The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

[Drew S.]

It should just be how Hockey East used to be. 5 mins of 5-on-5 (I could even accept 4-on-4, but 3-on-3 is a stupid gimmick), if someone scores they win and the other team loses, and if not then its a tie. No partial wins, no extra points, 2 for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a loss.

100%. I hope college hockey doesn’t become the ECHL but it’s certainly trending in that direction.

[Chuck Murray]

100%. I hope college hockey doesn't become the ECHL but it's certainly trending in that direction.

Agreed. And with even more roster instability on the way, the trend will doubtless continue ...

[NorthMike]

It should just be how Hockey East used to be. 5 mins of 5-on-5 (I could even accept 4-on-4, but 3-on-3 is a stupid gimmick), if someone scores they win and the other team loses, and if not then its a tie. No partial wins, no extra points, 2 for a win, 1 for a tie, and 0 for a loss.

What really caught my attention was the mentioned potential changes coming with the Alston case ruling described in the first part of the article. News to me.
These would be major changes to college hockey. Dunno, my gut reaction is negative, but maybe good for the players, attracting more to D1.

[Drew S.]

If Leaman does go to BC I think we have a major issue. Providence could easily double Barr’s salary and I would think he would be far and away their preferred candidate.

[amkirby10]

Barr isnt going to leave after only one season. After three, four, five years, maybe, but after one? Come on. Give it a rest.

[BlackBearFan19]

If Leaman does go to BC I think we have a major issue. Providence could easily double Barr’s salary and I would think he would be far and away their preferred candidate.

Not gonna lie this popped into my head as well. However, I agree with amkirby, I don’t think he leaves after a season. He strikes me as a guy who enjoys the process of building a winner and I truly believe that those are his intentitions at Maine.

I’m more shocked that Leaman is looking to leave if that’s true. From an outside perspective, it seems like he has total control of that Providence program and they’ve paid him a crazy salary to keep him. I believe the AD also alluded to him having a “lifetime” contract.

[Chuck Murray]

Barr isnt going to leave after only one season. After three, four, five years, maybe, but after one? Come on. Give it a rest.

Agree 100%. Barr is unproven as a HC at this point, he is working for a guy who believes in him now, and on top of that, I doubt Leaman is headed for BC anyway. If Barr is in the D-1 HC business for the long term, you don't start job-hopping after the first year of a long term rebuild, which still hasn't ripened. People understand the job-hopping if you're an assistant, not so much if you're an HC.

[umhockey91]

Barr will earn well over $1 million in 5 years at Maine...have a good shot at a NC....and he will be 44 years old in year 5. He's got plenty of time to parlay his (hopefully) future success in Orono into one more lucrative gig...he can do better than Providence....if he has success at Maine he will be bound for a Big Ten or pro job.

[ticapnews]

There's more to the equation than salary. He just relocated his family from that general area and bought a house here. Yes, Providence can double his salary and spend more on resources, but his cost of living would also increase dramatically. The Providence housing market is "highly competitive" with prices up 20% in the last year and real estate has more than doubled in five. He'd be moving his family to a third location in two years and at the (probable) height of the housing bubble. He's also building something at Maine. If he is successful (and everyone in that profession always believes they will be successful) he will take a once-prominent program back to national relevance again. And he would be able to say he did it all himself; he didn't walk into a program that was already established. If he is able to build the program into a winner in the next few years he will be able to write his own ticket, whether he wants to go to a bigger school, go to the NHL or remain at UMaine and become a legend like Shawn Walsh, Jerry York and Jack Parker.

Consider the talent and youth in the UMaine coaching tree right now. Aside from Barr (40) there is Amy Vachon (43) who likely will go down as the best basketball coach we've ever had at UM. Richard Reichenbach (39?) in women's hockey, Nick Derba (38?) in baseball and Jordan Fitzpatrick (34?) in softball. Jordan Charlton (34?) just took over as football coach, Chris Markwood (40?) was hired last month as the men's hoops coach. Josette Babineau (49?) will start her 16th season with the field hockey team. That's essentially all of our marquee coaches in their 30's and 40's with great potential ahead of them. If this group sticks together at UM for 10, 15, 20 seasons it could be a Golden Era for Maine athletics. The odds are very much against them, but Babineau and Vachon have already enjoyed success and Barr is on his way.

I would love to see the school emulate an idea they use at UMass. The AD and a group of head coaches went on a roadshow over several days to different cities in Massachusetts and met with fans. UM could do that with a few of these coaches to promote the programs and the school. We've pretty much ceded the Portland media market to the Boston teams for long enough - let's reclaim southern Maine.

[BoSox3066]

Uhh Amy Vachon has a WAYS to go before she’s anywhere near a conversation with Joanne McCallie for best Maine basketball coach ever

[ticapnews]

Uhh Amy Vachon has a WAYS to go before she’s anywhere near a conversation with Joanne McCallie for best Maine basketball coach ever

I know, but I believe in her. I think if she wants it she will make it happen. The only things stopping her are if she decides to move on at the end of this contract and the ability/willingness of the university to devote resources to the program. That is what cost the university with Joanne. I sincerely hope the school will not make the same mistake again.

[Runsub5]

Congratulations to Andre Miller of Old Town !! The New York Football Giants sign him to a free agent contract. Great story on how he persevered to play at Maine and became so successful.

[AMC]

There's more to the equation than salary. He just relocated his family from that general area and bought a house here. Yes, Providence can double his salary and spend more on resources, but his cost of living would also increase dramatically. The Providence housing market is "highly competitive" with prices up 20% in the last year and real estate has more than doubled in five. He'd be moving his family to a third location in two years and at the (probable) height of the housing bubble.

At some point "Our area is so undesirable you can live here for peanuts!" will stop being a selling point for Bangor/Orono, right?

If I am moving somewhere to live, and I am buying a home, I'd sure like my home to potentially increase in value.

[Chuck Murray]

At some point "Our area is so undesirable you can live here for peanuts!" will stop being a selling point for Bangor/Orono, right?

If I am moving somewhere to live, and I am buying a home, I'd sure like my home to potentially increase in value.

If you are planning to move somewhere to live, with the idea it is a long-term commitment to the area that could become a lifelong commitment, who gives a rat's *** what the home's resale value might be? But yes, I do get your point. Having flexibility on the financial side of things always makes life impacting decisions a lot easier. And coaching careers do trend to being highly transitory. Barr's career over the last decade is Exhibit A on why flexibility could be an asset.

[walrus]

At some point "Our area is so undesirable you can live here for peanuts!" will stop being a selling point for Bangor/Orono, right?

If I am moving somewhere to live, and I am buying a home, I'd sure like my home to potentially increase in value.

I'm pretty sure housing prices are up in Orono also