Congrats on the RS. Has a parade date been set?(wink) Say hi to Darin W for me. Cheers!
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UNH Hockey 2023-2024 Season Thread - End Of The Cellar-Dweller Era??
- Thread starter Scott
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I get all that but I'd put their chances of getting to Boston at maybe 12%.(wink) It's still not ovah until it's ovah though Chuck. Or at least until the fat lady sings!
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Good points, I mean, MS7 himself said it will be '9 to 12 months' before anything happens in regards to the new facility. He's always gone on a promise to recruits as I'm
sure other coaches do regarding what their future will look like if they play at UNH. You gotta sell something. I imagine after this season it will be 'we have something going here
and you can be a part of it as we go forward with a brand new facility to boot'.
The writing should have been on the wall, but I think alot of fans really do not see this view of perspective. They see this decent year and expect it to continue. How well
it goes forward is the gamble I think UNH is willing to take...But fans do not make decisions where coaches contracts are concerned.
Question for ya norbert...where do you get a tie with UVM? We split that series...
As for Drew's comments, am thinking its about Sadowski? He'll be coming most likely in the fall of 2025, scored 2 goals (and a third but was waved off though replay shows it
went in according to their press release) in the NEPSAC championship game. Looking forward to seeing how he does in the BCHL next season. Twins coming in next season (I haven't
really followed their story but people seem excited about them). How much of a difference these guys (and others, portal players?) will make remains to be seen. Too early to
even begin to speculate about that stuff; we still have some hockey left.
Most likely UNH will / could win their first game in the HE playoffs. And who knows, maybe (a huge maybe) the second. I really think that is going to be enough for a contract. Like it or not.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
So UNH is 17-14-1 going into the final weekend of RS play. One (1) more win and MS7 clinches his first winning season at UNH. It would be SO UNH of him to watch his team get swept by UMass Normie next weekend, and then a 3rd straight time in the MBPBEGAM's. 17-17-1. Progress!!
The guy has basically been in charge of recruiting for 9 years now. Nothing is changing, except the latest excuse(s).
At some point, doesn't someone else deserve a chance. I mean, he's had absolutely zero success to date ... which I suppose puts him barely behind his genius mentor Luce, who much was made of after one (1) winning season in ten or so of his own, same long list of excuses, and since then has gone back to his usual abysmal self??
It's a shame AD Rich would be prevented by politics from putting the Umile/McCloskey/Lassonde team together for a few more rides into the sunset. I guarantee you, they would do a better job, and players would develop.
This is where we stand. I'm weary and admittedly punch-drunk at this point of the same old, same old.
The AD made a similar call with Men's Hoops last Spring, just stick to your guns and do it again PLEASE ...
The guy has basically been in charge of recruiting for 9 years now. Nothing is changing, except the latest excuse(s).
At some point, doesn't someone else deserve a chance. I mean, he's had absolutely zero success to date ... which I suppose puts him barely behind his genius mentor Luce, who much was made of after one (1) winning season in ten or so of his own, same long list of excuses, and since then has gone back to his usual abysmal self??
It's a shame AD Rich would be prevented by politics from putting the Umile/McCloskey/Lassonde team together for a few more rides into the sunset. I guarantee you, they would do a better job, and players would develop.
This is where we stand. I'm weary and admittedly punch-drunk at this point of the same old, same old.
The AD made a similar call with Men's Hoops last Spring, just stick to your guns and do it again PLEASE ...
HockeyRef
Well-known member
The Tale of Two Press Releases
Souza gets 3 year extension:
After careful consideration I have decided to welcome back our Men's Ice Hockey Coach Mike Souza. After a season of many exciting wins, especially
the highly successful "White Out the Whitt' victories over arch rival Maine, he is deserving of this opportunity. The future looks extremely bright for
UNH hockey, with new facilities on the horizon which he has been a big part of will only serve to bring in high quality recruits to our storied program.
Souza is not renewed:
After careful consideration I have decided to not renew Men's Ice Hockey Coach Mike Souza. I would like to applaud him and his staff for
the great job they did this season; we have alot to be proud of with this years efforts. I made this decision after carefully reviewing how the
program has done since our last trip to the NCAA's and believe it is time to go in a different direction. I wish Mike Souza the very best going forward
in his career. With the advent of new facilities on the horizon, UNH hockey stands poised to position itself as a sought after place to play and succeed for our
student athletes.
Too soon? Seems I have too much time on my retired hands...I guess I'll continue to clean out my closet.
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Robert Balin
Member
Yes his stock has risen this year. Kimball Union defeated Cushing Academy 4-1 yesterday to win the Prep championship Sadowski had 2 goals.
HockeyRef
Well-known member
...and a third but was disallowed as I mentioned. An exciting player!
d.gerry
Five for Fighting
UNH went toe-to-toe with the best team in the country, so what? BC had one of their top players out of the line up, motivationally speaking had very little to play for, and one of the games was on the road. UNH just confirmed they still can't win against top teams when it really counts (complete for a bit sure, but win, NO). Chuck is 100% correct, season over. All this talk of facilities is garbage. Look at some relatively recent NC winners such as Yale, Providence, Union, UMass (ok nice basketball arena). Win and they will come, that's what matters. Play mediocre and the mediocre will continue to come.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
All said, probably a fair take on both sides. The second one sounds a wee bit too defensive, as I think any coach who's been given as much time as Souza has should have been expected to do more, and "careful" (twice) suggests it was a close call. On the first one, I don't ever see any UNH press release giving a reason for retainer of a HC for (basically) schmoozing a donor, at least not in writing in a general press release. Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't ... but it puts the school and TDL in a less-than-flattering spotlight on the decision.
Every exercise I put myself through to get to the decision, it's always coming back "thanks for your services, but".
If MS7 doesn't give AD Rich something better than a cool "White Out The Whitt" this season, I'm thinking he's toast ... NCAA's are virtually out, a trip to Boston for the HEA Semis is on life support, as is any shot at a 20 win season. I suspect he tops out at 18-16-1, so if Rich's good with one (barely) winning season in 9 years running recruiting, I'm afraid she's still got a little too much Princeton blood running in her UNH veins.
That was my prediction. Wins are in bold
Just saw that. Why and what could he possibly have to say?
Sparkee
Blackbear
How good he did this year. Will he get hockey east coach of the year?
d.gerry
Five for Fighting
It’s part of the “save my job” media tour. Lots of UNH connections with Bruins and NESN (Jack and Andy), media friends helping out again.
And an assist I believe. In the semi-final against Salisbury he had the winning goal in OT for a 4-3 win. This is what head coach Tim Whitehead said after the game about his top line of Sadowski, LeDrew and Simmers. “They’re fierce competitors, they’re not just skilled players looking for offensive opportunities all the time,” said Kimball Union coach Tim Whitehead. “That’s how they train, that’s how they practice, and it translates into the game.” Sadowski had 41 goals and 46 assists for the year. It's always difficult to predict performance going from prep school to college, but he has tremendous potential. Ledrew has committed to St. Lawrence and I believe Simmers is a junior.
I just got home to watch the Bruins game on NESN, so what DID MS7 say pregame?
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Billy Jaffe asked him about what he likes about his team (answer was compete level) and what has led to the turn around from last season....Answer players are 1 year older like Gagne Devlin LeClerc...and the strong recruiting classes of the past 2 seasons.
Some chatter about Hellsten and the upcoming weekend with UML ...MS7 was quick to point out you can never count out Bazin...etc. 'On any given night anyone can lose in HE regardless of where you are in the standings"
No questions about next season or the power play woes
Lol...
BTW Snively got the email regarding next week's HE game tickets but they did mention they could get 5th but think you discussed how that would be tough depending on tie breakers? I'll have to re read your post...
Thanks for this summary, HR. I may not fully understand HEA tiebreakers, after reading a post by tipanews on the Maine thread. Bottomline is that we should sweep the UMass-Bazin series this weekend, like we shoulda swept the Yukon, UVM, and Mack series, not to mention the one-and-done at ARMY!
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