Picked the wrong time for a bad game. Stony Brook wanted that game more than Maine!
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Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves
- Thread starter AMC
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Picked the wrong time for a bad game. Stony Brook wanted that game more than Maine!
BlackBearFan19
Active member
I don’t want to sound dramatic, but this has to be the most disappointing day in recent memory for me as a Maine hockey fan. What exactly is the university waiting for? It has been 8 seasons and it feels like we are back at square one.
I have given Red the benefit of the doubt at the beginning and after he brought in two good classes (Pearson fossier Holway) and (Swayman keeper Tralmaks). It felt like maybe we were trending in the right direction. However, the recruiting seems to have taken a turn for the worst.
We need to move on before this program becomes irreparable.
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I'm not surprised. Ken Ralph and Gendron are buddies from their New Hampshire days. I was naive to think otherwise!
It’s easy for me to say where I don’t dislike Red, but I think this might be a good move short term and long term. Also, is there a hiring freeze at the school right now? Even if there isn’t it might be tough to bring on new employees at the minute.
I posted earlier there is supposedly going to be a lot of player movement in offseason and it’s good having a staff in place who know what they have and can adjust if anything unexpected pops up.
I think it’s easier to attract more candidates when life is back to normal as well. Keep in mind these jobs don’t pay massive money and someone might not want to go through the process of buying and selling a house right now along with moving their family.
I get that a lot of people with disapprove but I think it might actually work out better down the road.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Red has an "attitude for gratitude" ... grateful to still have his job anyway ... wow.
Length of the extension will say a lot, assuming this is all confirmed shortly.
Length of the extension will say a lot, assuming this is all confirmed shortly.
BlackBearFan19
Active member
I understand that the offseason will be difficult with covid but Red hasn’t exactly had a great track record for attracting transfers. Unfortunately, Maine’s graduate level programs are not on par with some of our hockey East rivals so I think transfers are a bit of a pipe dream.
There hasn’t been a better time than now to bring in new blood, the facilities are about to undergo a massive upgrade and UMaine has invested heavily in academics as well. Any ambitious coach would bet on themselves and try and turn this program around. Having a lame duck coach who is a couple years away from retirement and is on 1-2 year contracts certainly wouldn’t inspire me as a recruit.
umhockey91
Well-known member
This will probably be a 3 or 4 year extension.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
I figure it should be no more than a 2 year extension, IF there is an extension at all.
If it's longer than that, then everyone's worst fears become realized.
This was going to be a tough season for anyone to change up a head coach. And if your A-1 top candidate is not going to be able to shake loose long enough from his NHL commitment, buying some time is not a bad move. At two years, you give yourself a window to see if your A-1 target can work a more favorable transition next offseason or the one after. And if you pull the plug on Red after one year of a two year deal, the buyout is less costly (even better if it's just a one year extension).
The idea that this was apparently settled in January tells me it's all about the nature of this weird uneven season, and waiting at least another year to dive into the hiring game, when some degree of normalcy has returned to life in general.
Don't despair.
AMC
Registered User
Adjusting my tinfoil hat:
My guess is that some quiet overtures were made to Maine's top candidates. My guess is that those candidates asked some questions about funding/commitment to the program/investment, beyond just head coaching salary (which we know is inadequate). My guess is that those candidates did not like the answers and did not feel like they could win at Maine.
Taking off my tinfoil hat and putting on my skeptic's hat:
Bringing Gendron back is an absolute white flag that the school has given up on ice hockey being a national power. If ice hockey isn't going to be a national power, I sincerely question what the point is in having UMaine athletics compete in division one.
My guess is that some quiet overtures were made to Maine's top candidates. My guess is that those candidates asked some questions about funding/commitment to the program/investment, beyond just head coaching salary (which we know is inadequate). My guess is that those candidates did not like the answers and did not feel like they could win at Maine.
Taking off my tinfoil hat and putting on my skeptic's hat:
Bringing Gendron back is an absolute white flag that the school has given up on ice hockey being a national power. If ice hockey isn't going to be a national power, I sincerely question what the point is in having UMaine athletics compete in division one.
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Belicheck will never win a super bowl without Brady and Maine will never be any good with Gendron, so I say equal.
Shouldn't be surprised, UMaine is hurting for money made worse by Covid. Not sure how the players feel, hopefully they are OK with Red. No need to to go to Alfond next year.
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......of my non purchase of season tixs.
NorthMike
Well-known member
Oh God i hope not!
I was 90% sure they would go one more year, 10% hoping not. Given how messed up things are now.
AMC
Registered User
A JV level program that has to whore itself out for a loss twice a year in order to mitigate how much money it loses, which then means that unless it goes 6-2 in conference it can't make the playoffs. Great choice, there.
Do they need to sign Red to an extension or could he be an at will employee like most private sector workers?
Not to be critical but I think a lot of people are missing the bigger picture. The school is undoubtedly losing millions of dollars and might not want the optics of signing a new coach to a million dollar plus contract.
Not to be critical but I think a lot of people are missing the bigger picture. The school is undoubtedly losing millions of dollars and might not want the optics of signing a new coach to a million dollar plus contract.
I'm waiting to see how long the deal is for. If it's a one year deal, I'd say that's a dead giveaway that his time is finite, and they need someone cheap and easy. I could possibly even stomach a two year deal, even if I wouldn't like it. If it's 3+ years, then they think he's the guy for the long term and isn't going anywhere until he wants to.
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Mahoneys article https://bangordailynews.com/2021/03/...e-mens-hockey/
Not sure if behind a paywall
No one involved with the team is satisfied with a 3-11-2 record. Accountability rests with everyone involved in the program, including me,” Ralph said. “We have to do a better job with providing the program the resources necessary to play at the highest levels of Division I. The competition is going to keep getting better and we have to rise to the occasion.”
A UMaine program that has been to 18 NCAA Tournaments, 11 Frozen Fours and won two national championships hasn’t even reached the Hockey East semifinals since 2012, coinciding with its last NCAA Tournament appearance.
UMaine had its best opportunity to break those streaks a year ago when it had Jeremy Swayman, the nation’s best goaltender. But the Black Bears’ home quarterfinal series against Connecticut was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gendron was chosen the league Coach of the Year.
But that was a rare bright spot. UMaine’s average finish in Hockey East under Gendron is between seventh and eighth place.
The longtime New Jersey Devils assistant coach was an assistant on UMaine’s 1993 NCAA championship team and Yale’s 2013 NCAA title team, but the success hasn’t translated to his role as a head coach.
Over the last six seasons, Gendron’s teams have averaged a No. 36 ranking in goals per game and No. 38 in goals-against average among 60 Division I programs.
The staff has recruited too many third- and fourth line-caliber forwards and third-tandem defensemen. Swayman was a recruiting coup for Gendron and his staff, but there have been too few elite players.
Gendron has recruited only four all-conference performers — Swayman, forwards Chase Pearson and Mitch Fossier, and defenseman Brady Keeper. Only eight times has a player scored 10 goals or more.
Gendron’s overall record at UMaine is 103-130-32 (.449) and his Hockey East regular-season mark is 63-89-21. His teams are 4-13 in playoff games.
Over the last four seasons, UMaine is 54-54-15 overall and 36-39-12 in Hockey East regular-season contests.
When Gendron took over for Tim Whitehead, he said his goals were to return the program to the upper echelon of college hockey and compete for championships.
That hasn’t happened.
In contrast, Whitehead went 147-129-32 (96-94-26 in Hockey East) over the last eight years of his 12-year stint.
Gendron and his staff have been handicapped in recruiting by an aging, 45-year-old Alfond Arena facility that badly needs a facelift and one of the league’s lowest recruiting budgets. Renovations are planned as part of the $90 million Harold Alfond Foundation gift.
UMaine coaches also are among the lowest-paid staffs, if not the lowest, in Hockey East.
Alfond Arena remains a valuable recruiting tool as it still provides one of the liveliest buildings in college hockey with one of the nation’s best game-night atmospheres.
Gendron nonetheless has demonstrated his commitment to UMaine.
He is a tireless worker who cares deeply about the program, the community, the university and the state. Since 2014, he has donated five percent of his $213,282.08 annual salary ($11,564.10) to the Grant Standbrook Maine Hockey Forever Fund.
That is believed to be the largest donation from a UMaine coach.
He has been a valuable fundraiser and is the consummate company man who supports all the teams on campus. Gendron rarely yaps at referees and 19 of his players were on the Hockey East All-Academic team last season.
Not sure if behind a paywall
No one involved with the team is satisfied with a 3-11-2 record. Accountability rests with everyone involved in the program, including me,” Ralph said. “We have to do a better job with providing the program the resources necessary to play at the highest levels of Division I. The competition is going to keep getting better and we have to rise to the occasion.”
A UMaine program that has been to 18 NCAA Tournaments, 11 Frozen Fours and won two national championships hasn’t even reached the Hockey East semifinals since 2012, coinciding with its last NCAA Tournament appearance.
UMaine had its best opportunity to break those streaks a year ago when it had Jeremy Swayman, the nation’s best goaltender. But the Black Bears’ home quarterfinal series against Connecticut was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gendron was chosen the league Coach of the Year.
But that was a rare bright spot. UMaine’s average finish in Hockey East under Gendron is between seventh and eighth place.
The longtime New Jersey Devils assistant coach was an assistant on UMaine’s 1993 NCAA championship team and Yale’s 2013 NCAA title team, but the success hasn’t translated to his role as a head coach.
Over the last six seasons, Gendron’s teams have averaged a No. 36 ranking in goals per game and No. 38 in goals-against average among 60 Division I programs.
The staff has recruited too many third- and fourth line-caliber forwards and third-tandem defensemen. Swayman was a recruiting coup for Gendron and his staff, but there have been too few elite players.
Gendron has recruited only four all-conference performers — Swayman, forwards Chase Pearson and Mitch Fossier, and defenseman Brady Keeper. Only eight times has a player scored 10 goals or more.
Gendron’s overall record at UMaine is 103-130-32 (.449) and his Hockey East regular-season mark is 63-89-21. His teams are 4-13 in playoff games.
Over the last four seasons, UMaine is 54-54-15 overall and 36-39-12 in Hockey East regular-season contests.
When Gendron took over for Tim Whitehead, he said his goals were to return the program to the upper echelon of college hockey and compete for championships.
That hasn’t happened.
In contrast, Whitehead went 147-129-32 (96-94-26 in Hockey East) over the last eight years of his 12-year stint.
Gendron and his staff have been handicapped in recruiting by an aging, 45-year-old Alfond Arena facility that badly needs a facelift and one of the league’s lowest recruiting budgets. Renovations are planned as part of the $90 million Harold Alfond Foundation gift.
UMaine coaches also are among the lowest-paid staffs, if not the lowest, in Hockey East.
Alfond Arena remains a valuable recruiting tool as it still provides one of the liveliest buildings in college hockey with one of the nation’s best game-night atmospheres.
Gendron nonetheless has demonstrated his commitment to UMaine.
He is a tireless worker who cares deeply about the program, the community, the university and the state. Since 2014, he has donated five percent of his $213,282.08 annual salary ($11,564.10) to the Grant Standbrook Maine Hockey Forever Fund.
That is believed to be the largest donation from a UMaine coach.
He has been a valuable fundraiser and is the consummate company man who supports all the teams on campus. Gendron rarely yaps at referees and 19 of his players were on the Hockey East All-Academic team last season.
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AMC
Registered User
This is a dumb take. It's not like they need to pay Red a buyout PLUS another coach's salary. They just need to pay a new coaching staff. A "million dollar plus contract" only pays one year of salary at a time. The school is still going to have to pay a hockey coach next year. And the year after that. And this is the year people would probably take lower salaries. If butts are back in seats next year, and the economy is completely recovered, the price for a new coach is just going to be higher. Or Maine could just backload the contract, pay whoever the new coach is Red's salary for 21-22, and then have it go up.
Honestly, if Maine can't afford to pay market rate for a hockey coach, Maine should not be a Division 1 university. This is an embarrassment and the message that is going out to the college hockey community is that Maine is poor and doesn't care if it wins.
Laughed at the highlight of his tenure being "reached the HE QFs 3 times". Unless Maine is strapped for cash it makes no sense to continue on with Gendron.
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