Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves

[walrus]

You know you have shit for offense when Greenway is on the shoot out

 

[amkirby10]

Well, a big win. The offense is still anemic, but they did well to stymie UMass after the first.

 

[Carmine Scarpaglia]

Very nice tie after being down 3-1.

 

[Runsub5]

Maine did well to come from behind and tie the game. It's amazing how predictable this team is though. With roughly two minutes left in regulation Maine commits a penalty!! Very fortunate to keep it tied with Ostman making key saves. The lack of skilled players was shown when Maine has a 4 on 3 in OT and can't score!! Greenway in a shootout??!!

 

[walrus]

Just read UMass called out Maine seniors before the game, Very nice gesture on their part

 

[J.D.]

So ah, you guys are supposed to host UNH? Is that allowed or is it being played in Durham or at neutral location?

 

[Runsub5]

So ah, you guys are supposed to host UNH? Is that allowed or is it being played in Durham or at neutral location?

The game will not be in Maine! Governor not relaxing the rules until later in the month. Only 50 people allowed for an indoor event. Game will be in Durham unless Hockey East has other plans.

 

[walrus]

No matter what Maine has to win on road so play wherever they can get a rink. Ostman takes them as as far as he can just like Swayman did.

 

[amkirby10]

Per Jon Shields on Twitter, Maine's Hockey East playoff game this Wednesday against New Hampshire will be played at Alfond Arena in Orono.

 

[Runsub5]

Governor must have caved in on Maine's appeal. Great news!

 

[Sean Pickett]

Glad to hear that the Black Bears get to play at home Wednesday, but beware what you wish for...

With the annual coaching talk ramping up I've updated my Hockey East coaching records and have started to create some charts showing cumulative winning percentages. Here is the chart for Maine's three coaches since the start of Hockey East (excluding Interim Head Coach Cronin).

Coach Walsh's record has been adjusted to include all the forfeits by Maine. I also have a chart showing all the current head coaches (except for Vermont, where I used Sneddon and not Coach Woodcroft)

As can be seen (I hope), Coaches Cavanaugh and Gendron have more or less paralleled each other (with the slight advantage going to Coach Cavanaugh) and have now converged. After 8 seasons it looks like neither is the answer to improving their programs. Furthermore, it looks like of the coaches all had there programs headed in the right direction by the fifth season.

Sean

 

[amkirby10]

Glad to hear that the Black Bears get to play at home Wednesday, but beware what you wish for...

With the annual coaching talk ramping up I've updated my Hockey East coaching records and have started to create some charts showing cumulative winning percentages. Here is the chart for Maine's three coaches since the start of Hockey East (excluding Interim Head Coach Cronin).

Coach Walsh's record has been adjusted to include all the forfeits by Maine. I also have a chart showing all the current head coaches (except for Vermont, where I used Sneddon and not Coach Woodcroft)

As can be seen (I hope), Coaches Cavanaugh and Gendron have more or less paralleled each other (with the slight advantage going to Coach Cavanaugh) and have now converged. After 8 seasons it looks like neither is the answer to improving there programs. Furthermore, it looks like of the coaches all had there programs headed in the right direction by the fifth season.

Sean

In your view, do you think the time is going to be up for Gendron after this year? I could possibly see him getting a one-year deal because of COVID complications, but I'd think his time is going to come to an end shortly. Do you agree?

 

[Sean Pickett]

In your view, do you think the time is going to be up for Gendron after this year? I could possibly see him getting a one-year deal because of COVID complications, but I'd think his time is going to come to an end shortly. Do you agree?

Yes, I think Coach Gendron should be replaced if Maine wants to get the program back to winning.

I have compiled cumulative records for the 33 Hockey East head coaches hired after the start of league play in 1984 and it appears that 5 seasons is usually enough to determine if the coach has the program headed in the right direction. Of the 25 coaches who lasted at least 5 seasons 10 had a winning record, while 15 had losing records. Of the ten with winning records 2 left at the end of their fifth season (Coach Quinn to the Rangers and Coach Crowder to NU), while Coach Carvel is just completing his 5th season. Of the other 7 only one ended with a losing record (Coach Sneddon), while three ended with a winning record and three are still active with winning records. On the other hand, of the 15 coaches with losing records after five seasons, only three (Coaches Pooley (0.495), McShane (0.459)and Madigan (0.495)) were able to break 0.500, Coach Madigan doing so after his sixth season and Coaches Pooley and McShane after seven seasons (and both Coaches Pooley and McShane dropped below 0.500 by the end of their last seasons).

After 8 seasons there were only 16 coaches left, 7 with winning records after 5 seasons, Coaches Madigan (0.551), McShane (0.505) and Pooley (0.500) and six with losing records, including Coaches Gendron and Cavanaugh. Of the other four with losing records none came close to 0.500 for as long as they coached (1, 2, 4 and 5 additional seasons). I haven't researched the other leagues and there might be a coach who was able to turn it around after 8 seasons, but it seems to me that would be unlikely.

Sean

 

[Runsub5]

The athletic department has been following the same guidelines that have been in place for the last several months. They haven't changed. Except now they are gathering people in two separate groups of 50 each at Alfond Arena and now they are in compliance. Why wasn't this done earlier in the regular season so that Maine could have played games at home? I don't get it. I mistakenly thought the governor had relented and changed the rules, but they are still the same.

 

[Runsub5]

Glad to hear that the Black Bears get to play at home Wednesday, but beware what you wish for...

With the annual coaching talk ramping up I've updated my Hockey East coaching records and have started to create some charts showing cumulative winning percentages. Here is the chart for Maine's three coaches since the start of Hockey East.................

As can be seen (I hope), Coaches Cavanaugh and Gendron have more or less paralleled each other (with the slight advantage going to Coach Cavanaugh) and have now converged. After 8 seasons it looks like neither is the answer to improving their programs. Furthermore, it looks like of the coaches all had there programs headed in the right direction by the fifth season.

Sean

Nicely done Sean. I am somewhat surprised to see Cavanaugh and Gendron with virtually the same winning percentage. However, during the first few years Gendron's percentage is clearly below Cavanaugh's and Gendron's (without Swayman), would have never converged with Cavanaugh's

 

[walrus]

The athletic department has been following the same guidelines that have been in place for the last several months. They haven't changed. Except now they are gathering people in two separate groups of 50 each at Alfond Arena and now they are in compliance. Why wasn't this done earlier in the regular season so that Maine could have played games at home? I don't get it. I mistakenly thought the governor had relented and changed the rules, but they are still the same.

Money? Costs with no return?

 

[Runsub5]

Money? Costs with no return?

So, is the athletic department receiving league money to host UNH?

 

[walrus]

So, is the athletic department receiving league money to host UNH?

Not sure but its one game not a seasons worth of home games

 

[AMC]

I'd be interested to see those charts without the forfeited games removed. I was at most of those games. Maine won them, and it was fun to watch. I was in the stands and got to enjoy Maine beating New Hampshire 9-0 and 6-2 in a weekend series, and some Poindexter making adjustments on paper only after the fact does not change that.

Let's start cheating, let's win a lot of hockey games, let's try to win a national title, and if it gets stripped afterwards let's staple the banner to the WELCOME TO MAINE sign on the New Hampshire border so everyone coming into the state sees it.

 

[Sean Pickett]

I'd be interested to see those charts without the forfeited games removed. I was at most of those games. Maine won them, and it was fun to watch. I was in the stands and got to enjoy Maine beating New Hampshire 9-0 and 6-2 in a weekend series, and some Poindexter making adjustments on paper only after the fact does not change that.

Well, I agree somewhat as the forfeits for the 1991-92 season were after the fact and did nothing to change the league standings (Hockey East changed the standing to show the forfeits and not the on-ice records) and should be part of Coach Walsh's record, but the 1993-94 forfeits were in-season and did change the standings, so those I don't think they should be part of Coach Walsh's record. However, I did create a chart with Coach Walsh's cumulative winning percentage with and without all forfeit. I also included Coaches York's and Parker's record for comparison.

Sean