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UNH 2025 Offseason: Where in the World is MS7?

Potluck said:
Buford, I must be permitted an aside. Suggesting, even farcically, that you have the capacity to create a multi-perspective narrative necessitates a stiff and rancorous objection. Rest assured, you are under the influence of a toxic misapprehension. Your posts are long winded, drool inducing, bowel exploding, ill informed, self righteous swill often found in the tiny remaining puddle of a drunkard's final glass of warm beer at last call.

Indeed your script is best suited for coloring books.
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Based on your clear expertise in the field, what coloring books would you recommend. potty???
 
HockeyRef said:
Andrew Poturalski off to Russia
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Sometimes the dream dies hard. As with Darren Haydar 15 or so years earlier, it's just never happened at the NHL level for Poturalski.

Guys who are rewarded for their offensive skills all their lives can struggle to adjust when asked to modify their games to reflect the fact they aren't fast, slick or strong enough to hold down a top six NHL job, even with a rebuilding franchise(s).

For all I've said about JvR in recent seasons as his career has tailed off ... watching him play now as opposed to when he was at UNH, or early in his NHL career, those are not the same two players. There have been drastic changes and adjustments he's made to stay in the league, and up until this point, it's worked. He played a full season on Columbus' bottom six last year, and ditto with Boston the year before. He'll probably play more games this season on DRW's bottom six than the combined total games Haydar and Poturalski patched together in their abbreviated NHL careers, including their exhibition games. Still not a big fan of JvR, but you have to at least tip your hat to him for being willing to make the necessary adjustments to stick at NHL level. Kudos JvR! (y)

Look at Evan Rodrigues, who is 6 months older than Poturalski, same height and weight, undrafted, and spent 4 years at BU, never really popping like AP did at UNH. Struggled to break through with the Buffalo Sabres - yeah, the Sabres - and eventually kicked around with the Penguins as a spare part until after COVID when he suddenly emerged as a jack-of-all-trades bottom six guy, and is now an indispensable role player with two Stanley Cup rings that Florida couldn't bear to part with in free agency earlier this month, especially after two fantastic postseasons for them. You gotta admire players who work that hard to succeed.

That's not to say or imply the Poturalskis or Haydars of the world are lazy, or don't work hard. Certainly there is an element of luck involved too ... but as the saying goes, "the harder I work, the luckier I get". I do suspect there is an element of stubbornness perhaps that prevents some guys who are prolific scorers at lower levels to surrender that part of their game, their identity, to become a JAG on the bottom six of an NHL team. Heck, look at the last 15 seasons of the Sollenberger Trophy (AHL leading scorer), and other than Poturalski, the only guy who's gone on to an accomplished NHL career is Carter Verhaege, and the only other multiple-time winner was Chris Bourque (son of Ray), who was undersized and like DH and AP also never really broke through at the NHL level.

Poturalski's UNH running mate Tyler Kelleher, on the other hand, is still playing in Sweden, and has developed a nice habit of winning championships at their 2nd tier level, with 3 over his last 4 seasons, and two very productive postseasons the last 2 years. Word is he is moving back up to the elite SHL (MoDo) next season.
 
I do not get why Andrew Poturalski broke his contract with the San Jose Barracuda, where he just won the Les Cunningham Award for AHL MVP while scoring 73 points in 59 games during the 2024/2025 season, to play in Sweden, apparently not until the 2026/2027 season. Are Swedish league contracts that much more lucrative than AHL contracts?

Poturalski (5’10”) 105th all time for scoring in the AHL with 161 goals and 492 points in 527 games over 10 seasons; led the AHL in scoring during the 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2024/25 seasons, one of only three AHL players to do so in three seasons; won two Calder Cups with the Charlotte Checkers (2019) and the Chicago Wolves (2022); but played in only 9 NHL games.Mets

As for comparisons with other former UNH players, Tyler Kelleher (5’8”) played only three seasons in the AHL, followed by seven years so far in the Swedish second tier league, and played in zero NHL games. Darren Haydar (5’9”) played 11 seasons in the AHL, is 14th all-time in AHL scoring with 788 points in 780 games, is all-time leader in AHL post-season goals (63) and points (143), won two Calder Cups with the Milwaukee Admirals (2004) and the Chicago Wolves (2008), and played in only 23 NHL games. I include heights because all three of these great UNH alum hockey players were likely too undersized for NHL careers. Contrast with JvR (6’3”) who will soon begin his 17th NHL season, having scored 327 points and 665 points in 1082 games (0.62 PPG), including 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games during the 2023/24 season (0.54 PPG) and 16 goals and 36 points in 71 games during the 2024/25 season (0.51 PPG). I will be very surprised if JVR does not play at least another 50 games and score at least 25 points for the Dead Wings this coming season. Or contrast with UNH alum Dan Winnik (6’2”) who scored 82 goals and 327 points over 798 games (0.46 PPG) during 14 NHL seasons. Winnik went in to play another six seasons for Geneve Servellte in the Swiss A league, winning a Cup in the 2002/23 season, and wrapping up his hockey career after the 2023/24 season. I think that these latter two UNH alums had the size for NHL play that the other three did not.
 
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Snively65 said:
I do not get why Andrew Poturalski broke his contract with the San Jose Barracuda, where he just won the Les Cunningham Award for AHL MVP while scoring 73 points in 59 games during the 2024/2025 season, to play in Sweden, apparently not until the 2026/2027 season. Are Swedish league contracts that much more lucrative than AHL contracts?

Poturalski (5’10”) 105th all time for scoring in the AHL with 161 goals and 492 points in 527 games over 10 seasons; led the AHL in scoring during the 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2024/25 seasons, one of only three AHL players to do so in three seasons; won two Calder Cups with the Charlotte Checkers (2019) and the Chicago Wolves (2022); but played in only 9 NHL games.Mets
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Sharks and Cuda fan dropping by...

He's signed in the KHL, so in Russia, who have been actively trying to poach him for almost a decade. Those contracts can be pretty lucrative, but it's not like the Barracuda were skimping on him afaik. He seemed to like it here, plus his wife just gave birth and I was hoping not uprooting his young family to a foreign country that is an active pariah state would be enough, but maybe that's the fan in me talking. This news was leaked during the playoffs actually which pissed many people off, though you can never fully trust Russian state sponsored media. The way he talked after the news was official made it seem like he's not expecting to play for much longer, so he wanted a bigger opportunity elsewhere before he calls it a career.

I think Pots would've gotten another callup potentially near the end of the season after trade deadline, but he got injured and never made it back in time to help the Cuda get past Colorado. Originally the injury wasn't going to keep him out the rest of the regular season, but his return date was getting longer and longer... Then his understudy got injured in game 3 and the Cuda were really dead, so it was a moot point. I know he felt like he didn't get enough of an NHL opportunity- reality was when he got his chance with the Sharks he didn't make much of an impact at that level. I'm no scout but it felt like he was a beat behind. He was also very important in the Cuda lineup, their power play never recovered from the loss of him and was noticeably worse while he was with the Sharks. I hope for the best with him, and wish we got to see the whole team in the playoffs. When at full strength, this Barracuda team was so much fun. He definitely left a big impact on some important pieces in the Sharks rebuild, and I'll always be thankful for that.

There's something to be said about timing and luck in all of this. There's an alternate universe where Poturalski got a chance in the NHL at just the right time that he could stick it longer term. He's not alone in this, though he is an extreme example based on production. Fact is, for small-ish offensive wingers, if the scoring doesn't immediately translate up and their B-game isn't well-defined enough for a bottom 6 role, they run the risk of getting left behind, no matter how gaudy the numbers are.
 
cinnamoroll said:
Sharks and Cuda fan dropping by...

He's signed in the KHL, so in Russia, who have been actively trying to poach him for almost a decade. Those contracts can be pretty lucrative, but it's not like the Barracuda were skimping on him afaik. He seemed to like it here, plus his wife just gave birth and I was hoping not uprooting his young family to a foreign country that is an active pariah state would be enough, but maybe that's the fan in me talking. This news was leaked during the playoffs actually which pissed many people off, though you can never fully trust Russian state sponsored media. The way he talked after the news was official made it seem like he's not expecting to play for much longer, so he wanted a bigger opportunity elsewhere before he calls it a career.

I think Pots would've gotten another callup potentially near the end of the season after trade deadline, but he got injured and never made it back in time to help the Cuda get past Colorado. Originally the injury wasn't going to keep him out the rest of the regular season, but his return date was getting longer and longer... Then his understudy got injured in game 3 and the Cuda were really dead, so it was a moot point. I know he felt like he didn't get enough of an NHL opportunity- reality was when he got his chance with the Sharks he didn't make much of an impact at that level. I'm no scout but it felt like he was a beat behind. He was also very important in the Cuda lineup, their power play never recovered from the loss of him and was noticeably worse while he was with the Sharks. I hope for the best with him, and wish we got to see the whole team in the playoffs. When at full strength, this Barracuda team was so much fun. He definitely left a big impact on some important pieces in the Sharks rebuild, and I'll always be thankful for that.

There's something to be said about timing and luck in all of this. There's an alternate universe where Poturalski got a chance in the NHL at just the right time that he could stick it longer term. He's not alone in this, though he is an extreme example based on production. Fact is, for small-ish offensive wingers, if the scoring doesn't immediately translate up and their B-game isn't well-defined enough for a bottom 6 role, they run the risk of getting left behind, no matter how gaudy the numbers are.
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Thanks for this informative post, cinnamoroll. Not sure why I missed that KHL is Russia, where the more locative contract offer probably explains much. But your questions about his decision also make a lot of sense to me. Wishing the best for Pots.
 
cinnamoroll said:
wThere's something to be said about timing and luck in all of this. There's an alternate universe where Poturalski got a chance in the NHL at just the right time that he could stick it longer term. He's not alone in this, though he is an extreme example based on production. Fact is, for small-ish offensive wingers, if the scoring doesn't immediately translate up and their B-game isn't well-defined enough for a bottom 6 role, they run the risk of getting left behind, no matter how gaudy the numbers are.
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Precisely. I've never enjoyed being the bearer of bad news regarding the obvious and glaring holes in Poturalski's game, but they do exist. And when you consider that height/size may be an obstacle, they are NOT a barrier (see current players like Cole Caulfield, Alex DeBrincat and of course Brad Marchand), so then you're left to look at what those guys bring to their games that the AP and DH types do not. And Ryan Conmy will join that bunch soon enough unless he does develop that "B-game" at BC in the next year or two. It's quite possible he's transferred there specifically to hone that part of his game that's been AWOL at UNH under the current coaching staff. Which brings us full circle, back to why UNH will continue to lose their most ambitious kids, until its coaching improves.
 
Feels like it is time for me to put my 2 cents worth in on scheduling an exhibition game. Not a favorite of many of you but I see it as critical for this team. So much new blood that will be expected to play big roles this season. As important (pairwise ranking) the first 2 games will be, it is.important to get at least 1real game under our belts.
Basicly a new D corp and lot of chemistry to be built in the forward group. Going to MSU without game experience/exposure would be a mistake.
 
After the Whistle said:
Feels like it is time for me to put my 2 cents worth in on scheduling an exhibition game. Not a favorite of many of you but I see it as critical for this team. So much new blood that will be expected to play big roles this season. As important (pairwise ranking) the first 2 games will be, it is.important to get at least 1real game under our belts.
Basicly a new D corp and lot of chemistry to be built in the forward group. Going to MSU without game experience/exposure would be a mistake.
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Totally agree. Not sure what the thinking would be to avoid an allowable exhibition game ... (y)
 
So today's the big recruiting day in college hockey as Juniors can make commitments. Not that it matters seeing Souza hasn't done squat since he took over. With the CHL players it might not be as big a deal anymore. The player pool will decrease and only the rich will get richer.
 
Robert Balin said:
So today's the big recruiting day in college hockey as Juniors can make commitments. Not that it matters seeing Souza hasn't done squat since he took over. With the CHL players it might not be as big a deal anymore. The player pool will decrease and only the rich will get richer.
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Here is one that looks like a potential good pick up today

3.75 Evan Sercerchi from New Brunswick and the Fredericton Caps to @UNHMHOCKEY 44th selection in the in the @QMJHL Entry Draft








https://x.com/UNHHockeyBlog
 
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