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

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  • #31
    Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

    I'm kind of confused and am hesitant about writing this post...but here goes. I think what I'm confused about Chuck (and with all due respect) is pretty much throughout the entire season you've been fairly upbeat and positive about the team and Souza. So the turnaround now is...Souza's not the guy? Ending too much like the past. (Which, isn't fun and I can't blame you for the comparison) Am I reading this right? I don't want to open up a can of worms (which I probably have done). I mean, I'm disappointed as well about the weekend but also realistic about the way things went.

    Not to be a blowhard about this, but I've been to my usual boat load of games this season. Obviously I don't know everything about the nuances of the college hockey world but I can say, I've seen the coaching staff in action on several occasions. I've listened to almost every presser this season. I've heard all 3 coaches speak in person on a few opps through FOH. And I've seen the players response to them. It's been very encouraging and positive. I would think there is a big learning curve being HC and I think Souza deserves his chance. I don't care what level you are coaching at taking over for someone, especially someone who's been there for long time, the first year is almost a wash as you establish yourself. But his first year out one thing that's all his doing is that in most games, it's been a much different vibe with this team on the ice and that's been the best part.

    I would agree that we have a lot of work to do there is no question about that and I doubt anyone would disagree. That said, performance matters and I'm expecting this program to move even more in the right direction. If it doesn't...that will be a major disappointment. I guess my main point is..he needs more time to show he can right this ship which has already made a significant amount of progress. I thought initially most here would be thrilled to make the playoffs. We did that. At least, we did that. The shock/outrage at the outcome I'm sorry is just a little surprising esp when we didn't have 2 major forwards (Naz and Grasso) playing Sat. night, and given the opponent. PC would've been a different story...

    Finally, I think being 100% in charge is far different than being an Assistant HC. If I can tell anything about Mike Souza, he wants to be right in the thick of it, win titles, and bring UNH back to prominence. He is totally 100% compassionate about that. I believe he has the convictions necessary and I hope, he has the support he deserves from the University to make those a reality. Players are fortunate to play for him I think. And I am not making any excuses for him or his staff it's just the way I see it.

    I will say the arrival of Tim Stutzle will be huge, and, I'm really hoping/expecting that to happen. These are just my views on the post mortem of the season. Still pretty raw for me!! Soliloquy over...
    Last edited by HockeyRef; 03-20-2019, 09:20 AM.
    Here we go 'Cats!!

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    • #32
      Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

      Originally posted by Greg Ambrose View Post
      Chuck, you have to be kidding me. You may recall that you were the only one on this forum who thought that UMass, as a newbie powerhouse, wouldn’t be ready for the playoffs. I think you can take solace in the fact that the first game went to double OT, but the fact is that UMass advancing was never in doubt. In fact, now that they got slapped in the face in that first game, they’ll probably win HE.

      I think you have to face reality that UNH is nowhere near ready to compete with complete teams. In HE, there were two IMO, UMass and Northeastern. The fact is that they hung with Providence, did not lose to Lowell, and beat and tied BC. I firmly believe that, if they had converted a couple of those ties into wins and grabbed the seventh spot, they would have taken PC to a third game and might have beaten them. How would you have viewed the team then?

      A dose of realism is what you should be prescribed. Check with your doctor.
      OK, let me clarify this (again) … I know, sometimes it's easier to jump to broad conclusions and skip over the details, which is exactly what you've done here, Greg. I'll bullet-point this for you (and others) so you understand my concerns with how things went this past weekend, and my expectations going in.

      * I did NOT expect UNH to win the series (I said there was a 20% likelihood of it happening);
      * IF there was any chance of UNH winning the series, I said they'd have to win the first game;
      * I DID expect UMass to come out as less than a dominant force (down 3-0 late in the second);
      * IF that did actually transpire (it did), then UNH had a chance to make a series of it (they didn't).

      So if you're going to be at all fair about any aspect of this discussion, let's start with that foundation, instead of silly stuff you're assuming because you can't be bothered to sweat the details.

      Now … from that point, where UNH finds itself ahead 3-0 with a minute left to play in the 2nd period Friday night, THAT'S where my concerns start. You give ANY team a 3-goal cushion that late in a game, and I don't care if it's a #1 seed vs. a #8 seed, two teams with equally modest postseason experience … you have every right to expect that team to win that game.

      Agree or disagree? Yes or no? It's not a hard question.

      My answer is, YES, you have every right to expect UNH wins that game from that game situation. Is it a 100% lock? No, I get that. But is it an 80% or 90% lock? YES. I don't have the patience to run stats on that, but in the low-scoring proposition that D-1 hockey has been for many years now (and I think you've said that numerous times on here, Greg), something has to go horribly wrong to lose a game when you're 3 goals up at the tail end of the second period. It happens, yeah, but not too often.

      So, it happened on Friday night. Maybe you say "unlucky" and/or "Well played, UMass"? Maybe I say that too … except there's this long, nagging (and continuing) history of postseason folds by UNH. So you keep hoping for the best, and lining up excuses for what now seems inevitable, while I keep my proverbial powder dry to see how UNH reacts to Friday night's loss, knowing as well as most of you that UNH's best chance flew the coop when they couldn't hold a multi-goal lead on Friday night.

      Saturday night comes … and what happens? The other staple of UNH Postseason Past, which is the "no-show blowout". Check the rest of the postseason games across D-1 this past weekend (go on, I haven't, so I may be dead wrong) and tell me please, how many other games featured a team going down 4-0 in about 15 minutes' time? Again, we've all seen this movie before. Postseason is tough, because everyone knows what's on the line, no one wants their season to end early. But we get deja vu.

      So, to wrap up a season where I think we all reveled in the new experience of someone new in charge for the first time in over a generation, what do we end up with?

      Two colossal negative examples of what we'd all hoped we'd never ever see at UNH again.

      So yeah, "disappointed" only scratches the surface on how I feel after this past weekend.

      I'm not going anywhere, I'm "UNH-'til-I-die" and I'll be back, again hoping for the best next Fall, and chipping in with things as the post-season plays out, like always. No one is calling for MS7's job at this point, but he had a great chance to start with a clean slate this postseason, and really set himself apart from his predecessor's spotty post-season legacy … instead, he just dredged up the same old crap we've been fed for far too long. If you're OK with it, then good for you. I'm not. JMHO.
      Last edited by Chuck Murray; 03-19-2019, 12:02 PM.
      Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
      Montreal Expos Forever ...

      Comment


      • #33
        Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

        Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
        Now … from that point, where UNH finds itself ahead 3-0 with a minute left to play in the 2nd period Friday night, THAT'S where my concerns start. You give ANY team a 3-goal cushion that late in a game, and I don't care if it's a #1 seed vs. a #8 seed, two teams with equally modest postseason experience … you have every right to expect that team to win that game.

        Agree or disagree? Yes or no? It's not a hard question.
        Chuck, once again you are fixated on UMass' lack of playoff experience when you say "two teams with equally modest postseason experience." completely ignoring the fact that one team was vastly superior in all phases of the game than the other. If UNH had a three goal lead with a minute to go in the second at Providence, should I expect them to win? Well yeah, because from February 1st on, Providence average just over 2 goals per game at home. But against UMass, well no. As Dan noted in a prior post a couple of weeks ago, Robinson's goals against average against UMass and Northeastern was double what it was against every other team he faced. The only reason UNH was ahead 3-0 last Friday night was because Robinson had made 25 saves in a shade under 40 minutes. I wasn't at the game and did not watch on Hockey East's bogus playoff channel, but my cousin, who is a UMass season ticket holder, kept texting me that Robinson was keeping UNH in the game. When UMass finally broke through with that first goal, I knew it was only a matter of time before they won. And why? Because, despite the fact that their playoff experience was equal to UNH's, they were a lot, lot better than UNH and, you forgot this, they were playing at home.

        As I said earlier, it is too bad UNH didn't convert a couple of those ties into wins because, if they had, they would have indeed played Providence and might have won. And, if they were in the Garden this coming Friday Chuck, what would be your take of how they did this year?

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        • #34
          Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

          Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
          So.Crookshank---So. Pierson ---Jr.Kelleher
          Sr. BVR --------Sr.Blackburn ----Sr.Grasso
          Fr.Stevenson---So.Engaras------Jr.MacAdams
          So.Esposito----Fr._________----Sr.Fregona
          Sr.Sacco-------So.Cipollone-----Jr.Sato

          Jr.Gildon--------Sr.Wyse
          Jr.Maass--------Fr.Ericksson
          So.MacKinnon -So.Verrier
          Sr.Dawson------So.Hickey

          Jr.Robinson-----So.Taylor---Sr.Lazzaro
          Souza year end presser. Mentioned Stevenson, can't comment on kids who haven't signed (Eriksson?). "Bringing in 4 or 5" freshmen. Guys are on the road right now so its a fluid situation.
          The Souza record:
          15-16 10th place
          16-17 10th place
          17-18 11th place
          18-19 8th place
          19-20 9th place
          20-21 10th place
          21-22 9th place
          22-23 10th place

          Comment


          • #35
            Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
            Souza year end presser. Mentioned Stevenson, can't comment on kids who haven't signed (Eriksson?). "Bringing in 4 or 5" freshmen. Guys are on the road right now so its a fluid situation.
            And...Wyse and Gildon will return for next season!!!! YESSSS!!!!
            Here we go 'Cats!!

            Comment


            • #36
              Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

              Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
              And...Wyse and Gildon will return for next season!!!! YESSSS!!!!
              "Max is planning to be back."

              Pretty exciting, but still a bit open-ended. I will still sweat out summer camp in FLA and the Panther's opinion, but certainly great (and surprising) news. He is not even 20 years old, so I suppose there really isn't a rush. I would guess they had an idea he wanted to stay and that is what resulted in Lucas Bahn no longer being committed. A recruiting class of 4-5 could mean some open slots for currently uncommitted players...

              Stevenson and Eriksson seem like locks to arrive in Durham. I'd guess that Connor Sweeney will also sign. McElhaney is probably 50-50, with eight defenseman already on the roster, and they may feel he'd benefit from actually getting to play a year in the USHL. A fifth-spot could represent A LOT of different scenarios (most likely a young forward in the pipeline or a new F commitment - Budy! Budy! Budy!)...

              Also mentioned next year's manageable non-conference schedule...

              @Miami (!!) - I will be doing everything I can to make this series.
              @Army
              Michigan
              @ Belfast (Northeastern & Colgate/Princeton)
              @ Bentley
              Brown
              Dartmouth

              ---

              As things stand right now - the best UNH Roster in a long time will skate next season. How far up the ladder can they climb? Can the capitalize in recruiting?


              Crookshank - Pierson - Kelleher
              BVR - Blackburn - Grasso
              Stevenson - Engaras - Fregona
              Esposito - Sacco - MacAdams
              ----
              Cipollone - Sweeney - Sato


              Wyse - Gildon
              MacKinnon - Maass
              Verrier - Eriksson
              Dawson
              ----
              Hickey


              Robinson
              Taylor
              ----
              Lazarro
              Last edited by Dan; 03-20-2019, 03:32 PM.
              Live Free or Die!!
              Miami University '03

              Comment


              • #37
                Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

                Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                Finally, I think being 100% in charge is far different than being an Assistant HC. If I can tell anything about Mike Souza, he wants to be right in the thick of it, win titles, and bring UNH back to prominence. He is totally 100% compassionate about that. I believe he has the convictions necessary and I hope, he has the support he deserves from the University to make those a reality. Players are fortunate to play for him I think. And I am not making any excuses for him or his staff it's just the way I see it.
                Maybe that's more of the problem, I believe the time is long overdue to be looking at the other MS, and his role and lack of leadership in the debacle of the past decade (basketball and football included in that).
                GO BLUE!

                Comment


                • #38
                  Originally posted by NCAA watcher View Post
                  Souza year end presser. Mentioned Stevenson, can't comment on kids who haven't signed (Eriksson?). "Bringing in 4 or 5" freshmen. Guys are on the road right now so its a fluid situation.
                  If bringing in 4 or 5, which 2 or 3 non-seniors not returning?

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by d.gerry View Post
                    maybe that's more of the problem, i believe the time is long overdue to be looking at the other ms, and his role and lack of leadership in the debacle of the past decade (basketball and football included in that).
                    Blue Skies 35+8?

                    Comment


                    • #40
                      Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

                      Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                      Blue Skies 35+8?
                      I wanna know what MS7 stands for...
                      Here we go 'Cats!!

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                        If bringing in 4 or 5, which 2 or 3 non-seniors not returning?
                        They have five seniors moving on, so four or five freshman would put them right back in the same neighborhood. It wouldn't surprise me if there's some movement at the bottom of the roster, but I don't think it's necessary...

                        So who is coming? If I was betting I'd bet on Stevenson, Eriksson, Sweeney, McElhaney. Of those four I'd expect Eriksson to play a regular shift in the bottom four on defense (he's somewhere between Verrier and Marks for me) and Stevenson to play in the bottom six (a similar player to Esposito and MacAdams - with perhaps a bit more offense)...

                        Sweeney likely competes for PT on the fourth line. Everything about McElhaney reminds me of Boyd - with a suddenly deep defense Im not sure what role he fills right away and that's why I wonder if he may stay in the USHL another season after missing nearly the entire year...

                        I can't see them adding another defensemen or goaltender - so that leaves an extra F for a potential fifth spot. I think the most likely scenario means IF they see someone they like, THEN they may add a fifth recruit (Budy!).

                        But, from the current pipeline the most likely candidates to be considered to come earlier than expected would be Wazny (who is 19) or Aidan Curran. Margel would be a more exciting add if they thought he could make the jump (a la Pierson a year ago) - I believe he has graduated? That's probably unlikely...
                        Live Free or Die!!
                        Miami University '03

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                          I wanna know what MS7 stands for...
                          Mike Souza, #7 ??
                          Live Free or Die!!
                          Miami University '03

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Re: UNH Wildcats 2019 Offseason - How Much Progress Did We Really Make This Past Seas

                            Originally posted by Dan View Post
                            Mike Souza, #7 ??
                            I didn't think it was that complicated, but yeah, Dan's got it right. His number from his playing days.
                            Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                            Montreal Expos Forever ...

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              Originally posted by Dan View Post
                              Mike Souza, #7 ??
                              Duh! Had the Mike Souza piece but the 7 skipped my mind as former players of his genre I am not as versed on the player #...nope not that complicated now I know....thanks for the education.
                              Last edited by HockeyRef; 03-21-2019, 01:34 AM.
                              Here we go 'Cats!!

                              Comment


                              • #45
                                Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                                Blue Skies 35+8?
                                Ok, while we are being educated, what does this one reference?
                                GO BLUE!

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