UMass Lowell 2021-2022: Which way are we going?

[ScottK]

Mac Cerullo @MacCerullo
1h
BREAKING: The Lowell City Council has voted unanimously to authorize a purchase and sale agreement to sell LeLacheur Park, the former home of the Lowell Spinners, to the UMass Building Authority. The park will soon be owned by UMass Lowell. More to come.

Hopefully this leads to the University doing some much-needed and long overdue upgrades, like they did after purchasing Tsongas.

Edit: https://www.eagletribune.com/sports/...9124307bf.html

Looks like the University is paying $1 million for the park and spending at least $3 million on improvements.

[Patman]

Hopefully this leads to the University doing some much-needed and long overdue upgrades, like they did after purchasing Tsongas.

Edit: https://www.eagletribune.com/sports/...9124307bf.html

Looks like the University is paying $1 million for the park and spending at least $3 million on improvements.

hopefully the school can make something of this. At least minor league baseball is less of a holding pattern that Quebec City has been in building a stadium and praying for an NHL team.

Now, I don't know how or what, as I said, I'm hoping. Lets see what happens.

[boblav1]

Hopefully this leads to the University doing some much-needed and long overdue upgrades, like they did after purchasing Tsongas.

Edit: https://www.eagletribune.com/sports/...9124307bf.html

Looks like the University is paying $1 million for the park and spending at least $3 million on improvements.

Hopefully this works out. Based on the article they'll need to invest a lot more to get a pro team in. It will be interesting to see how they redevelop the East campus between LeLacheur and the Tsongas. UMass Lowell to redevelop East Campus area as mixed-use urban district – Lowell Sun

I wonder what the status is of the practice rink. Just before Covid hit I believe Norm said they had the funding, and they were about to start the bid process. Obviously, the virus through a wrench into those plans. Does anyone have any updates?

[Middle Street]

I would be surprised if pro baseball returned to Lowell. Is that really something the University is interested in? What I can picture is one of the college summer leagues adding a team in Lowell, like the Futures League or NECBL. I had thought the Worcester Bravehearts might consider a move to Lowell once the PawSox moved to Worcester, however they have decided to stay surprisingly.

[Patman]

I wonder if they can build a couple of apartments in left field... just thinking out loud. Very little room back there but I'm trying to think of non-conventional ways to get some more money out of there and the thought was to reinvent the outfield but I know it'd be awfully tight against the river.

[UMLFan]

Congratulations to Lowell Alum Terrence Wallin, as the 30-year-old was named Head Coach of the Maine Mariners (ECHL).

[Turk_Sanderson]

The makeup of the South Atlantic League leads me to believe the Lowell Spinners might be back in the next years. Some of the teams in the North Division (Hudson Valley, Brooklyn, Aberdeen) are teams from the NY Penn League and still within distance for bus travel. The Southern Division of the SAL League is a different story, but I know the structure of road trips are regulated by MILB to cut down on travel costs. I do not believe the Greenville Drive signed a long term affiliation agreement unlike the Portland Sea Dogs who signed a 20 year deal with the Red Sox. Long term affiliation agreements seems to be the new standard barer in MILB.

I will stand by my theory of a team unaffiliated with the Red Sox, but still MLB affiliated will not to do well in Lowell. So it's either all or nothing...

[boblav1]

Eagle Tribune article.
https://www.eagletribune.com/news/um...cf2792631.html

[ScottK]

The makeup of the South Atlantic League leads me to believe the Lowell Spinners might be back in the next years. Some of the teams in the North Division (Hudson Valley, Brooklyn, Aberdeen) are teams from the NY Penn League and still within distance for bus travel. The Southern Division of the SAL League is a different story, but I know the structure of road trips are regulated by MILB to cut down on travel costs. I do not believe the Greenville Drive signed a long term affiliation agreement unlike the Portland Sea Dogs who signed a 20 year deal with the Red Sox. Long term affiliation agreements seems to be the new standard barer in MILB.

I will stand by my theory of a team unaffiliated with the Red Sox, but still MLB affiliated will not to do well in Lowell. So it's either all or nothing...

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Blue Jays affiliate and do very well in Manchester, so a non-Red Sox affiliate can work in this area.

[Patman]

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Blue Jays affiliate and do very well in Manchester, so a non-Red Sox affiliate can work in this area.

The Red Sox being involved helps but i agree its far from a requirement.

Its clear the UMass system has far more financial maneuverability than the city ever will. I'd love to see a map of what is and isn't in university control and what could be privately developed or sold to. I obviously have no idea of the state of play in Lowell these days but I get the feeling there isn't much left that isn't already privately developed already or university owned. Every right to be wrong, I am basically saying I'd like to be educated on the realities of what's going on along there.

[gochiefs]

Does anybody know if there is going to be an exhibition game this season?

[ScottK]

Does anybody know if there is going to be an exhibition game this season?

Given that Opening Night is October 1, I'd say no. The last time Lowell played an exhibition game was 12/29/2019 vs the CCHL All-Stars. The last time they had one to open the season was 10/7/2018 vs Acadia.

[Patman]

Given that Opening Night is October 1, I'd say no. The last time Lowell played an exhibition game was 12/29/2019 vs the CCHL All-Stars. The last time they had one to open the season was 10/7/2018 vs Acadia.

C'mon, somebody needs to play stonehill *evil laugh* I still don't understand how either them or MC went ful D1.

[Chiefof78]

This thread seems kind of dead. No buzz. No excitement about the coming season. Maybe it's the lack of drafted NHL prospects the last few years. I know that's the case with me. I get depressed seeing we only have 6 recruits for 2023 and beyond, 4 fewer than UNH's 10 and 16 less than Maine, 14 less than Umass-Amherst, and even 11 fewer than Vermont's 17 recruits as noted on the UML recruiting thread. Yes that's right, Vermont!!!!!!! Remember when the flagship was an easy 3 victories a season? And the number of recruits is not even commenting on the talent level of the mix of those players, no top tier recruits, no top development players (U-17 ever), no goalies (heck Lowell has always been a Goalie school) compared to other teams. It's fine to seek "Lowell type players" but being a dominant team would be nice once in a while. What are we down to now? One drafted player? Now drafted players are no guarantee of success, but players like Andre Lee do bring a must see excitement to the team, as did Connor Hellebuyck, and Scott Wilson. These guys complemented the likes of Berglund, Pendeza, Wetmore, and formed the foundation for the CJ Smith's and Gambardella's of the world.

I know there is a shifting paradigm in college hockey with some programs having success going with "older experienced kids", but I know the lack of drafted players has me giving up my season ticket after 10 years as talent, high skating and scoring ability do win out. Now Minnesota State was a great story.........BUT talented Denver won the whole enchilada. UML hockey has me feeling like I do with the Red Sox this year, NOT must see TV. i want the arena jumping again. YES!!!! We have had success, but just tired of being a top 20 team with a goal of making the NCAA tournament, rather than being in the Frozen 4 mix. I applaud the student athlete accolades the team receives, and the grit and determination the team shows..........BUT talent breeds excitement to a program. It was nice to take UMASS-Amherst on in the Hockey East title game, and Denver in the regionals, but that talent gap/recruiting gap was too hard to overcome and predetermined the outcome in my view.

Good luck UML and I hope my attitude changes but you know what they say about insanity.......it's doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result........I'm hoping UML becomes less insane

[UMLFan]

You aren't the only one frustrated.