What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Maine Black Bears 2026 Offseason: Missing Out on Mistlebacher

dabears91 said:
Fowler hasn’t played center beyond a game or two at Maine. He takes the occasional draw. But that’s precisely my point. Putting players in positions they aren’t accustomed to instead of addressing it. They’ve had 2 years. Running out of time before the team starts practicing to change course.
Click to expand...
Fowler took almost 200 faceoffs total last year, that's far more than the occasional draw. And for someone who hadn't really had those duties before he did well enough that you could project him sticking there, especially over a guy like Scholle. There is a good chance Fowler will be wearing the C this year, no reason to think he couldn't lead by example and take on a larger role down the middle.

I do agree though that the cupboard isn't exactly stocked with elite talent at center with the potential recruit list. Not really sure why that is, given the importance of the position. Maybe Barr thinks he can dig those guys out of the portal from other schools?
 
Drew S. said:
It’s actually probably faster than flying commercial from Bangor. Other than the stretch between Haverhill and Sturbridge it’s a pretty easy drive.
Click to expand...
You would have to go to jfk or LaGuardia to get to buffalo from bangor
 
Why does Maine seem to be black balled from recruiting USNDPT players? I don't even remember hearing or reading about any visits from that program since the Walsh era. UMaine alum Greg Moore was the coach for at least a few seasons.....did he just want to totally disassociate himself from the Maine program? You never hear anything about him being involved with Maine despite him being a celebrated alum and a native Mainer. Maybe it is about money now but that still doesn't explain 2 decades of USNDPT recruiting futility.
 
umhockey91 said:
Why does Maine seem to be black balled from recruiting USNDPT players? I don't even remember hearing or reading about any visits from that program since the Walsh era. UMaine alum Greg Moore was the coach for at least a few seasons.....did he just want to totally disassociate himself from the Maine program? You never hear anything about him being involved with Maine despite him being a celebrated alum and a native Mainer. Maybe it is about money now but that still doesn't explain 2 decades of USNDPT recruiting futility.
Click to expand...
I'm trying to think of even was the last player to come from their program... Must be Higgins right? Has it really been that long?

You'd think Moore would have funneled at least someone our way in his 10 years with the NTDP...
 
tylerzx2002 said:
Fowler took almost 200 faceoffs total last year, that's far more than the occasional draw. And for someone who hadn't really had those duties before he did well enough that you could project him sticking there, especially over a guy like Scholle. There is a good chance Fowler will be wearing the C this year, no reason to think he couldn't lead by example and take on a larger role down the middle.

I do agree though that the cupboard isn't exactly stocked with elite talent at center with the potential recruit list. Not really sure why that is, given the importance of the position. Maybe Barr thinks he can dig those guys out of the portal from other schools?
Click to expand...
But he still doesn’t play the position. And my point is to stop putting guys in that position that aren’t naturals when building out the roster. If injuries cause shuffling - okay. But doing 2 straight years of not having at least 2 natural top 6 centers is negligent and stubborn. The only time I have seen that work is when Whitehead moved Flynn to center. And there is no one of Brian Flynn’s ability on this team.

The center play was horrible this last year. Maine’s play down the middle exposed them most nights. They didn’t control the center of the ice. Maine was so good in ‘24 and ‘25 in part because they had great centers. Last year was weak.

Fowler is a wing. He’s been a wing. I’m glad he can take draws, but playing the position 200 feet up and down the ice is different. Keep him where he is strongest. Proper and responsible roster construction is putting your players in the right positions to succeed. Leave him at wing and get another good center.
 
Up until a couple years ago, kids were committing at younger ages than they are now. They have pushed back the age for recruitment and commitment in the past few years. Historically, a large portion of the NTDP guys have already committed before they got to the program. Now, they are largely also already committed or down the road far into talking to teams before they start there.

I am hoping that Maine lands Maverick MacKinnon. Though I am not sure if he is going to the program this fall? There has been a mass exodus from the program in the last year. It’s concerning what the new CHL rule is doing to the NTDP. Most of the Olympic US guys flowed through that program.
 
tylerzx2002 said:
Fowler took almost 200 faceoffs total last year, that's far more than the occasional draw. And for someone who hadn't really had those duties before he did well enough that you could project him sticking there, especially over a guy like Scholle. There is a good chance Fowler will be wearing the C this year, no reason to think he couldn't lead by example and take on a larger role down the middle.

I do agree though that the cupboard isn't exactly stocked with elite talent at center with the potential recruit list. Not really sure why that is, given the importance of the position. Maybe Barr thinks he can dig those guys out of the portal from other schools?
Click to expand...
Also 200/34 =5.882. That’s occasional. On average, that’s a favorable side post-icing faceoff, pk, or 2nd man after being tossed from the draw scenarios. I think that number the last 7-8 games, if I remember correctly, started to increase because Scholle had struggled so much and Fowler was taking more draws to try and grasp for air.

I think Maine was 21st nationally at .511. Which is okay. About the range they finished in the NPI (until the end of the season). I would like that to be much higher.

There’s still time for Barr to act. Maybe he will and I will stop being annoying about this. But center play is so damn important. And for as demanding as Barr is and for as much as he harps on details and structure, I think it’s fair and reasonable to expect better talent at center. Maybe Lipinski jumps and figures it out. Or James or Makway. Maybe Fowler goes Flynn on us and shuts me up. I just think it’s wiser to recruit top 6 centers that can play in the top 6.

The goaltending should be better this year. They have size at forward now which we all harped on. I’m not sold on the defense. I need to see the six new guys before I make a judgment call. Center needs help.
 
walrus said:
How come the alleged cornell game at msg isnt on the schedule?
Click to expand...
Waiting on the Rangers and possibly the Knicks. The Rangers will probably be in Boston for the usual Black Friday matinee, so the Cornell game will be slated for that night or Saturday night.
 
ticapnews said:
Waiting on the Rangers and possibly the Knicks. The Rangers will probably be in Boston for the usual Black Friday matinee, so the Cornell game will be slated for that night or Saturday night.
Click to expand...
Kid lives in MontClair, so easy access if we decide to go
 
umhockey91 said:
Why does Maine seem to be black balled from recruiting USNDPT players? I don't even remember hearing or reading about any visits from that program since the Walsh era. UMaine alum Greg Moore was the coach for at least a few seasons.....did he just want to totally disassociate himself from the Maine program? You never hear anything about him being involved with Maine despite him being a celebrated alum and a native Mainer. Maybe it is about money now but that still doesn't explain 2 decades of USNDPT recruiting futility.
Click to expand...

How many kids, total, went from the USNDPT to teams outside the Big Ten, Denver, NoDak, or BU/BC in that time? Less than 10?

Maine wasn't winning for most of that period. Kids from the USNDPT aren't going to go somewhere and build a program, they want to go somewhere and play 1-2 years with other NHL bound players. Expecting Maine to get USNDPT kids is skipping steps. First Maine needs to win and get into the NCAAs more than twice in a decade (and win a few games while there). Then Maine needs to get more than 2-3 skaters into the NHL per four year recruiting class. Then USNDPT kids will come. Some top 15 NHL draft pick isn't going to come and not put up numbers because he doesn't have help.
 
AMC said:
How many kids, total, went from the USNDPT to teams outside the Big Ten, Denver, NoDak, or BU/BC in that time? Less than 10?
Click to expand...
No one on the current roster is going to any school other than those, plus Duluth (2) and Western Michigan (both NCHC and recent national champions)

2010-2025:

BU (38)
BC (34)
Michigan (33)
Notre Dame (27)
Wisconsin (26)
Minnesota (16)
North Dakota (15)
Mich State (12)
Miami (11)
Denver (10)
Harvard (10)
Duluth (10)
Providence (9)
Quinnipiac (9)
ASU (8)
Northeastern (8)
CC (6)
Cornell (6)
OSU (6)
UNH (5)
NMU (5)
UConn (4)
Pedo State (4)
Vermont (4)
WMU (4)
Yale (3)
Canisius (2)
St Thomas (2)
Maine (2) Greenway, Suthers ??
Mercyhurst (2)
Merrimack (2)
Omaha (2)
Niagara
Mankato
(Save) Ferris
Brown
Lake State
UMass
Michigan Tech
RPI
Robert Morris
St Cloud
Source

Some obviously washed out, but they're on the list...

ETA:
Total USNDP alumni: 345
USNDP alumni who went to BTHC, BU/BC/DU/UND/WMU/UMD: 243 (70.4%)
 
Last edited:
So that’s 26 players, correct?
13 from 25-26
8 transfers - Klimpke, Parekh, Alfano, Romaine, Stumer, Makway, Parks, and Bales
5 recruits - Lafton, Krebs, Siciliano, Campbell, Calvert

Mason Fleece likely #27?
Which would mean Julian Wasmer gets cut for 3rd goalie to make 28?

26-27 team would therefore have:
9 D, 16 F, and 3 G
25-26 had
10 D, 15 F, and 3 G
 
NewEnglandGuy said:
So that’s 26 players, correct?
13 from 25-26
8 transfers - Klimpke, Parekh, Alfano, Romaine, Stumer, Makway, Parks, and Bales
5 recruits - Lafton, Krebs, Siciliano, Campbell, Calvert

Mason Fleece likely #27?
Which would mean Julian Wasmer gets cut for 3rd goalie to make 28?

26-27 team would therefore have:
9 D, 16 F, and 3 G
25-26 had
10 D, 15 F, and 3 G
Click to expand...
I think Maine can have 29 on the roster since Stumer is a DSA unless Maine's DSA's graduated, but I don't know for sure if that's how that works completely.
 
Ineverquit said:
I think Maine can have 29 on the roster since Stumer is a DSA unless Maine's DSA's graduated, but I don't know for sure if that's how that works completely.
Click to expand...
I can't recall who the previous DSA player was (either Stewart or Peluso) but I believe whichever one it was is now gone.
 
Tying up a loose thread, not sure if it was mentioned here, but elite prospects has Bodie Nobes playing at the University of Western Ontario next year.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top