UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter :D

[zoofer]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Just finished Dan’s remarks, and must agree with most of them which is no surprise....my only addition are 2 points.....when I was on the Friends Board, and then after, much closer to the program than I am now, there was SO much BS that Umile (and McCloskey) had to deal with off the ice! This is probably true for all D-1 programs, but if you know anything about the NH State House and the politics of NH, it’s amazing the program even got the Whittemore approved, which let’s be honest, saved our program! When UNH Alum have to pay for the ice time for the school to make money (regardless of how little) to have an Alumni game......you get the gist!
Secondly, UNH has 2 hockey alum VP in clubs in the NHL......do you think they have an idea of what is out there for talent? Have they been approached? Just saying.....as you all know, I believe that until we find an AD committed to the hockey programs in deeds, and not words, we’ll be in a pickle

 

[JB]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

It is FAR more common than people would ever wish to admit, for NCAA coaches to view recruiting as a nuisance and, at best, a necessary evil. I cringe every time I here some semblance of the, "I'd rather win with hard-working two stars than lazy five stars" argument. This makes the assumption that talented kids can't also be hard workers - but in reality its just BS often spouted by coaches to lazy to make the recruiting effort or lacking in the sales ability to actually land top players. Umile was hardly unusual in his indifference and Souza is hardly unusual in his struggles...

The thing that I find more concerning is this is also how some corporations think. There is a general belief that the people (the talent) is fungible and the system is what makes the world go around. Instead it is really about getting talent and putting that talent into a position to succeed while still meeting the overall needs of the team or organization.

I see lots of parallels between creative/inventive talent and hockey scoring talent. Additionally keeping either talent aligned with the needs of the overall team.

P.S. Dan can you split you long posts up a little...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

While I am sorry for your pain, this is precisely the reason that some teams SHOULD be eliminated from the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Allowing all teams into the postseason tourney renders much of the regular season meaningless. Sure there are byes,and home ice, but no real consequences for an underachieving program. If anything the everybody gets a medal mindset masks deficiencies. If a program doesn't take a critical look at itself and is not realistic about realities its is only deceiving itself. UNH finished in the top eight only one time in the past five seasons, yet until this year always managed to participate in the postseason. Its one thing to miss the playoffs one time in 32 tries, but its another thing to miss four times in five seasons. Perhaps if they had, it would have created a sense of urgency that seems lacking and the program would be better off for it.

Bingo. We have Yahtzee.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Maass is an exceptional student, who likely realizes that his future would be better served getting his degree, rather than getting an "early jump" on riding around the ECHL/AHL. That's why he chose us in the first place, because we offered a spot as a true freshman rather than riding the buses in the USHL.
He has a better chance of being Brad Flaishans than Brett Pesce.

Again, spot on. Maass going anywhere early would be a big surprise.

I also don't see an NHL future for him, and unlike others, he probably is smart enough to realize this.

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

https://tbdailynews.com/failed-hock...hire-parents-yell-vulgarities-from-bleachers/

You guys remember Brian Pouliot?

 

[ClOuD 9]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

While I am sorry for your pain, this is precisely the reason that some teams SHOULD be eliminated from the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Allowing all teams into the postseason tourney renders much of the regular season meaningless. Sure there are byes,and home ice, but no real consequences for an underachieving program. If anything the everybody gets a medal mindset masks deficiencies. If a program doesn't take a critical look at itself and is not realistic about realities its is only deceiving itself. UNH finished in the top eight only one time in the past five seasons, yet until this year always managed to participate in the postseason. Its one thing to miss the playoffs one time in 32 tries, but its another thing to miss four times in five seasons. Perhaps if they had, it would have created a sense of urgency that seems lacking and the program would be better off for it.

Agreed. Two win Vermont should not have an opportunity to win your league title and NCAA auto-bid...

If anything I'd reduce it further - 7 get in, #1 gets a bye making the regular season title meaningful, first round on campus as per.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

https://tbdailynews.com/failed-hock...hire-parents-yell-vulgarities-from-bleachers/

You guys remember Brian Pouliot?

While the incident is obviously ugly...the kid doing a 'stick tap' while the fight is going on is not pretty either. Ugh...this is why youth (and other levels) of many sports are having trouble finding officials. And on another note, is no one in this state covering UNH hockey anymore? I know the Union Leader has a person going to games and covering it, but I'd expect a story about how our season ended at least from the seacoastonline...maybe Al Pike has hung it up? Surely there's going to be a story about the season...right? Here's the Roger Brown UL story:

https://www.unionleader.com/sports/sports_columns/roger-brown-s-state-of-sports-unh-hockey-team-just/article_babae374-f7e7-575f-a57e-f02fb8daad66.html

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Agreed. Two win Vermont should not have an opportunity to win your league title and NCAA auto-bid...

If anything I'd reduce it further - 7 get in, #1 gets a bye making the regular season title meaningful, first round on campus as per.

That would be most interesting! And, can I just clear up, that while I am not thrilled about us not making the tournament, I do not agree that all teams should make it. Just sayin'. What I'm most concerned with right now is the HE Finals tix I just bought given what's going on with the coronavirus...lots can happen in 2 weeks!

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

https://tbdailynews.com/failed-hock...hire-parents-yell-vulgarities-from-bleachers/

You guys remember Brian Pouliot?

Seeing a link here to Turtleboy just warms my heart on this Monday morning. Watcher you have good taste.

I think Hockeyref said this but most disturbing to me is the kid on the ice tapping his stick encouraging this behavior. Totally disgusted with this.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

https://tbdailynews.com/failed-hock...hire-parents-yell-vulgarities-from-bleachers/

You guys remember Brian Pouliot?

Well, that was an interesting "Where Are They Now?" chapter in former scrub UNH players ...

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Seeing a link here to Turtleboy just warms my heart on this Monday morning. Watcher you have good taste.

Don't try an tar me with that I actually don't know Turtleboy, and from what I've seen, he's the opposite of my taste. I just saw a link to the story.

10/1/02

Pouliot Reneges at Lowell; Heading to UNH

5'10", 170 lb. RC Brian Pouliot of the New Hampshire Jr. Monarchs (EJHL), has reneged on his commitment to UMass-Lowell and will instead be playing for the University of New Hampshire at this time next year.

Pouliot, a 9/7/84 birthdate from Hooksett, NH, has speed, stickhandling skills, and a knack around the net. He committed to UMass-Lowell June 4th, shortly after making visits to two other Hockey East schools -- Providence and BC. The scholarship offered by Lowell was a generous one.

Pouliot's switch of schools has led to acrimony between UMass-Lowell's Blaise MacDonald and UNH's Dick Umile.

MacDonald, choosing his words with great care, admitted that it was a "touchy" subject and referred to a league agreement among Hockey East coaches stipulating that once a player has verbally committed to a Hockey East school, other coaches in the league are prohibited from talking to him.

"This incident," he said. "will allow us to look at our policies and agreement and hopefully make them hard and fast."

Speaking from the UNH side, Umile said, "We're just thrilled to have a New Hampshire kid of his ability coming here. The opportunity to play in front of a home state crowd played a key role in his final decision."

"Things like this happen. They've happened before. Kids make decisions they later find they're not happy with.

"Obviously, Blaise was not thrilled."

Asked if he was feeling any heat coming from MacDonald, Umile said, "I won't go into detail on that. Blaise and his staff handled the situation well, and professionally."

UMass-Lowell assistant coach Kenny Rausch was the point man for MacDonald in the initial recruitment of Pouliot.

Pouliot's coach with the Monarchs, Sean Tremblay, said, "This is something I didn't want to happen. It's been awkward."

Tremblay said that Pouliot came into his office ten days ago and told him he was reconsidering his decision. Last season, Tremblay said, he had told Pouliot that there was absolutely no reason to commit early, and encouraged his star forward to be patient and take his five visits.

"I'm disappointed by the whole thing," said Tremblay, who was impressed by UMass-Lowell's work. Tremblay didn't want to see Pouliot renege on his verbal, and told him so, but allowed that he also didn't want to see his player unhappy for the next four years due to a decision that was perhaps made before he was one hundred percent ready.

"Brian," he said, "is a good kid, and he's eaten up by this."

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

In retrospect, I guess the knock-down, drag-out between Blaise and Umile was largely for naught, as the kid transferred out to Division 3 after two unproductive seasons in Durham. Blaise probably owes Umile a beer for saving him from all the aggravation.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Taken from the last thread, in response to ClOuD 9's post outlining the lack of success on both side of UNH Hockey over the last decade, and how the current AD must have some leverage on the USNH Board of Trustees to be able to maintain his AD job ...

You presuppose the USNH Board of Trustees gives a rat's *&%$ about how their sports programs fare, which may be the only part of your post that may be even the slightest bit off-point. I'm guessing that on a list of top ten concerns from the BoT, the on-field performances of the revenue producing sports programs is a solid #11 at best, and more likely barely on the radar. We've gotten glimpses and insight into their collective mindsets in recent years in seeing how they've handled the dismantling of the Friends booster clubs and the Coach McCloskey situation, who somehow despite the purported acts that led to his dismissal, has since somehow maintained his ability to continues to work in his chosen field with young athletes of both genders.

As to the long-standing AD … a decade or so ago, I tagged him with the "Blue Skies" moniker because he was seemingly content to sit back, collect his paycheck, and watch Men's Hockey slowly but steadily deteriorate into what turned out to be the current mess we see it mired in. At the time, the program was still winning, and playing in important games in mid-to-late March, but the April part of the program's success from a decade prior had gone missing. A decade later, the decline was complete with last-place regular season finishes and missing the post-season tournament for the first times in about 30 years. Women's Hockey may arguably already have been on the decline in McCloskey's last couple of seasons, but his dismissal and replacement has done nothing to bring that program back to where it was when McCloskey was in his heyday, and the years before his arrival.

In addition, the UNH Football program has now seen a decline in performance, after an amazing run of over a dozen seasons at least in their national postseason tourney (although like Men's Hockey, they too also found a way to come up short of winning a NC), so we now have examples on both sides of the street that no matter what you do with upgrading facilities, the evidence that these improvements - which appear to be at the top end of the current AD's supposed strengths - pay off in the ability to compete at the top end of their leagues/divisions is elusive if not entirely absent. And let's not even get into the "success" of UNH Hoops.

Men's Soccer coach Marc Hubbard is a Durham native who had already established himself at SNHU before he was brought to UNH, which was probably the job he'd been aiming for all of his life. I doubt his success can hardly be laid at the feet of the current AD.

The current AD is approaching his mid-60's and is presiding over an athletics program where his signature achievements have been almost exclusively to the facilities side - although UNH Hoops remains stuck in Lundholm instead of back at the Whittemore where they were intended to be. With Wildcat Stadium and the soccer field having been completed, and now the commitment for rink retrofit at Whittemore on the immediate horizon, it would seem the current AD has exhausted his usefulness to the U, and should step aside to let someone else take over things like hiring coaches who know how to build winning programs.

Otherwise, the idea of Mr. Mediocrity remaining in charge for another 5-10 years should be chilling to all fans of UNH athletics. The track record is well-established for two decades now, and another decade like this last one cannot be allowed to happen.

JMHO.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

And on another note, is no one in this state covering UNH hockey anymore? I know the Union Leader has a person going to games and covering it, but I'd expect a story about how our season ended at least from the seacoastonline...maybe Al Pike has hung it up? Surely there's going to be a story about the season...right? Here's the Roger Brown UL story:

https://www.unionleader.com/sports/sports_columns/roger-brown-s-state-of-sports-unh-hockey-team-just/article_babae374-f7e7-575f-a57e-f02fb8daad66.html

Seacoastonline.com and Foster's have really mailed it in as far as UNH Hockey is concerned, and for a long time now as well. I used to be pals on here (and in real life) with a Foster's old-timer, but he retired about 20 years ago, and the coverage they used to afford to UNH Sports across the board has really slowed to a small trickle. We cancelled our on-line subscription about a year ago, more because the content was leaning more and more towards covering issues that appeal mostly to a demographic we were not part of. I still know one or two of the guys who cover some of the youth sports stuff, only because I'm still active in coaching, and our paths cross every once in awhile. It's a different world now, especially with the former print media. We're still signed up with the Union-Leader, which to their credit still treats UNH Hockey like the prominent program they at least used to be.

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Seacoastonline.com and Foster's have really mailed it in as far as UNH Hockey is concerned, and for a long time now as well. I used to be pals on here (and in real life) with a Foster's old-timer, but he retired about 20 years ago, and the coverage they used to afford to UNH Sports across the board has really slowed to a small trickle. We cancelled our on-line subscription about a year ago, more because the content was leaning more and more towards covering issues that appeal mostly to a demographic we were not part of. I still know one or two of the guys who cover some of the youth sports stuff, only because I'm still active in coaching, and our paths cross every once in awhile. It's a different world now, especially with the former print media. We're still signed up with the Union-Leader, which to their credit still treats UNH Hockey like the prominent program they at least used to be.

When the Foster family owned Foster's Daily Democrat, it was a decent paper and had the staffing in its sports department to cover a large percentage of area sports events. Unfortunately, printed media is fast becoming a dinosaur, ad revenues are dwindling, and staff are being let go or retiring early. It doesn't necessarily excuse the problem since they now have more robust content online, but my biggest gripe with Foster's now is how much they're more focused on Southern Maine news rather than the New Hampshire Seacoast area. Guess they think that they can sell more subsriptions there.

BTW - 'Ref, Al Pike is still "on the beat" for Foster's.

It's all one big happy family now under the umbrella of the SMG (Seacoast Media Group).

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

One other thing - Foster's tends to "jump on bandwagons" when it comes to sports reporting. When a local team (high school or college) gets hot, rest assured it will be front page news in the sports section.

When UNH sports become more relevant, more coverage they will receive.

 

[Ray Dorn]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Maass is an exceptional student, who likely realizes that his future would be better served getting his degree, rather than getting an "early jump" on riding around the ECHL/AHL. That's why he chose us in the first place, because we offered a spot as a true freshman rather than riding the buses in the USHL.
He has a better chance of being Brad Flaishans than Brett Pesce.

I feel Maass is a better hockey player than you and others give him credit for being. Two and a half years ago in his first eight games in a UNH jersey he had one goal and nine assists. There are not that many defensemen that have 10 points in their first eight games of Division I college hockey. I saw a player back then that knew how to subtly create offense from the point. I know he has not done a lot offensively the last two and a half seasons. He had 10 points this season in the 34 games. But I think he is capable of more offensively under the right circumstances. He is sound in the other areas of his game and I think he can take it to the next level.

What was the story of Matt Dawson this season? He hardly played. He only dressed for 14 games and was lucky to get one shift in these games. I did not see a whole lot of difference in him over his years at UNH than one or two of the other defensemen that played on a regular basis this season. Does anybody have more insight than me and would like to share it?

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

I feel Maass is a better hockey player than you and others give him credit for being. Two and a half years ago in his first eight games in a UNH jersey he had one goal and nine assists. There are not that many defensemen that have 10 points in their first eight games of Division I college hockey. I saw a player back then that knew how to subtly create offense from the point. I know he has not done a lot offensively the last two and a half seasons. He had 10 points this season in the 34 games. But I think he is capable of more offensively under the right circumstances. He is sound in the other areas of his game and I think he can take it to the next level.

What was the story of Matt Dawson this season? He hardly played. He only dressed for 14 games and was lucky to get one shift in these games. I did not see a whole lot of difference in him over his years at UNH than one or two of the other defensemen that played on a regular basis this season. Does anybody have more insight than me and would like to share it?

hi Ray, I'm probably not the best person to address this but, I'll throw in my .02 I think Matt just got crowded out by the up and coming Dmen notably...Eriksson, MacKinnon, Verrier? He helped us in a jam his Freshman year coming in late after the Masonius decomit to UConn if you remember. Wish I had more insight, but, that's my take on it. I liked his game; not sure what happened. I think Souza is looking to the future, and the development of those other players was important to him and the team....(it sounds good, but, prob not the complete answer!) Wishing him well....

Ps...I too like Benton Maass' game...he will be the premier Dman next season (most likely) and I think we'll see him embrace that role. He's a smart, heads up hockey player who is capable of scoring goals. He'll need to be the guy who can skate it out of the zone (I saw a lot of that from Kalle E late in this season too) so I do hope he's ready for that role!

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

I feel Maass is a better hockey player than you and others give him credit for being. Two and a half years ago in his first eight games in a UNH jersey he had one goal and nine assists. There are not that many defensemen that have 10 points in their first eight games of Division I college hockey. I saw a player back then that knew how to subtly create offense from the point. I know he has not done a lot offensively the last two and a half seasons. He had 10 points this season in the 34 games. But I think he is capable of more offensively under the right circumstances. He is sound in the other areas of his game and I think he can take it to the next level.

What was the story of Matt Dawson this season? He hardly played. He only dressed for 14 games and was lucky to get one shift in these games. I did not see a whole lot of difference in him over his years at UNH than one or two of the other defensemen that played on a regular basis this season. Does anybody have more insight than me and would like to share it?

Maass is a very good D-1 level player, but I don't see him earning All-Hockey East honors this year (or next), and I don't think he has a realistic shot at an NHL career. I'm sure the Caps will look at him in camp, and when he leaves UNH they'll have a look at him in the minors, be it AHL or ECHL. He's a smart kid, that's apparent, but his upside IMO would be as a spare part/emergency guy to step up if/when needed from the AHL for a couple of NHL games. Having said that … many decent NHL careers have come from those kinds of circumstances. All depends on the needs of the organization, and how the player fits. UNH has had several more talented guys in the past who weren't lucky to find that fit (Poturalski most recently, so far). Maybe Maass will prosper with more of a playing load and potential leadership role on next year's team? All in all, I think that's a fair and realistic assessment.

IIRC Dawson was a late commit as a frosh (forget the circumstances, someone else probably left the SS Umile relatively late in the offseason), and had a pretty decent frosh season, but his sophomore slump saw a huge drop-off in performance, and it seems he never got the coaches' trust back after that. I was pretty surprised to see UNH bring him back this past season, which I believe was his 5th year on campus, and a slot that could have been assigned elsewhere. The idea that they did bring him back tells me he had to be seen as a good kid, and an emergency option at this level. MS7 probably was more committed to his younger guys with bigger upside, but yeah, guys like Dawson and Adam Clark had decent frosh seasons, and then fell out of favor after that.

 

[acs64]

Re: UNH 2020 Off-Season Thread: That Rinky-Shrinky Thang And Other Lively Banter

Geezus guys...yet another UNH thread ? What the phukulski ?? Y'all must have supahfans with t shirts, no ?