UNH Hockey 2023 Off Season Thread Turn and Face the Strange

[acs64]

I've got a soft spot for folks who aren't afraid to go against the grain once in awhile, and Drew does give us that.

Just didn't think he had the appropriate take on his own program's progress. I'm sure Red is up there somewhere, loving it that someone still appreciates his (barren) time in Orono. And if it turns out that Barr can't pull his magic off (again), I'd be happy to admit I was wrong. I'd love to see how Carvel and Leaman voted UMaine's finish in those polls, since the brightest highlights of their own careers owe much to Ben Barr's involvement.

Once in a while ? Beg to differ, lol. I have faith in the Ben-ster but its never an easy task crawling your way back to the upper echelon. Those other teams always seem to make it tuff.

[Chuck Murray]

Hahaha...good response to our juvenile troll poster Chuck, old scout. Wuz gonna post similiar but didnt have the energy yesterday.

I've got a soft spot for folks who aren't afraid to go against the grain once in awhile, and Drew does give us that.

Just didn't think he had the appropriate take on his own program's progress. I'm sure Red is up there somewhere, loving it that someone still appreciates his (barren) time in Orono. And if it turns out that Barr can't pull his magic off (again), I'd be happy to admit I was wrong. I'd love to see how Carvel and Leaman voted UMaine's finish in those polls, since the brightest highlights of their own careers owe much to Ben Barr's involvement.

[acs64]

Maine didn't finish 9th last year, and this year's version looks stronger than last year's team. Why do you give a rat's arse on where dingbats from the so-called media or self-centered opposing coaches think your program is gonna finish, and use that as "evidence" of improvement or not? That's almost crazy-town, Drew.

Even in your gauzy retrospective on Red's last few years, he was averaging a sixth-place finish, and the 4th place outlier (which tweaked what was otherwise a 7th place average finish) was largely due to a kid who's a starting NHL goalie these days. Was that a standard you and your fellow UMaine fans were happy with? I doubt it. So as of last season, Barr basically already has you guys back to Red's level, and he has a long history of making up ground with new programs quickly and effectively. Why do you NOT think UMaine finishes in the top four this season???

WWWT (What Would Walshy Think) seeing a UMaine fan wandering into a UNH thread to get a pep talk on his own team?

Hahaha...good response to our juvenile troll poster Chuck, old scout. Wuz gonna post similiar but didnt have the energy yesterday.

[Chuck Murray]

As a Maine fan I really don’t get these stories. In Red’s last four years Maine finished sixth, sixth, fourth, and eighth now this year Maine was picked to finish ninth by both the media and coaches. How is that an improvement? On top of that all of Maine’s best players this year were brought in/recruited by the prior regime.

Maine didn't finish 9th last year, and this year's version looks stronger than last year's team. Why do you give a rat's arse on where dingbats from the so-called media or self-centered opposing coaches think your program is gonna finish, and use that as "evidence" of improvement or not? That's almost crazy-town, Drew.

Even in your gauzy retrospective on Red's last few years, he was averaging a sixth-place finish, and the 4th place outlier (which tweaked what was otherwise a 7th place average finish) was largely due to a kid who's a starting NHL goalie these days. Was that a standard you and your fellow UMaine fans were happy with? I doubt it. So as of last season, Barr basically already has you guys back to Red's level, and he has a long history of making up ground with new programs quickly and effectively. Why do you NOT think UMaine finishes in the top four this season???

WWWT (What Would Walshy Think) seeing a UMaine fan wandering into a UNH thread to get a pep talk on his own team?

[norbert]

Perks? You want perks? You get to go upstairs before games and cheaper soda...haha Muszelik and the new guy from NoDak (without looking, can't think of the name) plus
Forman, and one who's last name starts with a G-again, without looking...

Since you were speaking with the guys, what's their outlook for the season, if that came up of course...

There was no talk of the outlook, I don't go that direction anymore. It was more golf talk and how everyone is playing. Real deep stuff.

[norbert]

Mucinex, Foreman, you and me, norbie.

We might have a chance... we have our transfer Jakob Hellsten and Raphael Gaughan from the big city of Somersworth.

[Drew S.]

https://www.hockeyjournal.com/the-bu...-term-success/



A bit of buzz from a coach, able to project positive results in the future based on a track record of having had more than one season in his career above .500 (actually, two NCAA championships, buts let's not quibble). [For comparison on year two of coach Souza, because of the *** up succession plan, even if he wanted to acknowledge a rebuilding, he did not have the reigns as Umile loomed over him. So he never that the option of acknowledging how far down Umile had brought the program
http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/
]

Also, put the DeMichiel name in that hopper for six months from today (March 25th), along with Dumais.



Wow, actually being selected by your peers to coach talented young players during the summer, building bonds.

Come March, there's a chance UNH might be able to boast a HC who has a ring to sell.

As a Maine fan I really don’t get these stories. In Red’s last four years Maine finished sixth, sixth, fourth, and eighth now this year Maine was picked to finish ninth by both the media and coaches. How is that an improvement? On top of that all of Maine’s best players this year were brought in/recruited by the prior regime.

[Chuck Murray]

Ah pressers...wonder how many we will see this season?

If the season goes the way I expect it, probably none. Maybe 2-3?? UNH Hockey just ain't the draw it used to be ... but I'm looking forward to that changing in a couple of years when the new guy gets this ship turned around.

[HockeyRef]

No way. Umile always had a higher-pitch thing going on, kinda like he was Joe Pesci's older brother.

I will say, Umile's pressers may have been dry at times, but he's Rex Ryan in comparison to Belichick.

Wasn't implying he sounded like that, more that he would SAY that, given the situation...if that makes sense! Ah pressers...wonder
how many we will see this season?

[Chuck Murray]

lol Scott, I see what you did there... I actually thought it would be DU (wasn't it?) speaking those words ...

No way. Umile always had a higher-pitch thing going on, kinda like he was Joe Pesci's older brother.

I will say, Umile's pressers may have been dry at times, but he's Rex Ryan in comparison to Belichick.

[HockeyRef]

....and it was Judy Ray who put Umile on such a high pedestal to prevent him from being poached by UMass-Amherst, that he felt that he now "was" the Athletic Dept and could control and select his eventual successor.

" I AM THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT!"

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

lol Scott, I see what you did there... I actually thought it would be DU (wasn't it?) speaking those words, but, hey, if the shoe fits! Just goes to show what can happen
when someone assumes to much power, and is enabled etc etc etc...

[Scott]

Thanks 'Ref, and fair enough ... it's been over 20 years since Judy Ray was UNH AD. Time warp!!!

....and it was Judy Ray who put Umile on such a high pedestal to prevent him from being poached by UMass-Amherst, that he felt that he now "was" the Athletic Dept and could control and select his eventual successor.

" I AM THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT!"

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

[Chuck Murray]

Fixed your post...Rich...her last name is Rich...but what's in a name Yes, hear that; this IS and SHOULD BE...his 'one year'. Speaking of 'let's roll' let's get a new thread up soon!

Thanks 'Ref, and fair enough ... it's been over 20 years since Judy Ray was UNH AD. Time warp!!!

[NCAA watcher]

https://www.hockeyjournal.com/the-bu...-term-success/

Jared DeMichiel and Ben Barr shared an office at UMass in the years building up to that school’s national championship in 2021. A frequent topic was the theoretical timeline for bringing a struggling program up to speed.

“We would say, hey, when you’re turning around a program or getting a program where you want it to go, it’s usually a three-year thing,” said DeMichiel, now the associate head coach at Michigan State. “That’s lofty expectations. I think most people would say it takes a little bit longer, but Benny’s got very high standards and expectations.”

As Barr starts his third season as head coach at Maine, the Black Bears already have come a long way in a short time.

And DeMichiel is not the least bit surprised by how much his friend has accomplished so far.

A bit of buzz from a coach, able to project positive results in the future based on a track record of having had more than one season in his career above .500 (actually, two NCAA championships, buts let's not quibble). [For comparison on year two of coach Souza, because of the *** up succession plan, even if he wanted to acknowledge a rebuilding, he did not have the reigns as Umile loomed over him. So he never that the option of acknowledging how far down Umile had brought the program
http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/2016/08/
]

Also, put the DeMichiel name in that hopper for six months from today (March 25th), along with Dumais.

Previous Coaching Experience:
Assoc. Head Coach, UMass, 2016-22
National Champion, 2021
National Runner-Up, 2019
Hockey East Champion, 2021, 2022
Assistant Coach, St. Lawrence, 2014-16
Assistant Coach, Nazareth, 2011-14

Since the summer of 2012, DeMichiel has worked the USA Hockey National Select Festival, as well.

Wow, actually being selected by your peers to coach talented young players during the summer, building bonds.

Come March, there's a chance UNH might be able to boast a HC who has a ring to sell.

[HockeyRef]

'Ref, I suspect AD Rich considers this coming season to be his one year renewal "to see if it pans out", as I'm totally convinced she could have ended their relationship this past offseason. I heard a lot of discussion on here about financial limitations, which I think I went a long way to dispelling how it would fit into a typical budget ... all while not knowing what AD Rich almost certainly knew, of course, which was that there soon would be a spare $4MM lying about the place to smooth over a lot of financial rough spots.

At some point, a string of "well, one more season, just in case" becomes an excuse for professional indecision. To her credit, there seems to have been no such indecision with Coach Herrion (a thoroughly decent guy by all accounts) last March, and likewise I expect there to be no such indecision with nice guy/poor D-1 head coach Mike Souza come this March. Unless of course, he turns it around on a dime like Coach McDonnell did in Football, in a way that can be sustainable beyond just past "one decent year".

Because, in the end, "one decent year" isn't up to the UNH standards set by Coaches Holt and Umile. And of all people, Souza knows that. Why do you think he first came up here as a teenager, to play for UNH?

A "one more year to see if it pans out" would be the hugest of cop-outs from the AD. Herrion got his "one year" last year in the final year of his contract, and he knew the score. Ditto Souza. Now let's roll, and see what happens ...

Fixed your post...Rich...her last name is Rich...but what's in a name Yes, hear that; this IS and SHOULD BE...his 'one year'. Speaking of 'let's roll' let's get a new thread up soon!