UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter :D

[Dan]

UNH announces 2020-21 Captains:

Charlie Kelleher | Patrick Grasso, Eric MacAdams, Benton Maass

[e.cat]

It’s 2020 and hindsight will prove to be a thing of the past!

[HockeyRef]

UNH announces 2020-21 Captains:

Charlie Kelleher | Patrick Grasso, Eric MacAdams, Benton Maass

Very excited about this Captain selection; congratulations Charlie Kelleher! And also to the Alternate C's Benton Maass, Eric MacAdams, and Patrick Grasso! Very well deserved indeed...

[Snively65]

NESN pimping HEA until the NHL and da Bruins decide what to do?

[Ray Dorn]

The college hockey season finally got underway this weekend with Wisconsin playing Notre Dame on Friday night. Any predictions for this college hockey season? Any predictions on how UNH will do?

[msprice]

I think the coaches' poll puts UNH at 8th behind UConn.

[Scott]

I think the coaches' poll puts UNH at 8th behind UConn.

Correct :

http://hockeyeastonline.com/men/arti...ens-league.php

No real surprises here, but I think that the 'Cats could and should finish higher.

[Dan]

Correct :

http://hockeyeastonline.com/men/arti...ens-league.php

No real surprises here, but I think that the 'Cats could and should finish higher.

UNH certainly capable of finishing higher, but on paper not sure who they jump. Easy answer is UConn, but the Huskies return a ton of FR and SO (now SO & JR) capable of making big jumps in production. If I had to pick, it may be Northeastern that comes back to the pack - lots of talent, but in a reloading phase perhaps.

Tough first four for UNH could really set the tone, one way or another. I think 8th (hoping to fend of Maine) is exactly where I'd place them, personally...

[Dan]

With more and more teams canceling their seasons, it will be interesting to see if more transfer opportunities arise for 2021 and IF players who leave these programs for a new school (or a junior program) would get credit for a full year 'in residence' and be eligible for their new team in the Fall of 2021. Might be an exception someone could apply for as the season has only just begun and there are extenuating circumstances...

[NCAA watcher]

With more and more teams canceling their seasons, it will be interesting to see if more transfer opportunities arise for 2021 and IF players who leave these programs for a new school (or a junior program) would get credit for a full year 'in residence' and be eligible for their new team in the Fall of 2021. Might be an exception someone could apply for as the season has only just begun and there are extenuating circumstances...

Tyler Ward has worked his way onto the roster, so it appears he's eligible now without sitting out the transfer year.

[Chuck Murray]

Now might be a really good time to post an updated 4 year recruiting grid, 'Watcher ...

[Dan]

Tyler Ward has worked his way onto the roster, so it appears he's eligible now without sitting out the transfer year.

Interesting, was he specifically NOT listed before? I hadn't paid close enough attention, but assume he would be listed on the team website regardless of eligibility. He is also listed on CollegeHockeyStats.net, however, which is a good sign. If they have immediately applied the new one time transfer rule and/or Denver has given their blessing than that is a huge boost to this UNH team...

What I'd like to see for opening night:

Crookshank - Engaras - Kelleher
Richels - Pierson - Grasso
Ward - MacAdams - Cafarelli
Stevenson - Herrmann - Esposito
Sato

Maass - Eriksson
Reid - MacKinnon
Verrier - Jensen

Robinson
Taylor

[J.D.]

Dude with 17 pts last year might be your extra forward?

[Dan]

Dude with 17 pts last year might be your extra forward?

I put Sato in that spot because he's a guy capable of filling in on any line and playing any role - expecting him to play a 'regular shift' across a number of lines. It was because of his production that I put him in that position, rather than as a fourth-line winger, though I understand that is not necessarily the usual strategy for the 'extra' skater...

Sato is not really a scorer, just a capable forward with terrific speed. That combination allows him to skate on a scoring line but also play where he is better suited, IMO, in a bottom-six match-up role. On line three, Ward/Cafarelli are better offensive talents and MacAdams is a center. The bottom trio still needs to prove they can be as productive or dangerous offensively as Sato was last season, until then they would be the ones in limited roles...

[ClOuD 9]

Major home ice advantage for BC. They are used to playing in front of no fans.

Not sure we are in any position to throw stones over attendance, our target audience the last few seasons has been youth hockey teams...