UNH Men's Hockey 2022 Off Season Thread- Goodbye Lake Whitt!

[After the Whistle]

Yes you did make that observation Chuck. I thought he left a year to early but what do I know? As for his multiple opportunities goes, I don’t want to split hairs with you but 2, 2 game opportunities hardly qualify as “opportunities” in my book. And in the second 2 game opportunity he gave them 2 assists. Not terribly shabby. Perhaps he isn’t what most teams want in a top six, and he could fall short on the checking line. Still think that he has not been given the 15/20 game opportunity that he (or anyone else) might need to “prove he belongs. And yes we do remember Darron and while he had one of the very best UNH careers we have witnessed, he never could find the glue either, after owning the AHL scoring leader boards. Oh well.

[Chuck Murray]

Yes you did make that observation Chuck. I thought he left a year to early but what do I know? As for his multiple opportunities goes, I don't want to split hairs with you but 2, 2 game opportunities hardly qualify as “opportunities” in my book. And in the second 2 game opportunity he gave them 2 assists. Not terribly shabby. Perhaps he isn't what most teams want in a top six, and he could fall short on the checking line. Still think that he has not been given the 15/20 game opportunity that he (or anyone else) might need to “prove he belongs. And yes we do remember Darron and while he had one of the very best UNH careers we have witnessed, he never could find the glue either, after owning the AHL scoring leader boards. Oh well.

It's not even so much the two game opportunities, ATW ... he's been to 5-6 preseason camps by now, so those 2 game stints are the tip of the proverbial iceberg. And while you may focus on the 2 assists he compiled last time up, you could just as easily focus on his -3 plus/minus over his 4 game NHL career. FWIW Carolina also called up Jack Drury at around that same timeframe, and he also notched two assists in two games, yet posted a +3 in comparison to AP's -1. Throw in that Drury has NHL bloodlines AND is 6 years AP's junior, and that cameo probably hurt AP more than it helped him.

Poturalski's biggest fan appears to be his current AHL coach Ryan Warsofsky, who appears to be a promising HC candidate at some point at the next level. Problem for AP is, Warsofsky is a young HC (35 this Fall) so it may take some time for him to get a chance at an NHL job, and time is very definitely not on AP's side, as he'll be turning 29 (!) next January. So even that potential window of opportunity may be closing on Poturalski. HC Rod Brind'Amour getting his talented young Carolina team out of the first round probably keeps his job safe for at least another year. Playing Warsofsky's future out ... if he continues to excel at the AHL, maybe he gets to the NHL around age 40. By then AP is 32-33 and on the "Reg Dunlop" career track. Buzzard's luck for AP.

I thought for sure he would catch a break when he hooked on with the Anaheim organization, as it was (still is) less stocked with players who would figure to be ahead of AP in the NHL depth chart. For whatever reason, that didn't happen, whether it was bad timing with injuries and/or the pandemic, but more buzzard's luck for AP. Then again, the guys he's been trying to impress are tough two-way guys by trade - Brind'Amour in Carolina, and Kevin Dineen, who was his AHL coach at the Gulls. Both of those guys were NHL-level snipers, and WAY more physical two way players than AP.

To your point on him getting an extended shot at the NHL, I don't doubt he could catch on and make a good impression at a non-playoff team looking for some lower line scoring depth, notwithstanding his Anaheim experience. At this point, I seriously doubt there's an NHL future for him at his current organization, so he's either going to have to move elsewhere (again) and hope he gets lucky (probably both), or stick with Warsofsky and be content to be Darren Haydar Mach II and see if that pays off if/when Warsofsky gets the nod somewhere?

I really do wish him well, but sadly it appears the "other" half of his game is still a work in progress.

[Dan]

Andrew Poturalski got a jump on his professional career, gave himself his best chance to get to the show and his current worst case scenario is making 200-250K per AHL season. He's chasing his dream and getting paid exceptionally well, and all it cost him was the adoration of some UNH fans who felt he owed it to THEM to stay for his senior season despite his having clearly mastered NCAA hockey. No one every argued he'd be an NHL HOFer, some of us were simply supportive of HIM taking HIS shot when the opportunity arose...

Scott - sorry to hear your news. Best wishes!

[Felger]

Kevin Dean jumped before he was pushed.

[Chuck Murray]

Kevin Dean jumped before he was pushed.

LOL

I guess the writing was indeed on the wall once Neely hemmed and hawed about Cassidy in his presser two weeks ago. Too bad for Cassidy, who will get another HC job in the NHL (quite possibly in Motown?) when he is ready to throw his hat back into the ring. With the organizational uncertainty, aging and deterioration of the core roster, and the lack of quality young talent bubbling up through the system (thanks Sweeney!) the next few years promise to be challenging ones for those who remain in their jobs, so this may be a blessing in disguise for Cassidy (and Dean). The idea that David Krejci (sp?) figures often in this year's post-season discussions as a "solution" is hardly encouraging.

Reminds me a bit of fellow DRW fans whistling past the graveyard several years ago, planning for the "returns" of Zetterberg and Datsyuk (which of course never materialized). I figure Sweeney has two years max to turn things around, or else Cam dispatches him next, in his apparent quest to save his own skin as long as possible ...

[wildcatdc]

BC somehow managed to have its AD resign months after Blue Skies announced he would be moving on, and they've already hired his replacement. This is a good example of how things operate in a real world environment, not like the "What's the big hurry?" mentality that otherwise pervades academia.

On one of these "slow news Fridays", I'm sure the UNH "panel" will trickle out a press release announcing their new AD. The longer the "search" (lol) goes on, the more likely it is that outside candidates are falling by the wayside - probably snapped up by faster-moving, more serious suitors - leaving the sloppy seconds hanging in there for the UNH job as a consolation prize.

And my sources may well end up being correct on everything but the timing ... certainly hoping that's not the case, but the idea that this search is going on, what, three months now? Not encouraging, but I'm sure the recruiting firm is having a blast with their expense accounts, at the U's expense ...

It’s really an exercise in futility to respond to a post as ignorant as this, but I will do so simply to communicate the realities to the REST of the folks on this board….

First of all, the comparison to BC is just mind-numbingly dumb. BC has had THREE AD’s resign in the last FIVE years, all seemingly in search of a next career step. Bates left to found a college sports exec search firm (apropos here), Jarmond was a highly sought-after up-and-comer who left for UCLA, and Kraft went in search of fame and fortune at Penn State. With the position unfilled, BC stepped on the gas to hire James, a former Maine AD most recently fired from Miami for not getting the FB program turned around. Seems like a good guy, and I think at least some at BC like his balanced priorities - I’ll let the BC folks speak for that.

To compare that to a situation where the announcement was made early to enable a well-thought-out, extensive search and recruitment process is just ridiculous. Think what you’d like to about Marty, but the fact that he’s had this semester to focus on driving some efforts which have a very long tail is a good thing; efforts that if they come to fruition will mean very good things for the program we love. He’s hardly counting down days right now. This has enabled the President, the search committee, the exec recruiting firm, etc., bear down nationally to identify dozens of candidates, and go through a multi-step whittling-down process that is in its short strokes as we speak. This is all being done while several other arguably larger fish are needing frying at both the UNH and system level, that require a ton of time and attention as well.

The absurd comment you make about the exec search firm running up a tab just shows your ignorance of how the process has worked - not even worth addressing.

You have no sources, Chuck, and if you did, they would be miserably off the mark that you might consider seeking out new ones. You claim they told you two specific things….

- Announcement coming in Mid-April (woefully wrong)
- A certain someone as the shoo-in (there’s no amount of money I wouldn’t pony up in a bet with you on this stupidity - call it 10,000-1 odds)

Finally, putting panel and search in quotations, and using lol…. I mean, you can’t be taken seriously. I imagine the vast majority on this board don’t.

[wildcatdc]

A few points on the project that is underway. ‘Ref, I’m not an Instagram guy so maybe they covered these there. Just to share some key items….

1. Repair and replace faulty chillers and refrigeration system
2. Replace the brine-based system with glycol, for energy efficiency and better availability
3. Installation of acrylic glass
4. Flex boards and soft caps on new dashers for player safety
5. New PA/sound system

Sounds like the project is on schedule for now, which would be a minor miracle given the state of getting any contracting work done these days. There WILL be a seat selection day, and it sounds like they will be taking a creative approach to make the selection as realistic as possible.

I was up in Durham last week and had an opportunity to speak with someone from Athletics at an event. I had the chance to pass on the consternation that many of you are feeling around poor communication, both in content and timeliness. I urged this person to consider getting a communication out sooner rather than later, even if it feels early given the uncertain construction situation the world is in right now. You can always slide dates - that was my message.

that’s all for now….

[After the Whistle]

Wildcatdc, great posts! Appreciate the thoughts and factual updates. Everyone works in a different environment and interacts with all the pieces differently so it will take a period for us to get a real picture of just who we got. I am imagining most of us will not be familiar with the winner but it is certainly coming soon.
I personally appreciate the update on the rink upgrades and I don’t need to reiterate my feelings about the opportunities they have missed.
Thanks again.

[HockeyRef]

Andrew Poturalski got a jump on his professional career, gave himself his best chance to get to the show and his current worst case scenario is making 200-250K per AHL season. He's chasing his dream and getting paid exceptionally well, and all it cost him was the adoration of some UNH fans who felt he owed it to THEM to stay for his senior season despite his having clearly mastered NCAA hockey. No one every argued he'd be an NHL HOFer, some of us were simply supportive of HIM taking HIS shot when the opportunity arose...

Scott - sorry to hear your news. Best wishes!

AMEN to all of this Dan! I watched an interview with him this summer where he said he knew he had to step up his skating and some other things and worked to do that. He's a phenom I don't really care that he did, did not make the NHL (and who's to say that window is entirely closed???) Anyway...he's a hell of a hockey player who would have had prob close to 200 points if he had stayed. I miss that slap shot he didn't hesitate to take 3 feet in front of the goalie...just a natural goal scorer. Oh, to see that again on the UNH ice would be sheer heaven.

[Darius]

UNH Athletics mourns the loss of Dave O'Connor:
https://unhwildcats.com/news/2022/6/...-o-connor.aspx

[Felger]

UNH Athletics mourns the loss of Dave O'Connor:
https://unhwildcats.com/news/2022/6/...-o-connor.aspx

Dave was a great guy, humble, down to earth. Sounds like he lived a complete life.

Pretty sure he got an assist on the first goal ever scored in Snively Arena.

[Chuck Murray]

To compare that to a situation where the announcement was made early to enable a well-thought-out, extensive search and recruitment process is just ridiculous. Think what you'd like to about Marty, but the fact that he's had this semester to focus on driving some efforts which have a very long tail is a good thing; efforts that if they come to fruition will mean very good things for the program we love. He's hardly counting down days right now. This has enabled the President, the search committee, the exec recruiting firm, etc., bear down nationally to identify dozens of candidates, and go through a multi-step whittling-down process that is in its short strokes as we speak. This is all being done while several other arguably larger fish are needing frying at both the UNH and system level, that require a ton of time and attention as well.

So, by August then 'dc? September maybe?? End of 2022??? Sheesh ...

The "whittling down" process should have been at its "short strokes" stage a month or two ago.

Do you have any insight into how strongly intersectionality is being pushed in the process?

[NCAA watcher]

Dave was always very generous in dealing with me. He also added some gravitas (with Bob Norton) to the recruiting in the 70s as UNH rose to a national power.

[deltabravo62]

A few points on the project that is underway. ‘Ref, I’m not an Instagram guy so maybe they covered these there. Just to share some key items….

1. Repair and replace faulty chillers and refrigeration system
2. Replace the brine-based system with glycol, for energy efficiency and better availability
3. Installation of acrylic glass
4. Flex boards and soft caps on new dashers for player safety
5. New PA/sound system

Sounds like the project is on schedule for now, which would be a minor miracle given the state of getting any contracting work done these days. There WILL be a seat selection day, and it sounds like they will be taking a creative approach to make the selection as realistic as possible.

I was up in Durham last week and had an opportunity to speak with someone from Athletics at an event. I had the chance to pass on the consternation that many of you are feeling around poor communication, both in content and timeliness. I urged this person to consider getting a communication out sooner rather than later, even if it feels early given the uncertain construction situation the world is in right now. You can always slide dates - that was my message.

that’s all for now….

Good information, only thing to add is I hope the new acrylic panels are not the god awful "beer goggles" that currently reside in Conte Forum.

[ClOuD 9]

Yeah, not hanging up on the team completely but it's a situation of changing priorities. I used to plan other winter things around the UNH hockey schedule and this year I'm going to plan UNH hockey attendance around other things. The university is doing a very poor job of creating excitement and value out of what should be their marquee program. Years of stagnant hockey and the unwillingness to see there is something rotten in Durham has led me to this point. When my season ticket partner who used to wince at the mention of giving up our seasons said she was ready to step back, that says something. We will be at the opener to see the new configuration, beyond that it will be a week to week determination.

This is where I've been for a few years now, and they've given me no reason to buy back in. I live 20 minutes from the Whitt and don't have the motivation to attend most weeks, never mind make what once felt like mandatory road trips to Merrimack, Lowell, etc.
The program has been on a downward trajectory for almost a decade.
The "glory days"? Twenty years ago.

This, in a nutshell, is the blueprint over why SO many diehard UNH Hockey fans have gone away.

When you start to take your customers for granted, and stop sweating the details over the quality of the product on offer, it's an invitation for your customer to begin to look at other options.

You don't need a degree in marketing to come to any of these conclusions ... common sense will do.