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

[NCAA watcher]

Just speculating....I'm sure 'Watcher or others have more reliable info....but if history is repeating itself, the UNH coaches may have asked both Evans and Ardanaz to defer to 2023-24.

No inside info, but this would seem to lend credence to that theory.

https://twitter.com/CJohnstonBCHL/st...21457646579713
Not everyday you see a double commitment like this. Totally unrelated to their relationship. Nick and John want to play #NCAA next season and @RPI_Hockey have an immediate need for both a (RW) & (LD). It's a win-win for both sides. They just happen to be playing together again.

Essentially, with his career riding on next year, Souza pulled a Umile, choosing his guys (local Mass kids Fitzgerald and Turner) over Ardanaz and Evans.

[Chuck Murray]

Essentially, with his career riding on next year, Souza pulled a Umile, choosing his guys (local Mass kids Fitzgerald and Turner) over Ardanaz and Evans.

When a coach will not look in the mirror and consider *maybe* he needs to change, he is doomed.

[NCAA watcher]

When a coach will not look in the mirror and consider *maybe* he needs to change, he is doomed.

Well, that's a guess. It may also be that he elected to go for a short term fix, and will try to get HE ready transfers like U.Conn's Shlaine, Carter Berger, or Teleguine, or Quinnipiac Ethan Leyh, or a grad transfer. Basically, players not ready to contribute from day one, though having longer term growth potential, are bypassed for short term solutions.

[deltabravo62]

Well, that's a guess. It may also be that he elected to go for a short term fix, and will try to get HE ready transfers like U.Conn's Shlaine, Carter Berger, or Teleguine, or Quinnipiac Ethan Leyh, or a grad transfer. Basically, players not ready to contribute from day one, though having longer term growth potential, are bypassed for short term solutions.

Hobbling around on a bum ankle because you're smarter than the doctor who told you that it required surgery.

[Dan]

The coach has been in over his head since the day he was hired as an assistant/recruiter. So determined to build the most dependable and predictable 10/11th place team - if he thinks that will save his job than he either lacks perspective or knows that there is no expectation for actual success within the department. Its not my preferred way to team-build, but he has had his chance and the best course would now be dramatic decision making...

There are players on this roster that should be looking elsewhere, in order to facilitate as much accumulation of talent as possible. Assuming his job is actually in jeopardy, the best way to save it would be to prove your recruiting chops and put a young, talented team on the ice with an obvious and bright future. He just doesn't get it.

Does anyone have any real insight that Sardariyan is coming this fall? He makes Watcher's list (We should be so lucky for Watcher to make these decisions), but is listed as a '23 by many other sources. I am prepared for his deferral as well, putting another true talent's matriculation at risk for the sake of more local, hard workers who's development has already maximized, but we shall see...

--

I have no faith in them hitting the portal for actual impact - but if they did, they'd need to build an entire first line if they want to have any sustained success next season. I can't see them with any shot at a kid like Shlaine, and even if they added him, Gresock, Primeau and brought Pierson back, Id still need convincing to think they were a top-half HE club...

[NCAA watcher]

Wait, reporters are allowed to ask Coaches and administrators about a coach's contractual status?

https://twitter.com/ConnorEaregood/s...74602100817921

[HockeyRef]

Wait, reporters are allowed to ask Coaches and administrators about a coach's contractual status?

https://twitter.com/ConnorEaregood/s...74602100817921

Shucks we haven't even had an end of the season media interview of sorts. And if we did doubting we'd get an answer about the contract. Union Leader if you're listening...

[NCAA watcher]

Mike Souza has experience transitioning a marginal DI program (U.Conn), and Stonehill is just 40 minutes from Wakefield. Just saying.

All water finds its level.

[Dan]

Maine will return just 12 letterwinners from 2021-22, while importing at least 10 freshman and 3 transfers for next fall - A dramatic change of course for the Blackbears. Meanwhile, nothing has changed in UNH's recruiting approach over the past six seasons and UNH is deferring young talent to run it back with their ninth-place roster...

[NCAA watcher]

Maine will return just 12 letterwinners from 2021-22, while importing at least 10 freshman and 3 transfers for next fall - A dramatic change of course for the Blackbears. Meanwhile, nothing has changed in UNH's recruiting approach over the past six seasons and UNH is deferring young talent to run it back with their ninth-place roster...

Always been their MO under Souza. Ritchie Boyd? Come on back for a 5th year. Mike Dawson, you too. Patrick Grasso, you get a fifth year. Eric MacAdams and Mike Robinson, you get a spot.

Only that way can you preserve the culture of the place.

Thank g*d we only have one more year of this.

[Drew S.]

Always been their MO under Souza. Ritchie Boyd? Come on back for a 5th year. Mike Dawson, you too. Patrick Grasso, you get a fifth year. Eric MacAdams and Mike Robinson, you get a spot.

Only that way can you preserve the culture of the place.

Thank g*d we only have one more year of this.

Beyond the volume, do you think Barr has found some quality in the guys who have committed? It doesn’t seem like many of the guys have a ton of hype(beyond Nadeau and Hopkins) but hopefully there will be some pleasant surprises.

[Chuck Murray]

Always been their MO under Souza. Ritchie Boyd? Come on back for a 5th year. Mike Dawson, you too. Patrick Grasso, you get a fifth year. Eric MacAdams and Mike Robinson, you get a spot.

For awhile, I thought Grasso was bucking for UNH's "Lifetime Achievement in Men's Hockey" award.

Under the "Well, That Didn't Take Long" category, news arrives here at the WIS Estate that freshly-minted professional goalie Mike Robinson has cleared ECHL waivers, on his way from the first-place Reading Royals (1 game) to the last place Wichita Thunder. No indication yet that he's reported to Wichita, much less gotten in any game action. Typical 'Coast shenanigans.

Mike Robinson (G) from Reading Royals to Wichita Thunder › dagenshockey.com

Former University of Alaska-Fairbanks player set to play for Wichita Thunder (eprinkside.com)

[SNHUPenman]

Here is an interview w/ President Dean re: the AD Search

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGZaDNZv56c&t=29s

[Chuck Murray]

Here is an interview w/ President Dean re: the AD Search

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGZaDNZv56c&t=29s

Thanks for sharing. Well, that's 17 minutes of my life I'll never be able to get back.

If anyone gathers any insight from that "interview" into where things stand with the "AD search" after listening to that total mish-mash of buzzwords and concepts, you're a better man than I ...

[Walt Poddubny]

Welp, its been 13 years since I dropped dead of a heart attack in my hometown of Thunder Bay, Ontario. And while the world has changed in a seismic fashion since I started what I thought was going to be my eternal rest, it is nice to see that the annual "our coach sucks/has lost a step, why can't we have nice things, maybe next year will be better/no it won't" UNH thread on USCHO is still a thing. Good night, and God Bless.