Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Merrimack…not what we hoped for in year three.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • #16
    Originally posted by Split-N View Post

    At the risk of oversimplifying, Keefe finds the talent and Madigan closes the deals (it is said in NU circles that Madigan could sell refrigerators to eskimos). It is very much a collaborative effort both on and off the bench and it is widely assumed that Keefe is HC-in-waiting.
    That is the kind of HC/AC relationship the Warriors need, neither can walk into a room thinking they are the smartest person in the room, the sales pitch always starts with the AC and the HC closes. Maybe Merrimack’s future is brighter than I suspect but only time will tell. It would be pretty hard for Borek to find a Keefe clone the way things have been going.

    Comment


    • #17
      Originally posted by Bradz View Post
      That is the kind of HC/AC relationship the Warriors need, neither can walk into a room thinking they are the smartest person in the room, the sales pitch always starts with the AC and the HC closes. Maybe Merrimack’s future is brighter than I suspect but only time will tell. It would be pretty hard for Borek to find a Keefe clone the way things have been going.
      As pointed out in my last post, you get a unique AC/HC situation like that maybe once a generation or so. Too often your hot-shot AC is lusting after his first HC post, and whether it's in another program OR as the successor to his current boss HC, by definition it's breaking up the pairing that's working so well in the first place.

      An example of the scenario of the ambitious AC who does want to run his own show is what UNH had a generation ago with McCloskey doing to recruiting for Umile. As long as that lasted, UNH was formidable, and competing pretty closely with the Walsh/Standbrook juggernaut. And once Walshy passed, IF McCloskey had continued in his AC role for the UNH Men, that success likely would have continued unabated. But McCloskey wanted a HC job, and took the UNH Women's job, which worked out pretty well for the better part of a decade. Until the man tells me otherwise face-to-face, I will always believe McCloskey felt he would coach the Women's team until Umile retired, and then slide over to run the Men's team.

      Unfortunately, Umile decided to continue past his sell-by date, which probably annoyed McCloskey to some degree, there was slippage and then frustration as a result, and McCloskey got booted at the first opportune moment, ending that scenario. The guy who had replaced him as head recruiter for the UNH Men (some guy named Borek, you guys ever hear of him?) couldn't match what McCloskey had done, but was kept on board even longer, and he too probably had a belief that he would be the nect UNH HC when Umile retired. That didn't work out the way he hoped, either.

      If you have a guy like Standbrook who is content to do the hard work on recruiting, and does a top notch job at it, then you are generally set for the long run - and your HC is a very lucky guy indeed. If Keefe is content to be "Standbrook" under Madigan's "Walshy" then Northeastern is set for the long run. If Keefe gets antsy and moves, Madigan will be OK for a few years working through Keefe's recruiting inventory, sure, but what happens after that? Unless he can find the "next Keefe" then he's probably on the road to retirement a few years earlier than he'd like to be.

      Long story short - if you can get such an HC/AC team in place where both are happy in what they do, and both do it well, then you're probably set for a long time. But ... easier said than done.
      Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
      Montreal Expos Forever ...

      Comment


      • #18
        5-1 loss to PC today at Lawler. Outscored 17-4 over last 3 games. I noticed the Alex Jefferies was not in the line-up. Anyone know why?
        Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

        Comment


        • #19
          Originally posted by RENCEB View Post
          5-1 loss to PC today at Lawler. Outscored 17-4 over last 3 games. I noticed the Alex Jefferies was not in the line-up. Anyone know why?
          Per Mike McMahon:

          Merrimack will be without Ben Brar and Alex Jefferies, who are both out with injuries. We’re working on getting a status of both players moving forward.

          Comment


          • #20
            Oh well...maybe year four will be better.

            Comment


            • #21
              Originally posted by FLHockeyMom View Post

              Per Mike McMahon:

              Merrimack will be without Ben Brar and Alex Jefferies, who are both out with injuries. We’re working on getting a status of both players moving forward.
              Stuff happens.....

              Comment


              • #22
                Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
                This thread reminds me that as bad as things are at UNH, they could be even worse.
                and there you have "....could be even worse" for UNH. Nice weekend for MC. Scored some goals, great effort on the powerplay. I'll take 2-0-2 against UNH ANY season.

                Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

                Comment


                • #23
                  Originally posted by RENCEB View Post
                  and there you have "....could be even worse" for UNH. Nice weekend for MC. Scored some goals, great effort on the powerplay. I'll take 2-0-2 against UNH ANY season.
                  I'm guessing Coach Borek ordered the King Cut prime rib for dinner today after completing a weird season "sweep" over his former employers, what with MC earning points from all four meetings with UNH this season. Hey, kudos to you guys, I was calling for a regulation win in Saturday's game, but never expected it would be a comfortable 4 goal win for the home team.

                  "Durham, we have a problem ... "
                  Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                  Montreal Expos Forever ...

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post

                    I'm guessing Coach Borek ordered the King Cut prime rib for dinner today after completing a weird season "sweep" over his former employers, what with MC earning points from all four meetings with UNH this season. Hey, kudos to you guys, I was calling for a regulation win in Saturday's game, but never expected it would be a comfortable 4 goal win for the home team.

                    "Durham, we have a problem ... "
                    I keep forgetting to thank you UNH folks for all the gifts you provided and the PP practice we really needed.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Best win of the season. Stayed out of the box (1 penalty), and love that they carried the play in the 3rd and did not try and sit on the lead. 4 game unbeaten streak. Well done!!
                      Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Well that ended quicker than expected. Too bad. 4-4-2 in their last 2 with 2 winnable games at home against UVM. After a dreadful 1-7 start, they righted the ship somewhat. Holoway graduates but they don't lose much beyond that. Fosmark, Walsh and Jeffries showed some offensive skill, and Carlile, Uens and Vinnell could be a very solid D core. Borgiel looks like he'll be your starter in net next year, but goaltending is not their strong suit. That needs to be better. Is it unreasonable to expect that they will be in the 5/6/7 range next range next year?
                        Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X