2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I think you might be reading too much into the RPI hire. Smith has done a great job and certainly had the team rolling before the shutdown this season. That said, the RPI search was handled by an AD who knows nothing about hockey, who then went out and hired a search firm that had never performed a D1 hockey search... All accounts were the search committee failed to seek out or listen to any prominent hockey alum input. That said , all indications were the decision came down to a coin flip between Barr and Smith. Benny is a top D1 recruiter and coach who has excelled at every stop he's made. You never really know if an AC can lead a program until they are given a shot, but Benny has been paying his dues

+1. Another RPI fan here. I agree that you shouldn't read the RPI hire of Dave Smith as a red flag against Barr. There is a lot of scuttlebutt floating around about what happened and why, but remember that RPI just had a terrible season that few coaches would survive and had just fired Seth Appert who was the functional equivalent of Ben Barr when he was hired (an assistant with no HC experience and a reputation as a good recruiter). In other words. I think RPI may simply have been in a place where the scales would have already been tipped significantly towards someone with Dave Smith's profile.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Based on rumblings I've heard, the search has turned into a bit of a fiasco. Would put good $ on it being Keefe or Grillo at this point

I’ll take Keefe. He’d be my choice at this point. I think they need to make a decision. Let’s wrap this up and move on.

 

[Dallas98]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I’ll take Keefe. He’d be my choice at this point. I think they need to make a decision. Let’s wrap this up and move on.

I'd take O'Keefe, too. As a close follower of the Brown program for 20 years now, and a sentimental UVM fan, it pains me to think of Grillo at the helm. Yes, the Brown position can be a tough row to hoe, but I'm not sure what about 11-44 (Grillo's record the last 2 years at Brown), or 2 winning seasons out of 12 (and both barely at 16-14) the search committee wouldn't get, also look at his record without the 3 years Yann Danis was the starter in goal - the .387 winning percentage drops to .339. All that to say is a large part of the modest success and excitement in the program under Grillo was due to Danis, and any shred of that excitement was long gone years before Grillo's departure. I'd hate to see that stagnation set in in Burlington, and I'm not sure that 10+ years out of coaching in the meantime gives me any hope that round 2 would be very different.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I'd take O'Keefe, too. As a close follower of the Brown program for 20 years now, and a sentimental UVM fan, it pains me to think of Grillo at the helm. Yes, the Brown position can be a tough row to hoe, but I'm not sure what about 11-44 (Grillo's record the last 2 years at Brown), or 2 winning seasons out of 12 (and both barely at 16-14) the search committee wouldn't get, also look at his record without the 3 years Yann Danis was the starter in goal - the .387 winning percentage drops to .339. All that to say is a large part of the modest success and excitement in the program under Grillo was due to Danis, and any shred of that excitement was long gone years before Grillo's departure. I'd hate to see that stagnation set in in Burlington, and I'm not sure that 10+ years out of coaching in the meantime gives me any hope that round 2 would be very different.

I really don't get it either. He's got previous connections to UVM, so I guess that makes a difference for Schulman (the AD). Apparently he's also the choice of Marty St. Louis, and he'd come as a package deal with Eric Perrin as assistant coach, arguably the best player ever in program history (along with MSL himself of course, and based on college numbers alone).

 

[PuckVoice]

I really don't get it either. He's got previous connections to UVM, so I guess that makes a difference for Schulman (the AD). Apparently he's also the choice of Marty St. Louis, and he'd come as a package deal with Eric Perrin as assistant coach, arguably the best player ever in program history (along with MSL himself of course, and based on college numbers alone).

L
Roger coached the offense back in the day at UVM and set up the PP ... St.Louis and Perrin loved him and gave him a lot of credit for their success. Not surprised Marty is pushing him ... but find it interesting that his son is committed to Northeastern and it was Keefe who recruited him.
Would young St.Louis de-commit and switch to UVM if either of them get the job?

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

L
Roger coached the offense back in the day at UVM and set up the PP ... St.Louis and Perrin loved him and gave him a lot of credit for their success. Not surprised Marty is pushing him ... but find it interesting that his son is committed to Northeastern and it was Keefe who recruited him.
Would young St.Louis de-commit and switch to UVM if either of them get the job?

Very interesting question. I think there's a good chance he would. I don't know much about the relationship (if any) between MSL and Sneddon, but it didn't seem to be a particularly warm one. Would love to have young Ryan on board, of course!!!

 

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

+1. Another RPI fan here. I agree that you shouldn't read the RPI hire of Dave Smith as a red flag against Barr. There is a lot of scuttlebutt floating around about what happened and why, but remember that RPI just had a terrible season that few coaches would survive and had just fired Seth Appert who was the functional equivalent of Ben Barr when he was hired (an assistant with no HC experience and a reputation as a good recruiter). In other words. I think RPI may simply have been in a place where the scales would have already been tipped significantly towards someone with Dave Smith's profile.

That's fair but I would say in my opinion that even thought UVM needs a significant talent upgrade hiring a coach who has that as his number one priority might not work because it's similar to RPI because UVM really needs someone who can get the right talent for here and develop and coach them to be constantly punching above their weight and also not bottoming out so bad if a good class comes through in a four year cycle. I honestly don't know if Barr can do that or not that is for the committee to decide but I generally consider myself wary of the "big recruiter" types. If he get's the job okay I hope he gets it rolling and proves me wrong.

Given what people have said here with Keefe and Grillo still being in the hunt and their connections to St. Louis feels like maybe he has a sway over the committee? I definitely prefer Keefe because he's been in college coaching and has been through a complete rebuild of a team that outside like one year where that team with Brad Theissen as goalie did really well they completely stunk and if it's to be believed the level of impact Keefe has had along with Madigan to help them build to 3 NCAAs and 3 Beanpots after being completely irrelveant at the start of the 2010s I want some of that. If it's Grillo and Perrin I really hope they're bringing in someone in the other spot who could be the Jerry Keefe role for that coaching staff to bring UVM back because the nostalgia will wear off if the wins don't start coming.

Also for Martin's kid if he wants to come that's great but I also would understand the pressure if he didn't want to be here either. I definitely got the sense too that St. Louis had a frosty relationship with Sneddon and even if it was his son's choice to go where he wanted to go to school I do think Marty knew Sneddon toward the end really wasn't going to be the best fit from a developmental sense. I read an article on the Arizona State kid who just signed with the Sharks who initially committed to UVM and decided against it and had a great career down there. Seems that was a pattern toward the end and whether or not it was some cutthroat recruiting the fact that lots of talented kids jumped ship after the results got bad says a lot. The next coach really needs to do a lot to repair some bridges that I think might have been burned or just to get UVM back in the conversation with new blood.

 

[Catfantoo]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

That's fair but I would say in my opinion that even thought UVM needs a significant talent upgrade hiring a coach who has that as his number one priority might not work because it's similar to RPI because UVM really needs someone who can get the right talent for here and develop and coach them to be constantly punching above their weight and also not bottoming out so bad if a good class comes through in a four year cycle. I honestly don't know if Barr can do that or not that is for the committee to decide but I generally consider myself wary of the "big recruiter" types. If he get's the job okay I hope he gets it rolling and proves me wrong.

Given what people have said here with Keefe and Grillo still being in the hunt and their connections to St. Louis feels like maybe he has a sway over the committee? I definitely prefer Keefe because he's been in college coaching and has been through a complete rebuild of a team that outside like one year where that team with Brad Theissen as goalie did really well they completely stunk and if it's to be believed the level of impact Keefe has had along with Madigan to help them build to 3 NCAAs and 3 Beanpots after being completely irrelveant at the start of the 2010s I want some of that. If it's Grillo and Perrin I really hope they're bringing in someone in the other spot who could be the Jerry Keefe role for that coaching staff to bring UVM back because the nostalgia will wear off if the wins don't start coming.

Also for Martin's kid if he wants to come that's great but I also would understand the pressure if he didn't want to be here either. I definitely got the sense too that St. Louis had a frosty relationship with Sneddon and even if it was his son's choice to go where he wanted to go to school I do think Marty knew Sneddon toward the end really wasn't going to be the best fit from a developmental sense. I read an article on the Arizona State kid who just signed with the Sharks who initially committed to UVM and decided against it and had a great career down there. Seems that was a pattern toward the end and whether or not it was some cutthroat recruiting the fact that lots of talented kids jumped ship after the results got bad says a lot. The next coach really needs to do a lot to repair some bridges that I think might have been burned or just to get UVM back in the conversation with new blood.

Nice to see so many posts and interest in what is going on with the coaching search. I enjoy reading everyone's input and comments. I have a couple comments:

While Roger has the nostalgia link and was a heck of a recruiter in his day, he had his chance. When the last search for the position was open he was in the mix right up to the end. My understanding is that Kevin S. blew the search committee away with a very detailed blue-print for moving the program forward and was the reason that Roger was not given the head coaching position. I like Roger alot from interactions 20 years ago but he's not the right person for where the program is at right now in my opinion.

I like the younger guys - Barr, Keefe, and Brown. This program needs some; new blood, young aggressive recruiter who can work extremely hard and get some of the players we need to come to UVM. I'm not worried if one of these guys uses the position as a stepping stone. If they are successful and get the program moving in the right direction with some level of success and they have opportunity to move on in 4-7 years - then good for them and good for UVM hockey program. In fact I hope one of these guys has a good staff that they all share in the success and the next head coach should be grooming his replacement.

In terms of Keefe and Ryan SL. (A) - should not hire Keefe solely because of this connection, (B) - my information is that RSL isn't in the same player as our only retired uniform player that hangs in the rafters. Expectations would be unrealistic and my understanding Ryan wants to play elsewhere not just because of the Keefe connection.

Lets get this done.....

 

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Nice to see so many posts and interest in what is going on with the coaching search. I enjoy reading everyone's input and comments. I have a couple comments:

While Roger has the nostalgia link and was a heck of a recruiter in his day, he had his chance. When the last search for the position was open he was in the mix right up to the end. My understanding is that Kevin S. blew the search committee away with a very detailed blue-print for moving the program forward and was the reason that Roger was not given the head coaching position. I like Roger alot from interactions 20 years ago but he's not the right person for where the program is at right now in my opinion.

I like the younger guys - Barr, Keefe, and Brown. This program needs some; new blood, young aggressive recruiter who can work extremely hard and get some of the players we need to come to UVM. I'm not worried if one of these guys uses the position as a stepping stone. If they are successful and get the program moving in the right direction with some level of success and they have opportunity to move on in 4-7 years - then good for them and good for UVM hockey program. In fact I hope one of these guys has a good staff that they all share in the success and the next head coach should be grooming his replacement.

In terms of Keefe and Ryan SL. (A) - should not hire Keefe solely because of this connection, (B) - my information is that RSL isn't in the same player as our only retired uniform player that hangs in the rafters. Expectations would be unrealistic and my understanding Ryan wants to play elsewhere not just because of the Keefe connection.

Lets get this done.....

Sneddon blew them away with a blueprint that blueprint must have had a 2010 exparation date!!
They better get this right whoever it is but already hearing that people like Lang and Rolston are out is not a good sign but if what reporters say it is down to the Barr and Keefe how is it that UVM has not made its mind up if other people were told at start of this week that they are out how do then you not have your mind made up?? If there is no annoucement early next week I beleve this search is in major trouble!! Schulman has had since Febrary!

 

[DavidNardolillo]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

If there is no annoucement early next week I beleve this search is in major trouble!! Schulman has had since Febrary!

I have no inside information, and you may be correct there is an issue, but given the additional financial variables and fiscal uncertainties this pandemic has brought to colleges and universities, I would not be surprised if an athletic hiring decision does not move as quickly as it otherwise would. Candidates often talk program budget before accepting an offer, and I could see where a school may have a hard time committing to things at the moment given what is going on; program budgets may need to be revisited university-wide. That delay doesn't help a program get back on its feet, but that is just an unfortunate reality of the current situation.

 

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

My guess on the search taking so long is a little bit of both. I have nothing to go on either but it's been mentioned here and given the way the college hockey media has said it was one final three and now it's another and the St. Louis talk I think there has to have been something strange going on. Also pretty well aware that the coronavirus has probably slowed things down and that's been mentioned but I'd agree if nothing is in place by next week I'd start getting worried.

Also the All-American teams came out and former Cat Mike Lee and Harvard freshman Nick Abruzzese along with the former Rice prep goalie Frank Marotte from Clarkson were all named to the second team. https://ahcahockey.com/news/1920/0411d1aa.php

And the name of the Arizona State kid who said he was committed to UVM until switching was Brinson Pasichnuk and scored 107 points as a defenseman in college and got to go to NCAAs...given what we saw from Lee exploding into a good player at Sacred Heart the kid made the right choice and now the new coach needs to not only keep those kids in but make them into the players they became at their other schools.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I have no inside information, and you may be correct there is an issue, but given the additional financial variables and fiscal uncertainties this pandemic has brought to colleges and universities, I would not be surprised if an athletic hiring decision does not move as quickly as it otherwise would. Candidates often talk program budget before accepting an offer, and I could see where a school may have a hard time committing to things at the moment given what is going on; program budgets may need to be revisited university-wide. That delay doesn't help a program get back on its feet, but that is just an unfortunate reality of the current situation.

Higher Ed is one of the many "industries" that has been thrown into chaos. There is NO doubt the pandemic will severely impact on-campus enrollments and a school's bottom line. This will especially impact northeastern schools that had already been suffering enrollment declines. And those current students who are now distance learners will not be willing to pay the same tuition as on campus students...leading to further financial distress. You won't find a college administrator who will stand up today and say "Yes, we will have students on campus this fall." That is certainly the hope, but there simply are too many variables today to say for sure.

 

[pokecheckguy2]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

My guess on the search taking so long is a little bit of both. I have nothing to go on either but it's been mentioned here and given the way the college hockey media has said it was one final three and now it's another and the St. Louis talk I think there has to have been something strange going on. Also pretty well aware that the coronavirus has probably slowed things down and that's been mentioned but I'd agree if nothing is in place by next week I'd start getting worried.

Also the All-American teams came out and former Cat Mike Lee and Harvard freshman Nick Abruzzese along with the former Rice prep goalie Frank Marotte from Clarkson were all named to the second team. https://ahcahockey.com/news/1920/0411d1aa.php

And the name of the Arizona State kid who said he was committed to UVM until switching was Brinson Pasichnuk and scored 107 points as a defenseman in college and got to go to NCAAs...given what we saw from Lee exploding into a good player at Sacred Heart the kid made the right choice and now the new coach needs to not only keep those kids in but make them into the players they became at their other schools.

you could make a starting linup of skaters of ex UVM recruit or transfers or departures that would be pretty good!
Mike Lee-Bronson Pashinuk
Nick Abruzzsese-Ross Colton-Orca Weisblatts


Still on the new coach watch,,is Schulman a April Fool? get this done!!

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

you could make a starting linup of skaters of ex UVM recruit or transfers or departures that would be pretty good!
Mike Lee-Bronson Pashinuk
Nick Abruzzsese-Ross Colton-Orca Weisblatts


Still on the new coach watch,,is Schulman a April Fool? get this done!!

You can add John Deroche to the list: http://northeasternhockeyblog.com/g...heastern-vermont-catamounts-huskies-uvm-ncdc/

Okay, this search is becoming a cluster F. Get the new coach in so you can prevent stuff like this from happening!

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

This is becoming really discouraging! Is Sneddon in charge of this search?

 

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

You can add John Deroche to the list: https://northeasternhockeyblog.com/...heastern-vermont-catamounts-huskies-uvm-ncdc/

Okay, this search is becoming a cluster F. Get the new coach in so you can prevent stuff like this from happening!

I mean I can't be too upset kids wanting to leave and with DeRoche he only managed 14 points in 2 years so unless he does become like Mike Lee and just blow up at Northeastern I'm not going to sweat it since whenever there is a coaching change in any sport kids take off. The key for the new staff is going to be to basically try and keep anyone who might actually be important from transferring and that's only a handful of guys and then if there are any talented recruits out there try and retain them while probably go hunting for a grad transfer or maybe there's a hidden gem late signee out there.

This is a bad team and maybe new coaching can help some of these guys get better but really outside like Lucas, Esposito, Cowans, Bouqout, Evers, Lemay, and probably Misley and Vlad I hate to say it but the rest of the roster besides them they aren't going to be up to par and weren't to begin with...they'll likely stay because UVM is going to need to fill out the roster but we all know no matter what next year is likely more of the same of what we saw this year because the bottoming out is complete and it is a long road back to being respectable.

Maybe Deroche is part of the trade to get Keefe that's what we can hope!

 

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

you could make a starting linup of skaters of ex UVM recruit or transfers or departures that would be pretty good!
Mike Lee-Bronson Pashinuk
Nick Abruzzsese-Ross Colton-Orca Weisblatts


Still on the new coach watch,,is Schulman a April Fool? get this done!!

I forgot about that Orca kid...and his brother Ocean and 2 others with really weird names. Weren't they all supposed to come here and then when the Orca kid went WHL they dropped them? In that CNH article Sneddon kind of in typical Sneddon fashion kind of alludes to the fact that he lost some talent and stops short at least in my reading of it of basically saying that other schools were dishonorable in getting a few of those kids to jump. It's a tough game out there but at the same time those kids might not jump or might show up on campus if they had a chance of developing into better players and not being stunted or playing on a bad team. I've said it before but I really just hope whoever is hired doesn't wallow on what they don't have or can't do with the job and just tries to outwork everyone to show you can come here and succeed as a player and just finding guys and turning them into something good where other teams might not see it.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I mean I can't be too upset kids wanting to leave and with DeRoche he only managed 14 points in 2 years so unless he does become like Mike Lee and just blow up at Northeastern I'm not going to sweat it since whenever there is a coaching change in any sport kids take off.

I see your point, but on the other hand he isn't going to Sacred Heart or Holy Cross, he's going to a program that's been running laps around us in recent years. Despite the relatively low numbers, on a team full of players with low numbers (so you can't read too much into that), NU obviously sees something in him. UVM needs every half-decent player they have.

 

[Charlie Catamount]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

A note from Schulman: https://uvmathletics.com/news/2020/4/13/general-a-letter-to-catamount-fans-from-jeff-schulman.aspx

Basically says the search for a new coach is "nearing completion" which you have to hope is by the end of the week. Also not a surprise but it looks like the renovations to Gutterson and the new basketball gym are going to be pushed back and probably scaled down because the crisis.

 

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I have a feeling it's going to be Grillo and Eric Perrin. That decision would be soooooo UVM. I think anyone's an improvement over Sneddon, but I sure hope we don't spend the next 12-15 years figuring out Grillo's not the guy.