UNH 2024/2025 Goldberg Edition

[umhockey91]

How much will UNH have to pay a new coach if they get rid of Souza? Good coaches don't come cheap....is UNH willing to up their salary game?

 

[Scott]

How much will UNH have to pay a new coach if they get rid of Souza? Good coaches don't come cheap....is UNH willing to up their salary game?

They'll find the money to pay the right person.....IF you have an AD that is committed to change. Therein lies the potential obstacle.

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

They'll find the money to pay the right person.....IF you have an AD that is committed to change. Therein lies the potential obstacle.

The question remains if Rich will risk her own career path to do what's right for the program. I doubt it.

 

[Chuck Murray]

How much will UNH have to pay a new coach if they get rid of Souza? Good coaches don't come cheap....is UNH willing to up their salary game?

UMaine didn't exactly have to break the bank to bring in Ben Barr - IIRC his initial salary was right where MS7's salary is now.

Key issue on starting salary is proven/established vs. unproven/promising. Barr was the latter, now he is the former.

Folks with any degree of insight into D-1 hockey had to know Barr was a near-lock for success as a head coach.

Unfortunately, I don't trust the current AD to have that insight to hire effectively from the second category.

The question remains if Rich will risk her own career path to do what's right for the program. I doubt it.

The Grouch nails it right here. So my guess is, we're stuck for two more years, unless Rich leaves before then. Because IF she leaves - and I don't see that coming any time soon either, short of a death or promotion in the Princeton AD's office - which checklist hire replaces her?

And if she's still here when the deal mercifully expires in Spring 2027, we're gonna have to get exceedingly lucky if she's making the final decision on MS7's replacement ...

... so I see PAIN for the short term, pain for the mid-term, and maybe by 2030 a glimmer of hope.

Sorry folks, admittedly brutal outlook ... but it is what it is ...

 

[2013hockeyfan]

If UNH were smart they would bring in Eric Lang for double his AIC salary tomorrow. For all the talk of funding, facilities, support etc. you just have to look at what he did (albeit in AH, I know) with a D3 budget. Need a head coach with a vision and passion.

 

[Sparkee]

Unfortunately, I think today he is safe because of that 18th in the pairwise. I just don't see a win left on the schedule.

2 @ Maine
H&H Umass
H&H BC
H&H Lowell

The reality is the University isn't going to buy him out so we are stuck with another 2 years of this mess. Unless some big donor comes along with $$$ for the facilities and the buy out.

Well, I tell you what… Maine will help you guys out by lowering UNH’s pairwise this weekend. But don’t you ever say Maine doesn’t do anything for you again.

No need for compensation. I feel that really you all can repay this kindness by having a beer on Chuck’s tab at Libby’s next home game. Chuck is a gracious guy. And each and every UNH fan should thank him after putting a few beers each on Chuck Murray’s tab tell them.

 

[Jellsville USA]

Dan - you need to stop letting facts get in the way of others opin

Conmy is -7 in the last 10 games

I think your post 'grossly' overstated his deficiencies and deserved the response.



Did you really read my last posts and think I wouldn't follow up on these numbers?

In the same span Devlin is -10, Ring is -11 and LeClerc is -12. Cronin is -6 and Lavins is a -3. Winters is even as he's barely played. Not a banner run for any of the top-six forwards, but Conmy faired equal to or much better than all the high ice-time forwards but Lavins. The irony is you only noticing his need for defensive improvement because of his success/expectation for production in the offensive end...

Furthermore, Conmy was a -6 in the two lopsided losses to BU which certainly skews the data (for all but Cronin - Cronin: 0, Lavins: -2, Devlin: -4, Ring: -5, LeClerc: -6) for anyone trying to make a point about his defensive play. Remove those games and you have the following over the remaining eight outings...

Conmy, -1
Lavins, -1
Cronin, -6
Devlin, -6
Ring, -6
LeClerc, -6

But due to two rough (team) efforts against BU you've decided we wouldn't miss the team's top-scorer, most talented player and one of its best +/- forwards if he transferred, and to BC of all places? Got it...

Your edict for enthusiasm and optimistic support died real fast.

--

I called out three players in a previous post. There's also a fourth with an eye-popping lack of production. In his defense, he's been in and out of the line-up, but after scoring 10 goals last season Morgan Winters has just two (one an ENG) in 2024-25. He has not scored a goal since Nov. 15 against Northeastern (He's appeared in 11 games since) and - believe it or not - that is the ONLY game in which he's scored a goal this season...

Conmy has 3 goals in the past 9 games when the real competition began. He is only 3rd on the team in scoring during that stretch. He is tied for 5th on the team in PP goals (1) all year. I think he is regressing.

 

[Jellsville USA]

Will disagree with you on Gags. He is overwhelmed and gassed come the end of tje second period and his track record of taking cheap shots behind the play has finally caught up with him this season.

The most complete player, both ways, has been Lavins. As such, I fully expect him to enter the portal this spring.

Gagne is leading the team in minutes played by a lot and has blocked more shots than anyone else by far. I think Lavins has been very good as well. Coach is relying too much on Gagne.

 

[HockeyRef]

I am not so sure that would be a bad thing. I hate to talk negative about the kids I am cheering for but Conmy is generally out of position in the defensive zone always looking to go on offense. I am certain the scouts are seeing that as well

Welp isn't he a member of the PK?

 

[JB]

Conmy has 3 goals in the past 9 games when the real competition began. He is only 3rd on the team in scoring during that stretch. He is tied for 5th on the team in PP goals (1) all year. I think he is regressing.

From my seat the problem Conmy has is the "real competition" is paying him lots of extra attention. He gets leaned on a lot and without other the others stepping up to take some of the attention away he isn't getting the room to work he had last year. As a freshman he was less of a known commodity and with Winters, Delvin and LeClerc scoring he couldn't be watched so carefully. Conmy is a smaller player and teams are being extra physical.

 

[Dan]

Conmy has 3 goals in the past 9 games when the real competition began. He is only 3rd on the team in scoring during that stretch. He is tied for 5th on the team in PP goals (1) all year. I think he is regressing.

Interesting sample size, nine games. Quite the cherry pick considering if you chose ten games he’d have four and if you chose 11 (the new year) games held have five.

Three goals in the past nine is also second most on the ENTIRE team. Only Cronin has more. Ring has as many.

I’ll repeat again, in that same ‘9’ game span LeClerc has two. Devlin and Winters have zero. They’ve all been less impactful at the other end as well…

For someone who ‘hates’ to bag on players youre sure twisting yourself into a pretzel to try to defend your Conmy/transfer take. Just say you’d like to see him add more defensive consistency to his game and move on. You’re not doing yourself any favors trying to double down on such a inaccurate statement…

BTW - of UNH’s three wins since the New Year, Conmy has two GWG. He’s scored in all three. But yeah, we probably wouldn’t miss him…

He’s the focal point of everyone’s game plan and no one but Cronin (who most certainly benefits from the Conmy attention) is doing much to force a change of opposing strategy..?

 

[bakchk20]

From my seat the problem Conmy has is the "real competition" is paying him lots of extra attention. He gets leaned on a lot and without other the others stepping up to take some of the attention away he isn't getting the room to work he had last year. As a freshman he was less of a known commodity and with Winters, Delvin and LeClerc scoring he couldn't be watched so carefully. Conmy is a smaller player and teams are being extra physical.

Exactly. The opponent can simply mark him with shadows for the whole game under the basic strategy of: "Take his space and let the other guys beat us...if they can...and they usually can't."

 

[HockeyRef]

Conmy is the best player, so he gets the target - deservedly or entirely undeservedly so. Oh well, we've seen it before. From Gildon to Poturalski and all the way back to JVR, Hemingway, Bekar and Nicklaus. Even Haydar himself at times his SR season...

I've seen criticism of Conmy's scoring all season, specifically during the team's losing stretch post Jan. 1. He's one goal shy of his 2023-24 total, and his PPG are up from a season ago. He has five goals since the new year...

So who is really coming up short? What's missing? Its not Harrison Blaisdell.

--

LeClerc has just seven goals this season, which is right on pace with what he did last season - and remains down from his 13-goal freshman season. He's 15 goals worse in plus-minus. He needed to make a jump, at best he's stayed the same. He has just TWO goals since Jan. 1.

Devlin has also scored only seven goals in 26 games this season. He scored 13 in 28 games a year ago. That's one goal less every five games. He's had a ten point negative swing in his plus-minus. He has ZERO goals since Jan. 1 and, in fact, if you remove a six-game stretch from Nov. 22 to Dec. 28 he has ONE goal in the remaining 20 games he's played this season...

Huard has been a no-show on offense this season. After entering the season with 14 career goals and 57 career points, he's still looking for goal number one and has just seven assists. He has just two assists since Nov. 22. Of UNH's top-six defenseman, he is one of just two to be negative in plus-minus. Reid is -1 and Huard is a -8!

While several players have seen their production and development stall - where it was expected to advance - this season. Those are the three players who really should have taken big strides this season but have yet to do so. If UNH has a trick up their sleeve down the stretch, its those three that need to perform. If they'd simply produced at Conmy's 'disappointing rate' in the second half, your Wildcats are squarely in the NCAA Tournament...

Excellent posts Dan about Conmy and the rest you mention. I hadn't been paying attention to Huard til a couple of weeks ago and was surprised he had not scored this season. You point out with out saying it completely outloud the biggest (I think) issue with MS7 is and has been on player development. Is a 'lack of talent' to be developed? I don't think so... The results are plain to see...it's squarely on him. There's no way that a player like Liam Devlin, Cy (to be fair he was out for awhile) NOT to be scoring goals on a regular basis. I don't want to lay the blame squarely on the HC but...he is..the HC.

I did respect his comment in the UL the other day 'point one finger and 3 point back at you' as far as blame goes for their dismal weekend..because I've always felt that blame is the surest way to stay stuck in a problem. But we are still stuck in this problem so...

 

[HockeyRef]

Exactly. The opponent can simply mark him with shadows for the whole game under the basic strategy of: "Take his space and let the other guys beat us...if they can...and they usually can't."

Sadly, even I can see that...

 

[norbert]

I don't believe Whale was a recruiting mistake. The mistake was how they filled the goaltending situation behind him...

Helleston was a work-horse last season, playing 78% of UNH's games (28) and minutes (1675). At this point in the season he had only played in 70% of Wildcat games.

Whale, meanwhile, has started all 26 games (100%) and played 1487 of the team's 1569 minutes (95%). I'm not surprised he's less sharp than he was earlier in the season. DiMatteo didn't look unplayable to me during the US NTDP exhibition, but apparently he has convinced his coaches of that fact in practice. Whale would benefit from a running mate deemed, at least occasionally, playable, IMO...

Goaltending stats also remain a huge sign of whats happening in front of the crease. Whale has not been good of late - but he's also been the victim, all season, of coverage breakdowns and dangerous turnovers. Another example: Tyler Muszelik is saving 4% more pucks and allowing a full goal per game less this season than last.

Despite the experience and familiarity, UNH's defense may not be as vaunted as advertised. At best, they're getting worn down too - with the coaches asking Gagne, Reid, Huard and Jensen to cover nearly 100 of the 120 available defensive minutes per game. Either way, they just aren't playing as well as they did last season. One or two in particular (joined in productive disappointment by several forwards, to be fair)...

Whale was not recruited. He was a transfer. I don't blame this on MS7 as Moose transferred and then Helleston took $50K to go home and has barely plays. This is the same defense as last year, literally the same. So either Helleston save this D corp, Whale is bad, or maybe , just maybe the coaching is so bad that chances are created because forwards give up changes, our D can't handle them, and here we are.

Also, Whale splits are bad beginning of the season versus now. It is a Friday/Saturday problem. Also, maybe we won against teams who are bad and now can't play against good teams.

 

[norbert]

Ryan Conmy would be the 4th best forward at BC, chasing Ryan Leonard for the team lead in goals if playing with either Gabe Perreault or James Hagens on a nightly basis...

--

At what point in the game was the review you mentioned? I missed the start - but thought UNH could/should have taken a flyer on challenging Ryan Leonard's late penalty for CTH. It would have been borderline, but could have potentially given UNH a five-minute power play with just over five minutes to play (worth the risk in a normal situation).

As far as I can tell, Souza never challenged that late call (if he had lost a second challenge UNH would have been penalized themselves). Did he fail to challenge late because he wasted a chance early...? Frustrating if so...

I could be 4th best forward at BC if I play with 2 1st round draft picks. He is a 6th round pick and 182 overall. That is not star talent.

He is averaging 1 pt per game, 14% shot percentage, and only 1 ppg goal. I don't understand why everyone thinks he is the 2nd coming of Christ in the hockey world. He has 1 PPG. If you actually watch him, he has given up multiple odd man breaks on the power play and can't hit the net.

 

[norbert]

Hmmm, as an extension of that take, Conmy hits the portal and jumps to BC, saying good bye to the train wreck in Durham. I can see it now... And why not? Much higher upside at BC.

I hope he does, he will enjoy the 4th line at best at BC right? In 59 games he has 56 points and a 12.7% shot %.

 

[norbert]

I think your post 'grossly' overstated his deficiencies and deserved the response.



Did you really read my last posts and think I wouldn't follow up on these numbers?

In the same span Devlin is -10, Ring is -11 and LeClerc is -12. Cronin is -6 and Lavins is a -3. Winters is even as he's barely played. Not a banner run for any of the top-six forwards, but Conmy faired equal to or much better than all the high ice-time forwards but Lavins. The irony is you only noticing his need for defensive improvement because of his success/expectation for production in the offensive end...

Furthermore, Conmy was a -6 in the two lopsided losses to BU which certainly skews the data (for all but Cronin - Cronin: 0, Lavins: -2, Devlin: -4, Ring: -5, LeClerc: -6) for anyone trying to make a point about his defensive play. Remove those games and you have the following over the remaining eight outings...

Conmy, -1
Lavins, -1
Cronin, -6
Devlin, -6
Ring, -6
LeClerc, -6

But due to two rough (team) efforts against BU you've decided we wouldn't miss the team's top-scorer, most talented player and one of its best +/- forwards if he transferred, and to BC of all places? Got it...

Your edict for enthusiasm and optimistic support died real fast.

--

I called out three players in a previous post. There's also a fourth with an eye-popping lack of production. In his defense, he's been in and out of the line-up, but after scoring 10 goals last season Morgan Winters has just two (one an ENG) in 2024-25. He has not scored a goal since Nov. 15 against Northeastern (He's appeared in 11 games since) and - believe it or not - that is the ONLY game in which he's scored a goal this season...

Are you his agent? What is the love affair with Conmy? So, your list of comparison, the only person drafted is, you guessed it Conmy.

Outside of all the stats, and if you want to get into that battle we can, the constant with his regression is coaching. I can tell you as a matter of fact that the LA Kings player development person was here the BU weekend and I talked it him Friday night, and he noted the struggle.

As for your +/- stats, how many of those are Whale's miscues? How about Reid missing Perrault on the shorty who skated right by him into the neutral zone and next thing you know he was alone?

Box scores only tell part of the story, actual visuals tell more.

 

[norbert]

UMaine didn't exactly have to break the bank to bring in Ben Barr - IIRC his initial salary was right where MS7's salary is now.

Key issue on starting salary is proven/established vs. unproven/promising. Barr was the latter, now he is the former.

Folks with any degree of insight into D-1 hockey had to know Barr was a near-lock for success as a head coach.

Unfortunately, I don't trust the current AD to have that insight to hire effectively from the second category.

The question remains if Rich will risk her own career path to do what's right for the program. I doubt it.

The Grouch nails it right here. So my guess is, we're stuck for two more years, unless Rich leaves before then. Because IF she leaves - and I don't see that coming any time soon either, short of a death or promotion in the Princeton AD's office - which checklist hire replaces her?

And if she's still here when the deal mercifully expires in Spring 2027, we're gonna have to get exceedingly lucky if she's making the final decision on MS7's replacement ...

... so I see PAIN for the short term, pain for the mid-term, and maybe by 2030 a glimmer of hope.

Sorry folks, admittedly brutal outlook ... but it is what it is ...

From what I can find quicky, Barr was around $250K from 2022-2023. As of July 1 2024 it is $425K. My WSBE education says, he came in was successful and got a raise. Take it for what it is worth but I would image the success he has had resulted in a raise. Logical approach to how things work.

 

[norbert]

Excluding the Conmy love affair, what happens this weekend? Base on being in Orono, only a game Friday last week and Whale's history, my guess is

6-1 Friday
4-3 Saturday

The streak continues and we are on the way to the 1st pick in the draft.