UNH Recruits: 2012-2014

[Hokydad]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

Almost every USHL kid that has graduated high school takes at least one community college course per semester.

Not to argue with you but that is not true. The vast majority, probably over 90% do not take a college course if hs is finished. Unless made to for academic issues and schiools require it for admission. They get up at 11+/-, go to rink, work out, practice and do film. Travel a ton and hang with their friends. They are not getting up early and driving toa community college to take a class. Unless you consider an on line one as such.

[RockTheWhit]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

Not to argue with you but that is not true. The vast majority, probably over 90% do not take a college course if hs is finished. Unless made to for academic issues and schiools require it for admission. They get up at 11+/-, go to rink, work out, practice and do film. Travel a ton and hang with their friends. They are not getting up early and driving toa community college to take a class. Unless you consider an on line one as such.

I've talked to about a dozen kids who've played there, and that's the impression I got. I'm sure you've talked to every kid that's played there and their parents, uncles, kindergarten teachers and drivers ed instructors, though, so I'll just take a backseat to you on this one.

[Hokydad]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

I've talked to about a dozen kids who've played there, and that's the impression I got. I'm sure you've talked to every kid that's played there and their parents, uncles, kindergarten teachers and drivers ed instructors, though, so I'll just take a backseat to you on this one.

You are 100% wrong. I could care less who you talked to. I don't believe for one second that the majority of a dozen kids you asked, said they did,. What were you doinga survey? To say that the majority of the kids who are out of high school in the USHL take at least 1 community college course is not true. Not one bit.

I know for a fact, that several of the teams mandate that their players who are not in hs report to the rink at 10 am on non game days to do other hockey stuff.

I tried to say, "not to argue", but if you want to, no problem. You are 100% wrong.. Unless needed for a 4/2/4 or for admission, it is a hockey preperation year.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

i could care less who you talked to.

irony.

[Hokydad]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

irony.

Simply because I dont believe that a majority of the dozen he talked to said they took a college class. Outside the ones who have no choice.

[RockTheWhit]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

This little debate motivated me to talk to a few ushl grads today. It has been a few years for them, but when they played, they were under the impression that most coaches had a policy that high school grads had to either have a part time job or take a cc course. It was around 50-50 in that regard. I'll admit that I was a bit mistaken in my initial argument.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

It's a small world in British Columbia (http://www.westsidewarriors.ca/leagu...597&page=47395). Grayson Downing and the Westside Warriors host Joey Laleggia and the Penticton Vees tonight.

[Hokydad]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

This little debate motivated me to talk to a few ushl grads today. It has been a few years for them, but when they played, they were under the impression that most coaches had a policy that high school grads had to either have a part time job or take a cc course. It was around 50-50 in that regard. I'll admit that I was a bit mistaken in my initial argument.

no worries

[i'zonprize]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

This article (http://thegazette.com/2010/06/06/133356/) doesn't explain why Cody Campbell has not played in the first two games of the USHL season but it does describe where the RoughRiders' starting goalie came from. Apparently, Brady Hjelle used to play for Cedar Rapids then last year he played for the University of Minnesota Duluth. He reportedly wasn't getting enough playing time so he returned to the RoughRiders for this season. .

Well, that explaines why he'd be taking classes- still my guess is that he hopes to land a new gig for the second half of the yr at a full time school. obviously the USHL is not what he prefers to be doing.

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

Quotes from Laleggia
"The coaches (at Denver) really liked me and I felt wanted."
"There are guys who are committing at that young an age and they're having success."
"Mine (situation at UNH) just got a little complicated."

A Sports Writer's observation of Coach Umile's attitude toward incoming freshman in general:
"Umile is loath to speak about individual freshmen until their play makes it unavoidable."

Reading between the lines - Coach Umile didn't give Laleggia the recognition he thought he deserved (a 3 or 4-year scholarship? Guaranteed playing time? Sufficient accolades?) so Laleggia said see you later - I'm going where I'm really wanted.

I still want to know what really happened. I hope some local reporter looks into it.

Maybe what happened is he realized that Denver was closer to home, that they play in the highly regarded WCHA, and that they have a better track record in the NCAA tournament. How old was this kid when he committed, 15 or 16? He changed his mind when he is now 18. How many teenagers have you observed whose thought process is a hell of a lot different at 18 than it was 2 or 3 years earlier?

I agree with JB that Leleggia is different than Reid or White. For whatever reason, UNH has had a couple of problems recently getting kids past admissions. That tells me that the criteria has changed and that kids with similar academics who got into UNH 5, 6, 7 years ago might not pass muster now. Whether that is because of the overall ratcheting up of admissions requirements at the school or some edict from on high regarding athletic admissions I don't know. But it appears that the UNH coaching staff is feeling their way a little bit on this.

As for Umile and his relationship with freshmen, the only kid I can think of in the last 10 years who came in with a "free pass" was JVR. How could he not, with his pedigree. You go back to guys like Krog (20 points freshman year), Haydar (not elevated to the first line until 8 games into the season), Saviano (next to no playing time as a freshman) and you can see that the coach has a show-me philosophy. We all know he is partial to his senior classes, but I can also say that, if a kid shows what he can do, he'll play. But he has to show it first, primarily in practice. Just an observation.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

Maybe what happened is he realized that Denver was closer to home, that they play in the highly regarded WCHA, and that they have a better track record in the NCAA tournament. How old was this kid when he committed, 15 or 16? He changed his mind when he is now 18. How many teenagers have you observed whose thought process is a hell of a lot different at 18 than it was 2 or 3 years earlier?

I agree with JB that Leleggia is different than Reid or White. For whatever reason, UNH has had a couple of problems recently getting kids past admissions. That tells me that the criteria has changed and that kids with similar academics who got into UNH 5, 6, 7 years ago might not pass muster now. Whether that is because of the overall ratcheting up of admissions requirements at the school or some edict from on high regarding athletic admissions I don't know. But it appears that the UNH coaching staff is feeling their way a little bit on this.

As for Umile and his relationship with freshmen, the only kid I can think of in the last 10 years who came in with a "free pass" was JVR. How could he not, with his pedigree. You go back to guys like Krog (20 points freshman year), Haydar (not elevated to the first line until 8 games into the season), Saviano (next to no playing time as a freshman) and you can see that the coach has a show-me philosophy. We all know he is partial to his senior classes, but I can also say that, if a kid shows what he can do, he'll play. But he has to show it first, primarily in practice. Just an observation.

This all makes a lot of sense. To some degree, all coaching staffs, even those who are perceived as being invincible, are feeling their way through the changing landscape of recruiting. You go after the highly touted draft picks and you run the risk of them leaving early or trying to parlay their commitment into a better deal somewhere else. You go after the young teenagers who have as many goals as pimples and you risk them deciding they like another college's mascot more than yours.

I think it's telling that BC lost one NHL draft pick (Cody Ferriero) to one of their in-town competitors and was concerned enough about the thinness of their talent pool next season to welcome an ethically-challenged player (Vinny Saponari) discarded by their perennial nemesis. The main difference is that Coach York and his staff tend to be cut a lot of slack while Coach Umile and his staff - not so much.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

The main difference is that Coach York and his staff tend to be cut a lot of slack while Coach Umile and his staff - not so much.

York gets cut a lot of slack? In what regard?

[JB]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

As I didn't make the statement I will just give you my view.

I think right now UNH Admissions is being extremely tight. Almost like admissions thinks UNH is some uber elite school.

I am a proud grad of my school but UNH is not an “elite” school; I accepted at UNH, BU, Virgina Tech, RPI for Engineering. I picked UNH for a bunch of reasons. I also firmly believe that unless your degree says MIT, Harvard or Cal Tech, 10 years out nobody cares where the skin is from, there are studies that have demonstrated this as practice in business & gov't. The student makes the school not the other way around, I was going to be most comfortable at UNH and so I think I succeeded because it was the right place for me.

I personally know some out of staters that couldn't get into UNH but did get into for example BU and Umass. I can't see why UNH admissions would turn that type of student down, other than because they can.

My impression is UNH admissions are currently not looking at the other skill of "athlete" as much of anything.

My gut tells me Cam Reid gets into BC, because if Jerry wanted him (and as he is at SCSU he passed the clearing house) he could put whatever supports in place so that admission would let him in and he would then stay eligible. This "slack" Jerry gets Umile and crew might have had tightened lately by a few seniors getting into academic trouble (I can think of 2 D-men missing a semester their senior year due to grades or progress). I am also under the impression the head of admissions has changed in the last 3 to 5 years matching up with the “tighter” rules. However, there has been a long standing UNH admissions strangeness regarding out of state students, I have posted elsewhere about a couple of former BU hockey players that rumor has it would have gone to UNH except for admissions.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

York gets cut a lot of slack? In what regard?

Fair questions. I was mostly referring to Hockey East enthusiasts who express their views on the Fan Forum and those who take the time to write a comment in response to articles on UNH Hockey in the various New Hampshire newspapers. When a coach leads his team to two out of the last three National Championships and is widely regarded as an outstanding strategist, then fans are not looking to jump all over him for the slightest miscue. Coach Umile, on the other hand, is readily criticized for any move that could possibly be construed as a mistake (including his wardrobe). I guess the best way to explain what I mean is to imagine if a highly regarded, NHL draft pick such as Cody Ferrerio had bailed on UNH late in the summer only to join a Hockey East rival. There would be a segment of UNH fans (and possibly other Hockey East fans) who would have assumed the worse and roundly criticized Umile for somehow screwing up. Contrast that possible reaction with the one expressed by most BC fans when Ferrerio decommited from BC. I don't recall Coach York receiving any criticism. On the contrary, Ferrerio was portrayed as an overly selfish player who BC didn't really need anyway. Similarly, if Coach Umile had gone after Vinny Saponari and lured him to UNH, he probably would have been criticized for violating the code of honor amongst senior Hockey East coaches and viewed as a ruthless opportunist. From what I've read so far on the forum, Coach York's motives and actions have not been criticized by BC fans (rightly or wrongly).
I'm not commenting on whether Coach Umile deserves less latitude than Coach York - only that he doesn't seem to get it from many fans.

[RockTheWhit]

Re: UNH Recruits - 2011 & 2012

Similarly, if Coach Umile had gone after Vinny Saponari and lured him to UNH, he probably would have been criticized for violating the code of honor amongst senior Hockey East coaches and viewed as a ruthless opportunist.

Huh?