The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

[BlackBearFan19]

What have you seen so far this year that would make you optimistic? I know it sounds like a not so nice question but am genuinely curious.

Any insight to what people are saying behind the scenes? Is Barr getting a mulligan or are some people getting frustrated?

The optimism stems from the fact that Barr was widely considered the best recruiter in college hockey and we’re 15 games into year 0.

Team defense is improving, our young goalies are playing good hockey. The team can’t score for sh** but they’re not getting blown of the rink. Maine is keeping pace on the shot counter. I expected it to get worse before it got better. This year is about laying the foundation. I think being the least penalized team in college hockey and keeping pace with other teams on shots is a good start.

[Blackbear96]

The optimism stems from the fact that Barr was widely considered the best recruiter in college hockey and we’re 15 games into year 0.

Team defense is improving, our young goalies are playing good hockey. The team can’t score for sh** but they’re not getting blown of the rink. Maine is keeping pace on the shot counter. I expected it to get worse before it got better. This year is about laying the foundation. I think being the least penalized team in college hockey and keeping pace with other teams on shots is a good start.

Bingo! All we’ve seen so far is that Barr’s system doesn’t work well with below average talent. His recruits (in a short season) are some of the best players on the team.

if you’re judging Barr on W/L this season, that’s absolutely ridiculous. I’d rather have him strip this program to its studs and rebuild over watch Red era program forever get stuck at .500.

[Fishman'81]

Never said it wasn't. I said "Football will continue to be a black hole that may have a good season every few years."

That fact is also irrefutable.

Football is a Black Hole in a financial sense?

Might be, but I seem to remember Sean Pickett pointing out that the two FBS games pay for the entire season.

Maine was hamstrung by Fagnano's injury. Football was 1-2 early wins away from a playoff berth, and I DO believe that if Fagnano could have played, football would have earned a spot.

[walrus]

We want it all, we want it now. I think most fans understand this ship isn't turning around overnight but as fans we want wins every game no matter what. We should all watch some of the games over the past few years to remember the style of play of yesteryear and be overjoyed it ain't that any more. Truly impressed with the goaltending considering the D in front of them.

[Drew S.]

I think whether he makes it or not comes down to how well he can motivate the new players and give them confidence. Maine has looked unmotivated a lot of the year and Akirbys stats show a major lack of confidence to me. Hopefully with his own guys he has better luck.

[amkirby10]

I think whether he makes it or not comes down to how well he can motivate the new players and give them confidence. Maine has looked unmotivated a lot of the year and Akirbys stats show a major lack of confidence to me. Hopefully with his own guys he has better luck.

I was up in Orono this past weekend and saw Saturday's game, and afterward while out for a drink and some food we came across an old acquaintance of mine who is very familiar with the team, and in fact roommates with some players. I asked a bit about the state of the team, and what the guys are thinking and feeling.

He said that all the guys like Barr, but that there is a definite disconnect between the younger players and the older ones. He said that the older guys have a sense of lingering loyalty to Red, and that the transition to a new system and culture has been tough for them. He said that most of the current seniors won't make use of their extra year of eligibility, and he alluded to some juniors either transferring, or in one specific case, quitting hockey entirely. He also said he gets the sense that Barr is excited to have a blank slate in front of him and have his own guys in place and see what can be done when it's all guys he wanted that are there. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but it is what I heard and I would generally believe it.

Also, I disagree with your assessment of the team looking unmotivated, but I do agree that I sense a definite lack of confidence, specifically in their ability to score goals.

[NorthMike]

I was up in Orono this past weekend and saw Saturday's game, and afterward while out for a drink and some food we came across an old acquaintance of mine who is very familiar with the team, and in fact roommates with some players. I asked a bit about the state of the team, and what the guys are thinking and feeling.

He said that all the guys like Barr, but that there is a definite disconnect between the younger players and the older ones. He said that the older guys have a sense of lingering loyalty to Red, and that the transition to a new system and culture has been tough for them. He said that most of the current seniors won't make use of their extra year of eligibility, and he alluded to some juniors either transferring, or in one specific case, quitting hockey entirely. He also said he gets the sense that Barr is excited to have a blank slate in front of him and have his own guys in place and see what can be done when it's all guys he wanted that are there. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but it is what I heard and I would generally believe it.

Also, I disagree with your assessment of the team looking unmotivated, but I do agree that I sense a definite lack of confidence, specifically in their ability to score goals.

Sounds about consistent to what I see vs what Barr says in interviews. Probably not a stretch.
I'm not a fan of pandering to status quo when clearly a rebuild was needed.

I was disappointed to hear that Sirota may look elsewhere next year. Larry made that comment. I thought he was one of the few senior guys who are taking advantage of what Barr is bringing. His game is good this year other than putting the puck at the net when he has a chance.

[Drew S.]

I was up in Orono this past weekend and saw Saturday's game, and afterward while out for a drink and some food we came across an old acquaintance of mine who is very familiar with the team, and in fact roommates with some players. I asked a bit about the state of the team, and what the guys are thinking and feeling.

He said that all the guys like Barr, but that there is a definite disconnect between the younger players and the older ones. He said that the older guys have a sense of lingering loyalty to Red, and that the transition to a new system and culture has been tough for them. He said that most of the current seniors won't make use of their extra year of eligibility, and he alluded to some juniors either transferring, or in one specific case, quitting hockey entirely. He also said he gets the sense that Barr is excited to have a blank slate in front of him and have his own guys in place and see what can be done when it's all guys he wanted that are there. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but it is what I heard and I would generally believe it.

Also, I disagree with your assessment of the team looking unmotivated, but I do agree that I sense a definite lack of confidence, specifically in their ability to score goals.

That sounds reasonable and no big surprise. In hindsight Maine might have been better off not bringing back Quinlivan, Westerlund, and Spicer. They haven’t contributed a lot this year and maybe a smoother transition without them around.

Unmotivated is probably the wrong word. Maybe flat at times is better? Or they lack desperation? There is something that is missing.

Having a full offseason and his own guys hopefully will make a big difference next year. He has been put in a really tough spot given the circumstances he got the job in.

[BlackBearFan19]

That sounds reasonable and no big surprise. In hindsight Maine might have been better off not bringing back Quinlivan, Westerlund, and Spicer. They haven’t contributed a lot this year and maybe a smoother transition without them around.

Unmotivated is probably the wrong word. Maybe flat at times is better? Or they lack desperation? There is something that is missing.

Having a full offseason and his own guys hopefully will make a big difference next year. He has been put in a really tough spot given the circumstances he got the job in.

All of these things make sense. It’s also important for us to recognize that these guys and this program went through something extremely tragic not long ago. Barr did the right thing keeping those guys around and letting them process and cope properly with this. The rebuild might be delayed slightly because of it but some things are more important than hockey.

I think next year starts the rebuild and we should see serious improvement. Take a look at the top scorers in the BCHL, there are quite a few committed to Maine and at least 2-3 should be coming in next year. Just from looking at the committed players, next years class is probably the best since the Pearson, Fossier, Holway class. He’s likely going to bring in a huge class and the guys who stick around believe in what he’s doing. Sirota is likely going to transfer to a top team or sign pro, I’d be shocked to see him use his extra year on the Maine rebuild. It’d be great if he did but totally understandable if he doesn’t.

[Drew S.]

Maine is going to play Denver and Air Force in the icebreaker out there next fall. I believe that allows Maine to schedule two extra games.

[AMC]

Football is a Black Hole in a financial sense?

Might be, but I seem to remember Sean Pickett pointing out that the two FBS games pay for the entire season.

Maine was hamstrung by Fagnano's injury. Football was 1-2 early wins away from a playoff berth, and I DO believe that if Fagnano could have played, football would have earned a spot.

This is what I don't get- Maine seems to always be a game or two short of making the playoffs, even this year when they actually won an FBS game. Unfortunately, we can't play UMass every year, so most years Maine is scheduling itself two losses, needing to win its other non-conference game and go 6-2 in the CAA to get to 7-4 and have a shot at the playoffs.

That's backing the program into a corner that it doesn't need to be in, just to pay the bills. And makes me wonder what the heck we are doing here?

Although you could print that on the (non-existent) media guide for every sport. Maine Athletics: What Exactly is the Point?

[NorthMike]

Well they just paid the new football coach more than the hockey coach. Times are changing.

[BoSox3066]

Stevens has an Ok resume. For that kind of money it would’ve been nice to get Hetherman back or Bobby Wilder

Then again, 245k is probably still not much of a raise for Hetherman and Wilder made 650 his last year at ODU so.

more than the rookie hockey coach is still garbage money

[Fishman'81]

I was up in Orono this past weekend and saw Saturday's game, and afterward while out for a drink and some food we came across an old acquaintance of mine who is very familiar with the team, and in fact roommates with some players. I asked a bit about the state of the team, and what the guys are thinking and feeling.

He said that all the guys like Barr, but that there is a definite disconnect between the younger players and the older ones. He said that the older guys have a sense of lingering loyalty to Red, and that the transition to a new system and culture has been tough for them. He said that most of the current seniors won't make use of their extra year of eligibility, and he alluded to some juniors either transferring, or in one specific case, quitting hockey entirely. He also said he gets the sense that Barr is excited to have a blank slate in front of him and have his own guys in place and see what can be done when it's all guys he wanted that are there. Take this with a grain of salt, of course, but it is what I heard and I would generally believe it.

Also, I disagree with your assessment of the team looking unmotivated, but I do agree that I sense a definite lack of confidence, specifically in their ability to score goals.

It would be a big plus if the older guys bailed. The sooner the dead wood is gone, the sooner Maine has a shot at building a decent roster.

[Fishman'81]

This is what I don't get- Maine seems to always be a game or two short of making the playoffs, even this year when they actually won an FBS game. Unfortunately, we can't play UMass every year, so most years Maine is scheduling itself two losses, needing to win its other non-conference game and go 6-2 in the CAA to get to 7-4 and have a shot at the playoffs.

That's backing the program into a corner that it doesn't need to be in, just to pay the bills. And makes me wonder what the heck we are doing here?

Although you could print that on the (non-existent) media guide for every sport. Maine Athletics: What Exactly is the Point?

Short answer is this: football made it to the FCS FF a few years ago, and contends for a NCAA berth most years of late. (And don't play dumb, my brother, everyone knows that FBS losses are ignored by the selection committee. There's absolutely no reason to pass up those paydays.)

Can you say anything similiar re: hockey for, what, 15-16 years? Nope!

Football has had a few NFL players there lately. Aside from the great Swayman, hockey is absolutely not any kind of stepping-stone to the bigs any more.

Barr is going to have to do the sow's-ear silk-purse thing, just as Cosgrove and Shawn did... Then, he'll move on.