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The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

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Jeff Cox
@JeffCoxSports
Ben Guite is out as associate head coach at Maine. According to multiple sources, Jason Fortier will be joining Alfie Michaud as an assistant for Black Bears. I have more on how it went down and reaction here.
It has been awhile must be a visa thing.
 
Drew S. said:
Maine's last normal season was a winning season though. I don't really understaend the view of looking at Maine in binary terms. It seems like for a lot of folks if Maine isn't one of the top teams in Hockey East and in the NCAA's that means they're one of the worst teams in the country. There is obviously a long ways in between those two places and that is where Red got Maine to. It's obviously not where we want to be, but it's not like there is nothing to work with.
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Maine's "last normal season" also saw them heavily reliant for any success on someone who was arguably the most talented goalie in the program's history, posting an almost 94% save percentage, and who may be an NHL starter a year out of Orono. When he left last year, the thoroughly mediocre Ostman/Thiessen tandem took over, and the overall lack of talent was exposed.

"Where Red got Maine to" was a level substantially below the level he took the program over at. Granted, the drop-off from where Walshy left off to where Whitehead left off was more pronounced, but all in all, Gendron was at best 8 years of treading water, and at worst a further slide down towards the lower half of D-1 hockey. I think most of the evidence points to the latter.

For a program that (in most people's minds) has "won the offseason", I don't understand your dogged determination to try to set up falsely high bars for Barr to clear in comparison to what in cold stark reality were Red's (very) modest accomplishments. Contrarian much???
 
Chuck Murray said:
Maine's "last normal season" also saw them heavily reliant for any success on someone who was arguably the most talented goalie in the program's history, posting an almost 94% save percentage, and who may be an NHL starter a year out of Orono. When he left last year, the thoroughly mediocre Ostman/Thiessen tandem took over, and the overall lack of talent was exposed.

"[???
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EXACTLY
But, skating talent isnt bad just mediocre, 3rd, 4th line in HE upper tier. Gritty guys though.
Aside from a few who were 2nd line material or just fun to watch like Fossier.
 
While last years goaltending may not have been Swayman like, I think Ostman is pretty good.
 
FLHockeyMom said:
Not sure I saw this mentioned here already, but it looks like Barr picked up an experienced F transfer from RMU:

https://mobile.twitter.com/ghebert97?lang=bg
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That looks like a great pickup! He is likely mates with Schmidt and Drobot where he played with them in Fargo.

I noticed there was a quote from Westerlund the other day that he was excited to meet all his new teammates and wondered if maybe more guys are coming in than we are publicly aware of. Hopefully Barr can find a really good offensive dman too.
 
ticapnews said:
The most fan-friendly schedule in a long time. No weekday games, no home games during fall or Thanksgiving break (Portland on Thanksgiving weekend) and only the Fairbanks series during winter break. No games Homecoming weekend which is nothing new.

At BU on Crockpot weekend when the Terriers have their focus elsewhere is good. Opening the home slate of the new era against Sacred Heart could pay dividends with a nice sweep to kick things off, and if Sacred Heart pulls the upset, it's Barr's first home games...no big deal. But that final stretch. Ouch. BU 3x, at PC, Lowell and the defending champions 2x each and right in the middle a pair of home dates against the top rival, and a BC game just for fun.

Welcome to Orono, coach.
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I predict (at least) a 4-5 year rebuild. Red left the cupboard bare.
 
Chuck Murray said:
"Pretty good" is what we have with Mike Robinson, too. Not good enough to challenge the big boys.
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He was a freshman playing most of the time. I think he will compete with the big boys. We shall see once he gets some kind(any kind?) of D in front of him
 
walrus said:
While last years goaltending may not have been Swayman like, I think Ostman is pretty good.
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I can see both Ostman and Thiessen forming a decent to solid goaltending tandem rotation...Maine will need to shore up their defense/ cutback on shots on goal...30 and under would be ideal, if possible...and as a whole the team has to reduce their penalty's...dropping down from being in the top 10 in College Hockey in penalty minutes per game to going down to the bottom of College Hockey's 10-15....lots to do but we shall see as the season progresses.
 
Jackcurtis23 said:
https://twitter.com/davidbreazeale/status/1414694866660085763?s=21
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Was just going to post this. Doesn’t sound like the greatest recruit talent wise Maine has ever had, but he’s got a great track record of winning and sounds like an awesome kid. He should definitely help with the culture which is good. The only negative part is he had just committed to Lindenwood a couple months ago. I’d really like to see Maine stay away from kids who are committed to other schools.
 
Drew S. said:
Was just going to post this. Doesn’t sound like the greatest recruit talent wise Maine has ever had, but he’s got a great track record of winning and sounds like an awesome kid. He should definitely help with the culture which is good. The only negative part is he had just committed to Lindenwood a couple months ago. I’d really like to see Maine stay away from kids who are committed to other schools.
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Don’t think Lindenwood is NCAA D1 until 22-23. No $ involved if that is the case. Anyone would bounce for a recruited walk on spot at a HE school over that, I assume. Was a team captain 2 years on a team that won, in a good league, ill take it.
 
Drew S. said:
That looks like a great pickup! He is likely mates with Schmidt and Drobot where he played with them in Fargo.

I noticed there was a quote from Westerlund the other day that he was excited to meet all his new teammates and wondered if maybe more guys are coming in than we are publicly aware of. Hopefully Barr can find a really good offensive dman too.
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RMU just reinstated the program. I wonder if that will impact this move.
 
Jackcurtis23 said:
RMU just reinstated the program. I wonder if that will impact this move.
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Would it for you? Would you rather be at a bottom-feeding program that the school admin is trying to dump - a program whose players have played as many NHL games as I have? Or would you rather be at a program that is currently bottom-feeding but has just hired the "It" coach and that has produced NHL all-stars? If RoMo gets back on the ice, it will be for no more than one season.
 
UncleRay said:
Would it for you? Would you rather be at a bottom-feeding program that the school admin is trying to dump - a program whose players have played as many NHL games as I have? Or would you rather be at a program that is currently bottom-feeding but has just hired the "It" coach and that has produced NHL all-stars? If RoMo gets back on the ice, it will be for no more than one season.
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Hard to say, to be honest. Obviously HE / Maine isnt the Atlantic league. And I agree with you it’s probably one year reprieve. That said looks like he has one year left (unless he can cash in on the covid 5th year too?). He probably lives and plays with his best friends, has strong loyalties to the school, etc. i hope not, just posed the question.
 
UncleRay said:
Would it for you? Would you rather be at a bottom-feeding program that the school admin is trying to dump - a program whose players have played as many NHL games as I have? Or would you rather be at a program that is currently bottom-feeding but has just hired the "It" coach and that has produced NHL all-stars? If RoMo gets back on the ice, it will be for no more than one season.
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You assume there is a certain level of ambition involved, which may not be present. After all, the kid decided to play at RMU in the first place. I don't think he was planning on an NHL career to begin with, and I doubt that's changed over the first few years of his D-1 career. When you ask "Would it for you?" ... in the end, it all depends upon who "you" are. UMaine came up as a convenient Plan B option when RMU's future in D-1 hockey fell into its current state. Maybe his reaction is "Screw this, I'm outta here, I gave Barr and UMaine my word" ... or maybe he is the type who is happy with his educational route at RMU, and might want to stick around if there is a rescue attempt? He's only got one year left (for sure, anyway) so if the program does survive another year, what does he care personally if that's the last year? Maybe being their last-ever captain appeals to him? Different strokes for different folks.
 
Chuck Murray said:
You assume there is a certain level of ambition involved, which may not be present. After all, the kid decided to play at RMU in the first place. I don't think he was planning on an NHL career to begin with, and I doubt that's changed over the first few years of his D-1 career. When you ask "Would it for you?" ... in the end, it all depends upon who "you" are. UMaine came up as a convenient Plan B option when RMU's future in D-1 hockey fell into its current state. Maybe his reaction is "Screw this, I'm outta here, I gave Barr and UMaine my word" ... or maybe he is the type who is happy with his educational route at RMU, and might want to stick around if there is a rescue attempt? He's only got one year left (for sure, anyway) so if the program does survive another year, what does he care personally if that's the last year? Maybe being their last-ever captain appeals to him? Different strokes for different folks.
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I'll assume, taking into account all that I've heard of Barr, that there is a level of ambition involved. I'll also go waaaay out on a limb and assume he "decided to play at RMU" because the other option was DIII. Not that there's anything wrong with that. So give me a scenario where "you" would rather play at RMU? You mentioned being happy with his educational route. If it's all about the diploma and not the hockey, why not stay at RMU for the last year since they will be honoring schollies? Aspiring to be RMU's last ever captain is indicative of a lack of hockey ambition. See my first point above.
 
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