Maine Offseason 2020: We Stay Home But Swayman Leaves

[KrbFlint]

I'm absolutely thrilled with the hire. Easily the best candidate they could have asked for, should be able to get more top-flight talent to our program. Building not one, not two, but three also-ran programs into national champions as top assistant and lead recruiter is nothing to sneeze at.

Though I fully expect Barr to be a home run hire that does wonders for our program, I do want to temper my own expectations a bit. It's always possible that excellent #2s, as Barr has already proven itself to be, aren't quite cut out to be #1s. It's possible that a great recruiter can't always translate his players' talent to on-ice results and causes underachievement; David Quinn at BU comes to mind.

All that said, though, I still fully expect Barr to transform our program. I think he will knock it out of the park and return us to national relevance.

Hiring of assistants is critical. Ben Barr "HC" isn't Ben Barr from any of his other stops. Who, now, can Ben Barr hire to be his "Ben Barr"?

I think he has the network to pull it off though.

 

[acs64]

Yay ! Friggin yay ! I’m gonna start following this team again. From all I hear things are looking up finally. I wish him , his staff and his to be players nothing but success.

 

[SiouxFanatic]

As a UND fan who has had a long admiration for Maine hockey, I hope this hire brings Maine back to prominence…where they belong!!

 

[amkirby10]

Do we think now would be a good time to start a new thread? This one is pretty big at this point.

 

[Drew S.]

Do we think now would be a good time to start a new thread? This one is pretty big at this point.

Yes, you start it and I’ll post my thoughts on his press conference.

 

[KrbFlint]

Do we think now would be a good time to start a new thread? This one is pretty big at this point.

If it’s not a play on “Raising the Barr” or something like that, I’m rioting

 

[BassAle]

This forum is going to get awful quiet without the same five people complaining about the head coach every day.

I might actually start giving a shit again.

 

[Fishman'81]

I wouldn't be surprised if the Bruins look into Alfie for a developmental role given how Swayman has spoken glowingly about him.

And I won't be surprised if Alfie stays home. He deserves a serious look at either place.

I'm excited about the hire, but I do expect that we'll have to give Barr some time. This roster isn't good, and guys all have the option of staying an extra Covid year, which of course represents a recruiting logjam. Still only 18 scholarships available per team, and nobody has to leave right now.

This will be a fun process to watch in any case.

 

[Drew S.]

And I won't be surprised if Alfie stays home. He deserves a serious look at either place.

I'm excited about the hire, but I do expect that we'll have to give Barr some time. This roster isn't good, and guys all have the option of staying an extra Covid year, which of course represents a recruiting logjam. Still only 18 scholarships available per team, and nobody has to leave right now.

This will be a fun process to watch in any case.

I am pretty sure fifth year scholarships don’t count against the limit.