Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves

[AMC]

The idea that he wouldn't draw serious consideration from any school, given his recruiting track record with Union, Providence and now UMass, is laughable. It's like saying if Grant Standbrook had declared interest in heading up another D-1 program at the apex of Walshy-era success, some schools wouldn't have been willing to consider him since he'd never been a HC before.

Not that Standbrook couldn't have gotten hired elsewhere, but he had been a head coach before. He coached five years at Dartmouth in the mid-70's.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Not that Standbrook couldn't have gotten hired elsewhere, but he had been a head coach before. He coached five years at Dartmouth in the mid-70's.

Fair point. Then again, he didn't do anything at DC to stand out in a crowd of other applicants.

Of course, what came after with Badger Bob and Walshy was historic. But few saw it coming.

By comparison, Barr (along with NU's Keefe) may be the most visible assistant in the East.

Even the careerist dope running the show in Durham would know about Barr. I think so, anyway ...

 

[Wayuphere]

I didn’t see it mentioned in Sean’s awesome numbers he put together for us(thanks!), but anyone know what Barr’s current salary is as an assistant? I’m just wondering if a Maine head coaching job would even be a raise. Might be a wash, financially.

 

[NorthMike]

I didn’t see it mentioned in Sean’s awesome numbers he put together for us(thanks!), but anyone know what Barr’s current salary is as an assistant? I’m just wondering if a Maine head coaching job would even be a raise. Might be a wash, financially.

Per google its around 150k I believe, posted that # a couple weeks ago, Id have to look back

 

[Drew S.]

Per google its around 150k I believe, posted that # a couple weeks ago, Id have to look back

That's what I was thinking as well. With the extra perks being head coach at Maine would probably be an extra $100K a year and cost of living is lower around Bangor.

I'd be surprised if BC or BU hired him. It seems like they have a preference for people associated with the program.

 

[Wayuphere]

Thanks.

 

[Chuck Murray]

I'd be surprised if BC or BU hired him. It seems like they have a preference for people associated with the program.

I suspect all schools have somewhat of a preference for folks associated with their programs.

Gendron, Guite, Corkum ... Umile, Souza, Stewart, no different than anywhere else, despite the professed lust for the fabled "national search" that is often touted, and not so often followed.

BC's lead assistant at this point, however, is a former UNH goalie who once donated a few pints of his blood to the ice surface at Alfond Arena about 20 years ago. BU's current lead assistant is a Holy Cross guy who was head coach in Worcester for about 20 years himself. I'm not aware of any prominent BC or BU alums coaching out there who would claim to have an inside track to replace York or AOC. So if a guy like Barr is still available and interested, you gotta think he'd get serious consideration.

 

[Sean Pickett]

I didn’t see it mentioned in Sean’s awesome numbers he put together for us(thanks!), but anyone know what Barr’s current salary is as an assistant? I’m just wondering if a Maine head coaching job would even be a raise. Might be a wash, financially.

Per google its around 150k I believe, posted that # a couple weeks ago, Id have to look back

I tend to not post assistant compensation because it's lumped togeather for all coaches. However, in 2019 UMass reports the compensation for Coach Carvel's two assistants was about $300 thousand, $70 thousand higher than the previous year.

Sean

 

[NorthMike]

That's what I was thinking as well. With the extra perks being head coach at Maine would probably be an extra $100K a year and cost of living is lower around Bangor.
.

You know thats a good point about cost of living. 250k salary in bangor is like what $350 or more in Mass, Ct, Providence, Burlington Vt, etc. Considering housing, property taxes. Not to mention less aggravation with traffic etc.

 

[Chuck Murray]

You know thats a good point about cost of living. 250k salary in bangor is like what $350 or more in Mass, Ct, Providence, Burlington Vt, etc. Considering housing, property taxes. Not to mention less aggravation with traffic etc.

You could say the same thing about the cost of living in Upstate NY, which is where Barr went to school (RPI) or in certain places in Minnesota, which is where Barr grew up. Actually, Western MA (his current home) isn't all that different, either.

So clearly Barr is comfortable away from the bright lights and big city. Question is, is he one of those guys who is happy with his current station in life, or does he harbor bigger and broader ambitions for succe$$, including all of the trappings that go with it? Evidence suggests he's moved from Faribault MN to Troy NY to Schenectady NY (Capitol District Albany) to Providence RI to Springfield MA (Pioneer Valley), and while none of those places are to be confused with Boston, his moves have been to progressively more urban settings. He's married and they have a son. Bangor would appear to be much closer to Faribault than to his last several stops in life. I have much love for the Downeast, but Barr seems to be trending in a different direction.

Now if we find out that Barr's wife was/is from Old Town ME, then that changes everything ...

 

[NorthMike]

You could say the same thing about the cost of living in Upstate NY, which is where Barr went to school (RPI) or in certain places in Minnesota, which is where Barr grew up. Actually, Western MA (his current home) isn't all that different, either.

So clearly Barr is comfortable away from the bright lights and big city. Question is, is he one of those guys who is happy with his current station in life, or does he harbor bigger and broader ambitions for succe$$, including all of the trappings that go with it? Evidence suggests he's moved from Faribault MN to Troy NY to Schenectady NY (Capitol District Albany) to Providence RI to Springfield MA (Pioneer Valley), and while none of those places are to be confused with Boston, his moves have been to progressively more urban settings. He's married and they have a son. Bangor would appear to be much closer to Faribault than to his last several stops in life. I have much love for the Downeast, but Barr seems to be trending in a different direction.

Now if we find out that Barr's wife was/is from Old Town ME, then that changes everything ...

Only Barr knows where his interests lie and believe me I dont think theres much chance at all he would come here, even less that the search would consider him in earnest if by some chance he presented his interest.

The cost of living consideration really was only in comparison to within HE. Yes other schools throughout the country are in similarly low cost of living areas, maybe even lower in parts of the midwest. Its too much work to run comparisons just for the sake of this thread. Its easier to wing it.

 

[Fishman'81]

To reiterate, why would an up-and-comer want to attempt to put out the dumpster fire that is Maine hockey? The roster stinks. This gig is where his career is going to die, at this point.

Monty is low-hanging fruit, though, if he's interested. Certainly the most accomplished coach available, and he (likely) has very few options aside from HIS OWN ALMA MATER.

If Maine doesn't at least talk to him, the entire athletic department leadership needs to be taken out behind the barn and summarily dismissed. The time is now, and there's nothing to lose.

And right now, even hockey players can transfer without sitting. Definitely time to clean house, and then have a proven recruiter stock the shelves.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Women's IIHF World Championships in Nova Scotia next month have been canceled, because of Covid. Maybe Corkum should of held out one more week{?}

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

To reiterate, why would an up-and-comer want to attempt to put out the dumpster fire that is Maine hockey? The roster stinks. This gig is where his career is going to die, at this point.

Monty is low-hanging fruit, though, if he's interested. Certainly the most accomplished coach available, and he (likely) has very few options aside from HIS OWN ALMA MATER.

If Maine doesn't at least talk to him, the entire athletic department leadership needs to be taken out behind the barn and summarily dismissed. The time is now, and there's nothing to lose.

And right now, even hockey players can transfer without sitting. Definitely time to clean house, and then have a proven recruiter stock the shelves.

I keep hoping along with you, but I think we are #hit out of luck now and forever....make or break hire has gone by the way side{imo}. Funny thing reading all the POST on this thread....you would think that we all CARE about the Program....maybe AD Ralph needs a WAKE UP CALL.....hello/hello is there anyone there?????? Hello................

 

[umhockey91]

All the cool kids are going to schools like Minnesota State, Quinnipiac, AIC and Bemidji now. What gives anyone the idea that Maine could ever crack the Top 20 anymore?

 

[Blackbear96]

All the cool kids are going to schools like Minnesota State, Quinnipiac, AIC and Bemidji now. What gives anyone the idea that Maine could ever crack the Top 20 anymore?

All it takes is winning. AIC & Quinnipiac were hardly standouts a few years ago, so there's nothing to say that Maine *couldn't* do that. It's just a matter of getting the right pieces in place, but that obviously starts with the HC. I think Maine needs new blood that hasn't been here recently and hasn't seen any of their recent shortcomings; however my hunch tells me Ben Guite signs a short term contract in the not-so-distant future and will be around for the next 5-7 years.

Maybe he's the answer, maybe he's not. Either way, Ken Ralph needs to realize that the Alfond would sell out nightly if they were a top 25 team consistently (see 2019-2020). Take that and run with it, rather than trying to make everyone happy.

 

[Chuck Murray]

To reiterate, why would an up-and-comer want to attempt to put out the dumpster fire that is Maine hockey? The roster stinks. This gig is where his career is going to die, at this point.

Monty is low-hanging fruit, though, if he's interested. Certainly the most accomplished coach available, and he (likely) has very few options aside from HIS OWN ALMA MATER.

If Maine doesn't at least talk to him, the entire athletic department leadership needs to be taken out behind the barn and summarily dismissed. The time is now, and there's nothing to lose.

And right now, even hockey players can transfer without sitting. Definitely time to clean house, and then have a proven recruiter stock the shelves.

I know my mere presence annoys the crap out of you, but I pretty much agree with everything you've said in here - other than the part where Barr's career "goes to die" if he takes the UMaine gig. Only because (1) I suspect he'd make UMaine a better program than the one he would inherit, and (2) he arguably made a brief mis-step already in his D-1 career, working as an assistant at Western Michigan in between his Providence and UMass gigs, and he seems to have survived that just OK.

But I agree, I don't think Barr has UMaine high up on his list of places to consider. Unless he sees himself as someone who needs to be jumping in and out of rebuilding projects every few years, almost like folks who "flip" real estate for a living, in which case UMaine could quickly be at the top of his list.

But someone NEEDS to talk with Monty. Not doing so would be negligence of the highest order.

 

[Chuck Murray]

All it takes is winning. AIC & Quinnipiac were hardly standouts a few years ago, so there's nothing to say that Maine *couldn't* do that. It's just a matter of getting the right pieces in place, but that obviously starts with the HC. I think Maine needs new blood that hasn't been here recently and hasn't seen any of their recent shortcomings; however my hunch tells me Ben Guite signs a short term contract in the not-so-distant future and will be around for the next 5-7 years.

Maybe he's the answer, maybe he's not. Either way, Ken Ralph needs to realize that the Alfond would sell out nightly if they were a top 25 team consistently (see 2019-2020). Take that and run with it, rather than trying to make everyone happy.

The "cool kids" are the emerging winning programs, ironically UMaine was pretty much that "cool kid" back in the 1980's when Walshy arrived and built the program towards the its past glories, which culminated in the 1990's, but lingered into the early years of the new century. It really all does boil down to winning, and creating that winning vibe around your program. Easier said than done, for sure, but if it can happen in Amherst, Springfield and Hamden, it can happen in Orono.

 

[Dan]

To reiterate, why would an up-and-comer want to attempt to put out the dumpster fire that is Maine hockey? The roster stinks. This gig is where his career is going to die, at this point.

Monty is low-hanging fruit, though, if he's interested. Certainly the most accomplished coach available, and he (likely) has very few options aside from HIS OWN ALMA MATER.

If Maine doesn't at least talk to him, the entire athletic department leadership needs to be taken out behind the barn and summarily dismissed. The time is now, and there's nothing to lose.

And right now, even hockey players can transfer without sitting. Definitely time to clean house, and then have a proven recruiter stock the shelves.

A true up and comer would come to Maine because they would believe in themselves, believe in their ability to surround themselves with staff and recruits and wouldn’t give one rat’s ass about any outside perception of obstacle or adversity...

Those coaches are available if you have admin that will actually look to find them, can identify them and will take a chance on them...

Thats what Montgomery was when hired out of the USHL to Denver. Say what you want about DU; I’m sure many will lament that it has some much more than Maine (or UNH). That’s the company line and a DISbelief that only begets more complacency...

I watched Montgomery rebuild at DU and it had far less to do with what the program offered than it had to do with the belief, determination and confidence he brought to everything they did. He would turn around UMO/UNH as quickly as Carvel did at UMA there is no doubt in my mind...

And there are other coaches like him - maybe Barr - that an actual search might unearth.

Or the school can limit itself with its own negative perception and hire a likable and dutiful company man like UNH did. And before you know it none of that likability will transfer to actual recruiting and he’ll be complaining about rink size...

Wait, I lost my train of thought...

Sorry to double the number of UNHers in your thread - but, I’ll never understand fans at either UNH or Maine (not necessarily you Fishman) who discount what the programs could be - leave the cheap excuses to the U, because that’s all they really are. And in so many ways, unfortunately and ironically, just excuses not to put in the time or effort to change, learn or grow...

Chuck - you probably missed Watchers post about how much Souza ‘actually’ gets paid to carry that water at UNH. Disconcerting...

 

[acs64]

Two UNH’ers on the Maine thread lamenting our troubles is giving me heartburn