UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition

[Darius]

The optimism and actual hockey talk here is nice. Please keep it up. I am not optimistic, don't think we'll be at the Garden or SNHUrena. Hope I'm wrong. Over on the UMO thread they are discussing next year's scholarship limit increasing from 18 to 26. Seems like UNH would have to come up with a couple hundred $K to take advantage, correct?

 

[Snively65]

The optimism and actual hockey talk here is nice. Please keep it up. I am not optimistic, don't think we'll be at the Garden or SNHUrena. Hope I'm wrong. Over on the UMO thread they are discussing next year's scholarship limit increasing from 18 to 26. Seems like UNH would have to come up with a couple hundred $K to take advantage, correct?

Speaking of funding for facility renovations and additional scholarships, what did UNH get for adding the Key Auto Group Complex to the names Towse Rink at Whittemore Center? Was the Key Auto Group Complex funding tied to a cost match that UNH failed to meet? If so, does the Key Auto Group Complex name remain in perpetuity? If so, we got wobbed, I think.

 

[bakchk20]

Over on the UMO thread they are discussing next year's scholarship limit increasing from 18 to 26.

That convo and potential is all driven by whether or not the school decides to participate in the NCAAs new revenue sharing model; the so-called House Settlement. As it is right now (I believe), if your school is in, you can increase scholarships from 18 to 26 but you have a 26-player maximum roster.

There's more to it that I don't understand. Example...I copied this from Mike McMahon's College Hockey Insider: "The revenue-sharing model, which is expected to begin in the fall of 2025, will allow schools to share up to $22 million per year with their athletes. Not every school will participate in revenue sharing. Schools are allowed to share revenue but are not obligated to." Huh?

Anyway, some of the criticism is that the rich-will-get-richer, creating deeper divides within leagues/conferences. The money aside, that's absolutely true considering 18 scholarships v the 26 scolarships for "participants".

 

[HockeyRef]

Speaking of funding for facility renovations and additional scholarships, what did UNH get for adding the Key Auto Group Complex to the names Towse Rink at Whittemore Center? Was the Key Auto Group Complex funding tied to a cost match that UNH failed to meet? If so, does the Key Auto Group Complex name remain in perpetuity? If so, we got wobbed, I think.

Surely you don't expect to find this info out when we don't even have regular pressers on game days?? (insert snarky face here...) I mean, I'm sure it's out there and can
be found out. Heard they are about 8 mil short, BUT...prob wrong on that maybe someone out there knows?

 

[Jellsville USA]

This is what I was alluding to in my second-half prediction (hopefulness)...

With UNH off to a strong start, and Hockey East having a great season, they will not be hurt as much as one might think by losses to the strong teams remaining on their schedule. What matters in the PWR besides head-to-head match-ups? Winning percentage. Opponent's winning percentage. UNH gets a big boost there - as long as their own winning percentage stays above .500...

They need to sweep UVM. A split versus PWR #32 probably hurts more than a sweep at the hands of PWR #8 or PWR #9. They still have a game versus BU they could win to avoid a season sweep. Do so and they'd be just one game down on my 7-8-2 final stretch prediction (hope).

Why am I so hopefully optimistic? Because this may be the most important final stretch in UNH Hockey history. Forget any number of seasons where a national title contender crashed and burned; They need desperately to get back into a position where its possible to crashing and burn.

Next season is a HUGE question mark, with so many departing players to replace. I think Souza has this team playing pretty close to their ceiling. Its always been RECRUITING that has hindered his UNH teams. They need better players and more impactful talent. Period. Imagine how much easier recruiting would be for 2025-26 if the Wildcats make the NCAA Tournament, alongside significant freed up scholarship dollars and the 'promise' of a new facility. They also benefit from a much larger pool of impactful talent - MJ eligibility - and the presence of the transfer portal...

Make the tournament and reloading is an exciting opportunity. Miss the tournament and its a much harder proposition. I think Souza knows this and is coaching desperately for this objective, which is why the FR playingtime has been so scarce.

That said, I think they'd help themselves in that quest by playing Ryan MacPherson in a top-six role much more often. Commit to Player/C. MacPherson as the extra skater. The other extras add little. Perhaps Babbage occasionally, but I don't need to see any of the other forwards. Take a gamble on some upside, you might be surprised...

Good post Dan. The kids are playing hard and can't seem to catch a break. From the whale miscue at home to outplaying BU on their ice and missing opportunity after opportunity on the PP. It was nice to see Sweeney get his first goal. That kid plays hard every shift. I can't say the same for Conmy (I wonder if he is playing to not get hurt and a potential portal transfer) over the past 4 games- swiping instead playing the body and costing us at least 3 goals over the 4 game losing streak. I do think if we continue to play hard we will sweep VT and right the ship. The good news is having a tough final stretch will only improve our pairwise if we can get on a streak. (forever optimistic!)

 

[acs64]

Could be Yukon’s year to win the HEA tourney AND a Nattie, to join fellow Connecticut Nattie winners Vlae and Quinnipiac.

What about Provinced{}

 

[Snively65]

What about Provinced{}

Of course, yes, Proviced{}, and the Garnet Chargers, also. I was just staying within the confines of the state of Connecticut.

 

[HockeyRef]

Good post Dan. The kids are playing hard and can't seem to catch a break. From the whale miscue at home to outplaying BU on their ice and missing opportunity after opportunity on the PP. It was nice to see Sweeney get his first goal. That kid plays hard every shift. I can't say the same for Conmy (I wonder if he is playing to not get hurt and a potential portal transfer) over the past 4 games- swiping instead playing the body and costing us at least 3 goals over the 4 game losing streak. I do think if we continue to play hard we will sweep VT and right the ship. The good news is having a tough final stretch will only improve our pairwise if we can get on a streak. (forever optimistic!)

My words exactly when we left BU Sat night...seems that UNH rarely if ever is on the receiving end of something awesome when we play teams like this, although, I will say last year's sweep of
Maine at home was a nice gift of sorts! Being there at that game (BU) it was obvious they played their hearts out and it really came down to Hutson (?) making that 'save' on the goal line.

As for getting on a 'streak' I think it would be possible, and that starts this weekend. Of course we hit BU again at the end of the month, but I believe they are beatable. First things first, and that is to
beat Snively's 'dirty hippies' from Burlington...!

 

[Snively65]

My words exactly when we left BU Sat night...seems that UNH rarely if ever is on the receiving end of something awesome when we play teams like this, although, I will say last year's sweep of
Maine at home was a nice gift of sorts! Being there at that game (BU) it was obvious they played their hearts out and it really came down to Hutson (?) making that 'save' on the goal line.

As for getting on a 'streak' I think it would be possible, and that starts this weekend. Of course we hit BU again at the end of the month, but I believe they are beatable. First things first, and that is to
beat Snively's 'dirty hippies' from Burlington...!

Hey, that is not my quote, as I have had lots of friends, colleagues, and their students at UVM that I have advised and with whom I have co-published for the past 50+ years.

 

[Aerman]

Agree....wanted to respond "for 10 years tho"? Just an excuse...I did ask how the proposed rennovations were going...that seems to be the main reason for our woes...right? And...for the record am all for it and was always for the jumbotron haha

I saw that post and resisted the urge to weigh in … I believe that’s the same post in which she said they have the talent AND it’s not the coach. Sorry, but A) they don’t have the talent, and B) if they actually do but can’t win, it clearly IS the coach. They do have have some talent but seem to be performing below it - that’s on the coach. They have insufficient overall talent - that’s on the coach. They’ve been dreadful on the PP for years - that’s on the coach. The SMT’s have left the building- that’s on the coach. I don’t know how anyone can objectively look at this team game after game and think MS7 is doing a good job.

 

[norbert]

Speaking of funding for facility renovations and additional scholarships, what did UNH get for adding the Key Auto Group Complex to the names Towse Rink at Whittemore Center? Was the Key Auto Group Complex funding tied to a cost match that UNH failed to meet? If so, does the Key Auto Group Complex name remain in perpetuity? If so, we got wobbed, I think.

No one knows. We took $4 or $6 million can’t remember and at this point have a sign and a longer name.

this renovation was the key according to MS7 and nothing has been done. Maybe at the next STH event with the coach we can ask… oh wait.

 

[norbert]

Read page 11 re Whit Reno

https://www.unh.edu/facilities/sites/default/files/media/2025-01/fpm-november-project-report_0.pdf

basically there is a schematic with not approval date or contractor.

 

[HockeyRef]

Hey, that is not my quote, as I have had lots of friends, colleagues, and their students at UVM that I have advised and with whom I have co-published for the past 50+ years.

oops, my bad then, not sure where that came from then. No offense UVM enthusiasts! We always enjoy our trips up there, esp when we saw the eclipse on the banks of Lake Champlain...

 

[Dan]

Sardaryan is now 9th in the country in scoring with 10-19–29 in 24 games. He’d be the perfect missing piece in this top-six…

 

[Scott]

Sardaryan is now 9th in the country in scoring with 10-19–29 in 24 games. He’d be the perfect missing piece in this top-six…

This speaks volumes to Souza's inability to develop talent. Clearly he learned a lot from his old boss.

 

[Snively65]

oops, my bad then, not sure where that came from then. No offense UVM enthusiasts! We always enjoy our trips up there, esp when we saw the eclipse on the banks of Lake Champlain...

No worries. Really easy to find the source of online quotes with google. See posts #176 and #178, 12/17/2015, 1:41 pm, from UNH thread for 2015/16 season. Fortunately, most of my UVM friends are not hockey fans so they do not read this stuff.

 

[HockeyRef]

This speaks volumes to Souza's inability to develop talent. Clearly he learned a lot from his old boss.

You could see Sardo's talent last season...it was mentioned on this board from time to time but oh yeah; he's definitely having a great season. And yeah, we
could've used him! Good luck to him!

Congrats to Alex Gagne and Ryan Conmy for their Hobey Baker nods! (As is Ohio State's Damian Carfagna)

https://hobeybaker.com/vote/

 

[d.gerry]

You could see Sardo's talent last season...it was mentioned on this board from time to time but oh yeah; he's definitely having a great season. And yeah, we
could've used him! Good luck to him!

Congrats to Alex Gagne and Ryan Conmy for their Hobey Baker nods! (As is Ohio State's Damian Carfagna)

https://hobeybaker.com/vote/

They start with 97 potential candidates, lol. Good for Conmy and Gagne, but c'mon really? The committee gives a bunch of programs a guy or two to generate interest. Why not just start with 10 or 15 solid candidates?

 

[HockeyRef]

Guess this is alumni weekend. Heard there are quite a few alum returning and that there's even a game at 1 Sat? Don't quote me...

Reading the recent UL article this week team has committed themselves to the task of beating the other 'Cats.

Heres hoping! HR's predicts

FRI UNH 3 UVM1. SAT UNh 2 UVM 0

 

[lindah]

This is from the NCAA about the HB Award selection process:

According to the Hobey Baker Memorial Award website, there are four criteria used to consider Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominees:

1. Strength of character, on and off the ice
2. Contribution to the integrity of the team and outstanding skills in all phases of the game
3. Scholastic achievement and sportsmanship
4. Compliance with all NCAA rules, including being a full-time student in an accredited college or university and completing 50 percent or more of the season

There are three steps involved in the award’s selection process. First, the head coaches of NCAA DI ice hockey schools nominate the top three players in their respective leagues and the top three players in the nation. College hockey fans can also participate by voting online during this step. Price Waterhouse Coopers accounting firm counts these votes and the top 10 finalists are announced.

Next, voting begins for the “Hobey Hat Trick,” which narrows the award field from 10 finalists to three. The winner is then selected from this trio of players. The voting in this step of the process is by the Hobey Baker Memorial Award Selection Committee. The committee is “a geographically balanced group of 29 individuals representing print and electronic sports media, college hockey coaches and officials, and NHL scouts.” There is also a round of fan voting in this step of the process.

BTW for those in NH, NHPBS will be airing GOLDEN: The Hobey Baker Story as part of its From the Vault series celebrating the station's 65th anniversary. It will air on Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 8:30 pm on NHPBS and on Monday February 3, 2025 at 3 pm. Longtime UNH Fans might recognize the lone skater on the pond.