Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

[Scott]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

Unless the NCAA grants a special waiver (not likely) he will not get a redshirt.

A friend of mine is on the board of the Friends of UNH Hockey, and at a recent meeting Dick Umile confirmed that Speelman will be granted a medical redshirt for this year.

By making the HE playoffs, the percentage of games Speelman played in vs total games was met.

[WIrinkrat]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

A friend of mine is on the board of the Friends of UNH Hockey, and at a recent meeting Dick Umile confirmed that Speelman will be granted a medical redshirt for this year.

By making the HE playoffs, the percentage of games Spleelman played in vs total games was met.

Well that is interesting since he does not meet the criteria.

14.2.4 Hardship Waiver. A student-athlete may be granted an additional year of competition by the conference
or the Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement for reasons of “hardship.” Hardship is defined as an
incapacity resulting from an injury or illness that has occurred under all of the following conditions: (Revised:
8/8/02, 11/1/07 effective 8/1/08)
(a) The incapacitating injury or illness occurs in one of the four seasons of intercollegiate competition at any twoyear
or four-year collegiate institutions or occurs after the first day of classes in the student-athlete’s senior year
in high school; (Revised: 1/10/92 effective 8/1/92, 11/1/01, 8/8/02)
(b) The injury or illness occurs prior to the first competition of the second half of the playing season that concludes
with the NCAA championship in that sport (see Bylaw 14.2.4.3.4) and results in incapacity to compete
for the remainder of that playing season; (Revised: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01,
4/3/02, 4/24/08)
(c) In team sports, the injury or illness occurs when the student-athlete has not participated in more than three
contests or dates of competition (whichever is applicable to that sport) or 30 percent (whichever number is
greater) of the institution’s scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition in his or her sport. Only
scheduled or completed competition against outside participants during the playing season that concludes
with the NCAA championship, or, if so designated, during the official NCAA championship playing season
in that sport (e.g., spring baseball, fall soccer), shall be countable under this limitation in calculating both the
number of contests or dates of competition in which the student-athlete has participated and the number of
scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition during that season in the sport. Dates of competition
that are exempted (e.g., alumni contests, foreign team in the United States) from the maximum permissible
number of contests or dates of competition shall count toward the number of contests or dates in which the
student-athlete has participated and the number of scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition
in the season, except for scrimmages and exhibition contests that are specifically identified as such in the
sport’s Bylaw 17 playing and practice season regulations. Scrimmages and exhibition contests that are not exempted
from the maximum permissible number of contests or dates of competition may be excluded from the
calculation only if they are identified as such in the sport’s Bylaw 17 playing and practice season regulations;
and (Revised: 1/10/92, 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01, 3/10/04, 5/11/05, 8/4/05, 4/26/07,
9/18/07, 4/24/08)


14.2.4.3.6.1.1 Team Sports. The denominator in the institution’s percent calculation shall be
based on the institution’s number of scheduled or completed varsity contests or dates of competition
[see Bylaw 14.2.4-(c)] as computed for playing and practice season purposes in Bylaw 17 for
the applicable sport. [Note: Exempted events in Bylaw 17 are included in the percent calculation,
except as provided in Bylaw 14.2.4-(c).] An institution participating in a single-elimination event
may only count the actual contests in which the institution participates (as opposed to the number
of contests scheduled in the event) in determining the number of scheduled or completed contests
in the denominator. (Revised: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 2/11/98, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01, 6/21/01,
8/4/05, 4/24/08)

14.2.4.3.6.1.1.1 Conference Championships. A conference championship shall be
counted as one contest or date of competition in determining the institution’s scheduled or
completed contests or dates of competition in that sport, regardless of the number of days or
games involved in the championship. However, for purposes of this regulation, the calculation
of scheduled or completed contests or dates of competition in a particular season does not
include postseason competition conducted after the completion of the institution’s regularseason
schedule and conference tournament. (Revised: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 4/26/01 effective
8/1/01, 8/4/05)


In other words you can not participate in more than 30% of your teams contests in a given season. There are 34 regular season contests, and conference championship games (so the 3 BU games) all count as 1 game. The exhibition game also counts as 1 game for purposes of this calculation.

So, Speelman played in 12 out of 36 contests, or 33%. I'd love to get him back for an extra year too, but I just don't see the wiggle room available to make it happen and the NCAA is notorious for being pretty hard line on this stuff. Not saying there isn't some extenuating circumstance we don't know about that may be in play here, anything can happen, but by letter of the rules........

[hockeydad2005]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

I went to the Hockey East Semi's and had the good fortune of speaking to one of the Assistant Coach's from another hockey east school. We had a very long conversation as I have known him for years.
He stated to me that UNH is in trouble, it was Lasonde's third job offer when he finally left, Providence, CC and Denvcer had all had come calling. Also he stated that Johnny Gaudreau wanted to come to UNH in the worst way and the fact the coaching staff had brought his transcript to admissions on Aug 1 and they wouldn't even look at it for Sept 1. He told me the new addmissions director I think he is from Cornell is awful. He said there is no way Matt White and Cam Reid should not of been let into school. He was offered the job at UNH as where a couple of other UNH Almumns. No one wanted it with the new admission's director.

He also said Sean McDonald is loosing assistants because of it, and men's basketball had 5-6 kids staring on other Div 1 rosters who commited to UNH and couldn't get into school.

Someone shoudl tell admissions and the president that we are not an IVY league school. The rookie of the year from America East in basketball was at Vermont, but yet couldn't get into UNH. Go Figure!!!

[JB]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

So, Speelman played in 12 out of 36 contests, or 33%. I'd love to get him back for an extra year too, but I just don't see the wiggle room available to make it happen and the NCAA is notorious for being pretty hard line on this stuff. Not saying there isn't some extenuating circumstance we don't know about that may be in play here, anything can happen, but by letter of the rules........

I would only say that the NCAA was notorious; there was a move put in place by Miles Brand at the end of his time to be a kinder NCAA to the student athletes. That seems to have carried forward, the "new" thinking was still to punish institutions but be a little more lenient on the kids. End of the day we will have to wait for the official ruling or maybe even for Speelman to set foot on the ice for a 5th year.

[JB]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

I went to the Hockey East Semi's and had the good fortune of speaking to one of the Assistant Coach's from another hockey east school. We had a very long conversation as I have known him for years.
He stated to me that UNH is in trouble, it was Lasonde's third job offer when he finally left, Providence, CC and Denvcer had all had come calling. Also he stated that Johnny Gaudreau wanted to come to UNH in the worst way and the fact the coaching staff had brought his transcript to admissions on Aug 1 and they wouldn't even look at it for Sept 1. He told me the new addmissions director I think he is from Cornell is awful. He said there is no way Matt White and Cam Reid should not of been let into school. He was offered the job at UNH as where a couple of other UNH Almumns. No one wanted it with the new admission's director.

Reid couldn't stick at St Cloud, stayed eligible, but left half way through this year to the WHL essentially for academic reasons.

White looks like an issue with admissions, but who knows.

The one that gets me is Gaudreau. That has nothing to do with grades etc. it was just admissions being inflexible (lazy) because they could. BC gets a fantastic player because their admissions people were flexible. That is a big problem for UNH, and the admissions director needs to get a good swift kick in the butt for it.

[hockeydad2005]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

Exactly....LAzy and the admissions director not having a clue that when athletics are good applications go up and so don't donations.

Not to mention that all the UNH Alumns offered the job make much more at lesser known and less high profile schools.

[bomberhockey]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

I'd like to see some facts to support the rumor that the highest paid employee in the State can't get admissions to look at a transcript.

What's the reason Joey Laleggia was deferred and went to Denver (UNH deferred him)?


What role did the NCAA sanctions play in the denial of Cam Reid and Matt White?


Why didn't he re-take the class and go to UNH the year he went to Saint Cloud?

Some times its better to have a faceless scapegoat rather than be accountable for the facts.

Gaudrault was going to UNH, very very very likely(as close to fact as can be). The admissions sat on it. Fact. Huddleston should have been involved, by who ever could have brought him in. Men's Hockey is a profit center for the university, and admissions let an extremely talented product(see Hockey East playoffs) hang on the vine, and to BC a superior in both hockey and academic attraction, inexcusable!!

[bomberhockey]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

[QUOTE=NCAA watcher;5403799]I'd like to see some facts to support the rumor that the highest paid employee in the State can't get admissions to look at a transcript.

What's the reason Joey Laleggia was deferred and went to Denver (UNH deferred him)?
Deferring probably a mistake they kick themselves for doing. Also they(coaches) probably lost momentum because of NCAA sanctions not be able to communicate regularly with him.

[jeteye1717]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

>> Any chatter about possible ooc opponents for next season?

From a recent article by Gavin Faretra in The Concord Monitor:

> The Wildcats will open next season at home against Boston University and then host St. Cloud State
> of the WCHA. Other non-conference games include Harvard and tournaments at Dartmouth College
> and the University of Denver, as well as an in-conference tilt against Merrimack at the Verizon Wire-
> less Arena at the end of January.

I'm assuming the game with Harvard will be at the Whitt (the back end of this past season's melt-down in Cambridge), and I know the Denver (Holiday) Tournament is played between Christmas and New Years (I expect the Pioneer contingent will fill in the other participants in due time), but when is the Dartmouth Tournament usually held? I know Umile never really liked playing in these between-semester Tourneys, but I think it's a good thing (provided we win at least once :-) to prevent the inevitable rust that's built up in recent years from not playing for 5+ weeks. At least they'll get to say Hi! to Dave Lassonde ...

[jeteye1717]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

I know the Denver (Holiday) Tournament is played between Christmas and New Years (I expect the Pioneer contingent will fill in the other participants in due time), but when is the Dartmouth Tournament usually held?

Oops, I should've dug a little deeper before posting ... Using this past season as a guide, the Ledyard Bank Tournament in Hanover was held Dec. 30th/31st; the Denver Cup was contested over the Thanksgiving Weekend. Depending on when the Harvard game is scheduled, the 'Cats could be finished with their non-conference portion of their schedule before the calendar turns to 2013 ...

[Darius]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

Random thoughts:

GREAT final weekend of hockey. With late season losses to VT, UMA, all the OT opportunities; how close we were to playing a more beatable Lowell team.

This year only Moses had the skill to play the way two or three senior forwards need to for us to be successful. Borisenok’s play was fine and McCarey played determined hockey seemingly trying to make plays by force of will.

Losing Kessel really hurt. The defense eventually recovered, but it took Kostolansky far too long for an upperclassman to adjust to a new pairing. He was a different player until later in the season. Digi just wasn’t where he needed to be. Obviously more problems than the loss of a single defensemen, including being left where he was too long.

Why not play all freshmen a little? See above.

The tournament is fun and exciting despite not qualifying, but the adrenaline level isn’t the same. No anticipating who we will play, where we will play, actually (((playing))). Hopefully we qualify next year, hosting in Manch.

Can enough of this season's Juniors make the Senior production leap getting us back to the norm? Henrion needs to, hopefully Burke can stay healthy. Factor in talented underclassmen and there is optimism for next season.

Opposing players best not have their heads down or take to much time in the corners when Camper is in the line up. He is one of those guys you hate unless he is on your team.

Grayson Downing. A 19 year old un-drafted freshman. We’ll be lucky to have him all four years if his progression continues.

Best headline of the year was “DeSmith is da man”. Potentially a NH native playing 3.5 years in goal. Great for the program great for the state.

Can any one say why Tim Schaller isn’t a Wildcat?

They wanted his head when the team was playing in the Garden, regionals and occasional FF. The Fire Dick Umile crew is conspicuously absent.

I hope he leaves early because it is going to be a long 3 years watching Johnny Gaudreau play at BC.

Lasting end of season images from Agganis: Goumas kneeling in the net just after the game ending goal and a few minutes later, Moses bent over, stick on legs, slowly gliding off the ice.

Next year’s Captains: Hardowa, Burke.

[Saetia22]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

Random thoughts:

GREAT final weekend of hockey. With late season losses to VT, UMA, all the OT opportunities; how close we were to playing a more beatable Lowell team.

This year only Moses had the skill to play the way two or three senior forwards need to for us to be successful. Borisenok’s play was fine and McCarey played determined hockey seemingly trying to make plays by force of will.

Losing Kessel really hurt. The defense eventually recovered, but it took Kostolansky far too long for an upperclassman to adjust to a new pairing. He was a different player until later in the season. Digi just wasn’t where he needed to be. Obviously more problems than the loss of a single defensemen, including being left where he was too long.

Why not play all freshmen a little? See above.

The tournament is fun and exciting despite not qualifying, but the adrenaline level isn’t the same. No anticipating who we will play, where we will play, actually (((playing))). Hopefully we qualify next year, hosting in Manch.

Can enough of this season's Juniors make the Senior production leap getting us back to the norm? Henrion needs to, hopefully Burke can stay healthy. Factor in talented underclassmen and there is optimism for next season.

Opposing players best not have their heads down or take to much time in the corners when Camper is in the line up. He is one of those guys you hate unless he is on your team.

Grayson Downing. A 19 year old un-drafted freshman. We’ll be lucky to have him all four years if his progression continues.

Best headline of the year was “DeSmith is da man”. Potentially a NH native playing 3.5 years in goal. Great for the program great for the state.

Can any one say why Tim Schaller isn’t a Wildcat?

They wanted his head when the team was playing in the Garden, regionals and occasional FF. The Fire Dick Umile crew is conspicuously absent.

I hope he leaves early because it is going to be a long 3 years watching Johnny Gaudreau play at BC.

Lasting end of season images from Agganis: Goumas kneeling in the net just after the game ending goal and a few minutes later, Moses bent over, stick on legs, slowly gliding off the ice.

Next year’s Captains: Hardowa, Burke.

Nice thoughts to read.
Captains - I think Hardowa is a sure thing, and Speelman (Jr or Sr) is my guess for Co-Pilot.
I'd like to post more thoughts on the season as a whole, just havn't gotten around to it yet.

[sonar]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

[QUOTE=Darius;5405141]Random thoughts:
They wanted his head when the team was playing in the Garden, regionals and occasional FF. The Fire Dick Umile crew is conspicuously absent.
/QUOTE]

You should'nt poke an old sleeping animal. He might wake up and say " that the absence is a function of the distinct possibility that fewer and fewer UNH fans care anymore". He might also reiterate what was overheard while leaving the Whit .... "How about that - a coach who has not 'finished' in over 20 years complaining in the newspaper about the players he recruited not being able to finish."

[Jacques "Rabbit" Poriveau]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

[QUOTE=sonar;5405698]

Random thoughts:
They wanted his head when the team was playing in the Garden, regionals and occasional FF. The Fire Dick Umile crew is conspicuously absent.
/QUOTE]

You should'nt poke an old sleeping animal. He might wake up and say " that the absence is a function of the distinct possibility that fewer and fewer UNH fans care anymore". He might also reiterate what was overheard while leaving the Whit .... "How about that - a coach who has not 'finished' in over 20 years complaining in the newspaper about the players he recruited not being able to finish."

C'est vrai mon ami c'est vrai, ow you say beengo. Zay donts evun winning enuff to make us care if dey lose anymores.

[BobF]

Re: Official UNH Wildcats Offseason Thread 2012

I went to the Hockey East Semi's and had the good fortune of speaking to one of the Assistant Coach's from another hockey east school. We had a very long conversation as I have known him for years.
He stated to me that UNH is in trouble, it was Lasonde's third job offer when he finally left, Providence, CC and Denvcer had all had come calling. Also he stated that Johnny Gaudreau wanted to come to UNH in the worst way and the fact the coaching staff had brought his transcript to admissions on Aug 1 and they wouldn't even look at it for Sept 1. He told me the new addmissions director I think he is from Cornell is awful. He said there is no way Matt White and Cam Reid should not of been let into school. He was offered the job at UNH as where a couple of other UNH Almumns. No one wanted it with the new admission's director.

He also said Sean McDonald is loosing assistants because of it, and men's basketball had 5-6 kids staring on other Div 1 rosters who commited to UNH and couldn't get into school.

Someone shoudl tell admissions and the president that we are not an IVY league school. The rookie of the year from America East in basketball was at Vermont, but yet couldn't get into UNH. Go Figure!!!

I know I will get into trouble as a Maine fan who reside in NH, and has several friends who are UNH alums. But hockeydad2005 has me wondering in terms of credibility. There are more spelling errors in this thread than any I have ever witnessed. If he is talking about admissions issues and if he is the standard bearer, no way he gets into my school. He does not even spell Lassonde's name right. Having survived 4 years of Maine missing the NCAA's I don't see UNH following suit especially with DeSmith in net! Liked your effort vs. Maine in the last game of the year. As for a Cornell admissions officer, Cornell is in the tournament again, has not slowed them down.