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UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

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Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

My prediction is that if cobb doesn't fire shyiak within the next 10 days, he's not going to fire him at all this off-season. Usually teams will part ways with a coach immediately after a season so they have more time to find a solid replacement.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

Agreed. Starting to look like Shyiak stays.

But hey the new (no-ice) arena just found Alaska Airlines as a sponsor. Outside of the Shootout and graduation that building will never have more 1200 people in it. What a waste.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

malainse said:
Agreed. Starting to look like Shyiak stays.

But hey the new (no-ice) arena just found Alaska Airlines as a sponsor. Outside of the Shootout and graduation that building will never have more 1200 people in it. What a waste.
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And the way the shoot out is going, they may not have that many. :( Look at the meager attendance they had this year, and that was with the airfare giveaway to lure the ticket sales.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

hockeyjunkie10 said:
Having an all-alumni coaching staff is a pipe dream for 95% of programs, and certainly - in my opinion - wouldn't be in UAA's best interest. For a program to turn around, you need a great staff with no holes, and a huge part of that is in the recruiting component. The problem that UAA has, is you can get a lot of mid-to-upper level coaches who would take a Head job for 110-150k with relative ease. You're not going to get an upper echelon name guy to take that kind of money, but you can get a young, up and comer, or a guy who's had success in junior, something along those lines. The bigger problem in my opinion is to get a great recruiter as an assistant, you're going to need to have a salary of around 75k to lure anyone worth their salt out of Minnesota, Massachusetts, etc. and relocate to Alaska. You'd be hard pressed to get a stud 2nd assistant to come to Alaska for 40k. What ends up happening is the HC takes the job and hires the "best available" guys to come with him and it falls apart in a hurry.
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We already had an all alumni coaching staff - that team is responsible for the worst record ever ... ZERO league wins. Local is not necessarily the answer, but the right combo of local and outside could work. Blair proved himself at Maine, and I know those fans would take him back in a heartbeat. Maybe he should be considered.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

seawolfpunk said:
everyone's frustrated with the way the program is going. I am seriously hoping some big time changes are made with the start of the Nwcha.
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I think Alaska Anchorage has a hard time convincing players to go to Alaska. There is a lot of travel and not a lot day light in the winter.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

Jesus of Suburbia said:
I think Alaska Anchorage has a hard time convincing players to go to Alaska. There is a lot of travel and not a lot day light in the winter.
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I disagree. That is a horrible excuse not to come to a school, espcially since uaf seems to be doing well.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

seawolfpunk said:
I disagree. That is a horrible excuse not to come to a school, espcially since uaf seems to be doing well.
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The way I look let say Nebraska Omaha, Minnesota State, & Northern Michigan offer a player a spot. The travel might be consider and plus UAA always seems to be one of the lowest ranked teams in the WCHA. I think the new WCHA might help UAA improve in the rankings which will attract more players. Fairbanks has been doing well recently which might help them attract better players.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

With that important step completed now we'll get to see just how committed the University and specifically Steve Cobb are; to once and for all finally take the next step to begin building a winning program.

I've said it before and here it comes again. Hiring another coach in the Shyiak-mold isn't going to change anything. To find a coach that can bring in the necessary talent is going to cost some money. I keep saying around $300K ... with every dollar you spend less than that you're going to get a lesser coach. That sort of money should attract a "name" that potential recruits can recognize and want to come play for. Personally, I think they should do everything possible to bring someone in from outside the existing college hockey fraternity. Please, no "up and coming" or "promising" assistants from other programs for $120K or $150K. The problems UAA has are not fixable by someone like that. If they were then Shyiak probably would have had more success.

The program is foundering. The only way it gets righted is by winning. The only way it starts winning is by getting more talent. The only way it gets more talent is to have a coach that talented kids cannot pass up an opportunity to play for. This will likely not be accomplished by launching a national search. It might be a good idea for Cobb to bring in a consultant to help him with this process. There are former NHL coaches who's resume's could be nicely enhanced by a 3 or 4 year (highly successful) stint at an NCAA school. This is I feel the best way forward.

The next coach should be someone short-term (a "transition" coach) ... 3 year contract; someone that can immediately turn the team around. Do not try to hire a coach who will be there for the next 20 years. That guy should be hired after someone comes in and turns the program around in the next 3-4 years. A fast turnaround isn't going to happen with some highly prized current D1 assistant who has great systems and is a good recruiter. An immediate turnaround is only going to happen with a big name who can immediately attract some elite recruits. It could happen if you poached an active big name coach from another D1 school but that's an unlikely scenario. In any case, it starts with the $$$. Pony it up Cobb. If you don't, then you'll only propagate the status quo.
 
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uaafanblog said:
With that important step completed now we'll get to see just how committed the University and specifically Steve Cobb are; to once and for all finally take the next step to begin building a winning program.

I've said it before and here it comes again. Hiring another coach in the Shyiak-mold isn't going to change anything. To find a coach that can bring in the necessary talent is going to cost some money. I keep saying around $300K ... with every dollar you spend less than that you're going to get a lesser coach. That sort of money should attract a "name" that potential recruits can recognize and want to come play for. Personally, I think they should do everything possible to bring someone in from outside the existing college hockey fraternity. Please, no "up and coming" or "promising" assistants from other programs for $120K or $150K. The problems UAA has are not fixable by someone like that. If they were then Shyiak probably would have had more success.

The program is foundering. The only way it gets righted is by winning. The only way it starts winning is by getting more talent. The only way it gets more talent is to have a coach that talented kids cannot pass up an opportunity to play for. This will likely not be accomplished by launching a national search. It might be a good idea for Cobb to bring in an a consultant to help him with this process. There are former NHL coaches who's resume's could be nicely enhanced by a 3 or 4 year (highly successful) stint at an NCAA school. This is I feel the best way forward.

The next coach should be someone short-term (a "transition" coach) ... 3 year contract; someone that can immediately turn the team around. Do not try to hire a coach who will be there for the next 20 years. That guy should be hired after someone comes in and turns the program around in the next 3-4 years. A fast turnaround isn't going to happen with some highly prized current D1 assistant who has great systems and is a good recruiter. An immediate turnaround is only going to happen with a big name who can immediately attract some elite recruits. It could happen if you poached an active big name coach from another D1 school but that's an unlikely scenario. In any case, it starts with the $$$. Pony it up Cobb. If you don't, then you'll only propagate the status quo.
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I see you're still in CrazyLand. UAF won't get $300k for a coach yet you somehow UAA will? Former NHL coaches?

mlfw8911-seriously.png
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

I know that if I was a college recruit I'd want to go to UAA and play for a coach who likely won't be around for my senior year.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

Sorry D...Herb Brooks couldn't get top recruits to UAA. I can see it now..."and over here we have our weight room, umm...coach, isn't this a squash court? " We will never get top recruits, the best we can do is smart recruits. Get an up and coming coach and put the extra money, you'd like to throw at a former NHL coach, towards scouting for diamonds in the ruff.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

drcobbmustgonow said:
Sorry D...Herb Brooks couldn't get top recruits to UAA. I can see it now..."and over here we have our weight room, umm...coach, isn't this a squash court? " We will never get top recruits, the best we can do is smart recruits. Get an up and coming coach and put the extra money, you'd like to throw at a former NHL coach, towards scouting for diamonds in the ruff.
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It's my understanding that the new sports complex will be used as training for ALL the athletes. So even though it does not have ice, it has the other facilities that were sorely needed. That should help draw recruits.
 
Re: UAA Seawolves offseason thread- time for change

zaSuze this is this first semi-positive thing I've ever heard you post......Hope you keep it up and improve on it...Us Seawolves need and deserve it.
 
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