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Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

So who are the leading candidates to replace him? I've heard Jim Montgomery's name tossed out there, but I think the lack of support from the school (real or not) is going to limit their options. I don't know that Jimmy is going to be interested.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

sorry to read this. that's a good guy leaving the program.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Quit sucking up to the BU guy, mookie.

;)

Maybe Jack will bring him on board to go with Buddy Powers.

Mark Dennehy was listed as a potential replacement. Don't think Merrimack or any program would be too thrilled to lose their head coach/assistant in June.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Merrimack made an investment in Dennehy last year to keep him from NU. I would think that they probably put some clauses in the new deal to protect themselves from losing Dennehy anytime soon.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

UMLFan said:
Really strange in retrospect now, with assistant coach Blaise MacDonald having just moved to Colby.
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I thought the exact same thing. Blaiser heads to Waterbury, and Toot is shown the door right after. Strange all around.

Toot is a quality guy and a good coach. UMass is what it is in hockey, and that is not an elite program. It has nowhere near the cache of Maine or UNH, and maybe not even Vermont. And they aren't anywhere near BU or BC.
So that leaves the Minutemen with Lowell, Merrimack, Northeastern and Providence, battling for the middle and hoping they don't sink to the bottom.

Unless UMass can find the next Hockey Calipari, or Shawn Walsh, they will continue to muddle along in mid-table mediocrity, with a couple of good seasons sprinkled in.
I don't think there is anyone obvious out there.
If UMass is looking at current assistants, they should look at BC, given their recruiting and on-ice successes lately.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

ushr.com posted a list of candidates that included 5 names---Mike Cavanaugh-BC, Mark Dennehy-MC, Mike Bavis-BU, Scott Borek-UNH and Rick Bennett-Union...

I too would be surprised to see Dennehy leave as Im sure he wants that BC job, not the UMass job, and right now it is a lateral movement if you ask me. Sure UMass has more resources, but its a risk for him to leave MC where he has a ton of security and has positioned himself very well for the BC job. Plus he is under contract until 2019 and the price may be too high for UMass to even consider him.

Rick Bennett I feel has a good resume, but just signed a long extension too. I think it takes him out of the equation as he has work left at Union---hes only been the Head Coach there 1 season.

Mike Bavis would make a strong candidate---but leaving BU now might be a mistake if you ask me. Jack Parker will pick the next coach and if Bavis is loyal I think Parker will give him the nod. He leaves he gets thrown into the pool with Quinn, Sullivan and Hynes---all of whom may be more qualified. Plus, will UMass want to hire a guy who really wants to be at BU? If Bavis is ok with giving up on the dream of following parker I think he could get this job, but will he want it? I say no---he wants BU.

This leaves Mike Cavanaugh and Scott Borek. I dont see Greg Brown applying for the position if Cav is. Cavanaugh has been at BC for the whole ride, has 4 national championships and is certainly deserving of a Head Coaching gig. Having said that---how hard is it win at BC? What I mean by that is the situation at UMass is VERY different and he has no experience outside of BC. But I still think if he interviews well he will get the job.

Borek is an interesting candidate if you ask me. He is a dog of a recruiter and has reached the NCAA tournament every year during his time at UNH with the exception of this season---9 years in a row is impressive. UNH is much more similiar to UMass than BC. He has been a head coach (CCHA COY) before and has been in many different situations---Providence, Brown, Dartmouth, Colby... Having said that--Lake State went downhill quickly after Jeff Jackson. How much of that was his fault? Who knows.

Jim Montgomery was mentioned earlier in the thread. His name has some appeal in Hockey East and he has done exceptionally well in the USHL. The knock on him will be that he does not have anywhere near the college experience of the above mentioned guys.

Does Greg Cronin return to college hockey? David Lassonde from Denver?

My prediction is Mike Cavanaugh. Time will tell.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Priceless said:
So who are the leading candidates to replace him? I've heard Jim Montgomery's name tossed out there, but I think the lack of support from the school (real or not) is going to limit their options. I don't know that Jimmy is going to be interested.
Click to expand...

He's the only publicly known candidate at this time and kinda seems like where there's smoke, there's fire. There have been rumors of Monty leaving Dubuque since the season ended; most thought he'd be taking a head coaching job in the AHL. Anyways, Monty would be a great hire and should be the frontrunner for the position, imo. He gets his players to buy into his systems and philosophies and he also has a ton of contacts. I don't think he's as terribly green to college hockey as most think; 4 years as a player and 5 as an assistant coach. I think he'd be a home run hire.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Lebron23 said:
He's the only publicly known candidate at this time and kinda seems like where there's smoke, there's fire. There have been rumors of Monty leaving Dubuque since the season ended; most thought he'd be taking a head coaching job in the AHL. Anyways, Monty would be a great hire and should be the frontrunner for the position, imo. He gets his players to buy into his systems and philosophies and he also has a ton of contacts. I don't think he's as terribly green to college hockey as most think; 4 years as a player and 5 as an assistant coach. I think he'd be a home run hire.
Click to expand...

Quiet , okay ? Some of us would have plans for Monty at his alma mater.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

A couple of thoughts:

UMass was going no where under Cahoon
I'd be shocked if Dennehy is the next BC coach, but UMass isn't the step up he's probably looking for
That job isn't going to be too attractive with the perceived (where there's smoke there's fire) lack of institutional support
 
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Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Runsub5 said:
I would agree. I suspect Cahoon was asked to resign or be fired.
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I don't suspect you're wrong, I know it. Knowing Toot, he told the AD in a very non-confrontational way to stick the program. It is very difficult to convince players in a program they're getting all the support necessary when the Institution itself projects otherwise. I see the job going to an assistant coach and not a current head coach.....however, head coaches will use it as leverage in their current position.
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

Runsub5 said:
I suspect Cahoon was asked to resign or be fired.
Click to expand...
Yes, because what school doesn't want to wait until the end of June to start a coaching search?
 
Re: Toot Cahoon Steps Down as UMass Head Coach

dover4345 said:
ushr.com posted a list of candidates that included 5 names---Mike Cavanaugh-BC, Mark Dennehy-MC, Mike Bavis-BU, Scott Borek-UNH and Rick Bennett-Union...

Borek is an interesting candidate if you ask me. He is a dog of a recruiter and has reached the NCAA tournament every year during his time at UNH with the exception of this season---9 years in a row is impressive. UNH is much more similiar to UMass than BC. He has been a head coach (CCHA COY) before and has been in many different situations---Providence, Brown, Dartmouth, Colby... Having said that--Lake State went downhill quickly after Jeff Jackson. How much of that was his fault? Who knows.
Click to expand...

A good move for UMass would be to hire Scott Borek as Head Coach and Josh Ciocco as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator (to replace Blaise MacDonald). Hope it doesn't happen.
 
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