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

[walrus]

UMaine is never going to break the bank for a coach. Never. A great coach will ALWAYS be able to make a LOT more somewhere else. A coach like Walsh has to value things besides cold, hard cash to make a career at UMaine. Could Barr be that good of a coach and want that type of career? Sure. But he would fall into a clear minority of elite coaches. A minority of elite professionals in any line of work, really. Here's hoping!

Do away with chancellors office and give the money to Barr.

 

[Chuck Murray]

UMaine is never going to break the bank for a coach. Never. A great coach will ALWAYS be able to make a LOT more somewhere else. A coach like Walsh has to value things besides cold, hard cash to make a career at UMaine. Could Barr be that good of a coach and want that type of career? Sure. But he would fall into a clear minority of elite coaches. A minority of elite professionals in any line of work, really. Here's hoping!

The key question Barr needs to resolve for himself - and he may already have done that - is whether he has higher ambitions than being an NCAA D-1 head coach? Up to this point in his well-documented career as a D-1 assistant coach, he seems to have been entirely focused on a college coaching track, and has given no indications that the NHL is anywhere near being on his long-term radar. He just turned 42 years old, and by now most NHL coaches would have been coaching at least in an assistant's role in the NHL. Dave Hakstol took over the UND job in his late 30's, and gave that program a decade or so of head coaching before he jumped to the NHL directly as a HC. Jeff Blashill took brief stops in juniors and NCAA jobs before going to the AHL/NHL route at around age 40. So if Barr is gonna make that NHL jump someday, he's already late.

If Barr and his family are more comfortable with being an NCAA "lifer", then UMaine is in a great position now, so long as they can do enough to keep Barr and his family happy. Barr has not hesitated to move all around the Northeast (and slightly beyond at WMU) for over a decade to get where he is now. That he and his wife seem to have decided to get their family life moving in earnest while situated in the Downeast is another great sign for UMaine. If the Barrs are happy doing what Ben is doing now in Orono, I think the only realistic threat UMaine faces in the future is if/when Barr's alma mater (RPI) eventually comes knocking. I believe he'd applied there earlier for the HC job during his nomadic AC travels, but was turned down (oops!). So maybe Barr has already closed that door in his mind, especially if he continues to build something special in Orono?

So Ray ... while I agree that overall, most elite professionals will not settle for less than top dollar, and usually have supreme confidence in their abilities to figure out new challenges - some even thirsting for new challenges if/when they get "bored" with winning (!) - Barr at least to date seems to be one of those guys who has found his place in the world, and is not necessarily that guy who is going to chase NHL millionS when an NCAA million (salary plus NIL and countless other perks) makes him AND his family happy staying right where they are.

I think you guys have a legit chance of this guy sticking around for 25-30 years of sustained excellence, I really do, and it's why I'm mad at the idiot former UNH AD who didn't beat you guys to the punch, instead of extending his paisan buddy for another two years "just because".

 

[UncleRay]

Do away with chancellors office and give the money to Barr.

Wishful thinking that I agree with, Wally.

And, umhockey91, just because the money exists somewhere doesn't mean it will be used where we all want it to be UMaine doesn't pay coaches. Their pay scale has always been - and will always be, IMO - below league average and below market.

Walsh could have made more money elsewhere, but made a personal choice not to. Joanne Palombo McCallie was worth far more than UMaine ever would have dreamed paying her and she left. Timmay and Red were probably overpaid, so they weren't going anywhere. If Barr is as good as we all think he is, he will get a bit of a raise at the U, but I don't believe it will be significant. And it will be considerably less than he will be able to get at one of the well-funded DI schools, let alone the NHL if it comes to that.

UMaine will not only never win a future potential bidding war for Barr, they won't even enter it.

 

[OronoKO]

I don’t think you mess with what was out there this weekend. Poisson is struggling a little bit, I’ve been wondering if he’s banged up. Houle deserves a lot of praise, seems like no matter where you put him in the lineup he plays well.

My take is when renwick comes back, Hanson likely sits.

Maine finished last year with Breen centering Houle and Freel. Poisson played with Henbrant and Renwick. That said, you could easily play Renwick with Freel and, maybe Hanson. I think they were together for a bit last year. But I don't think they change too much when they are winning. I agree that Hanson (or Niemo) will sit when Renwick is back.

 

[Don C]

We as MAINE fans should be happy that Ben has brought his talent to UMAINE Hockey. I for one am hoping for long term. His brand of hockey is fun to watch and I really like watching the team he has put together. Go MAINE !!

 

[ticapnews]

Maine will finish the year at #1 in the pairwise for the first time since January of 2003 when the Black Bears led a trio of Cornell, Colorado College and North Dakota tied for #2. In 2003-4 Maine was #3 behind North Dakota and Boston College. Maine will also be #1 in the KRACH. A precursor to KRACH, RPICH, was compiled weekly by Erik Biever of the University of Minnesota. The January 3, 1993 ranking showed Maine with a sizable lead on #2 Michigan and #3 Alaska Fairbanks. The January 2, 1995 RPICH rankings showed Maine #1, just edging out Boston University and Minnesota. I was unable to find any rankings from January 1999. Maine was #7 in the OSR (Pairwise of the day) in January of 2002, but was unable to find any other rankings.

 

[NorthMike]

Wishful thinking that I agree with, Wally.

And, umhockey91, just because the money exists somewhere doesn't mean it will be used where we all want it to be UMaine doesn't pay coaches. Their pay scale has always been - and will always be, IMO - below league average and below market.

Walsh could have made more money elsewhere, but made a personal choice not to. Joanne Palombo McCallie was worth far more than UMaine ever would have dreamed paying her and she left. Timmay and Red were probably overpaid, so they weren't going anywhere. If Barr is as good as we all think he is, he will get a bit of a raise at the U, but I don't believe it will be significant. And it will be considerably less than he will be able to get at one of the well-funded DI schools, let alone the NHL if it comes to that.

UMaine will not only never win a future potential bidding war for Barr, they won't even enter it.

I think your correct about the pay potential with umaine.
​​​​​​Paying the hockey coach more than anyone in the Umaine system wont fly. Unless there were an outside revenue source which there isnt. I can see the school getting Ben up to 300k but no way 400k.
Vachon and Babineau, soccer coach too, should all make more, so keeping peace in the athletic department by opening up their purse to Ben would be impossible.
Its an age old problem here with coaching pay and no solution.
Im simply enjoying it for however long it may last, many years hopefully.

 

[9twenty]

I think your correct about the pay potential with umaine.
​​​​​​Paying the hockey coach more than anyone in the Umaine system wont fly. Unless there were an outside revenue source which there isnt. I can see the school getting Ben up to 300k but no way 400k.
Vachon and Babineau, soccer coach too, should all make more, so keeping peace in the athletic department by opening up their purse to Ben would be impossible.
Its an age old problem here with coaching pay and no solution.
Im simply enjoying it for however long it may last, many years hopefully.

Bottom like alot of speculation on money...for the time being enjoy the season...what Barr has done,which in his plans are far from completed...when the time comes things like contract value in $$$ and years will be in Barrs corner to decide....but for now....Maine hockey is on the up-swing ....but a old Maine trait....always worring about the next this...next that [ !!! ] HAPPY NEW YEAR 2 ALL...

 

[umhockey91]

So many fans wringing their hands over Barr's next contract. He still has never won a HE playoff game.....lol.

 

[grooverider]

So many fans wringing their hands over Barr's next contract. He still has never won a HE playoff game.....lol.

Walsh didn't either until his third year. The turn around to this program right now is remarkable from the place we were in..Walsh started to take off his third year which is same year Barr is in now. Maine knows a good coach when they see one why wouldn't people want to lock him up for atleast a while longer.

Ive met him multiple times and he is the EXACT coach you want leading your program and the kids love him and would run through a wall for him

 

[umhockey91]

Walsh didn't either until his third year. The turn around to this program right now is remarkable from the place we were in..Walsh started to take off his third year which is same year Barr is in now. Maine knows a good coach when they see one why wouldn't people want to lock him up for atleast a while longer.

Ive met him multiple times and he is the EXACT coach you want leading your program and the kids love him and would run through a wall for him

Totally agree....but it's pretty comical to see some Maine fans freaking out over extending Barr.

 

[9twenty]

Walsh didn't either until his third year. The turn around to this program right now is remarkable from the place we were in..Walsh started to take off his third year which is same year Barr is in now. Maine knows a good coach when they see one why wouldn't people want to lock him up for atleast a while longer.

Ive met him multiple times and he is the EXACT coach you want leading your program and the kids love him and would run through a wall for him

Bottom line again...this will work out...enjoy this season and look forward to more positives for the Program.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Paying the hockey coach more than anyone in the Umaine system wont fly. Unless there were an outside revenue source which there isnt. I can see the school getting Ben up to 300k but no way 400k.
Vachon and Babineau, soccer coach too, should all make more, so keeping peace in the athletic department by opening up their purse to Ben would be impossible.

I don't know who any of those folks are, but unless they are successful coaches of revenue-positive programs, I don't think they "should all make more" than Barr? If so - on what basis?? Assuming Alfond Arena has now returned to its old SRO attendance standard from back in the Walshy Era, that's roughly $100,000 per home date (or $2.0MM/season) - what other program(s) on campus can show that kind of revenue generation?

For several years, when UNH was banging out The Whitt (with a bigger seating capacity than Alfond), Umile was the highest earner in the entire USNH system ... and why not? His program was generating close to $3.0MM annually in revenue - who else was doing that?? If that's "wrong" in the eyes of a socialist/Marxist UMaine admin, then you guys are going to lose a helluva good hockey coach ... and for what??? "Equity"????

My understanding has always been that the real pragmatic Maine folks started in earnest once you got north of (especially) Portland and east of Augusta which is where you Downeasters all reside, correct? I don't hold the clown-show crap your Secretary of State pulls against real Mainers from real Maine ... but you folks would be nuts to just stand aside and watch the best Hockey head coach you're likely to ever have (again) just leave town because some nameless faceless lefty admin type wants to lecture you on why Barr isn't more valuable to the U than some gender fluid creature who's got a few more years on his/her/xir USM pension. If you guys think Barr is THAT expendable, and aren't ready to put up a fight to keep him from leaving for anoter D-1 job, then you probably didn't deserve to have him in the first place. Which would be sad, no???

You guys can kick the can down the road on this debate all you want, but Barr is right on schedule with his usual magic, so he is upholding his part of the deal (so far), and there is really no reason to believe his success will not continue. So ... who's gonna fight to get Barr to a $500K base to keep him around for the rest of the decade? Show of hands, please ...

 

[umhockey91]

Chuck thinks he's so cute weaving political rhetoric into Barr contract talk.....you're right Chuckie.....Downeasters aren't that stupid.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Chuck thinks he's so cute weaving political rhetoric into Barr contract talk.....you're right Chuckie.....Downeasters aren't that stupid.

So ... what do you think then? Pony up and extend Barr, and let the good times roll a la Walshy, or set artificial limits?

 

[9twenty]

Bottom line: Colgate next on the hockey preparations agenda....W's and making a statement in Hockey East play.

 

[walrus]

Vachon is the women’s bball coach, if they had a decent place on campus to play I think she would generate revenue. She played with Blodgett and the program would sell out Alfond.

And I’m not worried about whether or not Barr has won a hockey east tourney game or not, talks need to start about extending his contract.

 

[9twenty]

Vachon is the women’s bball coach, if they had a decent place on campus to play I think she would generate revenue. She played with Blodgett and the program would sell out Alfond.

And I’m not worried about whether or not Barr has won a hockey east tourney game or not, talks need to start about extending his contract.

I think your right w/Barr...thinking here something gets worked out after the season.

 

[Erix_The_Red]

Not that polls matter, but are we expecting one this week or was there too little play?

 

[Wayuphere]

My guess is that talks are quietly ongoing regarding a contract extension but no announcement until immediately before the NCAA tourney or soon after the season ends.
Put another way, Barr is told that his services are desired long term, details being ironed out, but for now let this season play out. If Maine makes it to the Frozen Four, that would be a great time to announce it just before they travel.