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UNH Hockey Off Season Thread 2026

Dan said:
Updated List of Goalies To Watch...

One Year of Eligibility Remaining:
Lehti (UAF)
Shea (Brown)
Homer (UND/ASU)
Moore (BGSU)
Marinov (QU)
Airey (Minn)
Gramme (NMU/UW)

Two Years of Eligibility Remaining:
Applebee (LSSU)
Sigurdson (NU)
Silverstein (QU)
Krivtsov (UAA)

Three Years of Eligibility Remaining:
Strahl (MSU)
Kendrick (SHU)
Hillebrandt (OSU)
Langevin (Miami) - No Contact
Gravel (Mercyhurst)
Rosseau (Maine)
Click to expand...
Add Nils Wallstrom (Merrimack) to the list of those with 1 year remaining. He was good a couple years ago at AIC, but Max Lundberg took the net at 'Mack and never let it go.
 
Dan said:
I hope so too.

Projected line-ups from me are often a Frankenstein combination of what I would do, what I expect the coaches would do and player's paired up based on complimentary skill sets. The line-up you quoted had two scoring lines, a match-up/defensive line and a third, emerging scoring line. I had Oliver on the fourth line mostly based on how he seemed to fall out of favor with the coaching staff as the season progressed, but also because I thought he paired well with a potential playmaker like MacPherson (who I always seemed to like more than the coaching staff)...

With MacPherson leaving that emerging offensive pairing is off the table. With Oliver's scoring past it has always maked sense to give him first shot on a top-six spot. He is certainly capable of more scoring alongside MacDonald, if UNH can find a pure playmaker to get the two of them pucks.
--

FORWARDS (14 / Want 1 / May Lose 1-2)
Newcomb - Ring - Tournas
Oliver - MacDonald - TRANSFER
Zebeski - Gagnon - Lavins
Romeo - Van Tassell - Turner
Walsh - Siedem - Hyles
Click to expand...

OK - good to hear how you think about it.

I liked MacPherson's game the longer the season went on, so it is unfortunate he is transferring, he had started to win battles and create. He could have been a higher line guy getting the puck and making a play from the wall.

I haven't spent much time watching Oliver's game other than at UNH. What I gather from Hockeydb is he is a shooter, best goal scorer on his MJ team by a huge margin. Seems to miss his assist guy Woodworth (I can't see how he get 66 helpers without Oliver on his line) who did OK at Nebraska-Omaha (4-17-21). Neither Woodworth or Oliver are a "big" guys. I am guessing they had a 3rd that could help get the puck out of a corner. I look at Oliver and wonder where does he need to be to get you goals, then who do I need to put around him to get him the puck. UNH is dying for goal scoring and Oliver had 85 in his last 131 MJ games.

So I appreciate looking at line mix, style of play as well.
 
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What a whirlwind for a first portal day. Over 200 kids entering today alone, and the day isn’t done! I imagine that’s got to be a record in the portal era?

I wish our departing crew all the best. DeAngelis and MacPherson hurt the most, as I really thought they had potential if they stayed around. I thought MacPherson really started to turn a corner in the second half this year. We will have to wait and see if he turns into Sardarian 2.0 later this year…

Given the news on the D-man Kennedy and our portal get of Van Tassel from UMA, I wonder if Souza is starting to focus in on guys with superior size? Both these guys are over 6 feet. UNH seemed to emphasize blocked shots and clogging shooting lanes near the end of last year. I wonder if that will be another focus this year. The +/- looks good for Kennedy in juniors - not as much with Van Tassel. I don’t know if anyone has a good scouting report on him if he’s a good defensive forward…

Anyways, just a thought on this first day of the portal. Still lots of holes to fill and I agree with everyone here we need at least 1-2 bonafide scorers. Stockfish from HC looks really good, And maybe Souza can shoot for the stars and try and bring home the Union kid who is from Gilford that HR knows!

Souza HAS to realize this could be his last real shot to nail the portal at his Alma mater under his tutelage. Time to go big or go home. Another 10th place finish and he could be on the outside looking in at this point next year…
 
Last edited:
Dan said:
Ok, this reference I don’t understand. Care to elaborate?
Click to expand...
My goodness. Lighten up. Seriously. Just suggesting you are breaking under the strain of the portal. But not literally.

UNH has almost nothing to offer an attractive recruit or transfer. No money. Second or third rate facilities. lame duck head coach.
 
Potluck said:
My goodness. Lighten up. Seriously. Just suggesting you are breaking under the strain of the portal. But not literally.

UNH has almost nothing to offer an attractive recruit or transfer. No money. Second or third rate facilities. lame duck head coach.
Click to expand...

lol, ok, sure - you're on your own planet and apparently never coming back...
 
JB said:
Flag - I appreciate the thoughts on size and blocked shots. I worry this quote has relevance:

"You can't win games 0-0" Cam Neely
Click to expand...
Can’t argue with that logic. You still need to score to win games. Van Tassell did get 10 assists last year, so perhaps he can continue to build on that to set up his new teammates.

One can hope!
 
Robert Balin said:
Per CHC three new players..Malt Vass D from BU freshman. SLU frosh F Rasmus Svartstrom and Soph Ryan Johnson UAA. Vass is a 3rd rd draft pick.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads up! 3rd round draft pick is impressive. Only 3 points for BU this past year. Looks like another big guy at 6’3”.

Svartstrom also is massive at 6’5” and 17-7-24 as a freshmen on a bad SLU team is impressive. Also saw he was named to ECAC all rookie team.

Johnson at 5’10” is the shortest of the portal gets thus far. 4-11-15 was a down year after 25 points as a freshmen. If he can recapture 25 points as his freshmen year this is another great get.


Across the board, +\- of the new arrivals leaves a lot to be desired. But SLU and UAA had abysmal seasons, so I guess it comes with a bit of a grain of salt…


Still waiting on the goalie transfer (or 2) but so far I think the gains from the portal outweigh the production we have lost (so far). I’ll leave others to figure out the prospective lines.

Props to Souza thus far. The jobs not done though. More scorers and a goalie/two please!
 
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