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

[HockeyRef]

If Quinnipiac doesn’t pull this out, we move one step closer to the possibility of an all-Minnesota FF. With friends and former colleagues who attended each of the four schools, I cannot tell you how intolerably insufferable such an outcome will be. If there is a god, it CAN’T happen.

With all the HE teams out, Q is the 'only hope' for someone from the East to be in the FFour. (checks notes think I have this right haha) If you think that's bad, I think being a UNH fan who's team hasn't been in a Regional for 9 seasons is worse, but, that's just me :-( Hope you get what you are looking for; me? I'm cheering for Minnesota State! Let's Go 'Mavs!

[Darius]

Anybody but MI. Preferably Western, then Mankato.

[Chuck Murray]

A while back when the Riverstone attendance started dipping and Lowell was beginning to get hot I suggested a holiday tournament with UNH & Lowell vs two invitees in Manchester as it is nearly equidistant for the Riverhawks, could easily repackage this in to the Icebreaker.
Though now, several years on, I dread to think what our attendance would look like for a game in Manchester... Might not be great for the brand.

You've been around for awhile, so you probably remember Governor's Cup, which was a precursor to the Riverstone and the now-SNHU Arena. Four state schools, UNH-UML-UMaine-UVM (then still in the ECAC), playing a two day tourney which IIRC was either around Thanksgiving or right after the Winter break. I think it only ended up lasting two seasons, one in which Lowell hosted, and the other which I believe UNH hosted on campus. I don't think the schools liked it, because (aside from UVM) these would be non-conference games against conference opponents - just like a certain Boston tourney in February, which eventually got over the hump and became a "thing" long ago because there weren't rigid conference schedules in the CHDA (college hockey dark ages - not my term BTW). I thought they gave up too easily on Governor's Cup, but I can't see them revisiting it because now all four programs are in the same conference.

Your idea does work to the extent it excludes Dartmouth, which has their own Ledyard thing going on long-term, and Lowell is fairly local, so they won't see this as a logistics issue - plus you can sell Manchester to them as a neutral site. My guess is that Lowell is probably already "mowing UNH's lawn" in the Nashua area, and might see further incursion into Manchester as a fantastic opportunity to broaden their market- something that the folks in Durham have inexplicably struggled to get their heads around for most of the last generation. Figuring out who to round out the tourney with could be a lot of fun, and keep things fresh.

I really do hope the day comes when SNHU commits to upgrading its hockey program (probably along with hoops). There is an opportunity for someone out there to become the "Kings of NH Hockey" again by capturing the Queen City, and if UNH isn't gonna take it, it's right there on a platter for SNHU, which seems to be a pretty ambitious institution that already has long-term naming rights on the facility. What better way to optimize an asset than use it for growth of your own program?

[Chuck Murray]

If Quinnipiac doesn't pull this out, we move one step closer to the possibility of an all-Minnesota FF. With friends and former colleagues who attended each of the four schools, I cannot tell you how intolerably insufferable such an outcome will be. If there is a god, it CAN'T happen.

At least we have now confirmed there is a God, 'dc.

God does need to do some work on Eastern college hockey, though. It's like we're back in the CHDA all over again. And the only remaining Eastern team in this year's tourney was still only playing D-3 hockey the last time the East was this insignificant.

[Felger]

Anybody but MI. Preferably Western, then Mankato.

I really don't disagree with you Darius.

But you have to admit that a Michigan-Western Michigan final would be must see tv this season. And it could very well be the most one sided game in terms of who fan bases are rooting for ever played.

[NCAA watcher]

If you think that's bad, I think being a UNH fan who's team hasn't been in a Regional for 9 seasons is worse, but, that's just me

One of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBzuYNK95sM

That will be the Umile legacy - one more year to endure, and then in April 2023 we'll start digging out like Maine this year.

[HockeyRef]

One of my favorite Led Zeppelin songs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBzuYNK95sM

That will be the Umile legacy - one more year to endure, and then in April 2023 we'll start digging out like Maine this year.

Sighhh from your lips to God's ears....

[NCAA watcher]

Not even looking for a God. It's basically obvious and only a member of the athletic inner circle could perpetuate the error. With Dean having a national search, I'm comforted that there's nobody who will try to game the system going forward. And any new AD can make the layup presented: "do you want to extend the unqualified legacy guy who has 'remade' the team' since 2015 and never finished above 8th place, or make a hire that will immediately improve the situation?"

[HockeyRef]

Not even looking for a God. It's basically obvious and only a member of the athletic inner circle could perpetuate the error. With Dean having a national search, I'm comforted that there's nobody who will try to game the system going forward. And any new AD can make the layup presented: "do you want to extend the unqualified legacy guy who has 'remade' the team' since 2015 and never finished above 8th place, or make a hire that will immediately improve the situation?"

So much depends on this hire and their vision going forward. I'll be comforted in knowing (if we ever do know) that no extention was granted before the current AD leaves...to me that's a decent start in the process.

Like I said interesting how I read on Twitter that this UNH coach and that UNH coach got an extension but with hockey? Never. Maybe I missed something...

[Dan]

A UNH/Lowell GLI style tournament would be great - imagine Denver and Minnesota (or the like) joining every year. Teams would trip over themselves to attend, especially if you sold it as an NCAA Tournament dress rehearsal sort of experience - in a building that hosts every other year - and RPI builder...

Play a regional style schedule, make it a regional style feel, against regional style competition (yeah, yeah, UNH stinks), with no conference matchups and UNH would position itself along side the best teams in the sport. Rather than the local DIIIs...

[Felger]

A UNH/Lowell GLI style tournament would be great - imagine Denver and Minnesota (or the like) joining every year. Teams would trip over themselves to attend, especially if you sold it as an NCAA Tournament dress rehearsal sort of experience - in a building that hosts every other year - and RPI builder...

Play a regional style schedule, make it a regional style feel, against regional style competition (yeah, yeah, UNH stinks), with no conference matchups and UNH would position itself along side the best teams in the sport. Rather than the local DIIIs...

1000 percent agree. The only stipulation I would add is Atlantic Hockey and ECAC need not apply.

Patman posted this over on the Lowell thread and it should be posted in the hockey offices of every team in Hockey East:

"We need to schedule more teams like Denver if they aren't going to exist in Hockey East. No more cream puffs, no more "gentlemen of hockey" games against LIU and other schools that need help. No more jetting off to Northern Ireland to make good on some boy's fantasy about his great grandfather. I didn't know him and they ain't from Belfast. edit: scheduling the tough teams is hard, I'd sooner go to Omaha than Waltham. Hell, call up Cornell if you only want a bus ride."

[HockeyRef]

How 'bout those Mavs!?!1

[After the Whistle]

You talking about Benton Mavs? Ha.

[J.D.]

Maybe he'd bring the trophy to Durham

[HockeyRef]

You talking about Benton Mavs? Ha.

Lol love that! Yes the very same. He got alot of kudos today the "unsung hero" guy out there. As Snively65 liked to say why can't we have players like that oh wait...!