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

[NCAA watcher]

Laleggia and Vecchione decommitted early after being deferred. Evans and Ardanaz doing so late in the season suggests something else more recent occurred wrt UNH.

[HockeyRef]

UNH lost Mike Vecchione by deferring him an extra year in the USHL. When he went on to flourish at Union, the coaching staff began employing the tactic of signing prospects and THEN deferring them. Under old NLI rules, that would essentially lock a player into Durham - the NLI was enforceable the next season, should UNH choose to offer the previously agreed upon scholarship amount.

I'm not sure what UNH would gain by fighting a player's attempt to break an NLI - but its moot now anyway, without a transfer penalty on the books. UNH could threaten to hold Evans to his NLI, but he would simply 'transfer' to his preferred destination with no penalty of sitting.

I argued UNH should go all in on youth last year and play for the future - An inexperienced roster could hardly do worse I posited. UNH seemed to think going older would make them more competitive than a ninth place finisher.

Whether any of this eventually facilitates a change in strategy (or staff) remains to be seen, but I expect Ill believe (any of) it when I see it...

Thanks for the insight on this Dan...with the new rules out there anything is possible I guess? You are probably right; there's something going on...maybe UNH is hoping to get portal guys like the bball team is. Like you said...you'll believe it when you see it. I'm doubting any real change comes in the next year, or, two. Welp guess we will find out!

[Felger]

Laleggia and Vecchione decommitted early after being deferred. Evans and Ardanaz doing so late in the season suggests something else more recent occurred wrt UNH.

Maybe they don't like shrinkage.

[NCAA watcher]

Version 4. Carsen Richels in portal.
So.Will Margel (18-1-3-4)--------[[Pierson????]]]/transfer------------So.Robert Cronin (30-7-5-12)
So.Liam Devlin-(34-9-7-16)-----Sr.Harrison Blaisdell-(25-2-6-8)-----Fr.Stiven Sardarian-(NA)
Fr.Cy Leclerc-(NA)----------------Sr.Chase Stevenson-(33-4-1-5)-----Jr.Nick Cafarelli (15-3-4-7)
Fr.Jake Dunlap-(NA)--------------Fr.Morgan Winters-(NA)-------------Fr.Kristap Skrastins (NA)
Fr.[Turner??]]/transfer------------Jr.Cam Gendron-(19-1-1-2)--------So.Conor Lovett
So.Connor Sweeney-(22-0-0-0)--Sr.Joe Hankinson (1-0-0-0)-------Fr./Transfer


Sr.Kalle Eriksson-(32-0-12-12)----So.Colton Huard (28-6-10-16)
So.Alex Gagne-(33-1-7-8)---------Jr.Luke Reid (34-3-5-8)
Fr.Damien Carfagna (NA)----------Jr.Nikolai Jenson-(30-1-5-6)
transfer/[[Fr.Brendan Fitzgerald]]-------Fr.Cade Penney (NA)

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

[Robert Balin]

Per Heisenburg Fitzgerald will be coming next year instead of 2023. His line is 45gp 2goals 19 assists. It will be strange to see a Fitzgerald playing for UNH considering his brothers and cousins all played for BC. That usually means he's the weaker player in the bunch..lol.

[HockeyRef]

Per Heisenburg Fitzgerald will be coming next year instead of 2023. His line is 45gp 2goals 19 assists. It will be strange to see a Fitzgerald playing for UNH considering his brothers and cousins all played for BC. That usually means he's the weaker player in the bunch..lol.

Aw come on...with this lineage? Hockey's in their blood! Cousins: Jimmy Hayes, Kevin Hayes, Keith Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk

We'll take him with open arms and a smaller rink...lol

[Chuck Murray]

Per Heisenburg Fitzgerald will be coming next year instead of 2023. His line is 45gp 2goals 19 assists. It will be strange to see a Fitzgerald playing for UNH considering his brothers and cousins all played for BC. That usually means he's the weaker player in the bunch..lol.

I think we can refer to this phenomena as the "Mark Kolanos Effect" ;-)

To think, only a generation ago, a stud talent like Todd Hall fled The Heights to get to UNH ...

[Felger]

To think, only a generation ago, a stud talent like Todd Hall fled The Heights to get to UNH ...

And did it without the vaunted "portal"

[Felger]

maybe UNH is hoping to get portal guys like the bball team is.

To paraphrase Dan UNH basketball is not the program to envy, nor is it the bar by which UNH hockey should judge itself.

[HockeyRef]

To paraphrase Dan UNH basketball is not the program to envy, nor is it the bar by which UNH hockey should judge itself.

Was using it as an example...I'd rather NOT see us rely on the portal for players! But many teams are...so there's that. And, I absolutely do not think UNH Hockey should emulate UNH Basketball.

In other news Mike Robinson signed with the Reading Royals with a SPC contract (no idea what SPC means...)

[cavbim]

Was using it as an example...I'd rather NOT see us rely on the portal for players! But many teams are...so there's that. And, I absolutely do not think UNH Hockey should emulate UNH Basketball.

In other news Mike Robinson signed with the Reading Royals with a SPC contract (no idea what SPC means...)

standard player contract

[Chuck Murray]

In other news Mike Robinson signed with the Reading Royals with a SPC contract (no idea what SPC means...)

I believe Reading is a primary 'Coast affiliate for the Flyers. The SPC for a player of Robinson's age in the 'Coast is two years. IIRC Robinson was a Sharks' draft pick, and I believe they would hold his draft rights for 30 days after he leaves school, so I'm not sure if San Jose signed him couldn't find room for him in their system, OR if they waived their draft rights and he signed directly with Reading? Guessing the latter, but would welcome any clarification.

[HockeyRef]

I believe Reading is a primary 'Coast affiliate for the Flyers. The SPC for a player of Robinson's age in the 'Coast is two years. IIRC Robinson was a Sharks' draft pick, and I believe they would hold his draft rights for 30 days after he leaves school, so I'm not sure if San Jose signed him couldn't find room for him in their system, OR if they waived their draft rights and he signed directly with Reading? Guessing the latter, but would welcome any clarification.

Have been poking around some and see he's still listed as a prospect at EliteProspects but don't know how updated that is. Also saw on a San Jose site "unsigned". Glad he's skating tho, and hope for good things for him!

[HockeyRef]

Carson Richels in the portal...

[HockeyRef]

Happy for Benton Maass...playing for a winning team. Hope they make it to the Frozen 4!!

EDIT: 3 -2 after 2...spoke too soon?!?!