UNH Hockey Off Season Thread 2026

[tylerzx2002]

The situation I never got up there, and it goes back a couple years, is what happened with Felix Trudeau? Seemed like a perfect Maine player, from Quebec, should have been a great culture guy. After 13 points in two years in Orono he leaves and tallies 78 his final two seasons at SHU. He was the eighth leading scorer in the nation this year, four spots ahead of Stiven Sardarian. Granted Trudeau went to Atlantic Hockey, but still he was named an All American, which Sardarian wasn't.

Trudeau was a very mercurial player when he was at Maine. Spent most of the time buried in fourth line purgatory and honestly needed a fresh start. I know he was a Gendron recruit so not sure if Barr was okay with him leaving to bring in his own guys, but he's definitely the biggest player who left via the portal and made an impact. Most of the Maine fanbase is happy he found success elsewhere though.

 

[Robert Balin]

This feels a little worrying. Just looking at his numbers in the USHL and how those historically translate into NCAA hockey I would have wanted him this year minimum splitting time and allowing him to compete for the job outright. This feel like a fish on the line, that if you leave it in the water (USHL) might spit the hook.

I agree100% kid should've been given a chance this year. Why even recruit goalies anymore if your not gonna use them.

 

[Potluck]

According to Heisenburg Heiniques now coming in 2027, Grout 2027 or 2028 and Price Grimes 2027.

There is no 2027 for Souza. There's only next year.

 

[Dan]

If it was year one of a contract extension, I think they roll with a transfer and the freshman. When it’s year three, you’ve gotta get the goaltender right and taking two swings at college experience makes sense…

I think we’ve seen desperation in how the rostered goalies have been managed the last two seasons, and this decision echos those choices (loudly), in a contract season…

Souza is all in, in search of a winning hand. If he wins, maybe he gets to double down with 3/4 years of Henriquez. If not, what does he care about UNH’s future goaltending depth chart.

I don’t love the choice either, but it is what it is. We have the luxury of long-term thinking…

 

[TheGrouchyCat]

There is no 2027 for Souza. There's only next year.

If only he worked as hard as a coach as he does working the portal.

 

[Chuck Murray]

If only he worked as hard as a coach as he does working the portal.

This was really a first-time blowout from Big Mike. He was just as mediocre in the portal in previous years as his coaching/developmental work. Which leads me to believe that something is absolutely different this time around. Maybe TDL has been making some offers these kids simply cannot refuse ... so to speak??

 

[JB]

If only he worked as hard as a coach as he does working the portal.

If only he worked as hard as a coach as he does to get an extension in a contract year.

 

[Snively65]

If only he worked as hard as a coach as he does to get an extension in a contract year.

Maybe we will see MS7 making weekly pressers this coming season? Or is that a bridge too far?

Does another 20-win season without a Garden visit or a NCAA regional get MS7 another three-year contract extension?

 

[Felger]

Trudeau was a very mercurial player when he was at Maine. Spent most of the time buried in fourth line purgatory and honestly needed a fresh start. I know he was a Gendron recruit so not sure if Barr was okay with him leaving to bring in his own guys, but he's definitely the biggest player who left via the portal and made an impact. Most of the Maine fanbase is happy he found success elsewhere though.

Thanks for the backstory on Trudeau. Honestly I didn't notice him at Maine but with the benefit of hindsight seems like he could have been a Todd Jackson type. I always wanted to see TJ named "Most Honored Opponent" when UNH used to give out that award.

 

[Jacob0804]

Trudeau was a very mercurial player when he was at Maine. Spent most of the time buried in fourth line purgatory and honestly needed a fresh start. I know he was a Gendron recruit so not sure if Barr was okay with him leaving to bring in his own guys, but he's definitely the biggest player who left via the portal and made an impact. Most of the Maine fanbase is happy he found success elsewhere though.

"was" the biggest. I suspect some of this year's departures may surpass his success and I wish them well.

 

[FlagUp17]

Maybe we will see MS7 making weekly pressers this coming season? Or is that a bridge too far?

Does another 20-win season without a Garden visit or a NCAA regional get MS7 another three-year contract extension?

Chuck and I were going back and forth on this a few pages back.

I think the calculus has changed a bit based on how things have transpired in the portal, but I’ll still hold firm that Souza will be shown the door without a trip to the garden and/or NCAAs. Even still, I think that “Garden run” also needs to be tied to a top 5 finish in the HockeyEast regular season, and it can’t just be a miraculous playoff run akin to Merrimack this year.

I was thinking back to Souza’s actions prior to starting his last contract year, and he didn’t seem to put all his chips in as he is doing now. Mind it, the portal was much more new at the time. But still… do we really think Souza foresaw what Hellsten turned out to be in 2023/2024? A reminder his previous season for NoDak he skated in 13 games to a ~0.500 record and a save % of 0.875.

I almost wonder if, during his end-of-season review this year, he was flat out told a similar or marginally better finish will lead to his ousting immediately following the first/second round exit in the HEA playoffs in 2027. Perhaps backers like TDL also chimed in saying he would withdraw support if a winning team was not fielded soon…

The pressure is certainly cranked up for Souza this time around compared to a few years ago. Hence why he is pulling out all the stops. He knows how far they were from making the garden this year, hence the major overhauls in the portal, and also the short sightedness with pushing a prospective great goalie recruit to wait another year before starting school…

I hope he takes a lot of time this summer to draw up a new and unique game plan to keep his hockey east opponents on their toes. Wins in October-December are nice, but the games starting in January are truly where he will need to prove himself.

I’m thinking 21-23 wins is likely necessary to make the garden this coming year and an outside chance at an at-large bid for the NCAAs (likely 24+, depending on the strength of HE as a whole next year). That’s more than Souza has ever gotten. He’s gonna need to prove to Hockey East that UNH is no longer a “cupcake” on their schedule.

 

[FlagUp17]

Saw on Gopher Puck Reid Conn is staying DI and transferring to Canisius. I wish him all the best and hopefully more playing opportunity in Atlantic Hockey.

 

[Chuck Murray]

I almost wonder if, during his end-of-season review this year, he was flat out told a similar or marginally better finish will lead to his ousting immediately following the first/second round exit in the HEA playoffs in 2027. Perhaps backers like TDL also chimed in saying he would withdraw support if a winning team was not fielded soon…

The pressure is certainly cranked up for Souza this time around compared to a few years ago. Hence why he is pulling out all the stops. He knows how far they were from making the garden this year, hence the major overhauls in the portal, and also the short sightedness with pushing a prospective great goalie recruit to wait another year before starting school…

Assuming that such a meeting/discussion has even happened ... it's hard to envision the (apparently) outgoing lame duck AD would be throwing down forceful positions like that, when she likely hasn't done so before during her relatively brief and uneventful tenure, and she has little if any stake in UNH's future.

I would not be surprised, however, if someone like TDL has expressed dissatisfaction with AD Rich to someone above her head in a T-Hall board position.

And I can't imagine it works to TDL's benefit to tie his future investment into UNH Athletics to a still-unproven Head Hockey Coach after a decade of losing.

 

[FlagUp17]

Assuming that such a meeting/discussion has even happened ... it's hard to envision the (apparently) outgoing lame duck AD would be throwing down forceful positions like that, when she likely hasn't done so before during her relatively brief and uneventful tenure, and she has little if any stake in UNH's future.

I would not be surprised, however, if someone like TDL has expressed dissatisfaction with AD Rich to someone above her head in a T-Hall board position.

And I can't imagine it works to TDL's benefit to tie his future investment into UNH Athletics to a still-unproven Head Hockey Coach after a decade of losing.

That’s fair - perhaps the lay down did not come from her, or at all. I’m just trying to make sense of why Souza seems to be going much harder at the portal this year compared to his previous contract year. Perhaps he has more resources this time (NIL $$$ that didn’t exist last time). He may also know (for certain) that Rich is on her way out, and he can’t bank on his next boss being easy on him in a contract year.

Souza likely remembers what happened to Herrion when a new AD came aboard and he was in a contract year…

What ever the reason may be, I think the haul thus far is impressive. As others have pointed out though, there was similar optimism with the CHL recruits last year, which ultimately did not lead to significant improvements from 24/25 to 25/26. In order for Souza to keep his job, he likely can’t have a similar result happen again…

I remain cautiously optimistic until the games start this fall.

 

[walrus]

Thanks for the backstory on Trudeau. Honestly I didn't notice him at Maine but with the benefit of hindsight seems like he could have been a Todd Jackson type. I always wanted to see TJ named "Most Honored Opponent" when UNH used to give out that award.

Todd was one of my favorite players.

 

[Potluck]

Perhaps he has more resources this time (NIL $$$ that didn’t exist last time).

We should be wary of overstating UNH's portal haul. The only two transfers that seem to raise everyone's antenna are Svartstrom and Simpson. The others are either good but not extraordinary performers in the AHA or low end or medium level performers at better programs.

Simpson's background primarily in the OHL would seem to command money for his services. Svartstrom is the one that would have generated interest from Frozen Four contending programs. Unless there's an influx of Finnish restaurants, Finnish transfer students, and Finnish cultural events coming to Durham, I doubt he chose UNH without money on the table.

 

[Potluck]

I think that “Garden run” also needs to be tied to a top 5 finish in the HockeyEast regular season, and it can’t just be a miraculous playoff run akin to Merrimack this year.

Correct. There's nothing particularly special about a "Garden run". That's just a few good weeks of hockey in March. Winning the hockey east tourney and getting an NCAA auto bid is another matter. That's a legit achievement. Rest assured UNH is not doing that in 2026-27.

The most legit knock on Souza is his poor communications with the media/fans. There's no excuse. That's a failure to support his program. Generating interest is part of Souza's job, and it's very disappointing he elected to punt it away. That's lack of effort. The second most legit knock is the yearly failure of UNH teams to show improvement in the second half of the season, which is nearly exclusive league play. The fact that UNH is consistently undermanned on the ice in HE games mitigates some of the blame, but the teams and players really don't improve much. Some of that is coaching.

Due to the limitations of resources, I don't hold the mediocre recruiting against him, unless there's evidence of laziness on that front.

 

[BlueLine Bob]

Correct. There's nothing particularly special about a "Garden run". That's just a few good weeks of hockey in March. Winning the hockey east tourney and getting an NCAA auto bid is another matter. That's a legit achievement. Rest assured UNH is not doing that in 2026-27.

The most legit knock on Souza is his poor communications with the media/fans. There's no excuse. That's a failure to support his program. Generating interest is part of Souza's job, and it's very disappointing he elected to punt it away. That's lack of effort. The second most legit knock is the yearly failure of UNH teams to show improvement in the second half of the season, which is nearly exclusive league play. The fact that UNH is consistently undermanned on the ice in HE games mitigates some of the blame, but the teams and players really don't improve much. Some of that is coaching.

Due to the limitations of resources, I don't hold the mediocre recruiting against him, unless there's evidence of laziness on that front.

While I do wish there was more interviews/press conferences/etc. I don't know if there is a lack of interest in the program. UNH was 13th in the country in attendance and private donations to the program are at an all time high. Where those donations go and how they trickle down is another story.

 

[2013hockeyfan]

The most legit knock on Souza is his poor communications with the media/fans. There's no excuse. That's a failure to support his program. Generating interest is part of Souza's job, and it's very disappointing he elected to punt it away. That's lack of effort. The second most legit knock is the yearly failure of UNH teams to show improvement in the second half of the season, which is nearly exclusive league play. The fact that UNH is consistently undermanned on the ice in HE games mitigates some of the blame, but the teams and players really don't improve much. Some of that is coaching.

A "merch drop" email came from the Coach Goldrich UNH football account yesterday to I assume the list of previous football donors (I gave a nominal sum to the football programs NIL program when it was announced and Santos was still on board). Good engagement from the program out of the gate and what has been desperately missing from the hockey program for a decade.

Part of this is what you miss in hiring someone like Torts as 3rd coach / dir of ops. That role should be coordinating some of these marketing and engagement efforts and I don't suspect that is on his radar.

The absence of engagement and marketing is really an unforced error on Souza's part; its the "easy" part of the job and should be table stakes in 2026.

 

[HockeyRef]

Correct. There's nothing particularly special about a "Garden run". That's just a few good weeks of hockey in March. Winning the hockey east tourney and getting an NCAA auto bid is another matter. That's a legit achievement. Rest assured UNH is not doing that in 2026-27.

The most legit knock on Souza is his poor communications with the media/fans. There's no excuse. That's a failure to support his program. Generating interest is part of Souza's job, and it's very disappointing he elected to punt it away. That's lack of effort. The second most legit knock is the yearly failure of UNH teams to show improvement in the second half of the season, which is nearly exclusive league play. The fact that UNH is consistently undermanned on the ice in HE games mitigates some of the blame, but the teams and players really don't improve much. Some of that is coaching.

Due to the limitations of resources, I don't hold the mediocre recruiting against him, unless there's evidence of laziness on that front.

Nothing special about a Garden run? For this fan and many it would be HUGE. Considering we have SAT OUT for 11 seasons...And when the #8team can win it and get a shot at the dance I think it speaks for itself...

Im not a hockey talent expert but many such minds who are felt we did pretty well in the portal. I mean considering the circumstances of our win/lose record.

But hey never fear incoming players! There are many of us to welcome and support you!!! Cant wait to see you in the blue and white!!