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UNH Offseason Contract Edition.

Chuck Murray said:
After all the time and energy spent campaigning for his latest extension ... you were actually expecting MS7 to recruit this summer?!? I mean, when is the poor guy allowed to take a four-plus month siesta???

He gets his team halfway up the standings, earns his extension, working his fingers and toes to their nubs and ... this?? I mean, where is the appreciation??? Sixth place not good enough for you ingrates?!?!?
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I believe that if you scroll back a page or so you will find that two of us are predicting our Cats will finish fourth in HEA this season.
 
… and I believe I’m one of them, Snives.

But one (1) isolated trip to Boston every decade or so isn’t a measure of modest success Coach Umile was able to sustain. Not even close.

Gotta start somewhere I know … but resting on one’s “laurels” as pointed out by HR wasn’t exactly on my WIS bingo card for UNH Hockey this offseason. This program has been starved of any real success for so long … and now you eke out one (1)!winning season, have a shot at building momentum, and … crickets?

FWIW I went by the arena today and The Key Auto Group Complex leader on the top edge of The Whitt sure is impressive. I’m sure TDL has the photo in his office to show friends. How it’s helping recruiting is up in the air entirely. Per Bob’s post it seems it hasn’t moved the needle. At all.

But MS7 is tanned rested and 3 years closer to a USNH pension. And with that pesky Hubbard guy gone and not around to embarrass the rest of the UNH coaches into forward action … normal service has been restored to the good folks of Titletown …
 
On the PTO landscape ... looks like the B's recently signed Tyler Johnson, a mid-30's mostly middle six center for Tampa Bay at the height of his career, which I think is a nice pick-up IF he can make the squad. He's fallen off the last few years to a bottom six forward and energy player, which is a little unusual for a guy his age, but he's still been contributing, the last two seasons with the rebuilding Blackhawks. Max Pacioretty is also starting to draw some attention, either as a PTO or SPC (standard player contract) option, which is a little curious since he's the oldest of the guys I'm going to mention here, and he's missed huge chunks of the last two seasons. Of course, UNH's James van Riemsdyk is still out there, and the latest reports I've seen involved teams like Anaheim and the Islanders kicking the tires on potential PTO offers. Former BU and B's defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is also still on the outside looking in. Camps start in a few weeks' time - stay tuned ...
 
Chuck Murray said:
On the PTO landscape ... looks like the B's recently signed Tyler Johnson, a mid-30's mostly middle six center for Tampa Bay at the height of his career, which I think is a nice pick-up IF he can make the squad. He's fallen off the last few years to a bottom six forward and energy player, which is a little unusual for a guy his age, but he's still been contributing, the last two seasons with the rebuilding Blackhawks. Max Pacioretty is also starting to draw some attention, either as a PTO or SPC (standard player contract) option, which is a little curious since he's the oldest of the guys I'm going to mention here, and he's missed huge chunks of the last two seasons. Of course, UNH's James van Riemsdyk is still out there, and the latest reports I've seen involved teams like Anaheim and the Islanders kicking the tires on potential PTO offers. Former BU and B's defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is also still on the outside looking in. Camps start in a few weeks' time - stay tuned ...
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Reading some recent reports that JvR might get a PTO from the Canes (injuries at left wing), Devils (close to home), or Leafs (second time the charm?).
 
Well we have finally reached the 30 day mark! At least for those of us who look forward to the exhibition game.
Several of you have put forth guesses on we’re we will finish in HE this year. While the obvious wild card here is goal tending. We will not know until we get there. I am feeling that it will at least be good. Therefore my optimistic prediction is 5th place. Can’t see us breaking the top 4. Our forwards will score more goals than last year and the defense should be solid.
Games should be exciting with lots of effort coming from all four lines and the defense. Lots of thoughts on following year but we will wait for April to start that thread.
Go Cats!
 
After the Whistle said:
Well we have finally reached the 30 day mark! At least for those of us who look forward to the exhibition game.
Several of you have put forth guesses on we’re we will finish in HE this year. While the obvious wild card here is goal tending. We will not know until we get there. I am feeling that it will at least be good. Therefore my optimistic prediction is 5th place. Can’t see us breaking the top 4. Our forwards will score more goals than last year and the defense should be solid.
Games should be exciting with lots of effort coming from all four lines and the defense. Lots of thoughts on following year but we will wait for April to start that thread.
Go Cats!
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Hey there! Yeah I noted on my facebook page that we were about a month out from the 2024-25 season. Saw a media poll today for HE and we were 7th. I think BC is going to be on
a tear this season, every game they will be playing for the Gaudreau boys (can't get that story out of my mind...). I do think alot of our success is going to boil down to
just how fast we can get the MacP twins going, and, will need big contributions from not only the returning D but the returning offense. Need monster seasons from
guys like Devlin and LeClerc. Wonder who our alternate captains will be? Any quesses? I'm thinking Devlin will be one.

HE has cancelled their annual media day out of respect for the Gaudreau's passing. Their funeral will be live streamed tomorrow at Noon. RIP...

Am looking forward to the start of the season...and to my first trip to QU if we can get the tix.
 
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Chuck Murray said:
Anyone want to guess where he lands? The PTO market is heating up, with training camp closing in ...

Veteran UFA James van Riemsdyk expected to land PTO before training camp | TSN

I'll make some on here happy, and guess that JvR returns to B's camp with a PTO next week ...
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With Max Pacioretty apparently heading to Mapleleafland as a PTO, that leaves only the Canes and the Devils on my original destination list for JvR, although I would be delighted if he came back to Boston for round 2.
 
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Snively65 said:
With Max Pacioretty apparently heading to Mapleleafland as a PTO, that leaves only the Canes and the Devils on my original destination list for JvR, although I would be delighted if he came back to Boston for round 2.
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No reason JvR can't still accept a PTO from Toronto. There are no hard & fast limits, they're only preseason tryouts ...
 
whoop87 said:
JvR signs with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It's a one year deal for $900K.
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Thanks for heads up, whoop. I am happy for JvR and hope that he can provide a steadying influence for the Blue Jackets this season, especially in the locker room. The Jackets are still $2 mil under the minimum floor and $25 mil below the cap with the loss of Johnny Hockey’s $10 mil salary (he was only two years into a seven-year $68 mil contract). My guess is that the Jackets will be signing another forward or two soon.
 
Snively65 said:
Thanks for heads up, whoop. I am happy for JvR and hope that he can provide a steadying influence for the Blue Jackets this season, especially in the locker room. The Jackets are still $2 mil under the minimum floor and $25 mil below the cap with the loss of Johnny Hockey’s $10 mil salary (he was only two years into a seven-year $68 mil contract). My guess is that the Jackets will be signing another forward or two soon.
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Without wishing to sound ghoulish in the aftermath of the senseless loss of JG ... it certainly puts the perennially rebuilding CBJ in an interesting situation, now suddenly thrust below the NHL salary floor on the eve of training camp. It certainly didn't hurt JvR's situation, and probably gave him a (nominal) guaranteed contract instead of what seemed to be an inevitable PTO. New GM Don Waddell (who has a ring from the DRW '98 Stanley Cup as an assistant GM) has history as a rebuilding-focused GM - he's responsible for the current Carolina roster/organizational depth - will probably be open to stockpiling draft choices in return for eating some other teams' bad contracts, which would have draft choices attached. That helps get the Jackets to the floor first, and then to work further into their cap space, amassing draft capital.

To give you an idea where the Jackets are now ... former B's draftee Sean Kuraly is actually CBJ's 4th highest paid forward ($2.5M), and he's got one year left on his deal. JvR will slot in comfortably as a middle six guy in their line-up, and should get plenty of PP time as well, so this should get him to where he can surpass any of the remaining UNH alum records out there IF he can parlay this season into another couple of seasons in The Show. Later this season, he could be an attractive trade target for a contending team looking for playoff depth, which would translate into a pick or two for Waddell's rebuild from a guy that he picked up off the street, which is great business when you are where the Jackets are (which is not unlike where DRW was when Yzerman took over a few years ago). But for now, this is a positive development for JvR to extend his career, so good on him and his agent for being patient and not jumping on a PTO offer ...
 
Chuck Murray said:
To give you an idea where the Jackets are now ... former B's draftee Sean Kuraly is actually CBJ's 4th highest paid forward ($2.5M), and he's got one year left on his deal. JvR will slot in comfortably as a middle six guy in their line-up, and should get plenty of PP time as well, so this should get him to where he can surpass any of the remaining UNH alum records out there IF he can parlay this season into another couple of seasons in The Show. Later this season, he could be an attractive trade target for a contending team looking for playoff depth, which would translate into a pick or two for Waddell's rebuild from a guy that he picked up off the street, which is great business when you are where the Jackets are (which is not unlike where DRW was when Yzerman took over a few years ago). But for now, this is a positive development for JvR to extend his career, so good on him and his agent for being patient and not jumping on a PTO offer ...
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I had not thought much about Sean Kuraly since he left the Bruins for the Jackets as an UFA in the 2021 off-season. The move made sense to me at the time as he grew up in Ohio and played at Miami for four years, when the Bruins traded for his draft rights from the Sharks along with a number one pick after his third year with the Red Hawks for goalie Marty Jones. I recall one year when the Bruins got some energy from their fourth line of Kuraly, Noel Acciari, and Joakim Nordstrom, either in 2019/2020, the year after the Bruins lost in the SC finals to the Blues, or in 2020/2021, Kuraly’s final year with the Bruins.

As for JvR’s UNH alum records, he only needs to play in 36 games this season to move ahead of Rod Langway for total NHL/WHA career games played. As you have noted previously, it is unlikely that JvR is aware of that one.
 
Gotta admit, after the program's best season in about a decade, I expected our group to be off the hook with enthusiasm at around this time of the new soon-to-be season. Instead ... nothing. And our newly-renewed HC leads the way in doing absolutely the bare minimum to rev up the fanbase. Well, at least I suppose he will be well-rested for the next six months. Just surprised (shocked actually) at the lack of enthusiasm ...
 
Chuck Murray said:
Gotta admit, after the program's best season in about a decade, I expected our group to be off the hook with enthusiasm at around this time of the new soon-to-be season. Instead ... nothing. And our newly-renewed HC leads the way in doing absolutely the bare minimum to rev up the fanbase. Well, at least I suppose he will be well-rested for the next six months. Just surprised (shocked actually) at the lack of enthusiasm ...
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The renovation project hasn't gone forward and the program does not appear to do anything at all to promote or attract interest. There does not seem to be any meaningful communication from the program to the fans. Since last March there's been nothing all that exciting on the recruiting front. Not a good off-season. My sense is that last year was the product of a single season great performance by a transfer goalie and little more. I hope I'm wrong.
 
Potluck said:
The renovation project hasn't gone forward and the program does not appear to do anything at all to promote or attract interest. There does not seem to be any meaningful communication from the program to the fans. Since last March there's been nothing all that exciting on the recruiting front. Not a good off-season. My sense is that last year was the product of a single season great performance by a transfer goalie and little more. I hope I'm wrong.
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I hope you're wrong too, but with so many of last year's players coming back this season, we may not find out the answer to that question for another year. I do suspect they'll be alright this season ... but when your program has been where MS7's program has been for most of his tenure, there is no time to ease up - yeah, maybe the contract gets you three years closer to your USNH pension, but unless you're totally into the job only for the pension, the contract should now be an afterthought, and you should be planning to build on your success, and not assume another mid-table finish is "good enough" and/or inevitable. If you take your foot off the gas, there are 10 other programs in HEA gaining on you (plus elsewhere across D-1). If I'm MS7, I'm thankful I (barely) survived the last contract, and I'm hoping to do so well the next two years that I get extended before the new deal runs down to its final season. As annoyed as I am at our new AD f/k/a SB for the extension, MS7 can't be clueless enough to think she's in his pocket like her predecessor was, and if he makes it into Year 3 without an extension again, he's history.

You need only take a look at the UMaine thread, and see what legitimate excitement about your program looks like.

As an aside, I was actually thinking about jumping on for UNH season tickets for the first time in 30+ seasons (Snively) this summer, but the lack of any buzz has at least put those plans again on hold. Maybe next season ...
 
Potluck said:
The renovation project hasn't gone forward and the program does not appear to do anything at all to promote or attract interest. There does not seem to be any meaningful communication from the program to the fans. Since last March there's been nothing all that exciting on the recruiting front. Not a good off-season. My sense is that last year was the product of a single season great performance by a transfer goalie and little more. I hope I'm wrong.
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This was a legitimate thought during last season's success.

In general, good for the players, but my interest in portal-ized/NIL college sports is plummeting. The season to season roster changes, similar to pro sports with the long ago advent of free agency, diminishes the fun of following a team and watching "your" players develop. Did anyone else used to pick a Freshman to follow for the next four years each season? There is discussion on the Maine thread about ticket price increases to support NIL. Marvelous. What a concept.

Then there's player age which is not even listed on unhwildcats.com rosters. Thankfully we have hockeydb.com to tell us that our brand spanking new Senior goaltender was born on November 1, 2002. An actual college age transfer is nice to see, but by the time I get to "know" him he will be halfway gone. UNH football has a great Senior QB. He's in his fifth year, but I never heard of him a year ago. Why? Because last year's great QB got a better offer so we had to portal. Again, great for both QBs, but my interest would be elevated watching the QB we recruited from high school continue to develop. Oh wait. I can still do that. Go Gophers!
 
Despite portal and NIL concerns nicely summarized by Darius, like Chuck and Potluck, I am disappointed by the complacency here for the upcoming season given last year’s modicum of success. I am inclined to agree that the lack of enthusiasm projected at the management level does not help the program, although the apparent postponement of renovations that I thought were a done deal with funds in hand may explain some of that lack of communication from the top.

Perhaps all will change once the season gets underway with the home opener against Bentley on October 12th. The two teams are 2-2-0 all time, with Bentley winning 3-2 in the last and only match up played in Waltham, which went to OT.

Edit: Just noticed in the USCHO Div 1 preseason poll that UNH is 26th, seventh highest HEA team, ahead of Mack, Yukon, UMass-Bazin, and UVM, the last being the only HEA team not earning any points.
 
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