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

[HockeyRef]

Umm… are you saying my degree is from a liberal arts diploma factory? Crap. Four years of college down the drain.

TNH writers are students who are likely journalism majors who quite possibly sit in classes and might even be friends with the student athletes they write about. Let’s all go easy on them.

Sorry to have posted that Darius; my own daughter was a UNH journo grad (doing very well too in the field!). I just wanted to put some kind of news up. I think the article is excellent; he's telling it like it is and it's more media than we usually get...like I said he also does good in game twitter coverage.

[Darius]

Sorry to have posted that Darius; my own daughter was a UNH journo grad (doing very well too in the field!). I just wanted to put some kind of news up. I think the article is excellent; he's telling it like it is and it's more media than we usually get...like I said he also does good in game twitter coverage.

No worries 'Ref. I was echoing what your wrote. Ditto for my daughter who took a diploma factory, errgh, I mean English class with Kevin Goumas.

[HockeyRef]

No worries 'Ref. I was echoing what your wrote. Ditto for my daughter who took a diploma factory, errgh, I mean English class with Kevin Goumas.

Daughter graduated in 2014 with Goumas and the gang. She's ultimately responsible for all of this craziness I've been involved with (UNH Hockey) with those tickets to the UMaine game! Frequent travel partner at games although now she lives too far away except to go to Orono (not this season tho) She's now an award winning journalist who's worked at Fosters, the Monitor (concord) and now is at Bangor Daily News. Got a great education at the U; we couldn't be happier with her diploma factory degree haha

[Chuck Murray]

Umm… are you saying my degree is from a liberal arts diploma factory? Crap. Four years of college down the drain.

Nope I did not say that, Darius. It certainly wasn't aimed at UNH, where both of our kids graduated, as they are both doing well professionally in their respective fields of study (education and business). But those places exist, as you know, so I took a gratuitous shot at them. They deserve it.

TNH writers are students who are likely journalism majors who quite possibly sit in classes and might even be friends with the student athletes they write about. Let's all go easy on them.

Good training opportunity then for their professional futures, where they may be working/writing in communities where they'll be rubbing elbows on some topics with grown-ups who were old classmates, but will be paid by readers who are dependent on the writer's ability to put aside old chumminess and write with a dispassionate neutrality and objectivity. Isn't college when what students study is actually supposed to begin to be taken seriously? Why "go easy on them"? They're not HS kids any more. There's no more reason not to expect as much out of some UNH journalism major as we do out of a UNH hockey kid who (for example) takes several stupid penalties in the course of an important game ... is there??

[Whalers]

I wonder what the AD calendar is like. Providence's AD just retired and they made an internal hire. I imagine the AD market for a national search is tied to the school schedule, so nothing until May. At that point the coaching schedule is off, as most are hired a bit earlier. And the new person will not be ready to jump in to address personnel decisions until getting a feel for the situations. So, I'd imagine 2023 is the real date. It also gives the Coach a second four year cycle of freshmen (replacing his first four year cycle (Eric MacAdams was his first recruit)). 11 players graduate, so bring in the new kids and see if they give any hope for a different outcome.

As usual Watcher, great breakdown of the real world timeline and situation. The UNH hockey fandom can only hope that there is someone far above MS7's pay grade who is truly a leader and forward thinker. Time to actually do what is clearly evident and necessary rather than sit idle while the Merrimack's continue to ascend and the Northeastern's solidify their advantages.

Hey UNH Admin, no time for Custer, Chamberlain or Milley. This situation is calling for a MacArthur, Patton or Schwarzkopf.
.

[NCAA watcher]

Hey UNH Admin, no time for Custer, Chamberlain or Milley. This situation is calling for a MacArthur, Patton or Schwarzkopf.
.

Or just a competent outsider. Given that they have a National Search, any outside new boss will request the ability to make an informed review of each of the underperforming programs, and if there are any restrictions to "putting one's own stamp" in solving any problems. Unless President Dean has a reason to want an AD who has been neutered (and his background in management studies, and himself being an outsider from the UNH bubble), I'd expect a new AD to feel free to take whatever actions are best.

[Chuck Murray]

Hey UNH Admin, no time for Custer, Chamberlain or Milley. This situation is calling for a MacArthur, Patton or Schwarzkopf.

Put me down for Patton as HC, with MacArthur as AHC and Schwarzkopf as Volunteer Assistant. :-)

[Chuck Murray]

Or just a competent outsider. Given that they have a National Search, any outside new boss will request the ability to make an informed review of each of the underperforming programs, and if there are any restrictions to "putting one's own stamp" in solving any problems. Unless President Dean has a reason to want an AD who has been neutered (and his background in management studies, and himself being an outsider from the UNH bubble), I'd expect a new AD to feel free to take whatever actions are best.

Hence, no reason to believe MS7 won't get another year of mediocrity to dig the hole deeper.

[Beauty]

Yes, good point. In that case, UConn might not still be in search of their first .500 season in HEA, and might even have won a postseason series by now. No worries, though ... once Coach York retires, we can then watch him drag BC down to his level, and then maybe UConn can get someone on board to do to Hockey what Coaches Calhoun and Auriemma have done for Hoops, or what Coach Carvel has done for UMass Hockey (in half the time) already.

Luce Canaan Career Coaching Statistics - College Hockey | USCHO.com

What does that say about your program? They have finished behind UConn more than they have finished above them. UNH has D1 history, they have deep tradition, (and very knowledgeable fans), yet they can't finish higher than UConn? The new Hockey East team with just 7 seasons in Hockey East? Sad state of affairs up there, I guess that's why you obsess with other teams and coaches. Keep mocking Cav's passion and his fire, maybe if Souza had a little, UNH would win a few more games. Or at least not get blown out by Luce's poorly coached, mediocre teams. Everything about UConn Hockey is trending positive. New rink being built, strong recruiting classes, positive results this season and players loving the program. Hope UNH finds that same positive energy. I like Mike Souza, I mean he doesn't have 4 NCAA D1 college hockey rings, but he's a good guy and knows his hockey. I wish him nothing but the best and hope UNH finds their way out of the basement again this year.

[Chuck Murray]

I guess we have to give this guy some credit, given the dormant - oops, rampant level of support that UConn enjoys on the USCHO boards. Anyway ...

What does that say about your program? They have finished behind UConn more than they have finished above them. UNH has D1 history, they have deep tradition, (and very knowledgeable fans), yet they can't finish higher than UConn?

Congrats are in order then. UConn has just joined the super-elite group of about 80% of HEA schools that have been better than UNH during the MS7 Era. Put that in the trophy case, eh?

The new Hockey East team with just 7 seasons in Hockey East? Sad state of affairs up there, I guess that's why you obsess with other teams and coaches. Keep mocking Cav's passion and his fire, maybe if Souza had a little, UNH would win a few more games. Or at least not get blown out by Luce's poorly coached, mediocre teams.

It's actually 8 seasons now, but whatever. Poor wittow UConn, D-1 minnows that they are, which of course is inconsistent with the profile the other major winter sport has established at the same school. Sorry, "new car smell" no longer applies, Luce is now well into his 3rd full recruiting cycle, and objectively, he's still stuck in neutral. Another former BC assistant named Joe Mallen got 7 years to establish the UMass Amherst program in HEA, had similar unproductive results, and got himself canned. Thankfully (and despite my admitted initial doubts), Coach Carvel has since laid to rest the long-term excuse-making and justifications for coaching mediocrities at large state schools like Luce, Mallen, Sneddon AND MS7.

P.S. - you did notice Carvel started a few years after Luce - way lower in the league, similar profile school - and has since blown past Luce and the rest as if they were standing still? See, that's how you tell the difference between success and mediocrity. Write it down, OK skippy? Unless, of course, objective non-fawning commentary on other HEA coaches is verboten??

Everything about UConn Hockey is trending positive. New rink being built, strong recruiting classes, positive results this season and players loving the program. Hope UNH finds that same positive energy. I like Mike Souza, I mean he doesn't have 4 NCAA D1 college hockey rings, but he's a good guy and knows his hockey. I wish him nothing but the best and hope UNH finds their way out of the basement again this year.

See, this is where you give away the game. Luce's key recruiting pitch, and folks still haven't caught on apparently. As if it's some differentiating accomplishment, although I will admit it takes a pretty big set to be running around North America and claiming that somehow Coach York's accomplishments were all down to you. I wonder if Jimmy Logue (also 4 rings) or Greg Brown (3 rings) are also pimping themselves on Coach York's laurels (I doubt it)? It's all pretty pathetic, but when you're a "passionate" and "fiery" blowhard like Luce, I guess it just goes with the territory, eh??

Can't wait for the ticker tape parade down Main St. Storrs when Luce actually wins something ...

[HockeyRef]

Hated to see the B's beat up by Carolina last night but it was expected. As usual Brett Pesce continues to be a force; so proud of his accomplishments. Have no sympathy for the Brad Marchand suspension how many times does the guy need to be suspended. Love his game but think he's pretty selfish. Oh well. As if it matters what I think haha. Onto Vermont! Going to be a nice day to travel up to Burlington happy to get out of dodge for the annual (well not so annual given covid etc) trek to the North.

Reading this week's Insider column the team knows what they have to do and they can't be looking past the V'Cats. Playing up there isn't their strong suit in the past few years I think I've seen them win twice, maybe a tie since I've been following. The last time we were there we got a split I believe. All of that said there's no reason we can't win tonight and that would be a great start heading into Sunday. UML is UML but we have played well against them in the past. Going to need strong special teams all weekend. I believe this weekend could very well seal the season (where we head into the HE playoffs) and the boys know it. Go 'Cats!

[Jon]

Aside from the two UMASS schools and BU, this league is an absolute mess right now. If anyone gets hot at right the time they can sneak by Northeastern into top four. Merrimack came back to earth, UCONN enjoys torturing their own fans, and PC is acting like it's 2009.
Not that UNH doesn't have enough problems of their own right now, but some kind of curse was placed on PC after the the 2019 Frozen Four and I'm ready to sacrifice something to the Hockey Gods.

[HockeyRef]

Aside from the two UMASS schools and BU, this league is an absolute mess right now. If anyone gets hot at right the time they can sneak by Northeastern into top four. Merrimack came back to earth, UCONN enjoys torturing their own fans, and PC is acting like it's 2009.
Not that UNH doesn't have enough problems of their own right now, but some kind of curse was placed on PC after the the 2019 Frozen Four and I'm ready to sacrifice something to the Hockey Gods.

haha Jon if sacrificing something to the Hockey Gods will work, count me in! You are right; things are not exactly predictable in this league right now. 'On any given night'. Perhaps the single elimination format of the HE favors teams like UNH...bwahaha you never know (that's the scary part). Any of us who have coached teams that were decent know that other teams lower than ours have zero to lose and will come at you like no tomorrow. That's what upsets are all about. Should be interesting! Well, at least, you've hung a banner...

[Jon]

things are not exactly predictable in this league right now. '

No they aren't, which makes it annoying when the teams you follow can't take advantage of the chaos.

We are sadly headed towards a season finale where BU beats UML for a Hockey East title in a game where some chicanery takes place - speaking of 2009.

[wildcatdc]

Man, this is not a particularly appealing game to watch.