UMaine Hockey 23 - 24: The Barr Crawl to Glory!!!

[amkirby10]

I agree with Bears91 to a point, I do think a lot of us, me included, are looking past MC. But they also did a lot of their damage last year with portal transfers that were seniors and grad students, so I think there's a element of "lightning in a bottle" with them that will be tough to replicate. On the contrary, UConn was a pretty young team last season that kept a lot of their top talent around, so I think they are set up for sustainable success in Storrs.

In my opinion, there's clearly three tiers in Hockey East currently:

BU, BC, CT

ME, MA, PC, NU, ML, MC

NH, VT

That middle tier, from 4th to 9th, anyone in that clump could finish anywhere in that range and it wouldn't surprise me much. I think CT might be a hair below the Boston blue bloods too, so if you include them in the middle tier then anywhere from 3rd to 9th wont be separated by much.

 

[grooverider]

I think you guys are overrating Maine and severely underrating Merrimack. Mack was in the NCAA’s and took BU to OT in the HE final.

I’m bullish on the direction of the program like everyone else. But BU and Mack were tourney teams. NU, UConn, BC, Lowell, Providence, Umass all finished ahead of Maine in the Pairwise. I know everyone is giving their HE predictions, but BC Providence, Umass I think are way better on paper (the later two having the 2 best coaches in the league). Lowell is always a pain to play. I think Maine is close with UConn and NU in terms of talent and direction. But they both have owned Maine for a while now. They have passed UNH and VT imo.

Again, I’m excited and bullish on the direction and we are lucky to have Ben. But this league has so much bloody parity that didn’t exist the last time Maine was consistently in the national conversation. I’m excited to get this season started. It feels like we have been stuck in 2 weeks before opening night for 2 months now.

I think the league is so deep this year just a few series losses can alter the standings in a big way. Tourney teams last year may not even get out of the first round of HE playoffs. I expect the league to be an absolute bloodbath with "any given night" being a possibility for a win or loss. I don't agree entirely with UMass though..Carvel's coaching staff and recruiting has not been the same since Nightingale and Barr have left and I can see them finishing in the bottom 3 this year again.

 

[Drew S.]

I think the league is so deep this year just a few series losses can alter the standings in a big way. Tourney teams last year may not even get out of the first round of HE playoffs. I expect the league to be an absolute bloodbath with "any given night" being a possibility for a win or loss. I don't agree entirely with UMass though..Carvel's coaching staff and recruiting has not been the same since Nightingale and Barr have left and I can see them finishing in the bottom 3 this year again.

I don’t see Umass getting back to the top of the league but can see them consistently in the middle of the pack similar to Lowell.

Merrimack is bringing back their top three scorers from last year and five of their top seven. Also both their goalies.

My biggest question marks in the league are Providence and Northeastern. Anytime a team has a big turnover it’s hard to predict if it will work out or not. In Providence’s case they’ve been underwhelming for a few years in a row now so it’s hard for me to see them magically turning it around. They definitely do have talent though.

 

[walrus]

According to twitter Duda is going to return to Russia to play in KHL.

If this is true ncaa must have put the hammer down on Duda. I wait to cry about it when I hear it from Barr

 

[umhockey91]

Jack Parker put a call into the NCAA and said…”are you REALLY going to allow Maine to get back to the top that easily?…we can’t stop them this time.”….NCAA - “Yes Mr. Parker…we understand what needs to be done.”

 

[Chuck Murray]

Jack Parker put a call into the NCAA and said…”are you REALLY going to allow Maine to get back to the top that easily?…we can’t stop them this time.”….NCAA - “Yes Mr. Parker…we understand what needs to be done.”

Wow. The old hostilities die hard. Don Parka has been retired for over a decade now ...

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Seems rather odd that the UM staff is not picking up what these recruits are doing before coming to play NCAA hockey...two now with Duda & Berzins...myself I think it hurts Maine to lose out on Berzins...anyone know the ins and outs on the incoming Swede netminder..?

Benny said in the Daily article that he expects Berzins in Orono next year.... article also has a brief quote re: the new Swede...
UMaine men’s hockey picks up Swedish backup goalie (bangordailynews.com)

 

[Tango]

1. BU
2-9. Crap shoot for any team not BU, UNH, or UVM
10. UVM
11. UNH

Anyone know dates for the Hockey East media day and preseason coaches poll release? They were both the second week of September last year.

 

[acs64]

1. BU
2-9. Crap shoot for any team not BU, UNH, or UVM
10. UVM
11. UNH

Anyone know dates for the Hockey East media day and preseason coaches poll release? They were both the second week of September last year.

Okay place ur bets. Im betting the coaches place Maine at 7th in the preseason poll. Wally said he'd buy the winner a brewski.

 

[grooverider]

Okay place ur bets. Im betting the coaches place Maine at 7th in the preseason poll.

7th or 8th is my guess, the coaches likely think we suck. BU/BC number 1/2

 

[Chuck Murray]

Okay place ur bets. Im betting the coaches place Maine at 7th in the preseason poll. Wally said he'd buy the winner a brewski.

Put me down for them picking UMaine for 6th. I personally think your Black Bears will finish with home ice (Top 4).

UNH is a dead cert, nailed-on 11th place, although the coaches will probably pick them for 10th.

 

[9twenty]

I said 6th in my picks but figure the Coaches go with 7th...but 8th by them would not surprise me either.

 

[tylerzx2002]

I can see Maine finishing 5th. Think BU/BC/UConn are the class of Hockey East and then pretty much a crapshoot beyond that before you get to VT/UNH in the cellar.

 

[Chuck Murray]

I can see Maine finishing 5th. Think BU/BC/UConn ?!?) are the class of Hockey East and then pretty much a crapshoot beyond that before you get to VT/UNH in the cellar.

Don't fall for the UConn hype. Don't be that guy ...

 

[Drew S.]

Maine picked ninth by the media.

 

[BlackBearFan19]

Maine picked ninth by the media.

Gave me a good laugh, you would think they would wake up after last year. Either way, more bulletin board material for the guys.

 

[Drew S.]

Gave me a good laugh, you would think they would wake up after last year. Either way, more bulletin board material for the guys.

I think/hope Maine finishes better than ninth but not sure on paper you can justify putting Maine ahead of any of those eight teams.

 

[walrus]

I think/hope Maine finishes better than ninth but not sure on paper you can justify putting Maine ahead of any of those eight teams.

The proof is in the pudding, polls mean nothing. I’ve heard Duda is still on Campus. If he plays 2nd semester Maine finishes better than 9th.

 

[acs64]

2023-24 Hockey East Writers and Broadcasters Association Media Poll.

1. BU (11) 156
2. BC (2) 135
Merrimack (2) 135
4. Connecticut 102
5. Providence 92
6. Northeastern 86
7. Massachusetts-Lowell 83
8. Massachusetts 79
9. Maine 74
10. New Hampshire 26
11. Vermont 22

 

[umhockey91]

So Maine is going to finish 2 spots lower than last season?.....why did I even buy season tix......