UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Season?

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

The funniest thing about the way the vR discussion has turned lately is, if there was a bone to pick from yours truly, it's with the youngest (hint: NOT JvR) and his offseason decision to cut and run on his teammates of the last three seasons, to hop on board the Huntington Ave. bandwagon. As in:

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It would be great to see UNH in Boston, and BvR and his new teammates coming up short. Not that anyone cares, but BvR has dropped a notch in WIS' annual survey of our favorite vR brothers:

(1) TvR - 3 year player, left after a career threatening injury, has a ring, has exceeded all expectations
(2) JvR - 2 year player, not quite Jack Eichel-level impact at UNH, still no ring and no NHL All-Star calls


(3) BvR - 3 year player, left to chase glory with defending HE champs, no NHL reunions likely with bros

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But, seeing me having the nerve to post anything uttering the term "JvR", 'dc rushes to a Pavlovian "defense" of the eldest vR by quoting the term and amount of his latest contract, while also pointing out I'm not an NHL GM. No crap, Sherlock. Give this man a cookie.

Moral of the story: I guess I'm not allowed to prefer TvR (even with the subjective reasons for my rationale being laid out) over JvR, and no one has the … stomach to question why yet another player - this time from what amounts to the closest thing UNH recently could call "program royalty" - has chosen to leave the program and finish up his NCAA D-1 career with another (rival) program.

Sad to say, we're getting to the point where "Blue Skies" thinking at UNH isn't limited to the AD's office ...

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

The funniest thing about the way the vR discussion has turned lately is, if there was a bone to pick from yours truly, it's with the youngest (hint: NOT JvR) and his offseason decision to cut and run on his teammates of the last three seasons, to hop on board the Huntington Ave. bandwagon.

I'm not one to question BvR's education decision. He's unlikely to be a pro, so getting a head start on a good graduate degree is nothing I'll second guess: in fact, I'll applaud an athlete guided by school rather than one more year of skating.

no one has the … stomach to question why yet another player - this time from what amounts to the closest thing UNH recently could call "program royalty" - has chosen to leave the program and finish up his NCAA D-1 career with another (rival) program.

Sad to say, we're getting to the point where "Blue Skies" thinking at UNH isn't limited to the AD's office ...

You're free to question. And if the answer is that the VRs are loyal to the old old old coach, and the new coach sees things differently (like, prefering players who can skate), I'm all for it.

[wildcatdc]

The funniest thing about the way the vR discussion has turned lately is, if there was a bone to pick from yours truly, it's with the youngest (hint: NOT JvR) and his offseason decision to cut and run on his teammates of the last three seasons, to hop on board the Huntington Ave. bandwagon. As in:

----------

It would be great to see UNH in Boston, and BvR and his new teammates coming up short. Not that anyone cares, but BvR has dropped a notch in WIS' annual survey of our favorite vR brothers:

(1) TvR - 3 year player, left after a career threatening injury, has a ring, has exceeded all expectations
(2) JvR - 2 year player, not quite Jack Eichel-level impact at UNH, still no ring and no NHL All-Star calls


(3) BvR - 3 year player, left to chase glory with defending HE champs, no NHL reunions likely with bros

----------

But, seeing me having the nerve to post anything uttering the term "JvR", 'dc rushes to a Pavlovian "defense" of the eldest vR by quoting the term and amount of his latest contract, while also pointing out I'm not an NHL GM. No crap, Sherlock. Give this man a cookie.

Moral of the story: I guess I'm not allowed to prefer TvR (even with the subjective reasons for my rationale being laid out) over JvR, and no one has the … stomach to question why yet another player - this time from what amounts to the closest thing UNH recently could call "program royalty" - has chosen to leave the program and finish up his NCAA D-1 career with another (rival) program.

Sad to say, we're getting to the point where "Blue Skies" thinking at UNH isn't limited to the AD's office ...

Calm down, Felix Potvin! 😉. Too early in the pre-season to get your hackles up. I didn’t even reply with a list of NHL’ers without a ring or an All-Star nod because the subject matter is just not that important. Move on.

[Snively65]

Calm down, Felix Potvin! 😉. Too early in the pre-season to get your hackles up. I didn’t even reply with a list of NHL’ers without a ring or an All-Star nod because the subject matter is just not that important. Move on.

Yup, both these lists would be long, indeed. :-)

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

I'm not one to question BvR's education decision. He's unlikely to be a pro, so getting a head start on a good graduate degree is nothing I'll second guess: in fact, I'll applaud an athlete guided by school rather than one more year of skating.

You're free to question. And if the answer is that the VRs are loyal to the old old old coach, and the new coach sees things differently (like, prefering players who can skate), I'm all for it.

Both fair points, 'watcher. Even the sly dig you managed to work into it.

Maybe the issue is better framed this way then … why aren't MS7 and his staff doing more to bring IN transfers? Gildon proved to be quite the get as a decommit, and it's possible he may even turn out to be a four year player. IIRC MacKinnon was another guy who decommitted. In the big picture, you can only go so far with other programs' leftovers, and there are more Mackinnons who fit that profile (i.e. pretty good players) as opposed to the few very good players like Gildon, for obvious reasons. But while MS7 is trying to dig his program out of the hole created by his predecessor, he can't afford to overlook any opportunities to rebuild on the fly. And the further up the ladder he gets his program, you'd think working the transfer IN route becomes more attractive to the potentially available transfer pool.

This is going to be an interesting season. This season and next should offer strong clues on whether MS7 is going to prove to be up to the challenge of getting this program back to its past prominence.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

We had the discussion earlier in the offseason. We traded one year of BvR to Northeastern for four years of Robby Griffin. I'll make that trade every time. I'm looking forward to seeing him.

[Dan]

Good players don’t grad transfer to .500ish programs - they leave .500ish programs for programs expected to compete. Off the top of my head Providence (1), North Dakota (1), Northeastern (2), Boston U (2), and Michigan (2) were the big players for grad transfers. They all have one thing in common - expectations to compete at the highest level in 2019-20...

Denver added a true transfer in former BU forward Hank Crone. They should be as good as anyone this year...

For UNH - and in the position they currently find themselves - Id rather they build through traditional recruiting pipelines and build some roster consistency and a depth of talent. When they’re on the verge they can look for some short-term opportunities to round out rosters...

At this stage - trading a BVR (or any grad transfer opportunity) who might score 10-15 for a FR who may not make an immediate impact, but could give them a subsequent three years of 10-15 is a heck of a deal...

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

Morrow or Taylor? And I assume with his connection to Ardanaz, they could get Evans if they are sold on him.

[Snively65]

Morrow or Taylor? And I assume with his connection to Ardanaz, they could get Evans if they are sold on him.

Ardanaz one of recruits and Taylor one of our goalies; who are Morrow and Evans?

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

Both Morrow and Taylor are 02 defensemen:

Morrow would be the first ever legacy at UNH -- Here's Dan's writeup in 2016.
https://board.uscho.com/showthread.p...49#post6409349

(Now that I notice, it was responding to your question.)

Father - https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/...y.php?pid=5979

Son - https://www.ssmathletics.org/sports/...s/Scott_Morrow

Definitely someone UNH should be targeting hard.

Per USHR, "classic type d-man, has skills - including hard shot - as well as always prized combination of size and brainpower."

Was their top defenseman at recent Harvard combine...

Taylor is Ty's little brother, also a Defenseman
https://vipersdiehardfan.blogspot.co...or-family.html

Trey, who is now 17, is taller and heavier than during his rookie season with the Vipers. Trey was drafted by the USHL’s Tri-City Storm, but he decided to return to the Vipers and he’s excited about the upcoming season. “He says the Vipers have unfinished business,” says his father. Trey’s been training this summer at the Vancouver Hockey School. He has already received scholarship interest from NCAA schools.

John Evans is Ardanaz' longtime friend and a promising forward on the same team.

Ardanaz is also thrilled to be playing next to his close friend and former Delta teammate John Evans who is also a recent commit of the Warriors for 2019-2020. “John and I have played with each other for as long as I remember”, stated Ardanaz. “It will be great to play out our first years of junior together on the same team. John’s a great player and a better teammate.”

https://bchl.ca/bchl-next-generation...lowna-warriors

John Evans (2002, F)

Hometown: South Surrey, B.C.
Previous team: Delta Hockey Academy Prep (CSSHL)
The 17-year-old had over two points per game last season, finishing the year with 72 in 35 games to lead his team and finish fourth overall in the CSSHL. He played eight games for the Surrey Eagles last season and chipped in with one goal.

West’s scouting report:

“John is an elite, skilled player that has great vision on the ice. He has youth and talent that we were very eager to bring in.”

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

We had the discussion earlier in the offseason. We traded one year of BvR to Northeastern for four years of Robby Griffin. I'll make that trade every time. I'm looking forward to seeing him.

At this stage - trading a BVR (or any grad transfer opportunity) who might score 10-15 for a FR who may not make an immediate impact, but could give them a subsequent three years of 10-15 is a heck of a deal...

I don't have any insight on Griffin, but if he's as represented above, I'm 100% in agreement.

Especially as I do share Dan's reservations on BvR hitting double figures again this season at NU.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

C-H-C video

https://youtu.be/X4SeYj94LQ8

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

Thanks, watcher. These potential recruits bring back memories of the teammates from Reading HS back in the good old days that we recently discussed here.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

Here's the video of John Evans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1e-u-VT71Y

Low level, so he can glide a lot, but the vision is there and good cornering. So far it hasn't hit at the BCHL level, but he'll score. He'll be one of those dangerous guys able to turn loose pucks in the netural zone into odd man rushes by fishing out the pucks.

[Ryecheers]

[QUOTE=Dan;

At this stage - trading a BVR (or any grad transfer opportunity) who might score 10-15 for a FR who may not make an immediate impact, but could give them a subsequent three years of 10-15 is a heck of a deal...[/QUOTE]

Dan,
What makes you believe that Griffin will produce 10-15 goals as soon as his sophomore year? He managed to produce just 8 goals in each of the past two seasons in the NCDC. You may very well be prescient, but I’m curious to know your reasoning. If NU felt the same way, I doubt they would ask him to wait another year.