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2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

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

Charlie Catamount said:
I'm just hoping now Woodcroft can get a staff together and get to UVM by June if it's safe to do so with a visa so he can enter the states since Trump has paused visas and is talking about more immigration bans. I'm no expert on the subject and I would assume UVM did its homework to make sure Woodcroft had everything in order but it would be really unfortunate if political factors on top of medical and science factors kept him from starting his job in town.
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He may be lucky if his check clears, never mind hiring assistants. Locally here, Union, Siena and RPI have furloughed hundreds of employees. At RPI the furlough order is said to include all hockey staff, except the head coach.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Wicked Slappaahs said:
He may be lucky if his check clears, never mind hiring assistants. Locally here, Union, Siena and RPI have furloughed hundreds of employees. At RPI the furlough order is said to include all hockey staff, except the head coach.
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The local paper here says that right now he is taking a reduced salary that under the current situation he'd make $165,000 a year and when the university returns to normal operations he's bumped to the $275,000 annually that he agreed to in the contract. It will be something to monitor my guess is that Jeff Hill likely stays on for at least another year given what's going on now and he'll need a man on the ground if he's unable to get here.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

BC/HE said:
I believe Canada is exempt from that order.
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The Canadian Border is closed until at least mid-May. That will be his hold up. The greencard order isn't a factor as Woodcroft would be here on a work visa, which weren't part of the Trump order.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Wicked Slappaahs said:
He may be lucky if his check clears, never mind hiring assistants. Locally here, Union, Siena and RPI have furloughed hundreds of employees. At RPI the furlough order is said to include all hockey staff, except the head coach.
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UVM's stance is to remotely work if at all possible. Woodcroft is capable of doing a lot of work from home currently and will not be furloughed. I'm not sure how those colleges work, but UVM has to reimburse Unemployment dollar for dollar, so if they can find something for the person to do its far better to keep them on payroll since they are paying them one way or the other. UI would be cheaper, but the University gains nothing from it.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

A short podcast from UVM talking to Jerry Tarrant who was on the search committee about Woodcroft: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2aiD38yqDODlpib6F3MzvH?si=wQoxt0tTSh6XWGMmyMVkFQ

Gives some interesting insights as Tarrant says Woodcroft is going to have good relationships with advisors/agents for kids who are looking to get their guys to the next level with a pro pedigree which will have them in the conversation with high caliber players. Says also that Woodcroft is bilingual in French and that it was Jeff Hill who was trying to open up doors in Quebec again. Also mentions the international stuff as well. Thinks the biggest learning curve is going to be having less practice time with guys and how to best manage the time they have since in the NHL you have unlimited time and these guys have to go to class but thinks Woodcroft is aware and his development background speaks for itself. It's a good listen about 23 minutes long.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

New interview with Woodcroft using fan questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO5QeqHr0uA

He's impressive and says the right things and good to watch for about 24 mins. TJ Sorrentine even asked a question! Says guys like LeClair and Torrey Mitchell have reached out to him about the program and I think smartly he's said going to always have to mold his team to personnel which obviously to start is going to be needed because there's not a lot there but he mentioned doing everything he can go get something out of the upperclassmen to get them to improve on their time here and get better. Says he wants a possession-based game once he gets more of his own guys through and that it's on him to develop that but also to evolve as a coach to make sure he's better and staying up to date. It feels like the team is in good hands at the moment and it would be nice if things could hit the ground running but just not the reality of the world at the moment. It would be nice if in the short term even all those dreaded one goal losses can get converted into a few more ties and maybe even a couple wins if we get a season with the new systems Woodcroft is going to put in place and give us a nice early glimmer of hope...though I still think there's going to be a lot of lumps early on since this is a total rebuild.
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Charlie Catamount said:
New interview with Woodcroft using fan questions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO5QeqHr0uA

He's impressive and says the right things and good to watch for about 24 mins. TJ Sorrentine even asked a question! Says guys like LeClair and Torrey Mitchell have reached out to him about the program and I think smartly he's said going to always have to mold his team to personnel which obviously to start is going to be needed because there's not a lot there but he mentioned doing everything he can go get something out of the upperclassmen to get them to improve on their time here and get better. Says he wants a possession-based game once he gets more of his own guys through and that it's on him to develop that but also to evolve as a coach to make sure he's better and staying up to date. It feels like the team is in good hands at the moment and it would be nice if things could hit the ground running but just not the reality of the world at the moment. It would be nice if in the short term even all those dreaded one goal losses can get converted into a few more ties and maybe even a couple wins if we get a season with the new systems Woodcroft is going to put in place and give us a nice early glimmer of hope...though I still think there's going to be a lot of lumps early on since this is a total rebuild.
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Yep. Cautiously optimistic about the future, but fans must be patient. This isn't gonna be a one-year turnaround
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Read in the paper about Jim Cross this morning so very sad! this virus is such a terrible thing. RIP Jim Cross!
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Update on the assistant coach search per CHN: https://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2020/05/05_Coaching-Updates-Dartmouth.php

"Woodcroft is still trying to identify his other assistant coach. One name in the mix is Sioux City Musketeers head coach Luke Strand, who played at Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Strand has a wealth of experience, including being an assistant coach in the AHL and working as an NHL scout for the Calgary Flames. For the last three seasons he's run the Musketeers and he also is a former associate head coach at Wisconsin. Along with Strand, Woodcroft has received interest from several current assistant coaches on other staffs.

Other names linked to UVM's assistant search include AIC assistant Stephen Wiedler, Sacred Heart assistant Paul Kirtland, Niagara assistant Matt Nicholson, Bemidji State assistant and Penn State alum Eddie Olczyk, and former Lincoln Stars coach Cody Chupp.

It's not know how far UVM is along in the process and when the staff could be completed."


Also, in regards to the LIU announcement. He wrote this: "One source said that LIU is reaching out to, "a former D-I assistant who just started a D-III program." The only coach that fits that description is Kyle Wallack."
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Wonder if there is a hiring freeze at UVM or stuff is taking a long time to find the other assistant coaching spot because you really have to hope things are fully in place by June. Season or no season next year have to have a full coaching staff here to make sure it can start getting the building blocks down and get the program on the right track. Looks like another commitment for 2 years away bailed but I am not surprised I imagine many of them will be. Woodcroft and his staff need to bring in their guys for their vision and more importantly players should want to be playing for UVM so if they don't feel like its a good fit anymore that's fine: https://www.neutralzone.net/mens/2020/05/18/ncaa-recruiting-news-at-bu-aic-vermont-and-uconn/
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Charlie Catamount said:
Wonder if there is a hiring freeze at UVM or stuff is taking a long time to find the other assistant coaching spot because you really have to hope things are fully in place by June. Season or no season next year have to have a full coaching staff here to make sure it can start getting the building blocks down and get the program on the right track. Looks like another commitment for 2 years away bailed but I am not surprised I imagine many of them will be. Woodcroft and his staff need to bring in their guys for their vision and more importantly players should want to be playing for UVM so if they don't feel like its a good fit anymore that's fine: https://www.neutralzone.net/mens/2020/05/18/ncaa-recruiting-news-at-bu-aic-vermont-and-uconn/
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hiring freeze
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Between Covid-19, the very real possibility that the upcoming season will be canceled or shortened, and what's happening in this country with police brutality, George Floyd, systemic racism, etc., my interest in college hockey has waned. I'm sure it'll come back at some point....
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Catamount93 said:
Wonder if we are trying to grab anyone from UAH?
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alabama-Huntsville has now lost 5 players to transfer - and its top recruit, William Zapernick, has decided to go to Vermont instead.</p>— College Hockey News (@chnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/chnews/status/1268518440639365120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Re: 2020 UVM offseason: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

turk181 said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alabama-Huntsville has now lost 5 players to transfer - and its top recruit, William Zapernick, has decided to go to Vermont instead.</p>— College Hockey News (@chnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/chnews/status/1268518440639365120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Yeah baby! My interest is rising! :D
 
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