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UNH Off Season Thread 2011

Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

If the USHR report is accurate, then the choice is between three guys who played for Umile, two of whom are involved in recruiting right now, and someone who has had his players recruited. Handicapping the three UNH guys you have Stewart who played for Umile in the mid-90's then went on to an extended career in the low minors. I believe he was out of hockey for a couple of years before he signed on with UConn and now has been at Merrimack for the last three. He clearly is a big part of Merrimack's rise in the hockey world so I see him as a good fit in a lot of ways. Mark White has been at Brown the last two years after being at Bentley for 2 or 3 years before that. From what I was told, hockey at Brown had reached the bottom and had no way to go but up. They have clearly gotten better in the last year or so (they gave UNH fits twice last year) but I'm not sure the type of player White is recruiting now would be the same as what UNH is looking for and can get. As for Ciocco, he is one of Umile's favorites, he has the gift for gab and has been involved in the game since he graduated in 2008. But he has no coaching experience and no recruiting experience either. Can't see him being the guy, but you never know since, as noted, the coach loves him. I know nothing about Tremblay at all but his apparent plus is his goaltending resume. Can he coach though?

Of course, the money is going to be issue. Would any of these guys be taking a pay cut to come to UNH? We'll see.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

boblav1 said:
FYI - From USHR:
Click to expand...

With Umile getting near the end of his run - at some point he will retire (my wild guess within 5 years). I don't know Umile personally it is just the impression I get - ZERO FACTS - just a feeling. You have to wonder if to some the assisants job at UNH is a potential in to be the next head coach.

In a strange way I honestly think Lassonde had been at UNH as an assistant so long that he might not have been viewed as head coach material. If he was interested in the head job at UNH the move to Denver might actually raise his stock. I had to leave a company before they would even consider me for the next step-up, I couldn't get a sniff the 2 times I applied, then they called me when the position openned after I had left.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

JB said:
With Umile getting near the end of his run - at some point he will retire (my wild guess within 5 years). I don't know Umile personally it is just the impression I get - ZERO FACTS - just a feeling. You have to wonder if to some the assisants job at UNH is a potential in to be the next head coach.

In a strange way I honestly think Lassonde had been at UNH as an assistant so long that he might not have been viewed as head coach material. If he was interested in the head job at UNH the move to Denver might actually raise his stock. I had to leave a company before they would even consider me for the next step-up, I couldn't get a sniff the 2 times I applied, then they called me when the position openned after I had left.
Click to expand...

JB that is an interesting take. I know that Lassonde has had offers to be a head coach and turned them down to stay at UNH. He has never expressed, at least to me, that his sole desire is to head coach at UNH and nowhere else. But it could be so. However, a caveat would be that if he was to be head-coach-in waiting, he could have been designated so over the past few years. Instead both he and Borek were given the titles of associate head coach. I still think his move is mostly about money, but using Denver as a stepping stone is certainly plausible.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

Greg Ambrose said:
JB that is an interesting take. I know that Lassonde has had offers to be a head coach and turned them down to stay at UNH. He has never expressed, at least to me, that his sole desire is to head coach at UNH and nowhere else. But it could be so. However, a caveat would be that if he was to be head-coach-in waiting, he could have been designated so over the past few years. Instead both he and Borek were given the titles of associate head coach. I still think his move is mostly about money, but using Denver as a stepping stone is certainly plausible.
Click to expand...

I have no idea on Lassonde career direction. Totally different guy but my understanding is Grant Standbrook never wanted to be head coach (again) and that may be Lassonde. Or it could be he never left because being from Rochester originally coaching at UNH became a goal after years as an assistant. UNH never designates him as "heir apparent" so now he moves for more money and more opportunity with the potential of maybe comming back. The issue is Umile is in the way so any information about the future as UNH relates to Lassonde is all feel, he has never had the opportunity to be passed over.

When I left that job I didn't do it to go back. I did it because I had reached a clear ceiling and found another way instead of beating my head off that ceiling. Just happens with in 18 months they called to see if I wanted the job I was passed over for twice before, the 2nd time I had to force their hand to even take an internal application (I started looking when that happened). I never went back, I didn't turn them down but my demands were the world, I knew I would only go back for an ideal situation.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

UNH's best years in the modern era relied heavily on BCHL talent, and it's not an area in which Borek has been too deeply entrenched, picking up a Kipp here and a Switzer there before scoring Downing and initially Laleggia for this season. So, to get a guy that has had success, at least on paper, out of that league seems like it might make sense for UNH if he were interested and the money could work.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

JB said:
You have to wonder if to some the assisants job at UNH is a potential in to be the next head coach. .
Click to expand...

That was one of my thoughts... Will they land someone who Umile can groom and then hand the program over? Just wondering if it's reasonable to think that with the financial situation (that's not likely to improve a whole heck of a lot over the next couple years) that UNH would fork up what it would take to land a really strong Head Coach when Umile retires... *shrug*
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

Verkligen said:
That was one of my thoughts... Will they land someone who Umile can groom and then hand the program over? Just wondering if it's reasonable to think that with the financial situation (that's not likely to improve a whole heck of a lot over the next couple years) that UNH would fork up what it would take to land a really strong Head Coach when Umile retires... *shrug*
Click to expand...

A few years ago Marty Scarano told me that, when it came time to pick Umile's successor, he would not hire anyone who did not have head coaching experience. Given the today's financial realities, I wonder if that commitment is still feasible. I also think that thoughts of hiring someone to be groomed as Umile's replacement are premature. Umile has given no indication that he is ready to ride off into the sunset. He is only 62 (63 in December) and conceivably could continue to coach for another 8-10 years. I believe that his role models in this regard are Parker and York. Neither of them have given any indication of stepping down (reason why David Quinn left BU two years ago) even though they are 3 or 4 years older than Umile. And, of course, there is Berenson, who is still going strong at 71, or is it 72.

There is a lot of speculation out there about which direction UNH is going - hire an older and wiser guy, or go for the young energetic go getter. Since the former would probably cost more money, which UNH really doesn't have, I am leaning towards one of the three guys mention by USHR who played for Umile, preferably Stewart (if they can get him). BTW, regarding Borek, when he was hired I was told (not by him) that he never wanted to be a head coach again after his Lake State experience. Maybe he has changed his mind given the fact that he travels a lot while raising a young family.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

From USHR:
A 'New' Assistant for UNH

Look for an announcement from UNH naming Colby head coach Jim Tortorella to the University of New Hampshire staff.

Tortorella, takes the spot vacated by Dave Lassonde, who was recently hired by Denver.

A goaltender at the University of Maine from 1978-81, Tortorella, one of the most respected coaches in the Div. III ranks, has coached Colby to a 230-138-33 record over the last 16 years.

While on the surface, this seems a major surprise – Tortorella was the ‘mystery candidate’ at UNH over recent days – the Colby coach’s connection to the Wildcats program is two-fold, as, back in the early ‘90s, he was an assistant to UNH assistant Scott Borek when Borek was the head coach at Colby and he was also an assistant on Umile’s staff at UNH. So this is a bit of a homecoming for Tortorella.

In 1998-99 and again in ’99-00, Tortorella, who is very detail-oriented, was an assistant coach on the staff of equally detail-oriented Jeff Jackson at the World Junior Championships.

At Colby, he’s mentored a ton of assistants who’ve gone on to success – Brown head coach Brendan Whittet, Babson’s Jamie Rice, Harvard assistant Albie O’Connell, NHL scout Brian Putnam -- and numerous others. Recently, Tortorella hired former Northeastern forward Jason Guerrerio as an assistant.

As far as a possible successor to Tortorella at Colby, a likely candidate is right on campus. Stan Moore, a former Div. I head coach at Union who most recently served as an assistant on Tim Army’s staff at Providence, lives on the Colby campus, as his wife, Barbara, is dean of students there.
Click to expand...
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

Interesting. He seemed to come out of no where. I didn't even know he was a candidate.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

Best of luck to Mr. Tortorella!

Fortunately or unfortunately, Mr. Tremblay's resume is not built for an assistant coaching roll. This guy seems to be able to successfully run an organization as well as identify talent, develop it, oh and he seems to have some success at winning too. Hope he's a candidate once the Head Coaching gig is open.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

USHR is reporting that forward Collin MacDonald has committed to UNH for the fall of ’12.
 
Re: UNH Off Season Thread 2011

boblav1 said:
USHR is reporting that forward Collin MacDonald has committed to UNH for the fall of ’12.
Click to expand...
Just saw this on the Heisenberg site and he's got him listed as 6'2", 296 pounds. ;)

He's actually 100 pounds less according to the Hitmen site, I just found that humorous.
 
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