Exactly right.
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Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves
- Thread starter AMC
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Exactly right.
BlackBearFan19
Active member
Should we really we really have expected anything different? Maybe I did because I'm a couple of pints deep but the writing was on the wall all weekend.
I gave Red the benefit of the doubt because of how good they were last season but the time has come to move on. The freshmen class is decent but Red's inability to develop players has been very evident. Listening to the UConn commentators talk about the development of Johnny Evans really made me ask myself "what player has genuinely taken their game to the next level under Red?" Sure players have gotten better but I just think it's due to them logging more minutes.
Red still has no new contract and it's time that Maine takes the program in a new direction. The Alfond's have just pumped a bunch of money into the athletic department and university and I think this job is still very attractive. Maine needs to model themselves off of the direction of UMass and UMass Lowell, they hired coaches who were hungry.
Kevin Swallow is an interesting candidate for me, he's done a really good job as UNE and has ties to the US development program. Maybe Maine interviews him in the next coaching search?
umhockey91
Well-known member
Enough is enough. This program has become a joke.
They just split on the road with what was a top four team in the league coming into the weekend. They weren’t far away from getting something from each game too.
I’m on board with a new coach, but if Maine is going to do it they need to do it right. They need to spend at least $300k a year more on the new regime and probably need another $200k a year towards the operating budget. If the school isn’t willing to do that then don’t bother.
It was a joke process last time around and the group of finalists reflected that. Hopefully Maine has learned from that and to be fair the new AD seems to have his act together and isn’t some political flunky.
At this point, I'd be stunned if Red was behind the bench again next season. We're closing in on the end of the season, and are ~4 months from his official contract expiry date, and there's been no announcement of an extension. The signs point to him being gone. And while I agree with Drew in principle, it might be worth moving on even if they dont spend much more than they currently are.
I think it would be a huge mistake. If you look at Hockey East right now pretty much every team has its act together with the exception of UNH. It would be easy to see Maine go from middle of the pack where they have been the last few years to propping up the table. We all want to see Maine back where it was in the glory days but I’ll take fifth over 11th. College is a lot different than the NHL.
umhockey91
Well-known member
I agree that they need to spend more money. HC needs to get at least $250K....plus decent money for assistants.
NorthMike
Well-known member
Keep in mind this is a rough year for the athletic dept to come up with a big salary for a coach. Not that other years are flush with money. It seems at best they could offer the same salary to start. Hopefully bring in a Moore type but offer future salary growth with the growth of hockey revenue, which could pull in some candidates. It would be a tough gig but doable for the right coach.
Cost of living must be lower in Bangor than lots of other hockey schools. Certainly so than any HE school by alot. Salary comparisons need to consider that.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if KRalph offers the job to Guite or Alfie at this point, at least for a short term to see how they do. It definitely seems Reds time is winding down and I doubt KRalph has no plan in place. He doesnt seem like the type to wing it. All this facility work is going to take a huge amount of the athletic departments attention for a few years, and has been over the past year. With this going on I cant see a major effort to get underway to hire a coach, which mostly is what makes me think they go with Alfie or Guite at this point, maybe for an even lower salary than Reds.
But its been a strange year, almost anything could happen.
But then again maybe they have just been negotiating with Red for another year extension to hold the fort down untill financial conditions stabilize.
Cost of living must be lower in Bangor than lots of other hockey schools. Certainly so than any HE school by alot. Salary comparisons need to consider that.
I wouldn't be at all surprised if KRalph offers the job to Guite or Alfie at this point, at least for a short term to see how they do. It definitely seems Reds time is winding down and I doubt KRalph has no plan in place. He doesnt seem like the type to wing it. All this facility work is going to take a huge amount of the athletic departments attention for a few years, and has been over the past year. With this going on I cant see a major effort to get underway to hire a coach, which mostly is what makes me think they go with Alfie or Guite at this point, maybe for an even lower salary than Reds.
But its been a strange year, almost anything could happen.
But then again maybe they have just been negotiating with Red for another year extension to hold the fort down untill financial conditions stabilize.
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My guess is that the AD and Gendron reach a mutual agreement. Ralph doesn't want to "fire" Gendron so he encourages Gendron to resign or more accurately to retire. Avoids embarassing or discrediting him. On the other hand, I would not be shocked if Ralph extended him a year as you point out.
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BlackBearFan19
Active member
Nobody wants to see Maine finish 11th but this mindset is going to lead us further into the cellar. UVM had this same mindset with Sneddon and it almost led them to a winless season in hockey east. Maine isn't the job it once was, but there are hungry young coaches who would jump at the opportunity to lead a once great program back to relevance.
I know his name was tossed around for the UVM job but Eric Lang from AIC would be right at the top of my list. He's proven he can win with limited resources and he's been in the northeast. If Maine doesn't go the legacy/alumni route, he should be another candidate that's interviewed.
I like the idea of Lang too. I also really do not want anyone previously connected to the program or university, I think a new direction is what's needed. The one exception would be if they brought in Jim Montgomery, but the chances of that are basically 0%.
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Good point on them signing Red for another year, the shortfall in state budget has to be huge. I imagine their is less money coming into UMaine from tuition also. I guess I wouldn't blame the AD for signing Red to a 1 year contract but that has to kill recruiting even more. On the other hand we all knew this was going to be a screwed up year before last season ended so why not sign Red to another year last spring? I think he is history.
I hope you're right! Hiring a new coach would dovetail perfectly with all of the proposed renovations and new construction in the athletic department. It would provide a sense of optimism and excitement for the fan base. It's clear to me that the hockey program has floundered under Gendron's guidance and to prolong his tenure only delays the inevitable. Mean while, how can Maine recruit talent when there is so much uncertainty as to who the head coach is going to be.
If you look at Red’s tenure, he had one okay year, three rough years, and then three okay years. This year is hard to judge but overall I haven’t been too disappointed most weekends.
Next year I would anticipate seventh or so and hopefully the two years after are better. I could potentially be overrating Hockey East next year based on last year and this year though. I think Maine actually has some decent forwards lined up but they are coming in 2022 and 2023. I like his strategy of getting kids from eastern canada.
Just to be clear I’m 100% okay with moving on, but if they’re not going to do it right stay with Red.
....theyre in 9th place!! Theyre already propping up the table.
i dont understand why you dont see those “middle of the pack” finishes were 100% Jeremy Swayman. He’s gone and they’re back in 9th!!
so what we get rid of Red and risk, as you say, being at the bottom of the table? We’re already there!!! Theres no risk
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