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

[After the Whistle]

Wow Scott that is so sad to hear. Must have been one of the really true Cats fans. Tough time for you but I’m sure we will all have you in our thoughts.

[After the Whistle]

Ref thanks for the instagram hint. I have never signed up, long story with my phone.
Your inability to commit to tickets has a less than ideal sound to it. H

[HockeyRef]

I've been very hesitant to post this....but here goes.

Yes, I am renewing my season tickets. I am doing so to honor my wife, who sadly took her last breath in the very early morning hours on May 8.

She was admittted to the hospital on April 30. On May 7, she was placed on full oxygen and while she was still conscious she agreed to be moved to hospice care. Though her breathing was difficult and trying to speak was even more so, she told to me to please keep our seats at the Whitt. This was coming from a woman who has been attending UNH hockey games since she was a very young child, when Snively Arena was first opened. A true superfan indeed.

So....in honor of her, I plan to be at as many games as I can, honoring the empty seat beside me. She always believed in this team, even when on most days these past several seasons, I did not. Perhaps her free and beautiful spirit will be there at the Whitt this upcoming season to help lift this team up.

Scott...we are so sorry to hear this! Your wife was such a lovely person amd truly a quintessential UNH Hockey fan. She would want you to cheerfor her Wildcats. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers...God bless you!!

[HockeyRef]

Ref thanks for the instagram hint. I have never signed up, long story with my phone.
Your inability to commit to tickets has a less than ideal sound to it. H

Oh don't worry about me...I just have some medical decision making coming up that could impact how much travel I will want to do potentially for the first half of the season. We shall see. Hence the hesitation. I am more concerned with Scott right now...

[deltabravo62]

I've been very hesitant to post this....but here goes.

Yes, I am renewing my season tickets. I am doing so to honor my wife, who sadly took her last breath in the very early morning hours on May 8.

She was admittted to the hospital on April 30. On May 7, she was placed on full oxygen and while she was still conscious she agreed to be moved to hospice care. Though her breathing was difficult and trying to speak was even more so, she told to me to please keep our seats at the Whitt. This was coming from a woman who has been attending UNH hockey games since she was a very young child, when Snively Arena was first opened. A true superfan indeed.

So....in honor of her, I plan to be at as many games as I can, honoring the empty seat beside me. She always believed in this team, even when on most days these past several seasons, I did not. Perhaps her free and beautiful spirit will be there at the Whitt this upcoming season to help lift this team up.

Very sorry to hear of your loss. Definitely a good reason to keep your seats and the memories of a lifetime of attending.

[wildcatdc]

I've been very hesitant to post this....but here goes.

Yes, I am renewing my season tickets. I am doing so to honor my wife, who sadly took her last breath in the very early morning hours on May 8.

She was admittted to the hospital on April 30. On May 7, she was placed on full oxygen and while she was still conscious she agreed to be moved to hospice care. Though her breathing was difficult and trying to speak was even more so, she told to me to please keep our seats at the Whitt. This was coming from a woman who has been attending UNH hockey games since she was a very young child, when Snively Arena was first opened. A true superfan indeed.

So....in honor of her, I plan to be at as many games as I can, honoring the empty seat beside me. She always believed in this team, even when on most days these past several seasons, I did not. Perhaps her free and beautiful spirit will be there at the Whitt this upcoming season to help lift this team up.

Scott, I am very sorry for your loss. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re going through. I hope the coming days and months bring peace for you and your family.

[Whalers]

Scott, so sorry to hear of your wife's passing, this is awful news. Glad that you are turning your season tickets into a positive tribute and certainly a healing step along the way. A lot of memories in those seats, way more positive ones overall, so I hope this can bring you some peace.

[Chuck Murray]

I've been very hesitant to post this....but here goes.

Yes, I am renewing my season tickets. I am doing so to honor my wife, who sadly took her last breath in the very early morning hours on May 8.

She was admittted to the hospital on April 30. On May 7, she was placed on full oxygen and while she was still conscious she agreed to be moved to hospice care. Though her breathing was difficult and trying to speak was even more so, she told to me to please keep our seats at the Whitt. This was coming from a woman who has been attending UNH hockey games since she was a very young child, when Snively Arena was first opened. A true superfan indeed.

So....in honor of her, I plan to be at as many games as I can, honoring the empty seat beside me. She always believed in this team, even when on most days these past several seasons, I did not. Perhaps her free and beautiful spirit will be there at the Whitt this upcoming season to help lift this team up.

Sorry to read about your loss, Scott. God only calls the best of the bunch back home early.

[HockeyRef]

FWIW dept...


Hearing #NHLBruinshttps://abs.twimg.com/hashflags/NHLT..._NHLBruins.png Assistant Coach Kevin Dean is not returning to the bench for another year. I believe he has one-year remaining under contract and this is his decision to leave the #Boston organization.

[Chuck Murray]

FWIW dept...
Hearing #NHLBruinshttps://abs.twimg.com/hashflags/NHLT..._NHLBruins.png Assistant Coach Kevin Dean is not returning to the bench for another year. I believe he has one-year remaining under contract and this is his decision to leave the #Boston organization.

After hearing Neely throw Cassidy and his staff under the bus a couple of weeks ago, I figured there would be some activity with the assistants, at the very least. So seeing Dean leaving a year early is hardly shocking, and probably satiates Neely's misguided sense of "gotta change something". Canning a second GM - probably the "right" decision, given the blown drafts - would have probably brought his own position under scrutiny. And Cam wasn't gonna go there ...

... so maybe Dean becomes a HC option at his alma mater a year from now?

[HockeyRef]

After hearing Neely throw Cassidy and his staff under the bus a couple of weeks ago, I figured there would be some activity with the assistants, at the very least. So seeing Dean leaving a year early is hardly shocking, and probably satiates Neely's misguided sense of "gotta change something". Canning a second GM - probably the "right" decision, given the blown drafts - would have probably brought his own position under scrutiny. And Cam wasn't gonna go there ...

... so maybe Dean becomes a HC option at his alma mater a year from now?

If ANYONE needs to go on that staff it's Don Sweeny, but, I digress...

[After the Whistle]

Welcome to random Friday!
Great observation Ref. Drafting like recruiting is incredibly telling.
Love the Max G quote on UNH found on CHC’s twitter. Got to be good for UNH!
Will Potts ever get the respect/opportunity that he deserves?
Matt Dawson starting a coaching career in Surry! Perfect fit for a great kid who loves the game and will make a great coach. Congratulations!
Can the 22/23 team be coached up to what we are looking for? 500, with a nice upside?

[HockeyRef]

Welcome to random Friday!
Great observation Ref. Drafting like recruiting is incredibly telling.
Love the Max G quote on UNH found on CHC’s twitter. Got to be good for UNH!
Will Potts ever get the respect/opportunity that he deserves?
Matt Dawson starting a coaching career in Surry! Perfect fit for a great kid who loves the game and will make a great coach. Congratulations!
Can the 22/23 team be coached up to what we are looking for? 500, with a nice upside?

Love your 'As the 'Whitt Turns' tales haha! Yeah that was fun to see Dawson getting that gig and I did read the positive post from Max G. As for Potsy, so cool he got to throw out a pitch at Wrigley Field...did you catch that? He's a new dad too (as is Matias C, Dylan C, Kevin G). Too much insta for me I guess! Anyway here's hoping for your last comment...

Of course everyone is dying to know who the new AD is....anyday now???

[Chuck Murray]

Of course everyone is dying to know who the new AD is....anyday now???

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 ...

[Chuck Murray]

Welcome to random Friday!
Great observation Ref. Drafting like recruiting is incredibly telling.
Love the Max G quote on UNH found on CHC’s twitter. Got to be good for UNH!
Will Potts ever get the respect/opportunity that he deserves?
Matt Dawson starting a coaching career in Surry! Perfect fit for a great kid who loves the game and will make a great coach. Congratulations!
Can the 22/23 team be coached up to what we are looking for? 500, with a nice upside?

Poturalski has had multiple opportunities with multiple organizations now, Carolina and Anaheim. Both were building young teams when he was (is?) there, so he can't say he didn't have a chance. He's just been deemed not good enough, which is a shame, and must be frustrating for him personally. But a guy can have himself quite a career at the AHL level, just ask his UNH predecessor from a generation earlier, Darren Haydar, who also got NHL opportunities and couldn't stick for more than spot duty.

Not talented enough to hold down a top six slot up front at the NHL level, yet not gritty enough/no developed two-way game to be trusted on a 3rd line or 4th line checking role.

This stuff happens. I hate to say "I told you guys so", but I did when he left UNH, and here we are ...