HockeyRef
Well-known member
Mike Lowry tweeted that during their game today v MC it
was reported the player is 'doing better' and has an
upper body injury. Good to hear!
Last edited:
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UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition
- Thread starter norbert
- Start date
Mike Lowry tweeted that during their game today v MC it
was reported the player is 'doing better' and has an
upper body injury. Good to hear!
OvahInDovah
New member
Definitely good to hear; thanks for the update.
Maybe MS7 did not have any recruits other than the MacPherson twins and Player ready to play Div 1 this season? Other than Sadowski, who does MS7 have in the pipeline for forwards next season, not to mention the huge holes that will open up on the blue line with multiple departures at the end of this season. I know, need to focus on this season.
And weighing in late … thought Whale had a nice game. Seemed well-positioned and had a good glove. Hopefully it holds up as the opposing shooters get better.
Lavins’ first goal was beautiful. The shot was at least a foot wide of the pipe that he reached out and tipped past the goalie moving the other way.
DiMatteo’s goal wasn’t terrible. I think everybody near the net thought the shot wide was going to come off the boards to the far side, not right back to the same post.
One player that didn’t impress was Devlin. He has his moments, but I feel like he peaked two years ago. He hasn’t fallen back, but he hasn’t risen either.
Lindner played a few shifts in the third. If he’s healthy enough I’d like to see them sit Player and Fitz, but I suspect it will be Babbage. Hahn also played a bit but isn’t ready to push anyone else off the bench.
Annnnnnnd the power play did not impress.
Lavins’ first goal was beautiful. The shot was at least a foot wide of the pipe that he reached out and tipped past the goalie moving the other way.
DiMatteo’s goal wasn’t terrible. I think everybody near the net thought the shot wide was going to come off the boards to the far side, not right back to the same post.
One player that didn’t impress was Devlin. He has his moments, but I feel like he peaked two years ago. He hasn’t fallen back, but he hasn’t risen either.
Lindner played a few shifts in the third. If he’s healthy enough I’d like to see them sit Player and Fitz, but I suspect it will be Babbage. Hahn also played a bit but isn’t ready to push anyone else off the bench.
Annnnnnnd the power play did not impress.
But did not Devlin get a goal and three SOG, more than any other forward? I am just going by the box score posted on the HEA site.
I agree with your assessment—this season feels like a total wild card. The uncertainty around the goalie situation is definitely concerning, and the freshmen are an unknown factor. But hey, sometimes fresh talent can surprise us, right? That $6M donation sounds great on paper, but it's frustrating that there's no immediate impact beyond signage.
As for predictions, I think aiming for .500 and a solid spot in the middle of the Hockey East standings is realistic. If the team gels early and we sort out the goalie situation, we could be in for a decent season.
https://forumator.pl/
As for predictions, I think aiming for .500 and a solid spot in the middle of the Hockey East standings is realistic. If the team gels early and we sort out the goalie situation, we could be in for a decent season.
https://forumator.pl/
I agree with your assessment—this season feels like a total wild card. The uncertainty around the goalie situation is definitely concerning, and the freshmen are an unknown factor. But hey, sometimes fresh talent can surprise us, right? That $6M donation sounds great on paper, but it's frustrating that there's no immediate impact beyond signage.
As for predictions, I think aiming for .500 and a solid spot in the middle of the Hockey East standings is realistic. If the team gels early and we sort out the goalie situation, we could be in for a decent season.
https://forumator.pl/
As for predictions, I think aiming for .500 and a solid spot in the middle of the Hockey East standings is realistic. If the team gels early and we sort out the goalie situation, we could be in for a decent season.
https://forumator.pl/
It’s probably just me, somehow I expect more. He doesn’t catch my eye like Lavins and Conmy do.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
The program is off its first winning season in a long while, and is bringing back most of its key players (including virtually their entire defense) from last season. .500 and middle of HEA would be a huge disappointment, new goalie or not, and especially with the head coach renewed for three more seasons based largely on the successes of last season. And with the projected turnover on defense the following season, MS7 has basically put all his eggs in one basket - this season - and if that falls short AND '25/'26 falls further back as can likely be anticipated, short of a recruiting bonanza we haven't seen since the McCloskey Era, we are right back where we started, bottom tier HEA.
I understand where you're coming from, but PLEASE do not give the current regime any wiggle room on high expectations this season. We've waited a long time for even this much, and if they come up short, then it's the '23/'24 season that was the fluke. No more patience. No more excuses. MS7 got his renewal ... now show us you earned it ...
After the Whistle
Member
I’m loving the hockey talk. As far as next years forwards go, we should be able to survive it. We will miss Devlin’s 14/15 and a couple of 3/4 liners but if everyone stays (ie. Conmy) we can perhap survive it with Mr Legacy and perhaps 1 other. The defense will be so so different and potentially inexperienced. Next years TtP will be nothing like these past years. The best d-men will not be as numerous and the best will go to the best.
A quick word of support for number9. Sorry Norbert and RB but I am a major fan boy. His effort and effectiveness along the boards is a cut above most. Heis good with the puck and can clear the zone safely with the best of them. We get to watch him up close for 2 periods and I am always impressed. He is also early the PK rotation. Just my opinion. And I am acutely aware of his offensive shortcomings but show me a resent fourth liner with good numbers. I am happy to see his dedication and efforts rewarded.
A quick word of support for number9. Sorry Norbert and RB but I am a major fan boy. His effort and effectiveness along the boards is a cut above most. Heis good with the puck and can clear the zone safely with the best of them. We get to watch him up close for 2 periods and I am always impressed. He is also early the PK rotation. Just my opinion. And I am acutely aware of his offensive shortcomings but show me a resent fourth liner with good numbers. I am happy to see his dedication and efforts rewarded.
I guess it depends on which team shows up. The one last year that came out of the gates into the Top 20, the one that lost too Army and was completely dismantled in Orono last year in the playoffs.
You attend many more games in person than I do these days, Aerman, so I respect what you are seeing on the ice. I only got to three games at the Whitt last season, although I watched all nine games on NESN. After 16 points his first year and 24 his second, I thought that Devlin had a shot at being our first 100-point career scorer in a while. But then he missed eight games due to injury last season, adding only 20 points to bring his total to 60. He did go from a -13 +/- in 2022/23 to a +6 +/- in 2023/24, which was a nice trend. If the first line of Devlin, LeClerc, and Conmy remains together and can stay healthy this season, I suppose that there is chance Devlin could pick up 40 points, say 16 goals and 24 assists.
ATW, I agree that the forward position should not drop off much next season for the reasons you note, but the blue line is worrisome beyond this season, I think. As far as Sweeney is concerned, if he can lead a solid PK and skate a few short shifts on the fourth line, fine with me. But if there is a choice to upgrade with a first-year skater who can put the puck in the net, I would prefer that route.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Every team in the current low-scoring era will have their ups and downs, and no one is expecting perfection. Bad bounce here, unlucky call there, and there's always a chance even the best team will get overconfident and lose to an inspired yet inferior opponent. But over the course of a 35+ game season, there's no reason to act like another 20 (hopefully plus) win season is an unrealistic goal. Earn a good placement for the league tourney, win a round at home, and there you are, on the TD Garden ice in the HEA Semifinals. ALL very attainable, and with those markers should also come a decent shot at the national tourney. It's been so long, you can forget how attainable these things are. Notice I haven't said anything about (1) winning in Boston and/or (2) winning in the NCAA's. All that would be icing on the cake, playing with house money, etc.
THAT used to be the annual foundational expectation for UNH Men's Hockey, and MS7 well knows this to be the case, since that's the way it was when he was a player here. He's been back here now for almost a decade (this season will be Year 10) and the program bears not even the slightest resemblance to the one he played for a generation ago. That's largely on him at this point, he's been responsible for two full four year recruiting cycles to get to this point, and he's really yet to have coached a single postseason game of any true importance. If you asked MS7 in Spring 2015 under sodium pentothol what he would have considered success or failure 10 years out, I can't even imagine he would have considered one (1) winning season, and zero trips to Boston and/or the NCAA's as "success". His only true "success" is that he's somehow managed to keep his job for this long (with up to Year 12 "in the bank") with a record less impressive than his pal Luce's ode to mediocrity at UConn.
The lack of any outward progress on TDL's $6.0MM "gift" to develop the Key Auto Center makes me think those funds are attached to matching funds from other sources, and if those have not materialized from other donors, it speaks volumes to the current state of enthusiasm and support (or lack thereof) in Coach Souza and his program. My concern is after his PR charm offensive of last season, MS7 thinks he can go back into cruise control mode for another year or two ...
... my apologies to the remaining fans, followers and UNH Hockey enthusiasts on here if this is hitting you at a time of normal optimism; I can assure you no one wants the old "glory days" back more than yours truly. Maybe this year will be the start of something special, or at least the building of something better than last year's decent-for-a-change season? Because if it isn't, and if MS7 won't have the decency to stop acting like the HC job is his birthright and step down of his own volition, I'm hoping our no-longer-brand-new AD will be prepared to pursue a buyout, and hire someone else instead who can do this job right ...
Amen to that!
And correct me if I'm wrong - wasn't Souza's contract extension for two years, meaning that he is up for review again after the 2025-26 season? The season where there could be student sign-up sheets for D-Man tryouts??
Amen to that!
And correct me if I'm wrong - wasn't Souza's contract extension for two years, meaning that he is up for review again after the 2025-26 season? The season where there could be student sign-up sheets for D-Man tryouts??
I thought that someone here was using the FOIA to get the contract details, although all that I recall is that it was a three-year extension, and I cannot imagine UNH ever buying out a coach, especially a high-priced one. Moreover, I think that MS7 would need to drop to single-digit wins in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons not to get another contract extension.
Steve Metcalf from HEA headquarters in his Amesbury basement announced today part of the NESN TV schedule for HEA games this season. There still may be some late additions later in the season, but UNH has already scored eight NESN games, similar to last season.
1 November 2024 - UNH at PC
15 November - NU at UNH
22 November - Maine at UNH
6 December - UNH at NU
17 January 2025 - BU at UNH
7 February - BC at UNH
15 February - UNH at Maine
7 March - UNH at UML
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
"High priced" by overall D-1/HEA standards (he isn't), or by UNH standards (most probably)?
What UNH AD's have/haven't done in the past doesn't necessarily apply to the latest AD. I would respectfully say, if any current D-1 AD rules out a head coaching buyout "just because", they're not making full use of the modern-day AD toolbox. And if it's an institutional thing, then maybe UNH should rethink their place in D-1 athletics? FWIW, when McCloskey was let go, it was ultimately a buy-out of a recently renewed deal.
As far as the "single digit wins" threshold, I'll simply point out that neither Coach Umile (Blue Skies) nor Coach Herrion (current AD) had to fall that far so as to force their passive non-renewal separations.
There's no reason to think that (short of something catastrophic) MS7 won't have a good season this current season, so I doubt a buyout thing becomes relevant until/unless the program struggles next season, when he's most probably back down to his final season (again). Maybe a more realistic scenario is he'll peak this season, and begin to fall back off after that. Say .600 this season, .500 next season, and sub .500 in the final year of his current deal. Does that get him another extension? Using the Herrion comp, it doesn't. And if he's back under .500 next year, does the early buy-out scenario raise its ugly head again??
We'll see ... ultimately, long-term job survival from MS7 shouldn't be a big ask after the last decade of mediocrity ... just start stringing together winning seasons (even barely over .500), and become that mid-table HEA program that makes it to Boston every other season, and makes it to the NCAA's once every 3-4 seasons, and the current AD would probably keep him on board here forever. Especially if he runs a clean program, and his players keep graduating at a high rate. To do that, he's gonna have to learn to do at least one of these three things right:
(1) Become an excellent recruiter of young junior talent coming up through the ranks;
(2) Become an excellent recruiter of other D-1 teams' surplus to requirements talent via the portal; or
(3) Develop a reputation as someone who can develop talent to prepare them to play at the next level
He seems to be marginally improving at (1), and he has had limited intermittent success at (2). There is no evidence he's gotten anywhere with (3), either via evidence of trusting advisors funneling top end talents to UNH on the front end, or of graduating/departing players emerging into AHL jobs with NHL prospects. Brett Pesce is this program's last clear-cut NHL regular, and Souza's fingerprints are not on him, while 5 games of Warren Foegele is probably more discrediting than crediting. So he's still got a lot of work to do, and is pretty fortunate he's gotten three more years to develop things in a favorable way. If we're having this same discussion two years from now, he should be gone. JMHO.
Oops, if schedule on CHN site is correct, I missed the NESN telecast for PC at UNH on 2 November 2024, which brings our total to nine games on NESN, with five at the Whitt.