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The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

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Jackcurtis23 said:
Agree completely. 17 years old in that league is a big ask.

So much negativity on this thread - they are playing with 10-12 new players every night and look SO MUCH BETTER than any team in recent memory. Fast, tenacious, defenseman who can actually skate with the puck...I'm in the minority I guess that I think this thing gets completely turned around in the next few years. And by turned around I mean a chance at the Tournament - not 1993. Look at Souza at UNH - he is on his fifth year I think, they are terrible. Maine is substantially better than Vermont and Woodcroft has a full cycle more as head coach. Gendron's rosters just had big bodies and legitimate division 3 players. Look where the kids Barr had to cut ended up...9 wins in early January, and the obvious change in style of play, I couldn't be happier of the direction of the program.

I'm not nearly as in tune with the politics and money with the school as some of you seem to be, so I just hope that the proposed renovations get done, and if so, I think Maine is a top 4 team in Hockey East again.
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It should be clear to everybody that this team is on the upward and that the future is bright. I think we all realize this and are excited, except for noted concern troll Drew S.
 
amkirby10 said:
It should be clear to everybody that this team is on the upward and that the future is bright. I think we all realize this and are excited, except for noted concern troll Drew S.
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Red had the program heading down a road to nowhere, what i really like is now this year the contrast to that has become very clear, Barr has turned off that road.
The next two years will show if he can be successful, I think so but maybe like 4 or 5 before they can truly be a contender and back in the national discussion.

Ive said it before but my biggest concern is that Barr will leave after gaining some success here. Hope not!!
 
Jackcurtis23 said:
Agree completely. 17 years old in that league is a big ask.

So much negativity on this thread - they are playing with 10-12 new players every night and look SO MUCH BETTER than any team in recent memory. Fast, tenacious, defenseman who can actually skate with the puck...I'm in the minority I guess that I think this thing gets completely turned around in the next few years. And by turned around I mean a chance at the Tournament - not 1993. Look at Souza at UNH - he is on his fifth year I think, they are terrible. Maine is substantially better than Vermont and Woodcroft has a full cycle more as head coach. Gendron's rosters just had big bodies and legitimate division 3 players. Look where the kids Barr had to cut ended up...9 wins in early January, and the obvious change in style of play, I couldn't be happier of the direction of the program.

I'm not nearly as in tune with the politics and money with the school as some of you seem to be, so I just hope that the proposed renovations get done, and if so, I think Maine is a top 4 team in Hockey East again.
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Amen! Yes....the negativity from some of these posters can be overbearing at times....thank god that they don't run the program.
 
UncleRay said:
Drew S. - you mean Mrs. Gendron?
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That’s one of the kinder things I’ve been called here!

The thing that the concerns me is by far the best players on this year’s team and the best recruits are all from the prior regime. The kid who just committed is one of Barr’s better recruits from what I can see.
 
Drew S. said:
That’s one of the kinder things I’ve been called here!

The thing that the concerns me is by far the best players on this year’s team and the best recruits are all from the prior regime. The kid who just committed is one of Barr’s better recruits from what I can see.
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At this point, any recruits are Barr’s guys. They’re choosing to play for him, not the prior regime. I remember you saying this a a month or two ago and I listed out the commitment date of all the incoming guys, with only Josh Nadeau and Isaac Lambert committing before he got the job.

Also, the “best” players on this team have taken huge steps since Barr became coach. Outside of Breen, I don’t think any of these guys would be developing the way they are. Poisson and Houle have looked like different players since he took over.

Barr has made excellent use of the portal, Hanson and Henbrant being the most notable.

Lastly, the d core which is arguably the strongest area of this team, is almost entirely Barr recruits. Recruiting won’t be an issue as long as he’s here, the question we had is whether or not he could coach, which I think we’re watching in real time.
 
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BlackBearFan19 said:
At this point, any recruits are Barr’s guys. They’re choosing to play for him, not the prior regime. I remember you saying this a a month or two ago and I listed out the commitment date of all the incoming guys, with only Josh Nadeau and Isaac Lambert committing before he got the job.

Also, the “best” players on this team have taken huge steps since Barr became coach. Outside of Breen, I don’t think any of these guys would be developing the way they are. Poisson and Houle have looked like different players since he took over.

Barr has made excellent use of the portal, Hanson and Henbrant being the most notable.

Lastly, the d core which is arguably the strongest area of this team, is almost entirely Barr recruits. Recruiting won’t be an issue as long as he’s here, the question we had is whether or not he could coach, which I think we’re watching in real time.
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You are so correct.
Any recruit committed after May 2021is Barrs. Yeah the prior regime may have laid some ground work on some of them but they signed under Barr.
The key is that Barr recruits the correct players to grow the program how he wants it to. Its been said 100s of times he is not chasing those with the best stats. At this point its not even realistic to think he can recruit the top players to come here. Hopefully so as some success is gained and the facilities are upgraded.
 
NorthMike said:
You are so correct.
Any recruit committed after May 2021is Barrs. Yeah the prior regime may have laid some ground work on some of them but they signed under Barr.
The key is that Barr recruits the correct players to grow the program how he wants it to. Its been said 100s of times he is not chasing those with the best stats. At this point its not even realistic to think he can recruit the top players to come here. Hopefully so as some success is gained and the facilities are upgraded.
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Agree 100%
 
NorthMike said:
Red had the program heading down a road to nowhere, what i really like is now this year the contrast to that has become very clear, Barr has turned off that road.
The next two years will show if he can be successful, I think so but maybe like 4 or 5 before they can truly be a contender and back in the national discussion.

Ive said it before but my biggest concern is that Barr will leave after gaining some success here. Hope not!!
Click to expand...

I'm with you re: giving Barr a couple more years. It takes a while to put out a dumpster fire.

Certainly Maine looks better, but tournament teams need to have at least *some* scorers.
 
I think at least 2 scorers are coming in next year and present players will continue to develop. This weekend games will be tough. Generally Lowell plays a disciplined game and plays tough D. Can Maine score, tune in : )
 
NorthMike said:
Enjoyed that, thanks for sharing.

What coulda been.
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Yeah.

He probably would have built on what Tim had left in the cupboard, then been gone to The Show.

But that would have been a gigantic upgrade over the 10 years of utter futility that happened.

Oh well, glad that's he's in Boston with Sway. Gives me a reason to watch the NHL again.
 
Fishman'81 said:
I'm with you re: giving Barr a couple more years. It takes a while to put out a dumpster fire.

Certainly Maine looks better, but tournament teams need to have at least *some* scorers.
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5 years minimum. It takes time to get things fixidedededed.
 
acs64 said:
Great interview and very much fun to watch. Helps you understand why they had such a great team in '93.
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You can really get a sense from how he's approached his first season in Boston that the real enemy for a lot of teams is complacency.

Not really a surprise that he learned from someone who was excellent at eliminating that.
 
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