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The NCAA only allows three full-time coaches including the Head Coach. A fourth must be a so-called volunteer.
Program after that was never the same and truthfully we may never see the Program at the top or near it like the Walsh era...but I don't see why "someone" can't come in and make it a whole lot better then it has been in the last 10 years...still think a young assistant with some moxie can make a go of it @ Maine...at least I hope so...but for now the future is not in good hands...as you said in another post, Merrmack/UML/Providence have been jump started and it did not take 4,5 years to do so...another PLUS for those Programs is they have HOCKEY PEOPLE in charge now...know the in's and out's...Coaching/Recruiting are the name of the game...and for the last 10 years Maine has fallen off the map in that Department.
Don't forget that Whitehead also has Shawn's boys for 7 years or so if you count committed recruits. Yes Standbrook was a huge asset esp when it came to goaltending. The true freefall was when all of Walshys boys graduated or left for the pros.Don't necessarily disagree ... but Standbrook propped up Whitehead for almost a decade's worth of very competitive hockey, including two more trips to the FF Finals.
As recently discussed in the "HE What If ... " thread, it's amazing to think where UMaine was when Walshy started, and where he took the program afterwards. Maybe even more amazing in the aftermath, if the present condition of the UMaine program is in any way to be considered "water finding its own level". The one constant pretty much through all the successful times was Standbrook though, and Red's perception as being a 'happy passenger" when assisting Walshy becomes more and more apparent with every passing season.
I've seen them live 5 times and on TV. I think there could be some talent there but not 1st line talent. As far as who I'd hire...can't answer that at this point. When Red was hired I liked it because of the direct link to Shawn, he's a great hockey mind and I believed that he could work some walshy magic. I think the next hire, like I said before has to be a young asst from somewhere that is super motivated, has new ideas and innovations, can connect with recruits and players better and has no connection to Maine's past. I really think it's time to wipe the slate clean. This program is at a point where it can go one of 2 ways. It can't afford 2 or 3 more years of 6 to 10 win seasons. Nobody will come play at Maine. The program will fall into an abyss it can't climb out of. There are already too many negatives it has to overcome ie: location, $$, facilities etc. Past success has made those a non factor until the last few years. It's at a point where a new vision has to take hold or R.I.P Maine hockey.
Add "And they had to play by the rules" to get an exact answer.....no more swimmers on the team
