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UNH- How Far West Do We Go?

Came across a name today that I hadn’t heard in a long time - former longtime assistant Lassonde, who has mostly been working with the USN U17/18 teams for the last 5-6 years (and Olympics back in 2022).

A few weeks back we were talking about prospective replacements/interims if MS7 is let go. Any thoughts on potentially bringing Lassonde back? Even on a short term interim role. He’s NH native, and obviously has a long history with UNH, mostly during the glory days of the early 2000s. I can’t remember what led to his leaving (if he left in good terms or not).

I looked and it appears he’s never been a head coach. He’s in his early 60s now, so a long term head coaching gig may not be in the cards for him. But maybe if he wants to come “home” for a few years before heading off into the sunset? To get the program back on the right foot?

I mean hey, Jimmy T came back to the program after an extended absence, could Lassonde do the same? Once a Wildcat always a Wildcats perhaps…

This may just be wishful thinking, apologies if this comes across as extremely far-fetched.
 
FlagUp17 said:
Came across a name today that I hadn’t heard in a long time - former longtime assistant Lassonde, who has mostly been working with the USN U17/18 teams for the last 5-6 years (and Olympics back in 2022).

A few weeks back we were talking about prospective replacements/interims if MS7 is let go. Any thoughts on potentially bringing Lassonde back? Even on a short term interim role. He’s NH native, and obviously has a long history with UNH, mostly during the glory days of the early 2000s. I can’t remember what led to his leaving (if he left in good terms or not).

I looked and it appears he’s never been a head coach. He’s in his early 60s now, so a long term head coaching gig may not be in the cards for him. But maybe if he wants to come “home” for a few years before heading off into the sunset? To get the program back on the right foot?

I mean hey, Jimmy T came back to the program after an extended absence, could Lassonde do the same? Once a Wildcat always a Wildcats perhaps…

This may just be wishful thinking, apologies if this comes across as extremely far-fetched.
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Lassonde has been away from UNH professionally for a while now, and he's kind of further developed his niche as primarily a "goalie's coach", which may have been a luxury Coach Umile could afford earlier this century, but doesn't seem to be a solid match for what UNH is gonna need to turn the program around. A guy his age (same as mine - eek!) who's never led a program, and would have to take on a heavy recruiting load - unless he's got some younger pals looking for the security of a D-1 Assistant's job that wouldn't mind picking up that slack - just doesn't seem to fit the bill.

He's probably pretty happy doing what he's doing now, working to mold and improve elite talent, as opposed to dealing with all the added pressures that a D-1 HC job entails. Great guy by all accounts, but not who I'd think (in a "horses for courses" way). As with other excellent coaching talent that supported Umile back in the glory days ... their primes have come and gone, and other than Borek and maybe Jimmy T, everyone else is either retired, semi-retired or passed (Serino). I even had a fleeting thought of UNH alum Bruce Crowder, who briefly was seen as an up-and-coming young HEA head coach in the '90's ... but he's been out of the game for quite a while now, and shockingly he's 68 years old anyway. Heck, oft-touted 3 time captain Patrick Foley also got out of the game and is with the Boston PD, along with Brian Yandle. They're both in their 40's, jeez. Bogie is in his 50's. Of all the names on here, I'm still on the Bogie Train.
 
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