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The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

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UncleRay said:
I'll assume, taking into account all that I've heard of Barr, that there is a level of ambition involved. I'll also go waaaay out on a limb and assume he "decided to play at RMU" because the other option was DIII. Not that there's anything wrong with that. So give me a scenario where "you" would rather play at RMU? You mentioned being happy with his educational route. If it's all about the diploma and not the hockey, why not stay at RMU for the last year since they will be honoring schollies? Aspiring to be RMU's last ever captain is indicative of a lack of hockey ambition. See my first point above.
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FWIW I think his agreement to entertain coming to UMaine will carry the day. You make an important decision like that, and you tend to turn the page on your prior station. If you've got a steady job, but you're underpaid and/or underutilized until someone else comes in with a better offer ... and then, on notifying your current boss that you're moving on in two weeks, the current job belatedly offers you a promotion and a raise ... you've still told someone else you're leaving to come to work (play) for them, and it took you putting the proverbial gun to your boss' head (in their eyes?) to get him to offer you a better gig. Not exactly the same as what we have here, but the same principle is in play.

Some folks will see value in staying put, naively trusting there will be no retributions, while I do think most folks would end up following through on their promise to start fresh at a new destination. Personally, once I started that train moving down the tracks, it would be tough to back the caboose into the old roundhouse. But that's me (and presumably you), not everyone ...
 
It's too bad that RM is jerking these players, coaches and staff around the way they are. Hockey is canceled, then it's not canceled. Whatever Grant decides, I wish him the best. As a Maine fan, I'd love to see him finish his college career in Maine. He is a solid player, and would add depth to the team. And as was mentioned already, he has a couple of ex team mates playing here from Fargo.

I think he'll like playing in Alfond, the place will be rocking!

It looks like the team is going to have a lot of seniors, juniors and grad students this year. I'm looking forward to seeing them play.
 
amkirby10 said:
Another defenseman. Looks like another good pickup, 31 points in 58 games from the blue line is solid. Captain of the team as well, going more for culture again. I like what I've seen so far, i must say.
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Couldn’t agree more. I think one positive thing Red & Co did was be a lot more agressive in eastern canada than Maine had been during Timmy’s tenure and it’s nice to see Barr continuing that. It’s one area Maine has an advantage over other teams and it’s great to see them using it.

I think every kid Barr has gotten so far is a nice fit and I’m excited for the season. It will be interesting what the final roster looks like.
 
Drew S. said:
Couldn’t agree more. I think one positive thing Red & Co did was be a lot more agressive in eastern canada than Maine had been during Timmy’s tenure and it’s nice to see Barr continuing that. It’s one area Maine has an advantage over other teams and it’s great to see them using it.

I think every kid Barr has gotten so far is a nice fit and I’m excited for the season. It will be interesting what the final roster looks like.
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Barr is a consummate, experienced recruiter. I seriously doubt he is taking the lead from Red.
 
UncleRay said:
Barr is a consummate, experienced recruiter. I seriously doubt he is taking the lead from Red.
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Last year Maine had five players from eastern Canada and Umass didn’t have any. Don’t let facts get in the way of your hatred for Red though.
 
Drew S. said:
Last year Maine had five players from eastern Canada and Umass didn’t have any. Don’t let facts get in the way of your hatred for Red though.
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None of us hated Red. He just couldn't recruit road-kill, clearly. (The lone exception being Swayman.)

Get real.
 
I think it should be pretty clear to just about anyone that Maine's reach into Atlantic Canada should be stronger than just about every other program. I don't think Red deserved a PhD for that analysis.
 
amkirby10 said:
I think it should be pretty clear to just about anyone that Maine's reach into Atlantic Canada should be stronger than just about every other program. I don't think Red deserved a PhD for that analysis.
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I've been wondering about that myself, even back during the Whitehead era.

Red never gleaned any talent from Quebec and the the Maritimes, but Walsh and (even) Semlar sure did. Seems like a happy hunting ground for a program like Maine.
 
Fishman'81 said:
I've been wondering about that myself, even back during the Whitehead era.

Red never gleaned any talent from Quebec and the the Maritimes, but Walsh and (even) Semlar sure did. Seems like a happy hunting ground for a program like Maine.
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Different eras. Our high school team played in a tournament in Moncton my junior year. Everyone I met was a huge University of Maine fan because A) Scott Pellerin and B) That was the only American college hockey that was aired on TV there, and only because WLBZ was available over the air to the entire geographic region. That started to change in the mid-90's with cable and satellite becoming more available. Today thanks to the Internet anyone anywhere can watch pretty much any game for free or at a very small cost. Even the local junior high team 'televises' its games on YouTube.
 
NE Hockey Journal

Ben Barr has picked up his first three commitments as head coach at the University of Maine. The former UMass associate head coach, appointed to lead the Black Bears back in May, has landed a trio of defensemen that he hopes will restore Maine to where it once was at the top of the college hockey landscape.

David Breazeale is the only player of the three who will join the Black Bears for the upcoming season. The `00 Jenison, Mich. native, has spent the past three years playing for the Shreveport Mudbugs in the NAHL. In 2020-21, Breazeale scored six goals and 20 assists in 64 games. His strong play on the blue line helped Shreveport win the Robertson Cup as NAHL playoff champions.

The other two new recruits are defensemen from north of the border. `04 Ryan Hopkins and `03 Bodie Nobes, both products of Stanstead College, will head to Orono down the road.

Hopkins, from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, is a highly touted prospect. He was drafted in the second round of the 2020 QMJHL draft by Moncton. After scoring eight goals and 23 assists in 58 games during the 2019-20 season, he was scheduled to serve as captain this year, but the campaign was halted due to Coronavirus.

Similarly, Nobes was supposed to play 2020-21 in the CCHL with the Ottawa Junior Senators, but that didn’t go off as planned. In 2019-20, he scored eight goals and 24 assists in 58 games. He was a fourth round pick of Cape Breton in the 2019 QMJHL draft.
 
Jackcurtis23 said:
NE Hockey Journal

Ben Barr has picked up his first three commitments as head coach at the University of Maine. The former UMass associate head coach, appointed to lead the Black Bears back in May, has landed a trio of defensemen that he hopes will restore Maine to where it once was at the top of the college hockey landscape.

David Breazeale is the only player of the three who will join the Black Bears for the upcoming season. The `00 Jenison, Mich. native, has spent the past three years playing for the Shreveport Mudbugs in the NAHL. In 2020-21, Breazeale scored six goals and 20 assists in 64 games. His strong play on the blue line helped Shreveport win the Robertson Cup as NAHL playoff champions.

The other two new recruits are defensemen from north of the border. `04 Ryan Hopkins and `03 Bodie Nobes, both products of Stanstead College, will head to Orono down the road.

Hopkins, from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, is a highly touted prospect. He was drafted in the second round of the 2020 QMJHL draft by Moncton. After scoring eight goals and 23 assists in 58 games during the 2019-20 season, he was scheduled to serve as captain this year, but the campaign was halted due to Coronavirus.

Similarly, Nobes was supposed to play 2020-21 in the CCHL with the Ottawa Junior Senators, but that didn’t go off as planned. In 2019-20, he scored eight goals and 24 assists in 58 games. He was a fourth round pick of Cape Breton in the 2019 QMJHL draft.
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Sounds like we should be pretty happy so far, especially given that he's likely just getting started. Getting Q picks is always a good sign, especially second round picks, as long as they actually come to Orono. But I'd say we're in good hands and the future is bright at this point.
 
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