2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Some interesting posts on here. You guys obviously know more about Maine than I do and I know they return a lot. But yea, the idea of being excited by a moral victory against BC (and maybe the fact that they beat BU, not a great team at all but defending national champs?) sounds kind of silly. I know expectations have been lowered and justifiably so. Which is why it seems to crazy for someone to say anything less than a Frozen Four is a failure for Maine next year.

At this point taking steps forward a little bit will be a good sign from an outsider's perspective.

Get home ice again, maybe finish top 2, win in a sweep in the QFs, get back to the title game vs. BC (knowing what they have coming back hard to believe they won't win it next year) and make the NCAAs.

 

[Pucknut]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

You're assuming rationality.

Everything that you write about Darling next season also applied to this season. If he let his ultimate goal (NHL) direct his daily/weekly goals, he wouldn't have had the problem that he did this year.

Maybe he'll get over it. I hope he does. But I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on him. I just wouldn't. I would give him a chance to prove himself. And if he does, he could earn his way back into a rotation -- but not a full-time #1 position. It wouldn't be fair to the rest of the team to put them in a position where what happened this year could happen again.

My question is: In that event that Darling does everything he needs to do, who takes the other half of the rotation? Who becomes the #3 "spare" goaltender?

Whitehead will probably tell you the goalie position is up for grabs and they may start the season with Darling but you can bet he will have to earn it. After that, whoever is in goal with have to play well and improve or sit.

 

[walrus]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Lots of promise for next year... but thats what Lowell thought coming into this past season

Thats right, Maine is now Lowell. If they get in the NCAAs and do some damage next year then they're on the right track, until then its all speculation based on what folks saw in 4 games at the end of this season.

Everyone should be worried about goaltending, as of right now Maine doesn't have one.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Probably of some interest to Maine fans.

USHL pipeline?

That would be nice...

 

[gscott13]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Probably of some interest to Maine fans.

i think this showed up in the maine recruiting thread last week... obviously, it's an expansion franchise, so who knows how long it will take them to become competitive, but there was an article recently in the bangor newspaper in which he mentions his continued devotion to maine, so yeah, hopefully this eventually leads to some solid ushl talents heading to maine in the coming years...

"Q: What about returning to Maine?

A: Maine will always be home. I was really proud to see the run they had this year under Tim Whitehead. As an alum, you always want to see the program succeed and achieve at the highest level. It’s nice to see Maine back on the map."

link to article:
http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/140372.html

 

[ck1969]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

if Maine loses that second quarterfinal game in overtime to lowel then everyone would have though the season was a disaster. After escaping Lowel they manage to win vs BU, who had a down year, and lose to BC and now everyone thinks Timmay is doing a great job? Do we raise banners for not getting blown out by BC?

This season was a disappointment. I don't give a **** where we were picked to finish in hockey east. This team _should_ have been in the NCAAs - all they had to do was take care of business against some teams they should have easily handled.

You're right they should've been in the NCAA's. I think they wasted a golden opportunity. With this years field, they could've made some noise. And nowhere have I posted that Timbo is doing a great job. However, I think he's doing a little better than he was and maybe that's all on the players. I'm just encouraged because the previous two seasons sucked. There is nothing wrong with a little optimism. With the talent coming back Timmay has way more pressure on him for this coming year than last by far.

 

[BoSox3066]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Only thing is Lowell didn't have a Hobey Baker finalist coming back.

Reason I expect to be in St. Paul is two-fold. One is Gustav Nyquist. Another year stronger, and healthier becaus he was in tough shape at the end of the year, and the sky is the limit.

The second one is youth. I'm really excited about what I saw at the end of the year from Diamond, Mangene and Shemansky. If those guys stay healthy and there's anybody who can play among the new recruits, the first 3 forward lines are STACKED.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Shemansky needs to hit the weights.

 

[btb91]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

the expectations have been lowered. 2 games above .500 is all it takes for some to be happy

Not for all of us...

 

[btb91]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

I agree with this 100%. But at the same time it was very promising to see them battle back from being down 1 game to 0 vs lowell and during that game 3 coming back twice to send it into overtime where they finished it off. That and anwering BC time after time in Boston showed that they didn't give up, are mentally tough, and maybe even Timmay is doing something right... Lots of promise for next year... but thats what Lowell thought coming into this past season

Good point about the comeback against Lowell. We were 2-7 in our previous 9 games before that win at home against Lowell. And while I was as caught up as anyone in the excitement of the moment, we never should have been in that spot in the first place.

My fear, is that next year we will be like Lowell this year. I hope not, and I don't think so. We will lose some games, and we will have slumps. But we must play more consistently.

 

[acs64]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Shemansky needs to hit the weights.

They all do, dont they? Future lies in their handz...they can make of it what they want. Depth will be key as injuries are a part of the game and you gotta deal with it. Our biggest problem as fanz could be elevating them to national champions before they even play a single game.

 

[rufus]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

With the talent coming back Timmay has way more pressure on him for this coming year than last by far.

Not if he's already sitting on an extended contract.

 

[walrus]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Our biggest problem as fanz could be elevating them to national champions before they even play a single game.

They go from 2 games over .500 to a lock playing in St Paul, its a piece of cake, can of corn

 

[acs64]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

They go from 2 games over .500 to a lock playing in St Paul, its a piece of cake, can of corn

can of corn ? must be a verona thing. Expectations must be squelched....3 games over 500 would be an improvement. So long as Timbero is in charge things cant improve much. Letz just hope we can get home ice and maybe make it to Bahstan. Just think what might happen if we had a goolie....(no offense Willy)

 

[GoMaine24]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

They go from 2 games over .500 to a lock playing in St Paul, its a piece of cake, can of corn

Let me ask you this....how many people here HONESTLY saw them cracking the top 20 before the season started? I did, based on the potential I saw in returning that top line, Darling's flashes of good stuff as a rookie, and reading the scouting report of some of the kids coming in.... and I got laughed at. Laughed at and told our win total wouldn't even match the win total of the year before. In other words, this past year was supposed to be WORSE than 2008.

Over the last few years, I was frustrated too, but I kept talking up guys like House, Abbott, Shemansky, O'Neill, etc as players that could really impact the program positively (before they arrived on campus) and I was not only disagreed with, I was told that I only think that because the bar has been lowered.


Now I'm saying they will be a top-10 caliber team next year, and I picture them not only going to the NCAAs, but advancing, because I think they have the recipe blend correct next year...and everyone is looking at me like I have 3 noses. Remind me I said this next Spring, ok?!?!


They started 0-3 (two games with Wilson) and then they faltered for the last 4 weeks of the regular season....ironically *or not* enough, with Wilson/Sirman for a part of that stretch too. Those heals of the bread make the team look fairly pedestrian on paper, and give way to scoffing remarks like "2 games above .500 and I'm insane for thinking this will be an elite team next year".

How did the Tampa Bay Rays look on paper the year before they won the AL?? I'm talking about what I expect the team to be next year based on what I saw this year and realizing their potential...not assuming that just because they had a winning record for the first time in 4 years they're suddenly immaculate.

Between those streaks, in the heart of the season, they went on a 13-4-3 stretch taking out several strong, ranked teams along the way, and even putting a 10 spot up in a game. They're returning 8 players who scored 20+ points last year, and you know guys like Diamond and maybe even Anthoine will add themselves to that mix this year. They're returning 5 D-Men who, combined, have suited up for almost 400 games for Maine, and even though Sirman had a rough rookie outing, we'll have 2 NHL draftee goalies and a guy ranked 2nd for incoming goalies last year all fighting hard to earn that playing time.


How could you NOT expect a great performance out of this team next year?

 

[walrus]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

How could you NOT expect a great performance out of this team next year?

I expect them to improve, great remains to be seen.

The most important player on the ice(unless you're BC) is still up in the air, as of right now Sirman or a recruit who hasn't passed the clearinghouse or signed a NLI is the goalie. How confident can you feel without a proven goalie?

 

[acs64]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

I expect them to improve, great remains to be seen.

The most important player on the ice(unless you're BC) is still up in the air, as of right now Sirman or a recruit who hasn't passed the clearinghouse or signed a NLI is the goalie. How confident can you feel without a proven goalie?

Hey, we made it through the HE quarterfinals, took out BU and gave BC their only run for their money this season while playing without a goalie! Goalies are overrated. Who needs 'em?

 

[GoMaine24]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

I expect them to improve, great remains to be seen.

The most important player on the ice(unless you're BC) is still up in the air, as of right now Sirman or a recruit who hasn't passed the clearinghouse or signed a NLI is the goalie. How confident can you feel without a proven goalie?

I don't know, but I'm pretty sure the NHL already regards Ouellette higher than they ever did Muse or Millan coming in, and their freshmen years worked out OK!

Not persuming...just saying!....with the right team in front of them, as long as someone emerges better than half competent...we're going to be OK! On their playoff run, a seasoned Muse gave up 6 goals against Maine and 7 to Yale and walked away with two big trophies!

 

[walrus]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

, a seasoned Muse gave up 6 goals against Maine and 7 to Yale and walked away with two big trophies!

Thats why I said unless you're BC. I didn't watch the whole nat'l championship game but I don't believe he broke a sweat in that game.

 

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: 2010 Maine offseason: a lazy summer on the Stillwater

Not if he's already sitting on an extended contract.

BINGO!

TIMMAY is safe as long as his good buddy Blake is AD.