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UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2019 and Beyond

Dan said:
The top uncommitted scorer during the BCHL's extended pre-season is Ellis Rickwood of the Victoria Grizzlies. Rickwood is a native of Brantford, Ontario and has 9-12--21 in 15 games...

https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...ellis-rickwood

And here is the elite prospects page for Rickwood's sister, Emily, who was pretty productive on the blue line for her club during the 2019-20 season...

https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...emily-rickwood
Click to expand...

It's like you are monitoring my emails...I noticed that too last week.
In my mind, the big question is space. UNH had a bunch of low impact 2000s that they need to bring in (Sweeney, Ring, Cronin, Bakos) add in the good players that UNH probably would want to bring in (Evans, Sacco) and you have a huge crush or 21 forwards in 21-22 and 19 forwards in 22-23. That crush is then made worse if Grasso, MacAdams or Kelleher avail themselves of the extra year of eligibility (and as I understand it, even "graduated" guys like Pierson or Engaras could use their year in 21-22). And that's deferring to 2022 several other forwards like Devlin, Curran, Margel and Winters and a kid that hopes to play as a true freshman (Turner).

2020-21
Jr.Crookshank---Jr.Pierson---------Sr.Kelleher
Jr.Ward----------Jr.Engaras -------Sr.Grasso
Sr.Sato-----------So.Stevenson----Sr.MacAdams
Fr.Richels---------Fr.Cafarelli-------Jr.Esposito
Jr.Cipollone------So.Herrmann---Fr.Gendron
So.Hankinson

Sr.Maass---------So.Eriksson
Jr.MacKinnon----Fr.Reid
Fr.Jenson-------Jr.Verrier
Fr.Nagle.........Jr.Semandel
Jr.Hickey

2021-22
Sr.Crookshank--Sr.Pierson------Sr.Engaras
Sr.Ward-------Jr.Stevenson-----So.Cafarelli
Sr.Esposito------Fr.Evans--------Fr.D.Sacco
So.Richels-------Fr.Bakos-------Fr.Cronin
Fr.Margel.........Fr.Devlin--------So.Gendron
Sr.Cipollone----Jr.Herrmann-------Fr.Curran
Fr.J.Ring-------Fr.Sweeney-------Jr.Hankinson


Jr.Eriksson--------Fr.Ardanaz
Sr.MacKinnon-----So.Reid
Sr.Verrier----------Fr.Penney
So.Jenson----------So.Nagle
Sr.Semandel------Sr.Hickey

2022-23
Jr.Richels------Sr.Stevenson---Jr.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward--------So.D.Sacco........So.Evans
So.Margel--------Fr.Turner--------So.Bakos
So.Devlin--------Sr.Herrmann----So.Cronin
So.J.Ring-------Fr.Leclerc-------Jr.Gendron
Fr.Winters-------So.Sweeney--------Sr.Hankinson
--------So.Curran


So.Ardanaz-----Sr.Eriksson
Jr.Reid---------Fr.Carfagna
Fr.Gagne------So.Penney
Sr.________-----Jr.Nagle
Jr.Jenson

Now, UNH will not be unique in that regard, especially with the additional year for all players, and the Ivy kids moving on.
 
NCAA watcher said:
It's like you are monitoring my emails...I noticed that too last week.
In my mind, the big question is space. UNH had a bunch of low impact 2000s that they need to bring in (Sweeney, Ring, Cronin, Bakos) add in the good players that UNH probably would want to bring in (Evans, Sacco) and you have a huge crush or 21 forwards in 21-22 and 19 forwards in 22-23. That crush is then made worse if Grasso, MacAdams or Kelleher avail themselves of the extra year of eligibility (and as I understand it, even "graduated" guys like Pierson or Engaras could use their year in 21-22). And that's deferring to 2022 several other forwards like Devlin, Curran, Margel and Winters and a kid that hopes to play as a true freshman (Turner).

Now, UNH will not be unique in that regard, especially with the additional year for all players, and the Ivy kids moving on.
Click to expand...

That is a good point - UNH does have a logjam in the pipeline. It's why I wondered about their ability to add John Evans, but they found a way to add a premium talent. I hope they could do the same for someone like Rickwood - who has a sister at UNH and would get them back into Ontario...

I do think, with a strong season, that Crookshank would be a likely candidate for an early departure. Not sure if that would free up scholarship money or if they've already accounted for that reality.

Under Souza, UNH has seen under developing recruits turn elsewhere (or possibly encouraged to do so), including Wazny, Bahn and Miller. I know we are both on the same page as far as wanting UNH to honor verbal commitments, etc - but perhaps some tough decisions need to be made if UNH is to jump back into the top half of Hockey East on Souza's watch...

I'm on record as hoping for Kelleher and Grasso to return - giving UNH a better depth of forward skill/balance and some scoring experience - however there are three outcomes available to the seniors. Move on from the college game, return to UNH - OR - take the BVR route. I think the extra year of eligibility will result in a lot of transfers across the country, especially of the graduate variety...

This potential line-up looks pretty good for next year and the future (if they can retain some upperclassmen all the better):

Crookshank - Pierson - Cafarelli
Ward - Engaras - Sacco
Richels - Evans - Rickwood
Margel - Stevenson - Esposito/Cronin

Perhaps those names in italic are the catalyst for fond memories of UNH offenses of old as they matriculate to their upperclass seasons? Or at least a bridge to the next wave?
 
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Dan said:
The top uncommitted scorer during the BCHL's extended pre-season is Ellis Rickwood of the Victoria Grizzlies. Rickwood is a native of Brantford, Ontario and has 9-12--21 in 15 games...

Brantford, the home of the GREAT ONE! Would certainly be nice to get a foothold back in the Ontario talent pool. Cullen/Asst Umile, and then Umile/Asst McClsokey tapped this pretty well to jumpstart the last glory days. But then Umile gave up on the area to mine the talent rich GBL and then eventually the Portsmouth CC pipeline. Let's hope Souza can convince the brother of a current UNH woman's hockey player that the future is bright at the Whitt.
Click to expand...
 
NCAA watcher said:
So, with no Morrow and no Flinton, who's next? We're into the mid-90s players now? Does Krog have a kid?
Click to expand...

At least we're getting to the point where the future prospects' dads had some level of success that their kids can sometimes even see on YouTube. But as you and Dan have been pointing out for some time now, UNH hasn't been able to exploit what could be a rich vein of recruiting that many of the top D-1 programs have been able to use to extend their past dominance well into the future. It's one of the reasons you want to keep successful coaches around long-term, and UNH has had two of those sorts (Holt and more recently Umile) over the better part of the last 50 years, so it's curious why this hasn't played out more favorably for the program. Kind of leaves us to draw our own conclusions, but none of those reflect favorably, especially with the more recent Umile/Souza era. Hopefully Souza can turn things around, but the early returns aren't promising ...
 
NCAA watcher said:
Can't say it's an unreasonable choice ;) So, with no Morrow and no Flinton, who's next? We're into the mid-90s players now? Does Krog have a kid?
Click to expand...

Apparently, there is another Morrow at Shattuck St. Mary's. Spencer Morrow is a 14U defenseman...

https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...spencer-morrow

---

Not a son, rather a little brother - but, Cole Eiserman is off to a hot start (also with Shattuck's 14U team), with 46 goals and 70 points in 24 games. He looks every bit the part of what Eddie Caron was supposed to be (already 5-10, 180) years ago...

https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe.../cole-eiserman

And Caden Eiserman, Cole's twin brother...

https://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...caden-eiserman
 
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Serious question: was Pat Norton (mid '90's) the last semblance of a legacy* player at UNH?

* - not sure if the son of a former assistant coach counts as a "legacy"
 
With the new eligibility rules, here's a really rough sketch of what the future might hold. Red are players eligible for additional year that UNH might keep on.

2021-22
[[[Sr.Crookshank]]]]------------Sr.Pierson-------So.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward--------------------------Sr.Engaras-------[[Sr.Kelleher/Grasso]]
[[Sr.Sato/MacAdams????]]-----Jr.Stevenson-----Fr.Evans
So.Richels-----------------------So.Gendron------Sr.Esposito
Fr.Margel------------------------Jr.Herrmann------[[[Fr.Bakos]]]]
Fr.Sweeney----------------------Sr.Cipollone------Fr.Devlin
Fr.J.Ring-------------------------Jr.Hankinson

Jr.Eriksson--------Fr.Ardanaz
Sr.MacKinnon-----So.Reid
Sr.Verrier----------So.Jenson
Fr.Penney----------So.Nagle
Sr.Semandel------Sr.Hickey

Sr.Taylor-----Fr.__________----So.Forman

2022-23
Sr.Stevenson-------[[[[[Sr.Engaras]]]]------Jr.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward-------------[[[[Sr.Pierson]]]]]------So.Evans
Jr.Richels------------Fr.Turner----------------Jr.Gendron
Fr.D.Sacco----------Sr.Herrmann-----------So.Cronin
So.Margel-----------Fr.Leclerc--------------So.Devlin
Fr.Winters----------So.Sweeney-----------Sr.Hankinson
So.J.Ring-----------[[[So.Bakos]]]]-------[[[Sr.Esposito]]]


So.Ardanaz-----Sr.Eriksson
Jr.Reid---------Fr.Carfagna
Fr.Gagne------So.Penney
[[[[Sr.MacKinnon]]]-----[[Sr.Verrier]]]]
Jr.Jenson----------Jr.Nagle

[[[Sr.Taylor]]]///Fr.Baliotti--------So.__________-------Jr.Forman
 
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2021-22
[[[Sr.Crookshank?????]]]]------------Sr.Pierson-------So.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward--------------------------Sr.Engaras-------[[Sr.Kelleher/Grasso????]]
[[Sr.Sato/MacAdams????]]-----Jr.Stevenson----------So.Gendron
So.Richels----------------------Fr.Evans-----------Sr.Esposito
Fr.Margel------------------------Jr.Herrmann------Fr.Cronin
Fr.Sweeney----------------------Sr.Cipollone------[[[Fr.Bakos]]]]
Fr.J.Ring-------------------------Jr.Hankinson------

Jr.Eriksson--------Fr.Ardanaz
Sr.MacKinnon-----So.Reid
Sr.Verrier----------So.Jenson
Fr.Huard----------Sr.Semandel
So.Nagle----------Sr.Hickey

Sr.Taylor-----Fr.__________----So.Forman

2022-23
Sr.Stevenson-------[[[[[Sr.Engaras]]]]------Jr.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward-------------[[[[Sr.Pierson]]]]]------So.Evans
Jr.Richels------------Fr.Turner----------------Jr.Gendron
Fr.D.Sacco----------Sr.Herrmann-----------So.Cronin
So.Margel-----------Fr.Leclerc--------------Fr.Devlin
Fr.Winters----------So.Sweeney-----------Sr.Hankinson
So.J.Ring-----------[[[So.Bakos]]]]-------[[[Sr.Esposito]]]


So.Ardanaz--------Sr.Eriksson
Jr.Reid-------------Fr.Gagne
Fr.Carfagna----------Jr.Jenson
So.Huard-----------Fr.Penney
[[[[Sr.MacKinnon]]]-----[[Sr.Verrier]]]]
Jr.Nagle

Fr.Baliotti--------So.__________-------Jr.Forman
 
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NCAA watcher said:
2021-22
[[[Sr.Crookshank?????]]]]------------Sr.Pierson-------So.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward--------------------------Sr.Engaras-------[[Sr.Kelleher/Grasso????]]
[[Sr.Sato/MacAdams????]]-----Jr.Stevenson----------So.Gendron
So.Richels----------------------Fr.Evans-----------Sr.Esposito
Fr.Margel------------------------Jr.Herrmann------Fr.Cronin
Fr.Sweeney----------------------Sr.Cipollone------[[[Fr.Bakos]]]]
Fr.J.Ring-------------------------Jr.Hankinson------

Jr.Eriksson--------Fr.Ardanaz
Sr.MacKinnon-----So.Reid
Sr.Verrier----------So.Jenson
Fr.Huard----------Sr.Semandel
So.Nagle----------Sr.Hickey

Sr.Taylor-----Fr.__________----So.Forman

2022-23
Sr.Stevenson-------[[[[[Sr.Engaras]]]]------Jr.Cafarelli
Sr.Ward-------------[[[[Sr.Pierson]]]]]------So.Evans
Jr.Richels------------Fr.Turner----------------Jr.Gendron
Fr.D.Sacco----------Sr.Herrmann-----------So.Cronin
So.Margel-----------Fr.Leclerc--------------Fr.Devlin
Fr.Winters----------So.Sweeney-----------Sr.Hankinson
So.J.Ring-----------[[[So.Bakos]]]]-------[[[Sr.Esposito]]]

'Watcher, how are you feeling about next year's blue line? I"m encouraged and need to read up on Ardanaz. Hope Angus returns but won't be surprised if he doesn't. Also....who is this Bakos you speak of? Sorry, being lazy will have to check him out on HDB...
Click to expand...
 
HockeyRef said:
'Watcher, how are you feeling about next year's blue line? I"m encouraged and need to read up on Ardanaz. Hope Angus returns but won't be surprised if he doesn't. Also....who is this Bakos you speak of? Sorry, being lazy will have to check him out on HDB...
Click to expand...

I am at a loss to try and evaluate the roster because from a personnel stand point they are underperfoming their talent (whatever limits there are there, as well). From talent and play, they seem to be able to clear the zone pretty well. They're not getting cycled in their own zone. They're also not pinching too much causing odd man rushes. But every turnover is on the stick of a guy who can snipe (unlike UNH). So, do they need a D guy with reach, or strength? He is getting good stats +/- for Chicago USHL, so seems to be a good #5/6 D complement. Alex Gagne is the same sort of bigger body, but probably is now pushed back a year.

I'm a big fan of Reid, as he has elusiveness and tight turns and comfortable with puck on his stick that the rest of the D doesn't have. Ardanaz is like that too, though not as strong. McKinnon is nondescript, not noticed a lot, which is I guess a compliment. Verrier is not high on my list-- too many penalties, mistakes, and puck handling is off. Eriksson, I haven't seen glaring mistakes, but -9 is getting to suggest not an anomaly. [Edit: A single season of +/- is a bad indicator, and in the past he hasn't been worse than his teams, so this is an outlier.] I previously commented that his role on the PP is not great, as he isn't the puck lugger, or the type to break down the D with a change of direction. Jenson was better than I was expecting. In conclusion, I'm surprised they chose to go this route on D, and I hope it isn't a retrenching by Souza on trying to win 0-0. The roster is heavy with bottom line/pairing guys, so this clogs more when they need help up top.

Don't underestimate how the lack of offense is contributing to the D woes. 2 goals a game, and that only because of 6 in the Maine game. They are underperfoming their talent by a large measure. By the eye test, Ward should be point a game, and Crookshank too. Is it because of a dead spot on the lines? Guys like Esposito, Richels, Sato have seen time on the lines because of Kelleher's injury, and they are not helpful. That's why a kid like Cafarelli is up there lately, though his conditioning is pretty weak at this point (lots of low effort plays late in shift). But he at least is creative with the puck. I like Gendron, and his injury stopped him from being the solid #3 center.
 
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