Maine Black Bears 2026 Offseason: Missing Out on Mistlebacher

[Sparkee]

So if my math is right: spending 3.4 million and bringing in 4.5 YE 2025? If so, that’s great. Those numbers reflect a healthier program than we have seen the last 15+ years.

So that must mean Hockey made a million that the other sports(mostly football) got to spend away?

 

[ticapnews]

So that must mean Hockey made a million that the other sports(mostly football) got to spend away?

So it was and so shall it ever be.

Adjusted for inflation, the program was bringing in about $3.5M in the middle 2000s, so we're back to where we were.

The ticket office sent out an email to season ticket holders asking for patience while they contact the people who renewed but want to change seats. Hopefully they remember to call me this year.

 

[dabears91]

Still feels as though there are a few more shoes to drop this offseason roster-wise. Who is actually coming in as freshmen? Would think Lafton, Siciliano (Brooks won another title btw), and Calvert are shoe-ins. Fleece, MacKinnon, Campbell? Can see this fall or waiting another year.

I still maintain that Maine needs a high end center and a high end defenseman (preferably a right shot) to complete the roster.

 

[dabears91]

And another goalie.

 

[KrbFlint]

Not a bad idea, but the CAA is a very good conference that usually garners multiple bids.

Guess you can't have it both ways, but I do love Maine football. I've been mocked for saying this sort of thing, but football has been the flagship -on average- for most of the past 15-20 years.

Hi. Native Mainer. UMaine alum. Long time lurker of this board; more active on the D3 boards.

Objectively, what people need to understand here is that Maine Football has been around longer, has a much larger alumni base, and the football alumni are, generally, more connected to the school. Right, wrong, or indifferent those reasons are why A. football isn't going anywhere and B. it shouldn't. I say this as an ardent supporter of the hockey program and a more casual supporter of football.

 

[umhockey91]

Hi. Native Mainer. UMaine alum. Long time lurker of this board; more active on the D3 boards.

Objectively, what people need to understand here is that Maine Football has been around longer, has a much larger alumni base, and the football alumni are, generally, more connected to the school. Right, wrong, or indifferent those reasons are why A. football isn't going anywhere and B. it shouldn't. I say this as an ardent supporter of the hockey program and a more casual supporter of football.

Agreed. The football alums are way more connected to the program and school than hockey alums are. Other than Swayman.....you rarely see any hockey alums hanging out in Orono or helping grow the program. I don't care what the excuses are....Paul Kariya & Co.....I'm looking at you.

 

[tylerzx2002]

Hi. Native Mainer. UMaine alum. Long time lurker of this board; more active on the D3 boards.

Objectively, what people need to understand here is that Maine Football has been around longer, has a much larger alumni base, and the football alumni are, generally, more connected to the school. Right, wrong, or indifferent those reasons are why A. football isn't going anywhere and B. it shouldn't. I say this as an ardent supporter of the hockey program and a more casual supporter of football.

Most of us would just prefer football (and their larger alum base) support their program, without siphoning money away from the hockey program. If hockey wants to remain a power player in the nation, they need to keep as much of that revenue as possible.

If that means the football team need to be a lackey for a couple Power Five schools every year and take a beat down to secure additional funds, they might have to make that sacrifice.

 

[tylerzx2002]

Still feels as though there are a few more shoes to drop this offseason roster-wise. Who is actually coming in as freshmen? Would think Lafton, Siciliano (Brooks won another title btw), and Calvert are shoe-ins. Fleece, MacKinnon, Campbell? Can see this fall or waiting another year.

I still maintain that Maine needs a high end center and a high end defenseman (preferably a right shot) to complete the roster.

McKinnon signed a USHL Standard Player Development Agreement a couple weeks ago, so it sounds like he'll be back in Youngstown for 26/27.

I think the rest of the players you listed are all pretty safe bets to come in, Campbell might be the wild card.

As for a goalie I wonder if they saw enough from Vecvanags with his strong play at the end of the season to bring him in to compete for some backup starts.

 

[ticapnews]

Most of us would just prefer football (and their larger alum base) support their program, without siphoning money away from the hockey program. If hockey wants to remain a power player in the nation, they need to keep as much of that revenue as possible.

If that means the football team need to be a lackey for a couple Power Five schools every year and take a beat down to secure additional funds, they might have to make that sacrifice.

The football program already makes that sacrifice on an annual basis and still is a black hole for resources. There is simply no way to offset the phenomenal expenses associated with the program without massive investment by either the school or private donors. So the revenue made by men's hockey and any from the women's basketball program will continue to be sucked into that black hole.

 

[NorthMike]

Most of us would just prefer football (and their larger alum base) support their program, without siphoning money away from the hockey program. If hockey wants to remain a power player in the nation, they need to keep as much of that revenue as possible.

If that means the football team need to be a lackey for a couple Power Five schools every year and take a beat down to secure additional funds, they might have to make that sacrifice.

The whole athletic dept funding is a mess and challenge, it won't ever get sorted out to the satisfaction of the hockey program. This AD will walk a fine line and then move on soon and the next one will promote who knows what.
Barr will probably sooner than later get fed up with the fact he cant spend what he generates and move on. The wheel just keeps turning.
Sorry that was kind of debbie downer. Lol

 

[BlackBearHockeyFan]

Little over 4 months until Hockey Season

 

[amkirby10]

Regarding goalie, I had kinda thought Shea would come in this year. Who knows tho.

 

[umhockey91]

I've made a spreadsheet tracking who is still available for OOC games first 4 weekends in October and Jan.1-3. The best teams remaining:

10/2-10/3 - Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Omaha
10/9-10/10 - Quinnipiac, Minnesota, Omaha, Miami, Colgate
10/16-10/17 - Quinnipiac, Penn State, Miami, Clarkson, Union
10/23-10/24 - Quinnipiac, Wisconsin, Penn State, Notre Dame, Omaha

1/1-1/3 - Minnesota, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Miami, Dartmouth

 

[dunbar]

Whatever alternatives to football Maine could offer are very likely to lose more money than football itself. It's either replace all of those male scholarships in other sports that Maine doesn't offer, or cut women's programs.

I still maintain that Maine should have volleyball instead of women's hockey. The Alfond renovations would've been a fraction of what they were. The one program Maine would have a decent chance at competing in, considering the success of two of their closest peers (New Hampshire and Vermont), is men's soccer. But as long as Phil Morse is alive, baseball will still exist and men's soccer will still be a pipe dream in Orono.

 

[AMC]

Whatever alternatives to football Maine could offer are very likely to lose more money than football itself. It's either replace all of those male scholarships in other sports that Maine doesn't offer, or cut women's programs.

I still maintain that Maine should have volleyball instead of women's hockey. The Alfond renovations would've been a fraction of what they were. The one program Maine would have a decent chance at competing in, considering the success of two of their closest peers (New Hampshire and Vermont), is men's soccer. But as long as Phil Morse is alive, baseball will still exist and men's soccer will still be a pipe dream in Orono.

Title IX isn't only calculated in raw scholarships. You can satisfy the requirements by total spend.

 

[BlackBearHockeyFan]

Whatever alternatives to football Maine could offer are very likely to lose more money than football itself. It's either replace all of those male scholarships in other sports that Maine doesn't offer, or cut women's programs.

I still maintain that Maine should have volleyball instead of women's hockey. The Alfond renovations would've been a fraction of what they were. The one program Maine would have a decent chance at competing in, considering the success of two of their closest peers (New Hampshire and Vermont), is men's soccer. But as long as Phil Morse is alive, baseball will still exist and men's soccer will still be a pipe dream in Orono.

Women's Beach Volleyball be better

 

[McGoverners]

Women's Beach Volleyball be better

Have them play in the oozeball pit