UNH Wildcats 2021/2022 - Return of the Champions of October?

[HockeyRef]

How it's not 6-1. I get ityou can't be on for every game etc but def not playing with an ounce of team work or urgency...looks like the team who played Dartmouth. Behind every play not skating ok that's enough negative...

[HockeyRef]

Welp found a way...here we go 3 v3 goooo 'Cats!

[HockeyRef]

Keeping it real...a 4 point weekend....but gotta be able to handle hard hits. The break will be a good thing.

Later 'Cat fans...

[Chuck Murray]

Is there a hockey fan left out here besides HR? I love music and understand all the administration banter, but we had endless AD and HC talk with a dose or two of mask mania. They win 5 in a row and hockey crickets. This is a low scoring respectable team.

I was thinking the same thing ... I'm genuinely pleased with the team's recent uptick, but it seems like lots of our regulars are keeping their powder dry - maybe it is because of having been burned by premature positivity in the past? Sure, I've admitted to that myself, I get it. Anyway, all the team can do is continue to play better and better, churn out the results, and the rest of the stuff will eventually fall into place. Heck, if Men's Soccer can generate some legitimate buzz across the street and outdraw Football when the weather got cold, no reason Hockey can't do the same ... is there?

Without beating the drum too often to the point of monotony ... I think it's times like these when UNH's media indifference (take a departing bow, BS+4momos) shows up in a bad way. Fact is, a lot of old-timers have been away from the fray for so long, it's going to take an extended run of consistent winning hockey, and meaningful postseasons, to draw their attention back. And the sad fact is, more than a few old-timers just "won't be coming down for breakfast", even if UNH never loses another game. Which is what can happen if your program competitively disappears for too long.

Back on game issues ... isn't the Evans kid who scored for UConn in OT the same Evans kid our recruiting gurus were pushing on here for UNH to recruit a couple of years ago?

[Chuck Murray]

How it's not 6-1. I get it you can't be on for every game etc but def not playing with an ounce of team work or urgency...looks like the team who played Dartmouth. Behind every play not skating ok that's enough negative...

What's encouraging is, despite playing poorly for most of the game, UNH found a way to get a point on the road despite trailing well into the 3rd period, at a place where they haven't had much success in recent seasons. That's usually the trait of good teams, not also-rans, so it's another good sign.

Having an off-weekend, and two weeks between games at this point, however, is not what you want to see now. It'll be a challenge to see UNH picking up where it's left off (5-0-1), and I worry there will be another "Dartmouth dud" performance against Merrimack two weeks from now, making it hard to continue the forward momentum we've seen throughout January.

There are 9 games left on the RS schedule, and in six of those (based on recent form), UNH should be clear favorites. Even in the three games with UMass Lowell, two of those will be home games. UNH has crawled up over the .500 mark overall, and with a strong finish to the league season, there's no reason to think a long-awaited mid-March trip to Boston isn't within reach ...

[NCAA watcher]

I was thinking the same thing ... I'm genuinely pleased with the team's recent uptick, but it seems like lots of our regulars are keeping their powder dry - maybe it is because of having been burned by premature positivity in the past? Sure, I've admitted to that myself, I get it. Anyway, all the team can do is continue to play better and better, churn out the results, and the rest of the stuff will eventually fall into place.

A couple of points, to me its always not just where you are now, but how it bodes for the future, i.e., are you building (recruiting) or are you not. So, does UNH playing better, more like I expected this offseason (I thought they were about 6th, battling with U.Conn), excite me? (From April 13th). I guess.

So, preaseason Hockey East 21-22 rankings
1.BC
2.BU
3.Northeastern
4.Providence
5a.U.Mass
5b.U.Conn
7.UNH
8.U.Mass-Lowell
9.Merrimack
10.Maine
11.Vermont

And from August

Overall, I saw I had them for 5th or 6th with U.Conn, ahead of U.Mass. That probably needs revision, but that's their upside. On the downside, they should outpace the 9/10/11 spots for Maine, Merrimack and Vermont, but one can't say UNH is so superior to them that you don't have to worry. Apart from the talent level, UNH was very weak on the puck, and on sticking to players on D. Too many quick turnovers with open guys shooting at Robinson. As much as I hate the "win every game 0-0 mentality," that must be UNH's goal this year.

OK, so BC has flamed out. I always get UMass Lowell wrong by underestimating Bazin's ability to squeeze talent.

Let me phrase it as neutrally as possible - Hockey East is pretty bad this year. UNH is the Xenith of the first rebuild with 11 seniors or 5th year guys. Hoping to climb to the middle of the league (6th). Being excited by that is hard to do unless it signals something to future generations that UNH is on the "upswing."

Back on game issues ... isn't the Evans kid who scored for UConn in OT the same Evans kid our recruiting gurus were pushing on here for UNH to recruit a couple of years ago?

Nope. Hockey East will have a Johnny Evans for 8 years once ours matriculates to UNH next year. That said, my pushing for him (and Ardanaz) a couple of years ago seems like a miss. He hasn't panned out quite as expected, but hopefully he can translate it to the same degree as their Johnny Evans. (i was also just reviewing my love for Dartmouth's Jack Cameron, who seems OK but not a world beater). Things I try and keep in mind when I evaluate others' misses.

On what this means for the future, here's an early look at next year's lineup

Sr.Tyler Ward-----------Sr.Harrison Blaisdell--------So.Robert Cronin
So.Liam Devlin---------Fr.Stiven Sardarian---------Fr.Kristap Skrastins
So.Will Margel----------Sr.Chase Stevenson--------Fr.John Evans
Fr.CyLeclerc-------------Fr.Jake Dunlop-------------Jr.Cam Gendron
Jr.Carsen Richels-------Fr.Morgan Winters----------Jr.Nick Cafarelli
So.Connor Sweeney----Sr.Joe Hankinson

So.Alex Gagne-----------Jr.Luke Reid
Sr.Kalle Eriksson---------Fr.Damien Carfagna
Fr.Nick Ardanaz----------So.Colton Huard
Jr.Nikolas Jensen--------Fr.Cade Penney

Fr.Tyler Muszelik----------Sr.David Fessenden------------Jr.Jeremy Forman

[Felger]

A couple of points, to me its always not just where you are now, but how it bodes for the future, i.e., are you building (recruiting) or are you not. So, does UNH playing better, more like I expected this offseason (I thought they were about 6th, battling with U.Conn), excite me?

Let me phrase it as neutrally as possible - Hockey East is pretty bad this year. UNH is the Xenith of the first rebuild with 11 seniors or 5th year guys. Hoping to climb to the middle of the league (6th). Being excited by that is hard to do unless it signals something to future generations that UNH is on the "upswing."

This.

EDIT: Remember when we used to worry guys were only going to stick around for two or three seasons? Now we look at many of them and say "Gawd, I hope he isn't on the five year plan."

[HockeyRef]

A couple of points, to me its always not just where you are now, but how it bodes for the future, i.e., are you building (recruiting) or are you not. So, does UNH playing better, more like I expected this offseason (I thought they were about 6th, battling with U.Conn), excite me? (From April 13th). I guess.



And from August


OK, so BC has flamed out. I always get UMass Lowell wrong by underestimating Bazin's ability to squeeze talent.

Let me phrase it as neutrally as possible - Hockey East is pretty bad this year. UNH is the Xenith of the first rebuild with 11 seniors or 5th year guys. Hoping to climb to the middle of the league (6th). Being excited by that is hard to do unless it signals something to future generations that UNH is on the "upswing."



Nope. Hockey East will have a Johnny Evans for 8 years once ours matriculates to UNH next year. That said, my pushing for him (and Ardanaz) a couple of years ago seems like a miss. He hasn't panned out quite as expected, but hopefully he can translate it to the same degree as their Johnny Evans. (i was also just reviewing my love for Dartmouth's Jack Cameron, who seems OK but not a world beater). Things I try and keep in mind when I evaluate others' misses.

On what this means for the future, here's an early look at next year's lineup

Sr.Tyler Ward-----------Sr.Harrison Blaisdell--------So.Robert Cronin
So.Liam Devlin---------Fr.Stiven Sardarian---------Fr.Kristap Skrastins
So.Will Margel----------Sr.Chase Stevenson--------Fr.John Evans
Fr.CyLeclerc-------------Fr.Jake Dunlop-------------Jr.Cam Gendron
Jr.Carsen Richels-------Fr.Morgan Winters----------Jr.Nick Cafarelli
So.Connor Sweeney----Sr.Joe Hankinson

So.Alex Gagne-----------Jr.Luke Reid
Sr.Kalle Eriksson---------Fr.Damien Carfagna
Fr.Nick Ardanaz----------So.Colton Huard
Jr.Nikolas Jensen--------Fr.Cade Penney

Fr.Tyler Muszelik----------Sr.David Fessenden------------Jr.Jeremy Forman

Looks young....at least there will be some experience coming back? Looking for the Crookshanks ...no reflection on these guys there's decent talent here.

Chuck as to your comment on the lay off agree that its tough to keep the 'train a rolling' MC is sooo hot right now and playing there is never easy (which is usually the excuse for if/when we lose there). Or...this could be a good time to work on some things. I'd be practicing on a shortened rink coz everything goes to goal in those games.

No excuses Wildcats it's now or never!!!

[NCAA watcher]

I'd be practicing on a shortened rink coz everything goes to goal in those games.

Souza said they are shortening our rink this offseason

[Chuck Murray]

Chuck as to your comment on the lay off agree that its tough to keep the 'train a rolling' MC is sooo hot right now and playing there is never easy (which is usually the excuse for if/when we lose there). Or...this could be a good time to work on some things. I'd be practicing on a shortened rink coz everything goes to goal in those games.

UNH hasn't lost a game in nearly a month. So, Merrimack is playing well, too. Yippee for them. That's a good test, if you ask me, and may offer insights. If I told you UNH would come back from Hartford without a regulation loss, I would have thought you'd be pretty stoked. Keep in mind, this is still Merrimack, 'Ref. Scotty Borek's Warriors. UNH is supposed to be ... worried?!?

If UNH can't beat Merrimack, then *maybe* this is indeed just a mirage. Know what I mean?

If UNH is going to have even the slightest chance of getting to Boston, these are must-win games.

So let's play the games, and find out. Then we can finish up with Luce, and go from there ...

[Chuck Murray]

Souza said they are shortening our rink this offseason

Just when I was on the verge of giving MS7 a vote of confidence, you drop this on us. Thanks ... ;-)

[HockeyRef]

UNH hasn't lost a game in nearly a month. So, Merrimack is playing well, too. Yippee for them. That's a good test, if you ask me, and may offer insights. If I told you UNH would come back from Hartford without a regulation loss, I would have thought you'd be pretty stoked. Keep in mind, this is still Merrimack, 'Ref. Scotty Borek's Warriors. UNH is supposed to be ... worried?!?

If UNH can't beat Merrimack, then *maybe* this is indeed just a mirage. Know what I mean?

If UNH is going to have even the slightest chance of getting to Boston, these are must-win games.

So let's play the games, and find out. Then we can finish up with Luce, and go from there ...

Hey I get your points Chuck and don't mean to negate the positives of late. I truly believe we can beat MC and anyone e else in the league. We would have swept the Huskies had we been on our game and had adjusted to the aggressive play from the get go. Yep...thats why we "play the games" Full steam ahead!!!

Ps tell that "MC is still MC" to Providence and UML....we'd KILL to be 14th in PWR....now wouldn't we? Sigh....But I believe we could be there. If they can...we can. Just gotta 'shrink the rink' hahahahaha

Pss...can't wait to see how MC does via UConn Tuesday...

[After the Whistle]

Chuck, have agree that we have perhaps lost those old stalwart fans. In addition to being longtime fans they are also not as willing to make the trek to Durham to lose to “them”. We also don’t need a two week break. Perhaps we can find a game that won’t count but keeps us playing.
Students back across the land, and you have to wonder if we will be seeing lots of roster issues going forward.
And say it ain’t true about the rink. Not sure where Watcher heard this. Marty’s last hurrah? I worry most about my seat. Not looking for an isle in front of me during the game.

[After the Whistle]

For Watcher, in your future lines projections, are just being optimistic with Ward returning? I could make a strong argument for that. I love it when you post this projection. It is a favorite of mine and a create them from time to time. While not picking at yours, I can see this coming mid year but it is very freshmen heavy for UNH to start the year. But give them credit, they certainly have given this years group more opportunities than usual and I think they will benefit from it.

[NCAA watcher]

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/im...rs-2022-14.mp3

at 34:43

"Nobody ever says anything about St.Cloud of U.Mass, but its one less thing people can go after us for in recruiting."