Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

[dwollstadt]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Just saw the video of Nyquist's interview after scoring the gamewinner Thursday night. Huge shiner on his left eye.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Does anyone out here in USCHO forum land know any candidates definitely on the list other than Cork? Not speculation, hard info. Curious to know if anyone has it.

Nope. The committee has either been really good at its job and kept things under wraps or they aren't bothering to look at anyone else.

 

[amherstblackbear]

Hmmmmmm. NYI 4 Pens 3. Lol.

BU 6 Maine 5?

We'll see

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

My question is what is the big deal in not letting the public know who is interested and who has actually applied for the UMaine Hockey Coaching position...I mean what gives..? There's one thing in keeping it close to the vest,but by now all the other job openings will be filled...except for UAA...UConn could be by Tuesday(Gwozdecky).

 

[walrus]

My question is what is the big deal in not letting the public know who is interested and who has actually applied for the UMaine Hockey Coaching position...I mean what gives..? There's one thing in keeping it close to the vest,but by now all the other job openings will be filled...except for UAA...UConn could be by Tuesday(Gwozdecky).

They generally announce who they interview not all the applicants

 

[Runsub5]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Based on recent hiring practices, the committee may announce the top 3-4 applicants who will be brought to campus for tours and interviews. This may happen within the next week to 10 days. The public will never know the names of all applicants. Doesn't necessarily mean this committee will follow this format, though.

 

[sandiegoblkbr]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

So Maine gets Vermont, UMass, and AIC ..........UNH gets Michigan and UNO.

October
11-Icebreaker vs Clarkson (at Minnesota)
12-Icebreaker vs. Mercyhurst or Minnesota (at Minnesota)
18-Michigan
19-Michigan
26-@RPI

November
1-@UML
2-UML
8-UMass
9-@UMass
12-Brown
15-@Northeastern
16-Northeastern
22-@Providence
23-@Providence
26-Harvard
29-@Colorado College
30-@Colorado College

December
6-@Boston College
7-Boston College
28-vs Cornell (Florida Tournament)
29-vs Princeton/Maine (Florida Tournament)

January
3-Nebraska Omaha
4-Nebraska Omaha
11-Dartmouth (Verizon wireless arena)
17-Union
18-Union
24-Maine
26-@Maine
31-Notre Dame

February
1-Notre Dame
7-Vermont
8-Vermont
14-Boston University
15-@Boston University
28-@Merrimack

March
1-@Merrimack

 

[Drew S.]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

So Maine gets Vermont, UMass, and AIC ..........UNH gets Michigan and UNO.

October
11-Icebreaker vs Clarkson (at Minnesota)
12-Icebreaker vs. Mercyhurst or Minnesota (at Minnesota)
18-Michigan
19-Michigan
26-@RPI

November
1-@UML
2-UML
8-UMass
9-@UMass
12-Brown
15-@Northeastern
16-Northeastern
22-@Providence
23-@Providence
26-Harvard
29-@Colorado College
30-@Colorado College

December
6-@Boston College
7-Boston College
28-vs Cornell (Florida Tournament)
29-vs Princeton/Maine (Florida Tournament)

January
3-Nebraska Omaha
4-Nebraska Omaha
11-Dartmouth (Verizon wireless arena)
17-Union
18-Union
24-Maine
26-@Maine
31-Notre Dame

February
1-Notre Dame
7-Vermont
8-Vermont
14-Boston University
15-@Boston University
28-@Merrimack

March
1-@Merrimack

Why aren't Maine, UNH, BC, and BU playing each other out of conference? It makes no sense to me at all.

 

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Why aren't Maine, UNH, BC, and BU playing each other out of conference? It makes no sense to me at all.

Because they what PWR points and Maine of late does not fit that build,thats why Maine is playing UMass/Vermont 4 times...when Maine can get back up with the big boys then maybe they will get games that will be meaningful in the long run. Losing and bad programs don't get the Elite Teams to play,let alone to come to Alfond Arena.

 

[Drew S.]

Because they what PWR points and Maine of late does not fit that build,thats why Maine is playing UMass/Vermont 4 times...when Maine can get back up with the big boys then maybe they will get games that will be meaningful in the long run. Losing and bad programs don't get the Elite Teams to play,let alone to come to Alfond Arena.

UNH isn't playing any of the other teams either. Do you really think UNH or BU have been much better than Maine the last three or four years? I don't see it.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Because they what PWR points and Maine of late does not fit that build,thats why Maine is playing UMass/Vermont 4 times...when Maine can get back up with the big boys then maybe they will get games that will be meaningful in the long run. Losing and bad programs don't get the Elite Teams to play,let alone to come to Alfond Arena.

Not entirely true. The schedule was set that way because the travel budget is shot to hell. Also because other state schools (namely UVM and UMA) had lots of openings because of the increase in non-conference games from 7 to 14. Lowell is also playing non-conference games against UMA and Northeastern. Merrimack is playing an NC game against Providence and has filled its schedule with UConn, Dartmouth and Bentley. Even UHN is playing RPI, Brown and Harvard. Just another reason the league will regret inviting Notre Dame and UConn to the conference.

From a pairwise perspective, the big teams would want to play Maine because - in theory - one or two easy wins would be worth RPI points and in the event that Maine somehow sneaks into TUC status another couple of wins in the TUC category. However, Maine has a pesky habit of winning a few of those games (see: Lowell, Boston College) which would be devastating to a team's RPI. The risk of playing and losing to Maine is greater than the potential gains. If Maine were an automatic win like UAH or Holy Cross they would be more likely to play the Big Boys.

I also find it amusing that SDBB is the one complaining about teams coming to Alfond. Maine could line up Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota for a round robin tournament and he still wouldn't come to Orono, so why does he care?

BTW, despite Maine's lackluster schedule, I believe the Black Bears will play more games against 2013 NCAA tournament teams than anyone else. We'll see when all the schedules are finalized.

 

[Drew S.]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Not entirely true. The schedule was set that way because the travel budget is shot to hell. Also because other state schools (namely UVM and UMA) had lots of openings because of the increase in non-conference games from 7 to 14. Lowell is also playing non-conference games against UMA and Northeastern. Merrimack is playing an NC game against Providence and has filled its schedule with UConn, Dartmouth and Bentley. Even UHN is playing RPI, Brown and Harvard. Just another reason the league will regret inviting Notre Dame and UConn to the conference.

From a pairwise perspective, the big teams would want to play Maine because - in theory - one or two easy wins would be worth RPI points and in the event that Maine somehow sneaks into TUC status another couple of wins in the TUC category. However, Maine has a pesky habit of winning a few of those games (see: Lowell, Boston College) which would be devastating to a team's RPI. The risk of playing and losing to Maine is greater than the potential gains. If Maine were an automatic win like UAH or Holy Cross they would be more likely to play the Big Boys.

I also find it amusing that SDBB is the one complaining about teams coming to Alfond. Maine could line up Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota for a round robin tournament and he still wouldn't come to Orono, so why does he care?

BTW, despite Maine's lackluster schedule, I believe the Black Bears will play more games against 2013 NCAA tournament teams than anyone else. We'll see when all the schedules are finalized.

Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but playing teams like UMN, UMI, BC, BU, or North Dakota is a lot more exciting for me than flavor of the week teams like Yale, Quinnipiac, or Umass Lowell. It would be nice to see Maine schedule at least two games against a team against Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or North Dakota as well as two against an Ohio State or UNO type team. With so many OOC games they should be playing BC, BU, and UNH at least one more time each too.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Maybe I'm too old fashioned, but playing teams like UMN, UMI, BC, BU, or North Dakota is a lot more exciting for me than flavor of the week teams like Yale, Quinnipiac, or Umass Lowell. It would be nice to see Maine schedule at least two games against a team against Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, or North Dakota as well as two against an Ohio State or UNO type team. With so many OOC games they should be playing BC, BU, and UNH at least one more time each too.

Michigan has never come to Alfond. Minnesota last came in 2000. Wisconsin in 1989. North Dakota, Michigan State and Denver have been the high-profile opponents in recent years. As I said, the budget this year is shot to hell, hence the games with AIC. The BU game at Fenway might be non-conference (the schedule thread lists it as OOC) and every other team in Hockey East except UHN is playing OOC games vs conference foes (and UHN may play an OOC game vs Maine in Florida). After this season the schedule should return to "normal" as college hockey adjusts to the conference realignment and Maine's budget gets fixed by an AD who knows what s/he's doing. However, I would speculate that OOC games against other state schools in Hockey East are likely to become the new normal.

 

[gscott13]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

Michigan has never come to Alfond. Minnesota last came in 2000. Wisconsin in 1989. North Dakota, Michigan State and Denver have been the high-profile opponents in recent years. As I said, the budget this year is shot to hell, hence the games with AIC. The BU game at Fenway might be non-conference (the schedule thread lists it as OOC) and every other team in Hockey East except UHN is playing OOC games vs conference foes (and UHN may play an OOC game vs Maine in Florida). After this season the schedule should return to "normal" as college hockey adjusts to the conference realignment and Maine's budget gets fixed by an AD who knows what s/he's doing. However, I would speculate that OOC games against other state schools in Hockey East are likely to become the new normal.

they (teams like Michigan) just don't play tough road games... this is just a look at the B1G teams last season... Michigan is notorious for not leaving the friendly confines of Yost

Minnesota - 7 home, 2 road (@ Vermont who finished 7th in HE)
Wisconsin - 8 home, 0 road
Michigan – 4 home, 0 road, 2 neutral (in Detroit at the Great Lakes Invitational which might as well be two home games)
Michigan State – 4 home, 2 road, 2 neutral (also at the GLI)
Ohio State – 1 home, 5 away, 2 neutral

 

[dover4345]

Nope. The committee has either been really good at its job and kept things under wraps or they aren't bothering to look at anyone else.

I have it on good word that Jim Tortorella is a front runner for the job and will be named a finalist. Can't really argue with his résumé. Colby's all time wins leader with a fantastic record, is in the D1 game right now with unh--so he knows the player pool, is in charge of the New England district and is a fixture within USA hockey, and finally he is a Maine alum. His resume and track record is certainly better than corkum.

 

[walrus]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I have it on good word that Jim Tortorella is a front runner for the job and will be named a finalist. Can't really argue with his résumé. Colby's all time wins leader with a fantastic record, is in the D1 game right now with unh--so he knows the player pool, is in charge of the New England district and is a fixture within USA hockey, and finally he is a Maine alum. His resume and track record is certainly better than corkum.

That would be an interesting pick.

 

[WildShawn]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

UNH isn't playing any of the other teams either. Do you really think UNH or BU have been much better than Maine the last three or four years? I don't see it.

The disparity really isn't as great as I thought it might have been
Last 4 years:
BU: Overall: 81-60-14 (avg 20.25-15-3.5) avg hockey east finish: 2.75, 0 regular season championships, 0 league tourney tittles, 1 NCAA appearance (0-1)
UNH: 75-56-23 (18.75-14-5.75) avg finish: 3rd, 1 regular season title, 0 league tourney titles, 3 NCAA appearances (3-3)
Maine: 70-62-21 (17.5-15.5-5.25) avg finish: 5th, 0 regular season, 0 tourney, 1 NCAA appearance (0-1)

UNH has played 4 more NCAA games than BU and Maine combined but otherwise, there's not all that much difference. I think they've played a better non-conference schedule annually and have had a better PWR, but the overall records aren't that different

 

[Priceless]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

the disparity really isn't as great as i thought it might have been
last 4 years:
Bu: Overall: 81-60-14 (avg 20.25-15-3.5) avg hockey east finish: 2.75, 0 regular season championships, 0 league tourney tittles, 1 ncaa appearance (0-1)
unh: 75-56-23 (18.75-14-5.75) avg finish: 3rd, 1 regular season title, 0 league tourney titles, 3 ncaa appearances (3-3)
maine: 70-62-21 (17.5-15.5-5.25) avg finish: 5th, 0 regular season, 0 tourney, 1 ncaa appearance (0-1)

unh has played 4 more ncaa games than bu and maine combined but otherwise, there's not all that much difference. I think they've played a better non-conference schedule annually and have had a better pwr, but the overall records aren't that different

BU Win%: .568
UHN Win%: .562
UM Win%: .526

 

[WildShawn]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

And just to make everyone feel inferior, god's gift to hockey, in the last 4 years, is:
114-40-9 (.727), avg: 28.5-10-2.25, avg finish 1.5 place, 2 regular season titles, 3 league titles, 4 NCAA appearances, 8-2 record and 2 NCAA championships....

not really sure a 'big four' exists by any stretch anymore...

 

[BassAle]

Re: Maine Hockey Thread II: The Search for Spock

I am not so sure Corkum has to take much blame...

It doesn't matter if it is deserved or not. He is guilty by association. He was standing right next to Timmay for the worst stretch of Maine hockey in decades. I think it would be pretty hard for the committee to overlook that.