I'm not sure why, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in the job.
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UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
- Thread starter walrus
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I'm not sure why, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in the job.
AMC
Registered User
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
A toxic combination of sky high expectations and low pay and resources.
A toxic combination of sky high expectations and low pay and resources.
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
-Corkum appealed directly to the Black Bear fan base (right here on USCHO) asking for their support to land it.
-Then there was the whole sheet-show with Gwozdecky getting fired from Denver. He came in to talk to the committee IIRC.
-Osiecki from Ohio State had just been booted and he threw his hat in the ring.
-I personally proposed a 4-time Stanley Cup winner/Conn Smythe award winner to Steve Abbott. The guy is a friend of mine and had very sincere and real interest in the job. They had a conversation. Abbott told him "Sorry, you have to have a college degree to be considered." The guy says "Steve, I may not have a college degree, but I have a PhD in hockey. C'mon." No go.
There were a couple of others as well. I forget who they were.
None of that matters. The entire landscape of D1 hockey has changed since the Walsh era. It seems near impossible to get a top recruit to attend Maine today. BU right now, e.g., has 7 kids that were once U.S. U18 NTDP. Maine has 0.
Thinking back to May 2013, there was actually a lot of interest in the job-
-Corkum appealed directly to the Black Bear fan base (right here on USCHO) asking for their support to land it.
-Then there was the whole sheet-show with Gwozdecky getting fired from Denver. He came in to talk to the committee IIRC.
-Osiecki from Ohio State had just been booted and he threw his hat in the ring.
-I personally proposed a 4-time Stanley Cup winner/Conn Smythe award winner to Steve Abbott. The guy is a friend of mine and had very sincere and real interest in the job. They had a conversation. Abbott told him "Sorry, you have to have a college degree to be considered." The guy says "Steve, I may not have a college degree, but I have a PhD in hockey. C'mon." No go.
There were a couple of others as well. I forget who they were.
None of that matters. The entire landscape of D1 hockey has changed since the Walsh era. It seems near impossible to get a top recruit to attend Maine today. BU right now, e.g., has 7 kids that were once U.S. U18 NTDP. Maine has 0.
Was Gwozdecky genuinely interested? He obviously would have been great but I just can't imagine he would have been. It's hard for me to see Corkum being any better than Red but who knows.
All I remember is that the finalists were very unimpressive.
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
Gwoz wasn't genuinely interested IMHO, but the intrigue of the Maine opening came right on the heels of Gwoz' departure from Denver. So he took a sniff.
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
And Abbott was right, all(most?) the Assts Shawn ever had got Masters degrees while they were at UMaine. Thats the reason they got them.
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
It seems short sighted to me not to consider a guy with the qualifications this NHL individual had.
Oh Abbott was definitely correct. By UMaine or NCAA statute I suppose, it is a requirement for the coach to have a minimum Bachelor's Degree. I don't know that they have to have a Masters.
It seems short sighted to me not to consider a guy with the qualifications this NHL individual had.
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
Some perspective if you'll allow me, on the talent issue. A very real issue for the Black Bears. My view is from having BU season tix because I live here...
BU has a Junior, Brien Diffley, who is IMHO a very good D1 defenseman. 6'2" 190 lbs, a Burlington, MA kid. Seen him play at least 20-25 games over the last two seasons. A really solid player. Lots of playing time his Frosh and Soph years. He would easily be Maine's best defenseman on this '16-'17 team. He basically lost his spot at BU this year with Fabbro and Krys coming in. He doesn't even dress.
All six dressing BU defensemen are NHL draft picks. All six. Diffley has dressed for 7 of 23 games so far this season. Three of them were during World Juniors try-outs and tournament. He will play if someone is hurt or out for some reason.
That is an extreme but real example of what Red and the Maine Hockey program face. I say call the kid and ask him if he wants to transfer. He'll play 35-40 minutes a game in blue! He ain't playing in red.
Maine Hockey has s-o-m-e talent, just not enough to be an elite National or Hockey East team any more. Get one thing straight - I bleed Blue. I am loyal to Maine Hockey forever. Just currently very disillusioned.
Some perspective if you'll allow me, on the talent issue. A very real issue for the Black Bears. My view is from having BU season tix because I live here...
BU has a Junior, Brien Diffley, who is IMHO a very good D1 defenseman. 6'2" 190 lbs, a Burlington, MA kid. Seen him play at least 20-25 games over the last two seasons. A really solid player. Lots of playing time his Frosh and Soph years. He would easily be Maine's best defenseman on this '16-'17 team. He basically lost his spot at BU this year with Fabbro and Krys coming in. He doesn't even dress.
All six dressing BU defensemen are NHL draft picks. All six. Diffley has dressed for 7 of 23 games so far this season. Three of them were during World Juniors try-outs and tournament. He will play if someone is hurt or out for some reason.
That is an extreme but real example of what Red and the Maine Hockey program face. I say call the kid and ask him if he wants to transfer. He'll play 35-40 minutes a game in blue! He ain't playing in red.
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walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
Its an institution of higher learning. I can't imagine a head coach not having a masters. It used to be required and I assume it still is. Not sure if Ben is taking classes towards one but I'd bet he is?
walrus
Wind up workin' in a gas station
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
Yeah, they have some talent, I thought they did as good as can be expected this weekend. As a long time fan its disappointing its come to this.
We all love Maine hockey, if we didn't we would have stopped paying attention a long time ago. Not sure tampering with other teams players is the way to go though
Yeah, they have some talent, I thought they did as good as can be expected this weekend. As a long time fan its disappointing its come to this.
AMC
Registered User
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
At the time Red was hired the expectations were still that Maine be a national program.
At the time Red was hired the expectations were still that Maine be a national program.
NorthMike
Well-known member
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
There is some genuine d1 level talent at Maine, I don't feel as though Maine's record reflects their level of talent, they should have more wins.
A hockey team can have a bus full of talent, but without leadership its just that.
Certainly wouldn't a key recruiting technique by many D1 teams be to look to sell a player on getting ice time, helping to bring the level of talent on the team up, etc?
Players must weigh this when they sign on, along with will the coaching staff develop them properly, is there sufficient talent on the team to challenge them day to day to get better, to keep the spot in the line up, not just if they get game time.
There is some genuine d1 level talent at Maine, I don't feel as though Maine's record reflects their level of talent, they should have more wins.
A hockey team can have a bus full of talent, but without leadership its just that.
Certainly wouldn't a key recruiting technique by many D1 teams be to look to sell a player on getting ice time, helping to bring the level of talent on the team up, etc?
Players must weigh this when they sign on, along with will the coaching staff develop them properly, is there sufficient talent on the team to challenge them day to day to get better, to keep the spot in the line up, not just if they get game time.
They do, but many opt to go to a school that has a recent, consistent history of sending players to the NHL. Even if they are not playing much, they feel as though they have a better chance of "riding the coat tails" aS opposed to getting "overlooked" at a "lesser" school. Remember, as much as we want to see loyalty, for a lot of these guys, college hockey is just a vehicle to get them to their ultimate goal of getting to the NHL.
Ma#1ne Hky
New member
Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread
Well as they say on any given night, any team can beat any team...@ Merrimack: Merrimack 3 BU 1 ...LaCouvee was in net for BU and not the young Freshman Oettinger. That's Hockey for you.
Well as they say on any given night, any team can beat any team...@ Merrimack: Merrimack 3 BU 1 ...LaCouvee was in net for BU and not the young Freshman Oettinger. That's Hockey for you.
NorthMike
Well-known member
AMC
Registered User
Maybe Merrimack is a better team than Maine.
Ma#1ne Hky
New member
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