The Barr Has Been Raised at UMaine

[Tango]

I think there absolutely are reasons to be optimistic. The flip side for me is Maine was just so inconsistent last year I worry we could see more of the same this year. Hopefully where it’s a new group that isn’t the case but time will tell.

I listened to Barr last night and it was hard to get a read on how he is feeling about the team. He didn’t really single any of the newcomers out which is a bit of a concern but did say the team has a lot more depth. He is going to treat Saturday as more of a regular game which I strongly agree with. Where Maine has practiced so much I think that makes more sense than trying to get everyone ice time.

I think its hard to be consistent when you have 12 guys on the team that should be in D3 and your captains are frequently getting benched.

A top 10 recruiting class hasn't happened at Maine in 14 years since 08 with Nyquist, Abbott, Flynn, Diamond, Hagerty, O'Neil, and Darling. Although Flynn was a walk on so I guess he doesn't count for class rankings.

Barr is the right guy. They're headed in the right direction. They'll be at the Garden next season.

 

[Jackcurtis23]

Jeff Cox has them at 10, Vermont at 11.

It will be good for the league to get Maine back toward the top of the standings, as the Black Bears have the best fanbase in Hockey East. However, it might take second-year head coach Ben Barr and his assistants one more season to get to where they want to be.

Maine returns its top two leading scorers, Lynden Breen and Donovan Villeneuve-Houle, both now juniors. Jakub Sirota and David Breazeale are back to anchor the blue line. Freshmen to watch are forwards Reid Pabich, Killian Kiecker-Olson and Parker Lindauer and defensemen Brandon Chabrier and Luke Antonacci.The goaltending duties will fall upon Clarkson transfer Jacob Mucitelli and junior Victor Ostman.

 

[Chuck Murray]

UMaine either finishes 9th, ahead of UNH and UVM, or ekes into 8th ahead of Merrimack.

 

[Jackcurtis23]

UMaine either finishes 9th, ahead of UNH and UVM, or ekes into 8th ahead of Merrimack.

Agree.

 

[tylerzx2002]

UMaine either finishes 9th, ahead of UNH and UVM, or ekes into 8th ahead of Merrimack.

This sounds about right to me as well. Anything higher will be a pleasant surprise.

 

[Drew S.]

No Houle, Hebert, or Henbrant tonight. Are they hurt, suspended, or something else?

I’m really excited to see the new players tonight.

 

[BlackBearFan19]

Arnott looks really sharp, he’s getting a lot of ice time and I haven’t seen him make a bad play.

A lot of new players so it’ll take some time to get but they look fast and are playing physical. Mucitelli might be the guy in net.

 

[Drew S.]

Arnott looks really sharp, he’s getting a lot of ice time and I haven’t seen him make a bad play.

A lot of new players so it’ll take some time to get but they look fast and are playing physical. Mucitelli might be the guy in net.

I thought Arnott and Trudeau were definitely best in show as far as the freshmen go. The freshman forwards are much better than the transfer forwards from what I have seen.

 

[amkirby10]

I didn't get to see them play, but I know they won 1-0. What did we think? Did they play well? Thoughts on the new guys, both freshmen and transfers? Any stupid penalties?

 

[Runsub5]

Maine played with a lot of grit and appeared to have good overall speed. Hard to know when seeing them play in only one game against a team I know nothing about. Maine was one for 11 on the PP and scored the only goal of the game while on the PP. Had a couple of 5 on 3 as well. It was a very physical game but I didn't think Maine committed any stupid penalties. Both goal tenders (Ostman and Mucitelli), played well as evidenced by the shutout. There were no one or two players who really stood out to me. Playing Air Force and the national champion will be a real challenge for this team. I saw 10 students sitting behind the PEI bench get ejected. I don't think I have ever seen that many before.

 

[BlackBearFan19]

Maine played with a lot of grit and appeared to have good overall speed. Hard to know when seeing them play in only one game against a team I know nothing about. Maine was one for 11 on the PP and scored the only goal of the game while on the PP. Had a couple of 5 on 3 as well. It was a very physical game but I didn't think Maine committed any stupid penalties. Both goal tenders (Ostman and Mucitelli), played well as evidenced by the shutout. There were no one or two players who really stood out to me. Playing Air Force and the national champion will be a real challenge for this team. I saw 10 students sitting behind the PEI bench get ejected. I don't think I have ever seen that many before.

They skated well and they played really hard against a physical PEI team. PEI played an edgy game and Maine didn’t get roped into a lot of that nonsense which I really liked.

The freshmen d men look D1 ready. I was impressed by Arnott, Chabrier, Holt and Antonacci. The future is definitely bright on defense.

The forwards worked really hard, they still lack that finesse around the net but I think we all knew that wouldn’t change overnight. From what I saw, this team is gonna be able to roll 4 lines every night and is going to be tough to beat. I think once Houle, Hebert and Henbrant join the lineup, the lines will look much different and I expect to see a different bottom 6 almost every night.

 

[UncleRay]

I saw 10 students sitting behind the PEI bench get ejected. I don't think I have ever seen that many before.

Hopefully that's an aberration. The fact that the Maine students have always been clean in their language while being passionate and loud has always been a great strength on the ice.

 

[ticapnews]

The search for a new AD begins.

From the Athletics Department:

The search committee is chaired by John Volin, UMaine executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and will be assisted by search firm Collegiate Sports Associates.

Finalists are expected to visit campus by mid-November, with a decision on the next UMaine athletics director anticipated in early December.

The committee members are: Faculty Senate president MJ Sedlock; co-leads of the Harold Alfond Foundation athletics initiative - professor Judith Rosenbaum-Andre and senior associate athletic director Seth Woodcock; UMaine coaches Josette Babineau, Ben Barr and Amy Vachon; assistant professor Muralee Das; Academic Support Services director Ann Maxim; former dean Anne Pooler; student-athletes Fofo Adetogun and Tiana Bucknor; and Hall of Fame athletes Emily Ellis, Chris Keating and Jack Leggett

 

[BlackBearFan19]

I took a look through the BCHL statistics through 4 games. Josh and Brad Nadeau are leading the league in scoring, with 10 and 9 points. The Vees are 4-0 and Hopkins and Pichette are both off to nice starts.

One thing I saw is that Grayson Arnott’s brother is on the roster this year. Callum Arnott is 18, he’ll be 19 in January. He had good stats at St. Andrew’s college and is off to a good start with 5 points in 4 games. Doesn’t appear to have committed yet so you have to figure he’s on Barr’s radar.

Another recruit, Nick Peluso, is also playing in the BCHL this year. He had a decent season in the USHL last year as a first year guy. He has 5 points through 4 games so far. He’ll be 19 in February so not sure if he’ll be in this class or the following one.

 

[BlackBearFan19]

The search for a new AD begins.

From the Athletics Department:

Interesting to see that Barr, Babineau and Vachon are included on the committee. I try not to read too much into those things but it’s telling that it’s the two most successful coaches and the head of the program that desperately needs to be brought back.

Football and basketball coaches are brand new so wouldn’t expect them to be on there.

 

[ticapnews]

Interesting to see that Barr, Babineau and Vachon are included on the committee. I try not to read too much into those things but it’s telling that it’s the two most successful coaches and the head of the program that desperately needs to be brought back.

Football and basketball coaches are brand new so wouldn’t expect them to be on there.

I hold out hope that they'll find someone who wants to do this job for the next 20 years, not use it as a stepping stone and move on in three.

 

[Drew S.]

I hold out hope that they'll find someone who wants to do this job for the next 20 years, not use it as a stepping stone and move on in three.

They should hire someone local but it will never happen. All the AD’s from away have been mediocre at best.

Has anyone heard any rumors of what happened with the old AD? Hard to believe his dream job was at some tiny school in Texas.

 

[Drew S.]

I took a look through the BCHL statistics through 4 games. Josh and Brad Nadeau are leading the league in scoring, with 10 and 9 points. The Vees are 4-0 and Hopkins and Pichette are both off to nice starts.

One thing I saw is that Grayson Arnott’s brother is on the roster this year. Callum Arnott is 18, he’ll be 19 in January. He had good stats at St. Andrew’s college and is off to a good start with 5 points in 4 games. Doesn’t appear to have committed yet so you have to figure he’s on Barr’s radar.

Another recruit, Nick Peluso, is also playing in the BCHL this year. He had a decent season in the USHL last year as a first year guy. He has 5 points through 4 games so far. He’ll be 19 in February so not sure if he’ll be in this class or the following one.

I wonder if there is much value for the Nadeaus and Hopkins playing at Penicton this year. They are so much better than all the other teams that there really isn’t that much competition in the games. The practices are probably really good though.

 

[NorthMike]

I hold out hope that they'll find someone who wants to do this job for the next 20 years, not use it as a stepping stone and move on in three.

Geez a committee of 15 though, werent they suppose to hire an outside recruiting firm too.

 

[umhockey91]

The search for a new AD begins.

From the Athletics Department:

They need to find someone who can hit the ground running and dive right into fundraising for the athletic facility master plan and possibly make some difficult decisions (cuts?). With the cost increases....I feel like some stuff has to be on the chopping block. I think that Alfond renovations are safe and the new hoops facility will happen one way or another.....beyond those 2 and the already underway women's athletic fields....I don't see too much money left to do some of the other stuff. My feeling is that football is going to get the shaft....that program seems to be in a spiral at this point. 2 FBS games per season might pay some bills....but they are paying a heavy price in the win-loss column....and end up giving some of that money back when fans and donors turn away from the program as the losses pile up.