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

[NorthMike]

PR like this brings in more blue chippers.
Josh is Hockey East player of the month. Bradly is Rookie of the month, and Chabrier is Defenseman of the month. Go to Hockey East site for news release.
Well done!!!

Love it. And all those high end players at bu/bc, in theory who should lock up every player of the month recognition.

 

[umhockey91]

Colgate fan here. Bound for Orono in the morning.
Was there (and Portland) last for Omaha series.
This year, when ‘Gate schedule was announced, I was disappointed at seeing six non-conference opponents… none of whom were in the NCAA tournament last year. Obviously, Maine was one of the disappointments. Now, this coming weekend, Colgate faces the PWR number one team in the land. ***??!! In 25 words or less, who can tell me what caused the turnaround? If it is so solely the coach, you can tell me in two words. But was it anything else? Thanks!

Ben Barr....Josh Nadeau.....Bradly Nadeau....improvement by everyone else. (10 words)

 

[grooverider]

Colgate fan here. Bound for Orono in the morning.
Was there (and Portland) last for Omaha series.
This year, when ‘Gate schedule was announced, I was disappointed at seeing six non-conference opponents… none of whom were in the NCAA tournament last year. Obviously, Maine was one of the disappointments. Now, this coming weekend, Colgate faces the PWR number one team in the land. ***??!! In 25 words or less, who can tell me what caused the turnaround? If it is so solely the coach, you can tell me in two words. But was it anything else? Thanks!

Barr has restored the culture. Players are all in and they are putting in the effort and ice time. In the interactions I have had with the players they want to be a top team and unlike previous years the talent and effort is here.

Will be interesting to see how the pressure of the Alfond atmosphere affects Colgate. From what I have watched and you can correct me if I'm wrong, their game is conservative and they like to sag back and have 5 players on zone entries so it's going to be imperative Maine takes the dump and chase route.

 

[NorthMike]

Colgate fan here. Bound for Orono in the morning.
Was there (and Portland) last for Omaha series.
This year, when ‘Gate schedule was announced, I was disappointed at seeing six non-conference opponents… none of whom were in the NCAA tournament last year. Obviously, Maine was one of the disappointments. Now, this coming weekend, Colgate faces the PWR number one team in the land. ***??!! In 25 words or less, who can tell me what caused the turnaround? If it is so solely the coach, you can tell me in two words. But was it anything else? Thanks!

Coach 100% , the rest falls in place.

 

[iowabasedtraveler]

Last year was Colgate coach Don Vaughan’s 30th season behind the bench as head coach. And he won the ECAC tournament title in Lake Placid, N.Y., for his first time ever. We were the only team in the nation to beat national champion Quinnipiac twice last season. We promptly lost 11-1 to Michigan in Allentown, Penna., in the NCAA Regional. And Don Vaughan promptly retired. We have a new (young) head coach with new (young) assistant coaches. Mike Harder is Colgate’s all-time leading point scorer. New blood, fresh eyes, etc. Our goal this season is .500 hockey. We are just a tad below it now. Our style of play is much more run-n-gun, free-wheeling and free-flowing. Our defensemen are much more offensive-minded. Occasionally, that costs us. But, we beat Cornell at Lynah Rink, 4-2, just before we hibernated for six weeks (which was much needed, to rest-n-rehabilitate). And we play much better on the road than at home (for some unknown reason). Realistically, against PWR#1 Maine in their rockin’ barn, if we (PWR#42) can steal one win this weekend, we will be thrilled. We then go to LIU the following weekend before getting serious with ECAC Hockey competition for the rest of the regular season. I, for one, am excited about seeing Maine in-person this weekend. I already have my Frozen Four tickets, so I am anxious to continue to scout the possibles/probables. P.S. - I just looked… this weekend’s games will be numbers 27, 28 and 29 for me (including the women’s game) this season. P.P.S. - The more I think about the PairWise Ranking (PWR), I can’t help but think of one year when I was an Omaha season ticket holder. Dean Blais was our coach. We were ranked PWR#2 on January 2 and we missed the NCAA Tournament altogether. It has to be one of the biggest crash-n-burns on record. he he he

 

[9twenty]

All the Timmay haters in the heyday would argue otherwise, and there were a lot of them.

When he was dismissed it was time for TW and the program to part ways...for TW he went to what turned out to be a win win for him,while the Maine program fell further into a black hole with Gendron(r.i.p.)...and with there choice of Barr it was chance at either regrouping with high expectations or Maine hockey as we knew it in the glory days was over....still a work in progress but truthfully you have to say that Barrs plan is going well step by step. MAINE hockey is fun again and not only the talk of the State,but in the College hockey world..!!

 

[acs64]

You mean the coach who basically said he couldn't recruit to Orono, the guy who got Grant to leave.

Yeah, thats the one. Hey, Timmay was the perfect coach to get the program past the death of Walsh and moving forward again. But, given that the fan base was spoiled by all the success of Walsh over the years, they wanted something similar, surely not everything , but something. Tim had some "hangover" success on Walshys coat-tails but he seemed to me anyway to be relegated to middle of the pack. I always remember the look on his face when his team performed well, as if to say "wow, this program is really good, I am very lucky to be their coach" ....which is fine I guess is you are okay with middle of the pack. Problem is the Mainiacs wanted more. He had some recruiting success, but as was mentioned, a lot of missed opportunities along the way.....So we can maybe give him a grade of C- instead of a D or F, what most I guess would bestow on Red

 

[umhockey91]

Had he won at least 1 of the games in 2002 or 2004....our memories of him wouldn't be quite as painful.

 

[grooverider]

Had he won at least 1 of the games in 2002 or 2004....our memories of him wouldn't be quite as painful.

The loss in Minnesota was one of the biggest punches in the balls I have ever had as a sports fan

 

[NorthMike]

I always think of TW as just standing on the bench arms folded chewing gum for the whole game. Not engaged like he was just there to watch a game

 

[Wayuphere]

Re: TW.(Sting). I remember numerous times yelling “do something” after bad officiating calls or when the team needed a jumpstart. Wasn’t his style. Nicest of guys, he served a purpose leading us out of the SW era. I wonder if he would or has discretely appeared as a fan to witness in person the “comeback”.
As far as this weekend with Colgate, I’m curious if the faithful can make up for the lack of students in noise making. I expect a wide open “points for all” type of weekend.

 

[AMC]

I'm sure there are receipts somewhere, but I never felt like Whitehead was a bad hockey coach. He was one minute and a skate blade away from two national titles!

But I think what we have proven is that success at Maine needs a dynamic personality. Maine became a national power because Shawn Walsh was an absolute force of nature. Anything in his way on the road to success was going to get plowed over (including the UMaine compliance office). In a place like Maine, that's likely what it takes. Barr isn't as dynamic, but he's vocal and energetic.

I always thought that if you put Whitehead somewhere that was its own self sustaining machine (like BC or BU or Minnesota), where the money, the fans, the resources are just naturally THERE, he'd be perfect. He could just evaluate recruits (something he was always good at) and not need to sell them on a dream. He could focus on the X's and O's. He wouldn't need to be the beating heart of the enterprise.

 

[amkirby10]

I wasn't around when he was the coach, but I saw Whitehead at the Garden last year when I went with some friends to see BU and MC in the title game. He saw my Maine sweater and gave me more of a knowing look, but we didn't speak. I've always heard he was a great guy off the ice.

 

[Chuck Murray]

I'm sure there are receipts somewhere, but I never felt like Whitehead was a bad hockey coach. He was one minute and a skate blade away from two national titles!

But I think what we have proven is that success at Maine needs a dynamic personality. Maine became a national power because Shawn Walsh was an absolute force of nature. Anything in his way on the road to success was going to get plowed over (including the UMaine compliance office). In a place like Maine, that's likely what it takes. Barr isn't as dynamic, but he's vocal and energetic.

I always thought that if you put Whitehead somewhere that was its own self sustaining machine (like BC or BU or Minnesota), where the money, the fans, the resources are just naturally THERE, he'd be perfect. He could just evaluate recruits (something he was always good at) and not need to sell them on a dream. He could focus on the X's and O's. He wouldn't need to be the beating heart of the enterprise.

Looking back ... I thought at the time that Whitehead was an odd hire by Walshy ... remember that Whitehead had been HC at UMass Lowell for 5 years (and an assistant under Bruce Crowder for about the same, before Crowder went to Northeastern), before he was let go after a decent 2001 season. He was pretty average there, with an average middle-of-the-pack HEA program. I believe he was hired to do NHL scouting work for the Vancouver Canucks after leaving UML when Walshy inquired about his interest in returning to UMaine as an assistant. He'd been an assistant for two seasons in Orono when Crowder brought him to Lowell as his assistant. Presumably Walshy - admirably still focusing on his full-time job while battling for his life during most of 2001 - had a heart-to-heart with Standbrook on whether Grant wanted to take the HC duties if Walshy faded, and when Standbrook stated he was most comfortable maintaining his assistant's role, you have to think that Walshy - already in deep self-analysis mode out of necessity - turned to Standbrook to ask if he felt most comfortable with a range of potential options, and either Walshy nominated Whitehead and was not vetoed by Grant, or Grant nominated TW and was not vetoed by Walshy.

However it transpired, there's no question TW and SW were two entirely different breeds of cat. But somehow, Whitehead and Standbrook worked with Walshy's returning players and recruits to bump out and extend UMaine's run at the top of D-1 by another full recruiting cycle, which is better than most programs/franchises fare when faced with the sudden loss of a dynamic leader. You guys who have been around forever obviously remember when my takes on Walshy were far less forgiving and favorable ... but I do remember my reassessment of his legacy began with this process, where a guy literally struggling for life ended up exerting some of his last remaining energies to ensure that things would continue favorably for UMaine Hockey in his absence. Standbrook is 86 now, and if he hasn't provided any insight into how his boss handled the final stages of his life at UMaine, with the Whitehead decision being at the fore, I'd love to see someone do that interview.

 

[9twenty]

I always think of TW as just standing on the bench arms folded chewing gum for the whole game. Not engaged like he was just there to watch a game

Thankfully we are now in the Barr era...go Maine..!!

 

[Drew S.]

Looking back ... I thought at the time that Whitehead was an odd hire by Walshy ... remember that Whitehead had been HC at UMass Lowell for 5 years (and an assistant under Bruce Crowder for about the same, before Crowder went to Northeastern), before he was let go after a decent 2001 season. He was pretty average there, with an average middle-of-the-pack HEA program. I believe he was hired to do NHL scouting work for the Vancouver Canucks after leaving UML when Walshy inquired about his interest in returning to UMaine as an assistant. He'd been an assistant for two seasons in Orono when Crowder brought him to Lowell as his assistant. Presumably Walshy - admirably still focusing on his full-time job while battling for his life during most of 2001 - had a heart-to-heart with Standbrook on whether Grant wanted to take the HC duties if Walshy faded, and when Standbrook stated he was most comfortable maintaining his assistant's role, you have to think that Walshy - already in deep self-analysis mode out of necessity - turned to Standbrook to ask if he felt most comfortable with a range of potential options, and either Walshy nominated Whitehead and was not vetoed by Grant, or Grant nominated TW and was not vetoed by Walshy.

However it transpired, there's no question TW and SW were two entirely different breeds of cat. But somehow, Whitehead and Standbrook worked with Walshy's returning players and recruits to bump out and extend UMaine's run at the top of D-1 by another full recruiting cycle, which is better than most programs/franchises fare when faced with the sudden loss of a dynamic leader. You guys who have been around forever obviously remember when my takes on Walshy were far less forgiving and favorable ... but I do remember my reassessment of his legacy began with this process, where a guy literally struggling for life ended up exerting some of his last remaining energies to ensure that things would continue favorably for UMaine Hockey in his absence. Standbrook is 86 now, and if he hasn't provided any insight into how his boss handled the final stages of his life at UMaine, with the Whitehead decision being at the fore, I'd love to see someone do that interview.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t think Timmy was ‘let go’ by UML. From what I remember his contract was up and he didn’t sign a new one. My guess is Shawn had something to do with that.

If not Timmy who? There were limited options available.

 

[Drew S.]

For me you have to look at the big picture in order to judge them fairly.

As Timmy’s biggest defender on here I thought he did a good job coaching, it was the recruiting where he really struggled. He obviously pulled a rabbit out of his hat with the 2008 class but other than that every year after 2003 Maine lost more talent than they brought in. AMC is right that he would have thrived with one of the well off programs. The quality of administration and Maine’s financial situation continually got worse during his time and that probably didn’t help either.

I thought given where Maine was when Red took over he did a pretty good job. There were a few decent players he inherited but not much. I think folks forget how bad Maine’s goaltending was for a long period of time and we’ve been lucky to have seven straight years where it’s been good. It seemed like every year he would find at least a couple good players but he obviously had some big misses as well. Hitting eastern Canada hard has worked out great and I don’t understand why Barr is moving away from that area.

I think Barr has gone a good job coaching so far. The question I have with him, much like with Timmy, is can he recruit? If you look at how Maine’s recruits are doing this year it isn’t great. Even Berzins who started off hot is really struggling. I think it’s hard to accurately judge a coach until you get to year six or seven and it’s really their team.

 

[umhockey91]

For me you have to look at the big picture in order to judge them fairly.

As Timmy’s biggest defender on here I thought he did a good job coaching, it was the recruiting where he really struggled. He obviously pulled a rabbit out of his hat with the 2008 class but other than that every year after 2003 Maine lost more talent than they brought in. AMC is right that he would have thrived with one of the well off programs. The quality of administration and Maine’s financial situation continually got worse during his time and that probably didn’t help either.

I thought given where Maine was when Red took over he did a pretty good job. There were a few decent players he inherited but not much. I think folks forget how bad Maine’s goaltending was for a long period of time and we’ve been lucky to have seven straight years where it’s been good. It seemed like every year he would find at least a couple good players but he obviously had some big misses as well. Hitting eastern Canada hard has worked out great and I don’t understand why Barr is moving away from that area.

I think Barr has gone a good job coaching so far. The question I have with him, much like with Timmy, is can he recruit? If you look at how Maine’s recruits are doing this year it isn’t great. Even Berzins who started off hot is really struggling. I think it’s hard to accurately judge a coach until you get to year six or seven and it’s really their team.

I've been doing a deep dive into current recruits.....seems like the newer commitments are better than the ones lined up for next season and some of 2025s. From what I can gather.....Michael Munroe (F) and Ryder Shea (G) are blue chippers. Barr seems to be mining NE Preps more which I think is a good idea....and he seems to be dipping into the Minnesota talent pool as well. I agree about Atlantic Canada....and would also add Quebec as 2 areas that I would like to see Maine recruit more/better.

 

[amkirby10]

One thing about Barr that I've noticed and mentioned here before is that I think he does an excellent job at developing players once they're here, and molding them into the type of guy who's gonna make the car go, so to speak. A good example in my opinion would be Sully Scholle (who there was a great BDN article about today, btw). His junior numbers were fine but not amazing, and was in the NAHL, and he didn't even start the year as a lineup regular. Now he's a fixture in the forward corps and has shown improvement even just within the season. Returners like Chabrier, who I've also mentioned before, are others that have shown tangible and significant improvement. So I guess what I'm trying to get at is, Barr's biggest strength to my eye is more in player development rather than raw recruiting power.

 

[grooverider]

Looking back ... I thought at the time that Whitehead was an odd hire by Walshy ... remember that Whitehead had been HC at UMass Lowell for 5 years (and an assistant under Bruce Crowder for about the same, before Crowder went to Northeastern), before he was let go after a decent 2001 season. He was pretty average there, with an average middle-of-the-pack HEA program. I believe he was hired to do NHL scouting work for the Vancouver Canucks after leaving UML when Walshy inquired about his interest in returning to UMaine as an assistant. He'd been an assistant for two seasons in Orono when Crowder brought him to Lowell as his assistant. Presumably Walshy - admirably still focusing on his full-time job while battling for his life during most of 2001 - had a heart-to-heart with Standbrook on whether Grant wanted to take the HC duties if Walshy faded, and when Standbrook stated he was most comfortable maintaining his assistant's role, you have to think that Walshy - already in deep self-analysis mode out of necessity - turned to Standbrook to ask if he felt most comfortable with a range of potential options, and either Walshy nominated Whitehead and was not vetoed by Grant, or Grant nominated TW and was not vetoed by Walshy.

However it transpired, there's no question TW and SW were two entirely different breeds of cat. But somehow, Whitehead and Standbrook worked with Walshy's returning players and recruits to bump out and extend UMaine's run at the top of D-1 by another full recruiting cycle, which is better than most programs/franchises fare when faced with the sudden loss of a dynamic leader. You guys who have been around forever obviously remember when my takes on Walshy were far less forgiving and favorable ... but I do remember my reassessment of his legacy began with this process, where a guy literally struggling for life ended up exerting some of his last remaining energies to ensure that things would continue favorably for UMaine Hockey in his absence. Standbrook is 86 now, and if he hasn't provided any insight into how his boss handled the final stages of his life at UMaine, with the Whitehead decision being at the fore, I'd love to see someone do that interview.

Funny tidbit, Standbrook lives in Florida in the same gated community my Grandparents are in and they know him from the past. I'm not sure how good is health is nowadays, but it would be a cool conversation to have.