a Thing, now...we'll see what impact that has
-Who's going to step up on D with Massie gone? he was imo our best all-round defender
-Sneddon contract year, he needs to get results to earn another one imo, but you never know
-Lekkas's senior year, was last year an outlier, or is he really one of the nation's best?

[j24vt]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

The Gut is a construction zone this year. My seats next to the UVM bench don't exist this year because there will be a temporary walkway. Find it interesting that UVM had to buy advertising on the side of the Burlington buses to sell tickets this year.

[j24vt]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

A good subtitle might be Under Construction

[Catfantoo]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

Good to see a new thread. Couple thoughts - (1) picked up season tickets recently. Got a chance to meet some of the players. Felt they were out and about talking to season ticket holders. General take is that they are anxious for the season. (2) Construction is going to inconvenience many (me too) but I'm OK with it as we need this revitalized facility. I've stressed to ticket office the need for UVM ushers to hold people from walking the aisles during game play. Hope they carry through with that.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

A good subtitle might be Under Construction

How about "New Gutt, no glory"?

[GreenCat]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

How about "New Gutt, no glory"?

I like that one!!

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

Subscriber article on Sneddon's lack of job security: https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...on/2379591001/

But really by the second paragraph you can tell this is just for show in UVM's eyes. Sneddon nor Schulman or Gervais seem like they're even evaluating on-ice performance in it and are talking up the "give him a chance in the renovated Gutt" talk that really has been the backroom story since the season ended. It all reads as pretty par for the course which is to say the standards just keep getting lowered and Sneddon joking around and the faux humbleness about telling Schulman not to talk extension because he doesn't deserve it (we all know Sneddon would have been very upset at the backlash and bad PR he would have gotten if they did it, we all know how much he hates even the slightest of critiques from fans or media). He knows nothing is going to happen to him regardless of what happens record-wise this year. That's how it reads.

Some choice selections from the article because probably not everyone will read it behind the paywall:

"Kevin Sneddon does not know if he will be the head coach of the University of Vermont men’s hockey team a year from now.

Instead he enters his 17th — and perhaps final — season as the Catamounts’ head man with one word to describe his lame-duck status:

“Good!”

UVM has not offered Sneddon an extension beyond the upcoming season, the final year of his current three-year contract. Whether Sneddon is still on the bench for the 2020-21 season will depend upon the judgment of UVM athletic director Jeff Schulman that the Catamounts have — or have not — shown significant improvement this winter."


---

"Such a determination by Schulman as well as Joe Gervais, the associate athletic director and Sneddon’s immediate supervisor, likely will not depend solely upon the Catamounts’ overall and Hockey East records this winter. They are expected to also evaluate progress in style of play and recruiting as well as other factors such as academic success, team chemistry and player citizenship.

In March, Schulman offered unqualified support for Sneddon for this season and optimism that Sneddon can produce enough significant improvement to merit a new contract and the opportunity to try to reap the benefits of a revamped Gutterson Fieldhouse and sparkling new ancillary facilities such as locker room, players’ lounge, training and video rooms and medical/rehabilitation areas."



----

“I met with Jeff and he said, ‘You know, you have a vote of confidence from me but we’re not at a point right now where we can talk about a lengthy contract extension. We certainly need to see improvement,’” Sneddon said.

“That’s how I felt anyway,” said Sneddon. “I could have walked into that meeting and they could have said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for a new hockey coach. Here’s your remaining year on your contract and go find work’.”

Because Schulman and Gervais were so forthright, Sneddon said, “In their mind this was actually a vote of confidence that I can turn things around with the boys and so do I.”


---

"Quite honestly, I probably thought in my mind that over 20 years of coaching I’d get fired a number of times. You just don’t know,” he said. “I joke about it (that) we’re all lame ducks. It’s whether you get a year to go find a job or if it’s last minute.”

Instead, Sneddon said this year gives him and the staff the opportunity to continue a process of re-evaluating and implementing changes begun a year ago. Whether all that shows on the ice to an extent worthy of a new contract will be the question only Schulman will answer."

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

Subscriber article on Sneddon's lack of job security: https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/...on/2379591001/

But really by the second paragraph you can tell this is just for show in UVM's eyes. Sneddon nor Schulman or Gervais seem like they're even evaluating on-ice performance in it and are talking up the "give him a chance in the renovated Gutt" talk that really has been the backroom story since the season ended. It all reads as pretty par for the course which is to say the standards just keep getting lowered and Sneddon joking around and the faux humbleness about telling Schulman not to talk extension because he doesn't deserve it (we all know Sneddon would have been very upset at the backlash and bad PR he would have gotten if they did it, we all know how much he hates even the slightest of critiques from fans or media). He knows nothing is going to happen to him regardless of what happens record-wise this year. That's how it reads.

Some choice selections from the article because probably not everyone will read it behind the paywall:

"Kevin Sneddon does not know if he will be the head coach of the University of Vermont men’s hockey team a year from now.

Instead he enters his 17th — and perhaps final — season as the Catamounts’ head man with one word to describe his lame-duck status:

“Good!”

UVM has not offered Sneddon an extension beyond the upcoming season, the final year of his current three-year contract. Whether Sneddon is still on the bench for the 2020-21 season will depend upon the judgment of UVM athletic director Jeff Schulman that the Catamounts have — or have not — shown significant improvement this winter."


---

"Such a determination by Schulman as well as Joe Gervais, the associate athletic director and Sneddon’s immediate supervisor, likely will not depend solely upon the Catamounts’ overall and Hockey East records this winter. They are expected to also evaluate progress in style of play and recruiting as well as other factors such as academic success, team chemistry and player citizenship.

In March, Schulman offered unqualified support for Sneddon for this season and optimism that Sneddon can produce enough significant improvement to merit a new contract and the opportunity to try to reap the benefits of a revamped Gutterson Fieldhouse and sparkling new ancillary facilities such as locker room, players’ lounge, training and video rooms and medical/rehabilitation areas."



----

“I met with Jeff and he said, ‘You know, you have a vote of confidence from me but we’re not at a point right now where we can talk about a lengthy contract extension. We certainly need to see improvement,’” Sneddon said.

“That’s how I felt anyway,” said Sneddon. “I could have walked into that meeting and they could have said, ‘Hey, we’re looking for a new hockey coach. Here’s your remaining year on your contract and go find work’.”

Because Schulman and Gervais were so forthright, Sneddon said, “In their mind this was actually a vote of confidence that I can turn things around with the boys and so do I.”


---

"Quite honestly, I probably thought in my mind that over 20 years of coaching I’d get fired a number of times. You just don’t know,” he said. “I joke about it (that) we’re all lame ducks. It’s whether you get a year to go find a job or if it’s last minute.”

Instead, Sneddon said this year gives him and the staff the opportunity to continue a process of re-evaluating and implementing changes begun a year ago. Whether all that shows on the ice to an extent worthy of a new contract will be the question only Schulman will answer."

Thanks for posting this. Yup, I saw the article, but couldn't access it and was NOT going to pay to read the usual BS about Sneddon. It's interesting because some of what's said seems like they're gonna take a serious look at him -- e.g., the Cats will need to show "significant improvement this winter." Honestly, I think the Cats are gonna suck, so I don't see how "significant improvement" is gonna be possible. But then on the other hand, they say it's not all about wins and losses -- i.e., they'll look at style of play, recruitment, etc. This is where it gets very concerning for me because these criteria are of course subjective. I mean, if you look hard enough, you can find good things to say about almost anything. We've all heard it said about Sneddon and the program in the past. Also, the line about not being able to offer a "lengthy contract extension" right now is downright ridiculous! I mean, if you're UVM, of course you can't!!! That shouldn't be in anyone's thinking -- even a short extension shouldn't be contemplated right now!

Overall, I think the Cats will be bad this season. I don't see them improving much, or at all, over last season when they were bad. That said, I see Sneddon being the coach for the 2020-2021 season and at least a couple of years beyond. I'm confident that Schulman and company will come up with some lame justification for keeping him on no matter how the season goes. This article appears to lay the groundwork for that to happen. If things go bad, we need to be even more vocal about axing Sneddon.

[catmandoo]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

Thanks for posting this. Yup, I saw the article, but couldn't access it and was NOT going to pay to read the usual BS about Sneddon. It's interesting because some of what's said seems like they're gonna take a serious look at him -- e.g., the Cats will need to show "significant improvement this winter." Honestly, I think the Cats are gonna suck, so I don't see how "significant improvement" is gonna be possible. But then on the other hand, they say it's not all about wins and losses -- i.e., they'll look at style of play, recruitment, etc. This is where it gets very concerning for me because these criteria are of course subjective. I mean, if you look hard enough, you can find good things to say about almost anything. We've all heard it said about Sneddon and the program in the past. Also, the line about not being able to offer a "lengthy contract extension" right now is downright ridiculous! I mean, if you're UVM, of course you can't!!! That shouldn't be in anyone's thinking -- even a short extension shouldn't be contemplated right now!

Overall, I think the Cats will be bad this season. I don't see them improving much, or at all, over last season when they were bad. That said, I see Sneddon being the coach for the 2020-2021 season and at least a couple of years beyond. I'm confident that Schulman and company will come up with some lame justification for keeping him on no matter how the season goes. This article appears to lay the groundwork for that to happen. If things go bad, we need to be even more vocal about axing Sneddon.

If you look objectively at the criteria mentioned and consider Sneddons' complete "body of work"...He is a complete disaster and any continuation of his leadership will only continue the slow downward spiral that began shortly after the arrival of his recruits and subsequent lack of development. It is comical for me to think that the Athletic department could possibly see it any other way. His reputation in recruiting circles is so bad there is no chance of recovery. His reputation on player development is rock bottom and his "grass is greener" philosophy of turning over recruits is finally (unfortunately) catching up to he and the program. We are bordering on irreversible damage to a once storied program...its time and if they don't see it that way, they are not looking.

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

If you look objectively at the criteria mentioned and consider Sneddons' complete "body of work"...He is a complete disaster and any continuation of his leadership will only continue the slow downward spiral that began shortly after the arrival of his recruits and subsequent lack of development. It is comical for me to think that the Athletic department could possibly see it any other way. His reputation in recruiting circles is so bad there is no chance of recovery. His reputation on player development is rock bottom and his "grass is greener" philosophy of turning over recruits is finally (unfortunately) catching up to he and the program. We are bordering on irreversible damage to a once storied program...its time and if they don't see it that way, they are not looking.

and like, we keep hearing about culture and whatever, buuuuut HazeGate 2016 happened, which isn't exactly a good sign of culture.

I get that the athletic department and donor class like him, but sometimes the hardest thing to do (for them, anyways) is the right thing. There are plenty of terrific candidates out there - quality assistants (the fact that Ben Barr hasn't gotten a head gig is preposterous), guys at smaller schools who deserve a move up. This team has been flat-out unwatchable the last two seasons and I don't see it getting better with his track record of player development, something that has been brought up by a former player the minute that his last extension came out.

The recruiting has gotten worse. The player development isn't there. Ticket sales have plummeted, and the atmosphere is dead. If the results aren't there this season, do the right thing and move on. It's time.

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

Empty the Gutt!
Fire Sneddon!

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

hockey east online poll of the coaches says 10th place for the Cats http://hockeyeastonline.com/men/arti...ens-league.php
sounds about right! Saw the players and Sneddon on local news talking about season typical Sneddon crap saying they were just unlucky on the wrong end of close games and thats why they were bad sorry but losing 17 conference game has nothing to do with not being lucky! also said wants the dmen to be more offensive okay but they going to take care of the d zone and how long before he scraps it all to go back to the old ways or benches kid for being -2 one night with lineup jumble?

[jfromvt]

hockey east online poll of the coaches says 10th place for the Cats http://hockeyeastonline.com/men/arti...ens-league.php
sounds about right! Saw the players and Sneddon on local news talking about season typical Sneddon crap saying they were just unlucky on the wrong end of close games and thats why they were bad sorry but losing 17 conference game has nothing to do with not being lucky! also said wants the dmen to be more offensive okay but they going to take care of the d zone and how long before he scraps it all to go back to the old ways or benches kid for being -2 one night with lineup jumble?

There are three tiers in HE - the usual teams at the top, with UMass in that group, though it will be interesting to see how they do without Makar; UNH, Maine and UConn lurking; and UVM and Merrimack at the bottom. The points total in the poll, not just being in 10th, says it all - everyone has them at 10th or 11th.

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

There are three tiers in HE - the usual teams at the top, with UMass in that group, though it will be interesting to see how they do without Makar; UNH, Maine and UConn lurking; and UVM and Merrimack at the bottom. The points total in the poll, not just being in 10th, says it all - everyone has them at 10th or 11th.

So everyone sees something the administration does not? Well that's not much of surprise. Honestly Schulman will axe the women's hockey coach (who isn't doing himself any favors losing to a Canadian side 3-0 today) after this season before he cans Sneddon.

[TovarishchLisa]

Re: UVM Catamounts 2019/20

So everyone sees something the administration does not? Well that's not much of surprise. Honestly Schulman will axe the women's hockey coach (who isn't doing himself any favors losing to a Canadian side 3-0 today) after this season before he cans Sneddon.

Sneddon lost to a Canadian side 4-0 last year haha