UNH- How Far West Do We Go?

Potluck said:

Souza's last extension made him the lowest page coach in the HE

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That cant be. Do they still print a Hockey East booklet? What page is he on? Even if they went in alphabetical order using University, then Univ of Vermont would always be on the page after Univ of New Hampshire. Damn proof readers.

Potluck said:

Souza's last extension made him the lowest paid coach in the HE for the past three years. When are people going to see that's the key. Keep the costs to a minimum and put out a D1 team. Look for the STH treatment. That's not Souza. That the Athletic administration. Lousy and minimal. It's all about spending the least amount of money possible to get a minimal result. And it's working. Firing Souza isn't going to change that, but heck by all means get a new coach and spend the next two years dreaming about the 1995-2010. All it will ever be is a dream.

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He had no other options, so he signed the contract. No one can blame him for that.

This contract scenario only confirmed that SB is as incompetent as many on this board suspected her to be. Her JD should be revoked.

Potluck said:

Souza's last extension made him the lowest paid coach in the HE for the past three years. When are people going to see that's the key. Keep the costs to a minimum and put out a D1 team. Look for the STH treatment. That's not Souza. That the Athletic administration. Lousy and minimal. It's all about spending the least amount of money possible to get a minimal result. And it's working. Firing Souza isn't going to change that, but heck by all means get a new coach and spend the next two years dreaming about the 1995-2010. All it will ever be is a dream.

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He makes $10k less than the UVM coach. If this team was top of HE and winning 20+ games you don’t think he’d be asking for a raise? Pay for performance all around. He has failed in every aspect.

I guess the real questions are:

1) Did Souza get an extension because
2) Could UNH get a better or even just as crappy coach for $240k a year, or less?

3) which key is it....
Is the key that Souza is low paid? - so paying Souza more gets you more wins, coin operated coach
Is the key that Souza is getting paid what he is worth? - I don't think he is worth what he is getting paid, he is getting a heck of a deal
Is the key that they believe they can't possibly ever get anybody better than Souza at that pay? - I think many NH high school hockey coaches could do just as bad for the same or less pay

First signing of a senior other than back up goalie. Welcome to the Utah Grizzlies #29

norbert said:

First signing of a senior other than back up goalie. Welcome to the Utah Grizzlies #29

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Congrats Cy! Wonder if he will work his way up to the Eagles to play with his former teammate Alex Gagne.

Best of luck to him!

acs64 said:

So if you believe this BS, then just maybe UHN's best bet is to try to lure Scottie Borek back to Durham. A known quantity that could even make Merrimack a winner.

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If it's all the same with you, I'd rather they didn't.
I was not exactly jumping for joy when Borek was hired after they let Mark Dennehey go. I was hoping for someone young and dynamic, and thought that Scott was someone with a bit of mileage. I've since come around.
He's made some great pick ups in the portal the past few years (Hoskin has been an excellent addition) and his recruting has been solid. 'Mack's never gonna get the 5 star players, but he's finding a couple of 4 star and solid second tier guys to build a TEAM (not just a collection of high end talent). AND he's finding some Euro players too, especially in net.

TheGrouchyCat said:

He had no other options, so he signed the contract. No one can blame him for that.

This contract scenario only confirmed that SB is as incompetent as many on this board suspected her to be. Her JD should be revoked.

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This much we know for sure ... MS7 is WAY better at personal finances than he is at coaching hockey. He was basically given a 3 year extension at the same rate of pay he's been on since his initial hiring, which is a reflection of how little he has impressed the world in his current position. Most folks who were confident in their own abilities and had a better track record would see this as an insult of sorts, and either seek alternate employment in the field - which he would be able to drive IF he had the track record to leverage it - or force his current employer into a more lucrative yet shorter term deal. Basically a "show me" deal many of us pressed for after his lone 20 win season. Taking the longer term/lower annual salary guaranteed deal was absolutely the safe way out. And when offered it, he accepted it.

The cold hard truth is, Souza was pragmatic in jumping on the longer term, pay-stays-level deal because he knew he couldn't do better than what he signed.

cpo pottymole has regaled us many times with his observations about how unimpressive a $240,000 annual salary is, and how scads of folks on here are just "jealous" because such a paycheck is beyond their reach. That's our man of the people, after all. Yet despite the "modest" level of MS7's current earnings, and assurances from the resident board genius to the contrary, MS7 has stayed put. Ever think you should be giving a financial pep talk to MS7 instead of the board in general, potty?!?

norbert said:

He makes $10k less than the UVM coach. If this team was top of HE and winning 20+ games you don’t think he’d be asking for a raise? Pay for performance all around. He has failed in every aspect.

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I found online that Steve Wiedler’s four-year UVM contract with a base salary of $250k/year begun in July 2024 includes an annual increase in line with other head coaches at UVM (whatever that amount might be), along with nine bonus incentives that add up to a potential but extremely unlikely $70k/year: for example, #10k for National COY, $10k for HEA first place in regular season, $5k for top 20 in PWR (pre-NPI), $5k for trip to the Garden, $5k for at-large NCAA bid, $5k per win jn NCAAs, so $20k total, $5k HEA COY, and $5k for team GPA at 3.1+, $5k for academic progress rate (APR) of 1.0000. The last two #5k bonuses sound achievable.

Snively65 said:

I found online that Steve Wiedler’s four-year UVM contract with a base salary of $250k/year begun in July 2024 includes an annual increase in line with other head coaches at UVM (whatever that amount might be), along with nine bonus incentives that add up to a potential but extremely unlikely $70k/year: for example, #10k for National COY, $10k for HEA first place in regular season, $5k for top 20 in PWR (pre-NPI), $5k for trip to the Garden, $5k for at-large NCAA bid, $5k per win jn NCAAs, so $20k total, $5k HEA COY, and $5k for team GPA at 3.1+, $5k for academic progress rate (APR) of 1.0000. The last two #5k bonuses sound achievable.

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Souza's contract also has performance kickers. Aside from academically based ones, he has not achieved a single bonus in the entirety of his time as UNH HC. His potential bonuses in his previous contract equals $82,500 per year. Academic bonuses are $4,000 per year. I did not pull his most recent contract extension so there may be some variance

deltabravo62 said:

Souza's contract also has performance kickers. Aside from academically based ones, he has not achieved a single bonus in the entirety of his time as UNH HC. His potential bonuses in his previous contract equals $82,500 per year. Academic bonuses are $4,000 per year. I did not pull his most recent contract extension so there may be some variance

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We'll at least he's consistent. What a guy saving UNH 82.500.00 a year for 8 straight years.

So ... midday yesterday, I stopped by the Effingwoods Post Office to pick up a parcel, and on my way in, I passed an older gentleman (kinda my age, actually!!) wearing a UNH Hockey cap on his way out. Brief exchange of "g'days", but wondered afterwards if it might be one of my fellow USCHO UNH-centric posters??

Read earlier today that Minnesota women’s hockey HC is moving on from Brad Frost after 19 seasons leading the program (including 4 NCAA championships). The program did tail off a bit the last couple of years. But they still made the NCAA quarterfinals, and won 20+ games every year of his tenure outside of the COVID shortened 2020-2021, including an insanely perfect 41-0 in 2012-2013. He finishes with a record of 556-131-43.

Talk about demanding excellence. If Minnesota can move on from a coach with that resume, what does it say about UNH holding on to a coach with only ONE winning season under his belt?

I wonder if Frost will get interest to coach on the mens side. He is probably priced out at UNH, but he clearly knows how to coach, even with I imagine ubiquitous resources at Minnesota.

Is Andy Jones from Bentley making more than MS7? Doubtful. Offer him $230,000 so you save a few dollars, use the extra bucks to cater a Thank You event for all of the old Friends of Hockey group and hand them funds to establish a new group. To sweeten the Jones deal financially and incentivize him to kick ass and put more asses in the seats, offer him a % % % of the increased ticket revenue (the REAL attendance figures, not the fans disguised as seats numbers) to supplement his salary. Win more, seat more, make more. Even if he moves on 5 years down the road after turning the program around, you are STILL in a better position than Fluffer's Eeyore depression scenario.

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