UNH Hockey 2023 Off Season Thread Turn and Face the Strange

[Snively65]

Hey Snively

Not sure if you saw it but Seacoast Online did a story about Graham Bruder last week.

I was going to post the link but its behind a pay wall.

Thanks for heads up, and sorry that the article is not available without a paywall. Did Graham Bruder say who recruited him in Rouyn Noranda, PQ? I am assuming Rube Bjorkman who began as head coach at UNH for the 1964/65 season, I think, after Whoop Snively died suddenly from a heart attack in spring 1964. I think that Bruder probably was on the frosh team in 1965/66, as HockeyDB lists him on the varsity roster for three seasons, 1966/67-1968/69, although HockeyDB’s UNH head coaching history seems to be mistakenly offset by a season around this time; either that or all the UNH website hockey pages are off by a year. I need to do more research in the special collections at the Diamond Library next time that I am on campus as this inconsistency has bugged me for years. I have a few odd game programs from this time, but not enough to sort out the contradictions. Charlie Holt is usually credited with putting UNH hockey on the map, but I think that Rube Bjorkman deserves a lot of credit for setting up Charlie for success.

[Chuck Murray]

Um… it is a golf column. Thanks for posting. I would not have seen it otherwise :-) Full article was not behind a paywall for me:

https://www.unionleader.com/sports/g...0559031a8.html

You've been around forever, Darius ... can you even begin to imagine news of a volunteer assistant (Tim Churchard in the day, right?) just walking away from the job in midseason, and not finding out about it until midway into the offseason?!? I mean, that was news today, I think?? News to me anyway. Reporters used to check in once in awhile at practices to cover their beat and get scoops ... that kind of coverage just seems lost to the sands of time at this point.

Unless Brown knew it earlier, and didn't disclose it publicly until he knew MS7 was gonna be allowed to return next season? Didn't MS7's contract for his next-to-last season literally expire the day before the story ran?? Hmmm ...

[Snively65]

You've been around forever, Darius ... can you even begin to imagine news of a volunteer assistant (Tim Churchard in the day, right?) just walking away from the job in midseason, and not finding out about it until midway into the offseason?!? I mean, that was news today, I think?? News to me anyway. Reporters used to check in once in awhile at practices to cover their beat and get scoops ... that kind of coverage just seems lost to the sands of time at this point.

Unless Brown knew it earlier, and didn't disclose it publicly until he knew MS7 was gonna be allowed to return next season? Didn't MS7's contract for his next-to-last season literally expire the day before the story ran?? Hmmm ...

Mid-season? Maybe Conklin’s departure coincided with the team’s 7-2-2(SOW) run between 6 January and 18 February? Champions of the Beginning of the Second Half of Season (CotBotSHoS, to go along with MBPBEGAM).

[Drew S.]

Um… it is a golf column. Thanks for posting. I would not have seen it otherwise :-) Full article was not behind a paywall for me: https://www.unionleader.com/sports/g...0559031a8.html

Breakfast Hill is a decent enough course but would think someone who spent a long time in the NHL could do better than that.

[Felger]

Thanks for heads up, and sorry that the article is not available without a paywall. Did Graham Bruder say who recruited him in Rouyn Noranda, PQ? I am assuming Rube Bjorkman who began as head coach at UNH for the 1964/65 season, I think, after Whoop Snively died suddenly from a heart attack in spring 1964. I think that Bruder probably was on the frosh team in 1965/66, as HockeyDB lists him on the varsity roster for three seasons, 1966/67-1968/69, although HockeyDB’s UNH head coaching history seems to be mistakenly offset by a season around this time; either that or all the UNH website hockey pages are off by a year. I need to do more research in the special collections at the Diamond Library next time that I am on campus as this inconsistency has bugged me for years. I have a few odd game programs from this time, but not enough to sort out the contradictions. Charlie Holt is usually credited with putting UNH hockey on the map, but I think that Rube Bjorkman deserves a lot of credit for setting up Charlie for success.

I don't know if he said who recruited him. He did say that his family moved to Berlin when he was 15 because education was important to his father and he felt Graham would get a better one in the US.

I read the story and thought some might find it interesting so I posted it with the link. Then I clicked on the link to make sure it was right and it took me to the paywall, even though I had already read the story.

Speaking of Seacoast.online and paywalls, they put ALL their high school graduation stories behind paywalls last month. Classless.

[NCAA watcher]

Thanks for heads up, and sorry that the article is not available without a paywall. Did Graham Bruder say who recruited him in Rouyn Noranda, PQ? I am assuming Rube Bjorkman who began as head coach at UNH for the 1964/65 season, I think, after Whoop Snively died suddenly from a heart attack in spring 1964. I think that Bruder probably was on the frosh team in 1965/66, as HockeyDB lists him on the varsity roster for three seasons, 1966/67-1968/69, although HockeyDB’s UNH head coaching history seems to be mistakenly offset by a season around this time; either that or all the UNH website hockey pages are off by a year. I need to do more research in the special collections at the Diamond Library next time that I am on campus as this inconsistency has bugged me for years. I have a few odd game programs from this time, but not enough to sort out the contradictions. Charlie Holt is usually credited with putting UNH hockey on the map, but I think that Rube Bjorkman deserves a lot of credit for setting up Charlie for success.

Yes, Bruder was a freshman in the fall 1965, along with Lachine Montreal teammate Richard David.
Bjorkman resigned in 1968

[Snively65]

Yes, Bruder was a freshman in the fall 1965, along with Lachine Montreal teammate Richard David.
Bjorkman resigned in 1968

Thanks, watcher, as that is what I thought. Hockey DB has a bunch of their entries offset by a year. So, Bjorkman arrived to be head coach for four years beginning with the 1964/65 season following Whoop Snively’s sudden death on 15 April 1964; recruited Graham Bruder, Rich David, and several others who arrived on campus to play on the frosh team in the 1965/66 season in which the varsity was 11-12-0; then led the team to 18-7-0, 22-7-0, and 22-6-1 records the next three seasons before he resigned in spring 1968 to return to his roots in the northern Midwest to be head coach at Nodak the next several seasons.

In fairness to MS7, Umile did not set up things for him to have success in the way that Bjorkman set up Holt and others set up Umile.

And, thanks, Felger, as I did not realize or had forgotten that Graham Bruder’s family had moved to Berlin, NH, when he was recruited, which is really cool, I think. Love this nostalgic return to when I was a kid growing up in Durham.

[Chuck Murray]

Breakfast Hill is a decent enough course but would think someone who spent a long time in the NHL could do better than that.

Agreed. He's probably still on the membership wait list at Abenaqui, Wentworth-by-the-Sea and/or Portsmouth CC. One of the greenskeepers at Breakfast Hill is a pal, I should get some lowdown on the state of Conklin's game. Heck, it's possible good ol' Ty is just a cheap bast!d, and prefers the lower greens fees? FWIW the other nearby track in Greenland (Bramber Valley) got levelled and replaced by an O-55 community about 10 years ago.

Brought to you by Effingwoods Hockey Almanac's offseason guide to local golf in the Greater Effingwoods community.

[Darius]

You've been around forever, Darius ... can you even begin to imagine news of a volunteer assistant (Tim Churchard in the day, right?) just walking away from the job in midseason, and not finding out about it until midway into the offseason?!? I mean, that was news today, I think?? News to me anyway. Reporters used to check in once in awhile at practices to cover their beat and get scoops ... that kind of coverage just seems lost to the sands of time at this point.

Unless Brown knew it earlier, and didn't disclose it publicly until he knew MS7 was gonna be allowed to return next season? Didn't MS7's contract for his next-to-last season literally expire the day before the story ran?? Hmmm ...

Thanks :-) and agreed on not being reported before now. We've discussed current local journalism before. Ideally his departure would have been a note in a game story or periodic hockey or college sports column. Those were the days. <sigh>

[Snively65]

I'm waiting for the dust to settle on the B's post-season activities, but so far it looks like it's gonna be a disaster. Taylor Hall seems to have been given away basically, to create some room under the cap to try to retain some of their more prominent free agents, but Orlov has already signed elsewhere ('Canes) and at least to this point, there is no indication that Bertuzzi is gonna sign either. Mike Reilly was bought out, and Clifton just signed a 3 year deal in Buffalo for $10.0M (crazy if you ask me). Incomings have been guys in their mid-30's like Lucic, JvR and Shattenkirk. If you're wondering, there's no indication Timmy Thomas is coming out of retirement, but the chasing of old guys who all seem to clearly be on the 17th tee of their careers seems a curious approach to rebuilding where Bergeron and Krejci seem to not be coming back, yet I still hear talk of a trade involving one of the goalies?!? I mean, at this point, why?!? Unless the B's are going to get both Tarasenko AND Bertuzzi (overrated in my mind as a DRW fan, even if he were to magically return to Detroit) ... what's left to keep them a serious Cup contender???

The Hall giveaway has to mean more than signing Morgan Geekie. Waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop ...

Tyler Bertuzzi just signed a one-year, $5.5 mil deal with the Leafs, so apparently the Bruins did not think that Bertuzzi was worth keeping if it meant moving one of their two goalies or a remaining blue liner or two.

[Chuck Murray]

Tyler Bertuzzi just signed a one-year, $5.5 mil deal with the Leafs, so apparently the Bruins did not think that Bertuzzi was worth keeping if it meant moving one of their two goalies or a remaining blue liner or two.

The idea that Bertuzzi just signed with Toronto in and of itself is ironic, considering he was basically prevented from playing in his home country for about two years (BTW not riffing on the Ogie Oglethorpe intro in Slapshot). I can absolutely see why teams did not want to extend him term of contract, as he's had buzzard's luck with injuries throughout his career, is hardly a youngster, and those things tend to worsen over time. I'm just puzzled why all I was hearing for about a month was that the B's coveted Bertuzzi for his strong (albeit brief) performance in the playoffs, and then they shed Taylor Hall (for zippo) to supposedly clear cap space to make the magic happen.

I think both sides overplayed their hands ... the B's thinking that Bertuzzi was fat and happy to play in Boston, and would sign for less than top of the market numbers ... and Bertuzzi, for thinking he was worthy of top of the market numbers in a relatively weak FA year, plus his dotted history of injuries, etc. I know the Wings only traded him when Yzerman determined he was asking for too much for what Bertuzzi brings to the table, and (as usual) Stevie Y made the right call, snagged a first round pick for him, and now Sweeney is holding nothing - no Bertuzzi, no Orlov, no Taylor Hall, and one less first round draft pick in the foreseesble future. Plus no Krejci, and likely no Bergeron. Ouch.

It almost feels like Sweeney - who I thought knocked it out of the park last season to set the B's up for one last run at things, only to see another early crash & burn playoffs exit - was broken by how last season ended, and the only question I have left at this point is whether Sweeney resigns or Monty hits the bottle again first. Shocking postseason so far on Causeway St. and I have no idea what capital Sweeney has left to turn it around.

[Snively65]

The idea that Bertuzzi just signed with Toronto in and of itself is ironic, considering he was basically prevented from playing in his home country for about two years (BTW not riffing on the Ogie Oglethorpe intro in Slapshot). I can absolutely see why teams did not want to extend him term of contract, as he's had buzzard's luck with injuries throughout his career, is hardly a youngster, and those things tend to worsen over time. I'm just puzzled why all I was hearing for about a month was that the B's coveted Bertuzzi for his strong (albeit brief) performance in the playoffs, and then they shed Taylor Hall (for zippo) to supposedly clear cap space to make the magic happen.

I think both sides overplayed their hands ... the B's thinking that Bertuzzi was fat and happy to play in Boston, and would sign for less than top of the market numbers ... and Bertuzzi, for thinking he was worthy of top of the market numbers in a relatively weak FA year, plus his dotted history of injuries, etc. I know the Wings only traded him when Yzerman determined he was asking for too much for what Bertuzzi brings to the table, and (as usual) Stevie Y made the right call, snagged a first round pick for him, and now Sweeney is holding nothing - no Bertuzzi, no Orlov, no Taylor Hall, and one less first round draft pick in the foreseesble future. Plus no Krejci, and likely no Bergeron. Ouch.

It almost feels like Sweeney - who I thought knocked it out of the park last season to set the B's up for one last run at things, only to see another early crash & burn playoffs exit - was broken by how last season ended, and the only question I have left at this point is whether Sweeney resigns or Monty hits the bottle again first. Shocking postseason so far on Causeway St. and I have no idea what capital Sweeney has left to turn it around.

One irony for me is that JvR may find himself on the second line with Coyle and DeBrusk on Causeway Street this season, after all these past few years of toil on third lines in Toronto and Philadelphia. Who woulda thunk it?

[Chuck Murray]

One irony for me is that JvR may find himself on the second line with Coyle and DeBrusk on Causeway Street this season, after all these past few years of toil on third lines in Toronto and Philadelphia. Who woulda thunk it?

I think you're saying that half in jest, but the reality isn't all that far removed. For example, IF Bergeron does decide to call it a day, the B's have an enormous hole at center to try to backfill. Bergeron returning at this point has to be seen as "best case scenario", as another potential option for the B's to fill a top two center role (Tarasenko) just signed with Carolina overnight, so for now, your center ice depth chart looks kinda like this:

(1) Bergeron (maybe)
(2) Zacha
(3) Coyle
(4) Frederic/Geekie?

Those guys are all pretty much where they should be on a successful NHL team. #1 is a legit #1, #2 is a legit #2, etc. Now IF Bergeron is out (and if you are Patrice Bergeron and will be 38 in 3 weeks' time, and you've seen your team's roster crumbling before your eyes over the last couple of weeks, why do you want to return anyway?), then every one of those guys is forced to produce at a higher level to make up the slack. Can Zacha be a #1? Eight years of NHL evidence suggests he overperformed as a #2 last season, but he's still relatively young, so let's say he can maintain a #2. Turning into a legit #1 would be stunning. Can Coyle be an effective #2? Eleven years of NHL evidence establishes him as a solid #3 guy - no more, no less. And so on, and so on. This is what happens when teams start to lose (and I can vouch for that, having seen the DRW slide from 25 years of high level play to almost a decade out of the playoffs now). JvR is a nice spare part, who can still score some goals and give you some production on your second PP unit. Ultimately, he is your replacement for David Krejci. IF JvR projects out as your full-time #2 wing in Boston next season - especially if Bergeron doesn't return - the B's are 50-50 to make the playoffs, much less challenge for the Cup.

I think Sweeney's only escape now to salvage this offseason is probably to shop Ullmark to see if he can land a legit #1 or #2 center while his top goalie has perceived top value in the league. Ullmark will likely never demand so much value in return than he can right now, so Sweeney could deal him (strike while the iron's hot), hope Swayman can fill the gap as a legit #1 goalie, and go shopping for a backup unless the AHL kid is ready.

I thought this "current state of the B's" depth chart was kinda sobering. It also doesn't reflect at least 3 of the defensemen who've left, and leaves out the Lucic/Geekie/JvR signings. Scary ...

Boston Bruins Depth Chart - NHL Starters and Backup Players - CBSSports.com

[Snively65]

I think you're saying that half in jest, but the reality isn't all that far removed. For example, IF Bergeron does decide to call it a day, the B's have an enormous hole at center to try to backfill. Bergeron returning at this point has to be seen as "best case scenario", as another potential option for the B's to fill a top two center role (Tarasenko) just signed with Carolina overnight, so for now, your center ice depth chart looks kinda like this:

(1) Bergeron (maybe)
(2) Zacha
(3) Coyle
(4) Frederic/Geekie?

Those guys are all pretty much where they should be on a successful NHL team. #1 is a legit #1, #2 is a legit #2, etc. Now IF Bergeron is out (and if you are Patrice Bergeron and will be 38 in 3 weeks' time, and you've seen your team's roster crumbling before your eyes over the last couple of weeks, why do you want to return anyway?), then every one of those guys is forced to produce at a higher level to make up the slack. Can Zacha be a #1? Eight years of NHL evidence suggests he overperformed as a #2 last season, but he's still relatively young, so let's say he can maintain a #2. Turning into a legit #1 would be stunning. Can Coyle be an effective #2? Eleven years of NHL evidence establishes him as a solid #3 guy - no more, no less. And so on, and so on. This is what happens when teams start to lose (and I can vouch for that, having seen the DRW slide from 25 years of high level play to almost a decade out of the playoffs now). JvR is a nice spare part, who can still score some goals and give you some production on your second PP unit. Ultimately, he is your replacement for David Krejci. IF JvR projects out as your full-time #2 wing in Boston next season - especially if Bergeron doesn't return - the B's are 50-50 to make the playoffs, much less challenge for the Cup.

I think Sweeney's only escape now to salvage this offseason is probably to shop Ullmark to see if he can land a legit #1 or #2 center while his top goalie has perceived top value in the league. Ullmark will likely never demand so much value in return than he can right now, so Sweeney could deal him (strike while the iron's hot), hope Swayman can fill the gap as a legit #1 goalie, and go shopping for a backup unless the AHL kid is ready.

I thought this "current state of the B's" depth chart was kinda sobering. It also doesn't reflect at least 3 of the defensemen who've left, and leaves out the Lucic/Geekie/JvR signings. Scary ...

Boston Bruins Depth Chart - NHL Starters and Backup Players - CBSSports.com

Maybe only 10% in jest. At least HR and I can now talk Bruins on our threads with our alum JvR on board. I agree that it would be better if the Bruins obtained a new 1st line center to replace Bergeron in case he retires. If the Bruins used the cash that they saved by letting Taylor Hall go and traded Ulmark, they should be able to pick up a 1st or 2nd line center and Casey DeSmith, who has only the coming year remaining on his contract in Pittsburg for cheap money, to back up Swayman. Then Coyle and JvR could remain on the 3rd line, and we would have two reasons in JvR and CDS to talk Bruins on our UNH threads. :-)

[Chuck Murray]

Maybe only 10% in jest. At least HR and I can now talk Bruins on our threads with our alum JvR on board. I agree that it would be better if the Bruins obtained a new 1st line center to replace Bergeron in case he retires. If the Bruins used the cash that they saved by letting Taylor Hall go and traded Ulmark, they should be able to pick up a 1st or 2nd line center and Casey DeSmith, who has only the coming year remaining on his contract in Pittsburg for cheap money, to back up Swayman. Then Coyle and JvR could remain on the 3rd line, and we would have two reasons in JvR and CDS to talk Bruins on our UNH threads. :-)

The DeSmith thing is a legitimate possibility. Pittsburgh just committed big money to Tristan Jarry as their #1 (he's the guy who baited Marchand a year or so ago with a "lookit that save" quip that lit 63's notoriously short fuse), and then turned around and surprised me by signing both DRW backups Alex Nedjelkovic (sp?) and Magnus Hellberg as FA's - Yzerman passed on both, and signed new backups Lyon (FLA) and Reimer (SJ) to keep Ville Husso on his toes until #1 pick Seb Cossa is ready in a couple of years. I would take DeSmith over all four of the back-ups mentioned in this post, and with a Swayman/DeSmith combo in Boston ... that dog could hunt.

I don't know that there are any legit #1 centers available out there at this point, Snives. Tarasenko was arguably the last top quality center left in the FA pool, any others would have to be obtained via trade, and Sweeney doesn't have a whole lot left to deal away without getting into his core players. Pasternak isn't going anywhere, and if it's not Ullmark who can net you a top center - hey, check with Toronto, they're still looking for one, and may need to shed Nylander or Marner to get within their cap. And it's usually a good idea to try to fleece the Leafs ... but the problem is, then you're left with one of their underachieving stars. Good luck with that.