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Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves
- Thread starter AMC
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And I could give a crap about his misdeeds, get help and move on. He is. Why blackball?
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
It's not so much of a "blackball" in my mind. At the NHL level, you can't betray your responsibilities as the head coach like that and expect to be forgiven right away. Look at what Bowness did in the aftermath of Montgomery getting fired ... they went to the Finals, and lost to a really great Tampa Bay team. One way to look at it is, Bowness did a great job. Another way to look at it is, Monty had a wagon in Dallas, and couldn't keep his crap together, and it may have cost them the Cup.
It's the old "fool me once, shame on you ... fool me twice, shame on me" thing. Any NHL owner or GM is going to think long and hard before letting Monty run their franchise, so he's likely going to have to do some penance for a few years assisting in St. Loo before he earns back enough trust that he's on the straight and narrow. Monty might not want to play the NHL long game, and that's UMaine's advantage here. This offseason would be a tough one to try to plug Monty into, as the Blues might have another long postseason run, and as you folks have discussed before, having him getting started on Memorial Day (or later) isn't going to be ideal. And with all of the uncertainty about NCAA D-1 player movement this off-season, any new guy not being there from Day One after the FF will only make UMaine's recruiting scenario that much more challenging.
Would Red take a one year extension? If so, that's your easy answer. Maybe you have to give him two seasons, or one with the school's option for Year Two? Three years sounds a little much, but you guys know your program best. But if the deal is you make do with Red for another year or two, and have Monty lined up for the season afterwards, does that work? If it was me, and Monty (or "UNH Monty") was coming to UNH, I'd have a lot of patience. He's won D-1 as a player/captain, and he's won it as a coach too. No brainer if you can make it happen ... and (not a shot - just an observation) if Monty can keep his nose clean at a place that's familiar to him, and far away from the bright lights and the big cities of the NHL.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Someone needs to do an analysis of institutions who decided to hire a staff made up primarily of former players and how they have done over the years.
The analysis of data coming out of Durham isn't encouraging ... but you knew that already.
Eric Lang and Matthew Woodard. Just one data point, but they are doing well early on at AIC.
NorthMike
Well-known member
You think he still has the drive/motivation to come here?
I Wonder, he is +50, things change.
NorthMike
Well-known member
Mr Sean Picket in his spare time,?
Great thought.
Who knows. I would hope they at least quietly say, apply and see what happens. Even if he has a long NHL playoff run, the wheels can move along with the Blues blessing.
Being 60+ myself, priorities change and so do career ambitions. NHL hotel life can lead to boredom and trouble for some with a problem. Throw in a family, and, again, back to priorities.
Re: my blackball comment. That was directed to the Mainers who like to “look down” on things they shouldn’t, especially when self correction is happening....
I think the upside is far greater then what we have ongoing. Fantasy land that it is, would be a great personal and program comeback story!
I've said before that I don't think Montgomery is likely, and in fact I said that I think its close to 0%. I still don't think it's all that likely, but the more I've thought about it the more I could at least see it happening. He might want to try and prove he can be a leader again, and going back to an NHL head job seems unlikely. Maybe stopping in college somewhere, being the head coach, and building up a program and helping some young men through a formative time can prove to people that he's gotten over the hump and conquered his demons. A safe, out of the way, and familiar place like Maine could be the way he gets back to where he wants to be. Taking a struggling program back to relevance wouldn't hurt the resume either. I still don't think its a very likely scenario, but they should at least give him a call and see what he says, assuming that they do actually move on from Red.
I agree. It’s a reach, maybe not the answer, but compared to where the program is now, might as well explore the idea. A more “grounded” environment where home during the week with family, weekend road trips only, etc., might be attractive to him.
BUT!!!! If he still has higher ambitions, then not interested. No stepping stone back to the NHL. We want a lifer (who still has life in them.) Lol.
BUT!!!! If he still has higher ambitions, then not interested. No stepping stone back to the NHL. We want a lifer (who still has life in them.) Lol.
umhockey91
Well-known member
Enough with the former assistants, players, etc. We need new blood....a fresh face and perspective. Alfond is in line for some improvements and the Shawn Walsh Center will make it much easier to make a splash with recruits visiting campus. The time is now to bring in someone that wants to build a program and wants to play to a packed house of knowledgable fans.
NorthMike
Well-known member
It would be a great story and good way to run out his career.
Too bad we arent in the athletic dept or search committee. Lol.
Jeff Solari doesn't hold back.
https://www.jeffsolari.com/single-p...-loss-to-unh-a-fitting-end-to-the-gendron-era
https://www.jeffsolari.com/single-p...-loss-to-unh-a-fitting-end-to-the-gendron-era
NorthMike
Well-known member
The worst thing about the last 10 years is how we forgot that a postseason rd trip to boston was very real and planned for. Not to mention all the handwringing and scenario analysis as to where maine would play in ncaa's.
Now there's a whole generation of fans who don't understand the excitement in that and are just casual fans of the program who figure, whatever.
Now there's a whole generation of fans who don't understand the excitement in that and are just casual fans of the program who figure, whatever.
BlackBearFan19
Active member
It's a dream and highly unlikely but he has to be the first call for the athletic department. He has 4 young children and I'm sure the NHL road life takes a toll. He's proven he can win at the highest levels in college hockey. Monty is the only guy I would be okay with the athletic department giving a blank check to. I understand he's had some missteps but he's gotten help and seems to have his life back on track.
Orono is a place with little to no distractions, which may be just what he is looking for. We made a mistake 8 years ago when we didn't even give him a call, the least we can do is try and right that wrong.
I am on board with bringing new blood into the program but if Monty wants this job, it's his.
Ummm, then why call it the Walsh Center???
I get your point. Question is, are there candidates who are willing and can do it. I picture Montgomery showing recruits the Walsh center and saying “I was part of this”......
BlackBearFan19
Active member
Imagining Montgomery saying that gave me chills! I wish I could let go of the idea of him being Maine's head coach but no person or thing can make us relevant again faster than he can.
As far as JM19 goes, word on the street that I've heard was that he desperately wanted to coach Maine in 2013 when Whitehead was fired, but UMO never even called him to interview, probably because they had their hearts set on Red. There's obviously a lot of other factors in play, but I wonder if he's even forgiven the school and would want to at all. It must have stung to be a former player of such legendary status and explicitly call your school and state your interest, only for them to not even call you back.
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