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UNH- How Far West Do We Go?

Jellsville USA said:
If the bar is really that low, then you could also argue the opposite of what McMahon is saying: a tough situation can be a massive opportunity. Programs that look “insurmountable” from the outside are exactly the kinds of jobs where a hungry, ambitious coach can make their name. Turning around something everyone else had written off is career‑defining—and coaches know that.

Look at college hockey history: more than a few programs people once called “dead” or “irrelevant” were revived by someone who saw potential where others saw obstacles. Facilities and funding matter, sure, but culture, vision, and leadership do too. And sometimes the biggest advantage is simply being the person willing to step in when others won’t.

If UNH truly has a reputation as a place where “careers go to die,” then the moment someone does succeed here, it becomes the ultimate proof of coaching skill. That’s the kind of challenge that actually attracts the right type of coach—the builder, the rebuilder, the one who wants their fingerprints all over a program’s resurgence.

So if the bar is on the floor? That just means the next coach has a clearer runway to surprise people and rewrite the storyline everyone assumes is already set.
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Spot on, Jellsville. My other college hockey team for nearly the past 40 years has been Bentley.

When the Falcons jumped from Div 3 to Div 1 in 2002/03 (MAAC that year, then Atlantic Hockey since), they hired their all-time leading scorer Ryan Soderquist (youngest Div 1 head coach at the time) for a ridiculously low salary. Bentley’s home ice was off-campus in a MDC rink, John A. Ryan Skating Arena in adjacent Watertown, until a state-of-art LED Platinum rink was built on campus, opening late in the 2017/18 season.

Ryan took the Falcons to a couple Atlantic Hockey final four tournaments, recruited several top-scorers and a NHL draft pick in Jakov Novak, but when Novak transferred as a junior to NU and Luke Santerno took his Covid year at Clarkson for the 2021/22 season, I sensed that the writing was on the wall for Ryan Soderquist, and sure enough after head coaching the Falcons for 21 seasons, he graciously stepped down at the end of the 2022/23 season.

I see a lot of similarities between Ryan Soderquist and Mike Souza, albeit different size stages, both great players but neither could not get the job done as head coaches.

Moving on to the 2023/24 season, Bentley hired UML Norm Bazin’s associate coach Andy Jones to become the Falcons head coach. In Andy’s second season, he took the Falcons to their first Atlantic Hockey championship and gave the BC Eagles a real scare in the Manchvegas NCAA semifinals last March. In his third season as head coach at Bentley, Andy led the Falcons to their only first place finish in the Atlantic Hockey regular season, and for the first time this coming Saturday night Bentley will host Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey championship game. Side note: Judy Ann Riccio, Sacred Heart’s first female Athletic’s Director, was appointed after Bobby Valentine stepped down in 2021.

So, a bit more coaching background on Andy Jones. After playing four years for Div 3 Amherst College, Andy became an assistant coach for his alma mater for the 2003/4-2004/05 seasons, followed by four seasons as assistant coach at Clarkson, before becoming an assistant and then associate coach for Norm Bazin at UML for 8 seasons. So, a well-seasoned assistant/associate coach before becoming a Div 1 head coach at Bentley. Do I think that Andy would jump at the opportunity to become head coach at UNH? I have no idea, as I do not know Andy as well as I knew Ryan Soderquist.
 
Potluck said:

Chuck Murray a/k/a Buford actually tweeted McMahon and raised his myriad of inane thoughts. McMahon wrote a detailed response, which I link here. McMahon said precisely what I've been saying for close to 2 years now. McMahon said the problems at UNH are insurmountable unless funding increases. No good coach would come to UNH because the situation is untenable. No good coach could win. The word is out all over college hockey. UNH is a disaster where careers go to die.
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I hope your scathing of reviews of UNH hockey...if you really do care about it..are shared with the AD and President.

So you are pretty much (by your last comment) that Mike Souza's career is dead on arrival? Sounds pretty hopeless to this fan.
 
Snively65 said:
Spot on, Jellsville. My other college hockey team for nearly the past 40 years has been Bentley.

When the Falcons jumped from Div 3 to Div 1 in 2002/03 (MAAC that year, then Atlantic Hockey since), they hired their all-time leading scorer Ryan Soderquist (youngest Div 1 head coach at the time) for a ridiculously low salary. Bentley’s home ice was off-campus in a MDC rink, John A. Ryan Skating Arena in adjacent Watertown, until a state-of-art LED Platinum rink was built on campus, opening late in the 2017/18 season.

Ryan took the Falcons to a couple Atlantic Hockey final four tournaments, recruited several top-scorers and a NHL draft pick in Jakov Novak, but when Novak transferred as a junior to NU and Luke Santerno took his Covid year at Clarkson for the 2021/22 season, I sensed that the writing was on the wall for Ryan Soderquist, and sure enough after head coaching the Falcons for 21 seasons, he graciously stepped down at the end of the 2022/23 season.

I see a lot of similarities between Ryan Soderquist and Mike Souza, albeit different size stages, both great players but neither could not get the job done as head coaches.

Moving on to the 2023/24 season, Bentley hired UML Norm Bazin’s associate coach Andy Jones to become the Falcons head coach. In Andy’s second season, he took the Falcons to their first Atlantic Hockey championship and gave the BC Eagles a real scare in the Manchvegas NCAA semifinals last March. In his third season as head coach at Bentley, Andy led the Falcons to their only first place finish in the Atlantic Hockey regular season, and for the first time this coming Saturday night Bentley will host Sacred Heart in the Atlantic Hockey championship game. Side note: Judy Ann Riccio, Sacred Heart’s first female Athletic’s Director, was appointed after Bobby Valentine stepped down in 2021.

So, a bit more coaching background on Andy Jones. After playing four years for Div 3 Amherst College, Andy became an assistant coach for his alma mater for the 2003/4-2004/05 seasons, followed by four seasons as assistant coach at Clarkson, before becoming an assistant and then associate coach for Norm Bazin at UML for 8 seasons. So, a well-seasoned assistant/associate coach before becoming a Div 1 head coach at Bentley. Do I think that Andy would jump at the opportunity to become head coach at UNH? I have no idea, as I do not know Andy as well as I knew Ryan Soderquist.
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Exactly my point..there's an Andy Jones out there who would recognize the opportunity and make it happen...would not be easy but we will never know unless it becomes a reality.
And yes...fans need to be made aware of the situation and the right person could sell it if they wanted to. Fans also need to understand what the climate is now in college sports.
We need a hero. Andy Jones types..if you're listening...We need a hero!
 
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To chime in on the flawed logic -- even if UNH *****presently ******* is relegated to bottom three in resources, and would only be able to get someone who is crazy enough to give it a go, why are we thinking that is a "no, we have to keep Coach Souza for a lot longer." How much worse can it get? And if Mike M. is simply warning us that it won't get much better, at least that new guy might be able to get to the Garden once every blue moon.
Or more realistically, since UNH has spent millions before Souza, and then spent millions to help Souza even as his failures dried up the resources, why are we assuming that would not change if a new guy stepped up? Either an up-front commitment to a new coach (Dumais), or "play it by ear but if we have some success, we'll funnel it back to the program"?


I'm just not getting the logic of "we're screwed, so let's not try anything new." Even a newbie would have a better story to tell recruits than 11 years of failure. Sometimes change for the sake of change also works. I mean, Pecknold (Quin) and Powers (Arizona St.) showed that one can build something without resources.
 
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NCAA watcher said:
To chime in on the flawed logic -- even if UNH *****presently ******* is relegated to bottom three in resources, and would only be able to get someone who is crazy enough to give it a go, why are we thinking that is a "no, we have to keep Coach Souza for a lot longer." How much worse can it get? And if Mike M. is simply warning us that it won't get much better, at least that new guy might be able to get to the Garden once every blue moon.
Or more realistically, since UNH has spent millions before Souza, and then spent millions to help Souza even as his failures dried up the resources, why are we assuming that would not change if a new guy stepped up? Either an up-front commitment to a new coach (Dumais), or "play it by ear but if we have some success, we'll funnel it back to the program"?


I'm just not getting the logic of "we're screwed, so let's not try anything new." Even a newbie would have a better story to tell recruits than 11 years of failure. Sometimes change for the sake of change also works. I mean, Pecknold (Quin) and Powers (Arizona St.) showed that one can build something without resources.
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“……. might be able to get to the Garden once every blue moon.” Really? That would be once every 2.4 to 2.7 years. I think that at this point many of us would happy be getting to the Garden once every second or even every third blue moon. Otherwise, I completely agree with your post. There are plenty of assistant/associate coaches like Dumais and Jones out there who deserve a shot at head coach.
 
NCAA watcher said:
To chime in on the flawed logic -- even if UNH *****presently ******* is relegated to bottom three in resources, and would only be able to get someone who is crazy enough to give it a go, why are we thinking that is a "no, we have to keep Coach Souza for a lot longer." How much worse can it get? And if Mike M. is simply warning us that it won't get much better, at least that new guy might be able to get to the Garden once every blue moon.
Or more realistically, since UNH has spent millions before Souza, and then spent millions to help Souza even as his failures dried up the resources, why are we assuming that would not change if a new guy stepped up? Either an up-front commitment to a new coach (Dumais), or "play it by ear but if we have some success, we'll funnel it back to the program"?


I'm just not getting the logic of "we're screwed, so let's not try anything new." Even a newbie would have a better story to tell recruits than 11 years of failure. Sometimes change for the sake of change also works. I mean, Pecknold (Quin) and Powers (Arizona St.) showed that one can build something without resources.
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I’m fine with getting a new coach. Just let’s all agree that unless UNH changes its approach to Division 1 hockey nothing will change much.

My problem is that we are kicking the can down the road. So the plan now is to wait 5 more years until we all agree that UNH hockey is at a crossroads wherein it must either enter the modern era of college hockey or find a new conference that is hospitable to its current approach? The lack of recognition that what we are watching is the comprehensive failure of the hockey program due to a complete lack of institutional commitment is what’s so irritating. So the plan now is to simply dump Souza and hire a coach that either will fail quickly or leave UNH in three years for greener pastures if he can get a few eighth place finishes? Pretty uninspiring.

Massive failure should be addressed in a much broader and more intelligent manner.
 
Potluck said:
You should take McMahon's views very seriously. He literally can reach on D1 hockey coach in short order. He is telling us what he's being told from D1 coaches. I got my info re: UNH from inside the program, an AHA coach and an ECAC assistant that does a ton of recruiting. UNH is a dumpster fire.
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It isn't that difficult to get in touch with these guys.

I'm sure you have many of the same contacts/connections that a few of us have. Coaches, UNH admin, players, donors, advisors. You're sharing the same info we all know, but since your affiliation with the USNH Board of Trustees makes you so very special, you simply can't comprehend or accept that a non-bureacrat could conceivably have access to intel which isn't so secret.

Did you graduate Durham in 90 or 91? Your bio has some inconsistencies...
 
Potluck said:

Chuck Murray a/k/a Buford actually tweeted McMahon and raised his myriad of inane thoughts. McMahon wrote a detailed response, which I link here. McMahon said precisely what I've been saying for close to 2 years now. McMahon said the problems at UNH are insurmountable unless funding increases. No good coach would come to UNH because the situation is untenable. No good coach could win. The word is out all over college hockey. UNH is a disaster where careers go to die.
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The plot thickens. Very interesting. McMahon’s take down of Chuck used Conmy as an example of UNH’s decline saying he left UNH because BC could pay him. This is more of an NIL issue rather than a funding issue.
 
I can't believe I'm allowing myself to get roped back into this conversation...

UNH has the money for a third assistant coach. UNH elected to spend that money on a Director of Operations. UNH has/had the money to manage NIL payments, but has elected to spend that money on shrinking the ice surface and building an on-site weight room, etc. (because crossing the street for lift was to prohibitive to recruiting)...

Every program has budget constraints. Every program must make decisions about what will best foster their success. When a university's budget is tighter, the decisions made regarding spending are even more important, and for better or worse, more impactful.

What would be the trajectory of Mike Souza and UNH Hockey if the program passed on renovations and instead boasted a third assistant coach on a 90k salary and $4 Million dollars worth of future NIL?

--

There has been some speculation around Jim Tortorella's role as Director of Operations, and I am NOT privy to what his role within the organization entails. That said, a typical role for Director of Operations for an NCAA athletic program involves planning travel, team logistics, liaising between other departments within the AD and perhaps some scouting/video management. They take the office work, the program management, off the plate of the coaching staff freeing them up for more coaching related tasks. If a school does not have a Director of Ops (Merrimack) than those tasks fall on the assistant coaches...

He's certainly not Souza's boss, nor in a position of oversight, reporting to AD Rich or determining the outcome of staff decisions as has been speculated.

UNH chose operations. MC chose third assistant coach? You could view either outcome as an advantage or a shortcoming.

**But more on that later...

--

Imagine for a moment, UNH passed on adding a $90,000 director of operations and instead chose to pay a third assistant coach. Who would they hire? I'd imagine they'd want someone to coach the goalies. And I'd put good odds on the fact that they'd choose Sean McGuire.

So what exactly is the disadvantage? Would UNH be a better program today if McGuire earned a salary? If his title was Assistant Coach instead of Director of Goaltending? A third full-time assistant is a luxury anyone would love to have. Its not a trajectory changing addition to any program. It would lighten the load and spread out responsibilities - just like having a volunteer and a Director of Operations does for UNH...

--

** I often wonder if anyone inside or outside the UNH staff and Athletic Department at UNH stops to think about the story and perception they share with the rest of the college hockey world when they tell anyone who will listen how hard up they are. In their haste to defend/rationalize the results of the past decade-plus, they are explicitly driving the narrative that UNH has nothing to offer prospective recruits or student-athletes.

Even if you believe in your obstacles. Is it necessary to broadcast those beliefs to every booster and media member who will listen? Maybe you save your own job/reputation, but how much harder do you make it moving forward?

Do boosters, fans or message board posters who loudly and consistently take the position that UNH 'is a dumpster fire' honestly believe they're being helpful? Do you honestly not see the connection between how UNH is perceived and the story that 'pro-UNH' defenders are sharing? If UNH and its biggest supporters are so outspoken in their lack of belief, why would any one else think differently. Its become a case study in self-sabotage at this point...

--

UNH wanted a scoreboard. They got it. UNH wanted a smaller ice surface. They got it. UNH wanted Whittemore Center renovations. They got them. UNH wanted a Director of Operations. They got one. It would be pretty easy to spin a narrative that while underfunded and lacking all the advantages, UNH is committed to doing what it takes to building a successful and competitive program. If UNH sold that narrative, that would be the narrative parroted back by the Mike McMahons of the world.

Instead, they leak complaints. And then the program gets embarrassed when Mike McMahon feels the need to loudly double and triple and quadruple down publicly so he can defend his insider position and protect a friend...

--

If UNH can do all the things listed above (with this rate of on-ice winning percentage and an ugly narrative permeating the program) than you'll never convince me they couldn't do more winning at a higher level, while behaving more competitively and confidently.

Win 20 games next year, sell out the Whitt and generate some positive PR and I bet you the school would listen long and hard about finding/allocating $100,000 for a third assistant. Back it up the next season and I don't think it would be too difficult to find 500K per season to pay 10 kids $50,000 or 20 kids $25,000. UNH will never spend like Penn State spent, but they can spend enough to get into the mix. They just need to get out of their own way/pity party first...

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"If we hire a good coach they might leave."

This is the worst argument, and the most embarrassing.

First off, as Watcher notes, using the idea that 'its hard' or 'it might not work' or 'it might not last forever' as an excuse to do nothing is pathetic.

Secondly, its college hockey, not college football or basketball. NCAA Hockey programs are not nearly as prone to poaching as other athletic programs are. There have been dozens and dozens and dozens of examples of great coaches coaching long and successful tenures at smaller schools. Ironically enough, it happened at UNH with two of the three coaches who preceded Mike Souza.

BC & BU essentially promoted from within. Denver promoted from within. North Dakota promoted from within. Michigan promoted from within. Michigan State essentially promoted from within. Notre Dame promoted from within. There are only so many jobs. Only so many open each year. And only so many that even look outside of their own program/tree for a coach. I'd be pretty thrilled if the next coach coached for 11 successful seasons before finally being wooed away by Wisconsin a la Mike Hastings...

Thirdly, good for the coach on his new job. He left the program in a great place. Make ANOTHER good hire. Period.

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"We can't afford a good coach."

Ben Barr was the hottest coaching candidate in the country. He chose Maine for a lower salary than Mike Souza. He then earned his raise, and investment, and remains...

Anthony Noreen is most likely one of the two lowest paid coaches in the NCHC. He led Miami to a 15-game turnaround this season and has swapped Bergeron's recruiting strategy (NAHL) for one that targets the best midget kids he can find. He poached a top-4 defenseman from Michigan State to play in his top-4 and snagged a 2026 first-rounder on the heels of a 3-win first season. Imagine what he could do if he was paid twice as much (sarcasm)...

A year ago every Miami fan wailed on and on about how we didnt spend with the top teams and couldn't expect to compete. Noreen succeeded anyway and now no one says a word about what Miami 'doesn't have'...

--

UNH has a lot to offer. Stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Be accountable. Stop rationalizing your performance. Find the good and sell it. I bet you'll see increased engagement, support and investment.

If you don't, Ill join you in the shouting line (behind the scenes, of course)...

If you still fail, I'll respect it...

It’s hard to watch what's happening, see so much of it the department's own doing, and get to excited to be a fan, or post on a message board.
 
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Potluck said:
I just love how McMahon responded to Buford's logic:

"I don't think you understand how other coaches nationally view the UNH administration right now. You're not going to get anyone of significance that wants that job. You're going to get someone who just wants to be a head coach, like UMass in 2012 or Vermont in 2020. Most of the the top-tier candidates who could make a larger difference at the margins aren't going to be interest in UNH without a significant increase in the institutional support. That is a fact."

It's impossible to communicate directly with Buford, Meathead, TheDumbCat, Elwood or Emily The Flunky without starting a sentence with "I don't think you understand". That's not even dismissive language. He realizes he's talking to a truly dumb person
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You’ve never tried to communicate with me. You come on here in defense mode based on whatever mysterious unh connection is and act like a 3 year old name calling and proclaiming to be the smarter and richest man.

If you tried to have a collaborative exchange maybe things would be different
 
e.cat said:
The plot thickens. Very interesting. McMahon’s take down of Chuck used Conmy as an example of UNH’s decline saying he left UNH because BC could pay him. This is more of an NIL issue rather than a funding issue.
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Multiple sources have confirmed this independently. A number of schools in and out of Hockey East approached him.

Sources include, one from UNH. One from BC. And, another affiliated with the Big 10.
 
TheGrouchyCat said:
It isn't that difficult to get in touch with these guys.

I'm sure you have many of the same contacts/connections that a few of us have. Coaches, UNH admin, players, donors, advisors. You're sharing the same info we all know, but since your affiliation with the USNH Board of Trustees makes you so very special, you simply can't comprehend or accept that a non-bureacrat could conceivably have access to intel which isn't so secret.

Did you graduate Durham in 90 or 91? Your bio has some inconsistencies...
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lol you and Buford spend so much time on
obsessing about me. Im a bit like a rainbow. He k Buford thinks I’m in Washington DC!!!!!! Love it.
 
Potluck said:
lol you and Buford spend so much time on
obsessing about me. Im a bit like a rainbow. He k Buford thinks I’m in Washington DC!!!!!! Love it.
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Obsessing? No. Observing, yes.

You have a tendency to pivot anytime a direct question is asked. Rather than answering, you default to name calling and challenging the veracity of any information shared on these boards which did not originate from you.

You can't or won't confirm if you're a UNH alum, a STH, a University employee or a member of any oversight committee, let alone the last time you attended a game.

Like I did with e.Cat a few weeks back, I'd like to invite you to a game with complimentary tickets, a beer and a dog. Let's have an adult conversation and enjoy the game together.

Since I am just a dumb UNH grad, I'd welcome the opportunity to listen to you pontificate for 2.5 hours about how you could single handedly fix the financial woes of the college while concurrently assuming head coaching responsibilities and bringing in a generational recruitment class made up of First Round blue chippers who've committed to stay four full years.

But, you won't. You're a paper tiger who won't show.
 
I may be oversimplifying it, but isn't the bottom line 1) Can he recruit/close the deal on recruits, and 2) Can he coach?

HE has some top echelon coaches. I think most would agree that Carvel and Leaman qualify. Maybe Jerry Keefe and Pandolfo fit here? Is Barr Top Tier or middle tier? BC posters here seem less than enamored with Greg Brown (does BC succeed because of or inspite of him), while Cavanaugh at UConn now has the Huskies in the mix on a regular basis. I think Scott Borek does a very good job with the resources he has (and he's ramping up his recruiting). There's really no book on UVM coach Wiedler. I've always thought Norm Bazin is a good coach, but the results haven't been there recently.

So where does Mike Souza slot in? Where to you rank him on recruiting and where do you rank him on flat out ability to coach?
 
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