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UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
- Thread starter C-H-C
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Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Everything CHC has posted, and all I've read and heard, on Blackburn was he was willing to both come this fall or stay another season. Whatever worked out for the best for him and UNH. Come season's end, he was ready, he was signed and UNH had a real need - so why wasn't he 'pushed' to attend now.
When Poturalski delayed, he was coming off of a season of 12-21-33 in 53 games - he would have been fine to matriculate, but probably needed another year in order to be the impact frosh he was. Downing had posted just 18-18-36 in 43 games - fine to matriculate, but probably needed another year. It isn't the same situation.
Blackburn posted 22-51-73 in 55 games last season. He is better than many of the forwards on the current roster, perhaps ALL of the forwards in the 2015-16 class and would 'develop' every bit as well for the 2016-17 season at UNH, in Durham, as he would in the BCHL.
With UNH's history of deferring prospects, having three overaged recruits and Vela & Nazarian likely chomping at the bit to arrive, it seems more probably than not that if Blackburn was fine staying in the BCHL that UNH was happy to leave him there - due to overall roster numbers, upperclassmen forward numbers, recruiting class numbers and probably scholarship dollars.
Since UNH's early 2000's run to the top of college hockey - their biggest problem has been not having ENOUGH true talent on their rosters. Which is tied directly to miss-evaluation, miss-management and inconsistency in their recruiting classes. Usually resulting in rosters that feature a couple of really talented upper class players, a few young developing players and a lot of hard-working role players. Unfortunately, once the younger players develop, the older players are gone and the cycle begins again...
I had hoped that adding Foegel & Boyd ahead of schedule last year, signaled a change in UNH's approach to recruiting classes (i.e. getting talent into your program and letting it grow together / breaking out of the aforementioned cycle). Failing to bring in both Blackburn & Vela in this class points more toward little, if anything, actually changing in terms of balancing talent across classes consistently...
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Everything CHC has posted, and all I've read and heard, on Blackburn was he was willing to both come this fall or stay another season. Whatever worked out for the best for him and UNH. Come season's end, he was ready, he was signed and UNH had a real need - so why wasn't he 'pushed' to attend now.
When Poturalski delayed, he was coming off of a season of 12-21-33 in 53 games - he would have been fine to matriculate, but probably needed another year in order to be the impact frosh he was. Downing had posted just 18-18-36 in 43 games - fine to matriculate, but probably needed another year. It isn't the same situation.
Blackburn posted 22-51-73 in 55 games last season. He is better than many of the forwards on the current roster, perhaps ALL of the forwards in the 2015-16 class and would 'develop' every bit as well for the 2016-17 season at UNH, in Durham, as he would in the BCHL.
With UNH's history of deferring prospects, having three overaged recruits and Vela & Nazarian likely chomping at the bit to arrive, it seems more probably than not that if Blackburn was fine staying in the BCHL that UNH was happy to leave him there - due to overall roster numbers, upperclassmen forward numbers, recruiting class numbers and probably scholarship dollars.
Since UNH's early 2000's run to the top of college hockey - their biggest problem has been not having ENOUGH true talent on their rosters. Which is tied directly to miss-evaluation, miss-management and inconsistency in their recruiting classes. Usually resulting in rosters that feature a couple of really talented upper class players, a few young developing players and a lot of hard-working role players. Unfortunately, once the younger players develop, the older players are gone and the cycle begins again...
I had hoped that adding Foegel & Boyd ahead of schedule last year, signaled a change in UNH's approach to recruiting classes (i.e. getting talent into your program and letting it grow together / breaking out of the aforementioned cycle). Failing to bring in both Blackburn & Vela in this class points more toward little, if anything, actually changing in terms of balancing talent across classes consistently...
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Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
A fair question. I take Liam Blackburn at his word. When he verbally committed to UNH last October, he told the Director of Media for the West Kelowna Warriors:
"I'm just trying to make myself the best player possible and whether that's making myself ready for college next year or the year after, I mean, that's a choice I'm probably going to make later in the year. Either way, I don't think there's a wrong choice. An extra year of juniors would be nice to develop physically but mentally, I think I'm prepared to go."
When Blackburn signed the National Letter of Intent in mid-November, he told me he still hadn’t decided whether he would be coming to UNH in the Fall of 2015 or 2016.
Last week, I gave him the opportunity to clarify anything in my article on the decision for him to come to UNH in the Fall of 2016. He communicated that he was pleased with the article and nothing needed to be clarified. I haven’t heard or read anything to indicate that Blackburn is uncomfortable with the decision to play one more season in the BCHL before coming to UNH.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
A fair question. I take Liam Blackburn at his word. When he verbally committed to UNH last October, he told the Director of Media for the West Kelowna Warriors:
"I'm just trying to make myself the best player possible and whether that's making myself ready for college next year or the year after, I mean, that's a choice I'm probably going to make later in the year. Either way, I don't think there's a wrong choice. An extra year of juniors would be nice to develop physically but mentally, I think I'm prepared to go."
When Blackburn signed the National Letter of Intent in mid-November, he told me he still hadn’t decided whether he would be coming to UNH in the Fall of 2015 or 2016.
Last week, I gave him the opportunity to clarify anything in my article on the decision for him to come to UNH in the Fall of 2016. He communicated that he was pleased with the article and nothing needed to be clarified. I haven’t heard or read anything to indicate that Blackburn is uncomfortable with the decision to play one more season in the BCHL before coming to UNH.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
And, what you said in your previous post, Dan, two of the three letters going to players who otherwise probably would not see a lot of ice time. The only thing worse would be if he pulled his NLI, and went elsewhere in 2016-2017.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
And, what you said in your previous post, Dan, two of the three letters going to players who otherwise probably would not see a lot of ice time. The only thing worse would be if he pulled his NLI, and went elsewhere in 2016-2017.
Chuck Murray
WIS & Effingwoods Hockey Almanac
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
I think I've seen this movie before, and I'm pretty sure I didn't like the ending.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
I think I've seen this movie before, and I'm pretty sure I didn't like the ending.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Well the 'nice' thing about these unique compliance interpretations is they are always beneficial to the university - so while UNH could pull the NLI by not offering aid next fall, Blackburn cannot renege on his NLI and bounce to another school (only MJ, Pro or a Canadian College). That's the beauty in reading the rule as an opportunity to defer an NLI (and why its laughable this read was instituted to benefit the player)...
That being said, I don't think any of this really applies to Blackburn/UNH. There is seemingly ZERO (less than?) ill will from Blackburn - as was the case with Vecchione. Say what you want about Umile, but he is a stand-up guy first and foremost - I would trust him more than just about any college coach, in any sport, to keep his word in a situation like this. I still think Blackburn was indifferent about his arrival, so UNH left him in the BCHL and took other forwards instead. And, I hope I'm wrong, but I think it was a mistake...
While the forward talent is improving over the next few years, I've been vocal about wishing UNH would start to stack that talent together and let it develop together. Like it or not, if you're not pulling in the ELITE of the ELITE freshmen, college hockey is still a development game. UNH's best shot for a quick rebound, IMO, was to bring in as many higher-end talent kids this year as possible, let that talent develop and adjust to the NCAA game and hope they hit on the vast majority of their 'top-end' kids in this and last year's class for Kelleher's senior season. A second-year Blackburn would have given them a better shot and certainly more margin for error in 2016-17...
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Well the 'nice' thing about these unique compliance interpretations is they are always beneficial to the university - so while UNH could pull the NLI by not offering aid next fall, Blackburn cannot renege on his NLI and bounce to another school (only MJ, Pro or a Canadian College). That's the beauty in reading the rule as an opportunity to defer an NLI (and why its laughable this read was instituted to benefit the player)...
That being said, I don't think any of this really applies to Blackburn/UNH. There is seemingly ZERO (less than?) ill will from Blackburn - as was the case with Vecchione. Say what you want about Umile, but he is a stand-up guy first and foremost - I would trust him more than just about any college coach, in any sport, to keep his word in a situation like this. I still think Blackburn was indifferent about his arrival, so UNH left him in the BCHL and took other forwards instead. And, I hope I'm wrong, but I think it was a mistake...
While the forward talent is improving over the next few years, I've been vocal about wishing UNH would start to stack that talent together and let it develop together. Like it or not, if you're not pulling in the ELITE of the ELITE freshmen, college hockey is still a development game. UNH's best shot for a quick rebound, IMO, was to bring in as many higher-end talent kids this year as possible, let that talent develop and adjust to the NCAA game and hope they hit on the vast majority of their 'top-end' kids in this and last year's class for Kelleher's senior season. A second-year Blackburn would have given them a better shot and certainly more margin for error in 2016-17...
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Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
I saw Nazarian play in person three times in his final season at Malden Catholic and online twice this season with the Des Moines Buccaneers. My impression is that he is sturdy, rugged and plays physical. He had 12 goals and 16 assists and a +/- rating of -17 with the Bucs last year. In fairness to him, the top 12 scorers on the Bucs all had minus ratings for the season with their leading scorer having a -22. He will be a "true freshman" at UNH in that he graduates from high school next month. He also turns 19 in June so is an "older" true freshman, if you will. Marcus Vela, also a true freshman, doesn't turn 19 until next March. Nazarian may earn meaningful ice time sooner than you think.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016
I saw Nazarian play in person three times in his final season at Malden Catholic and online twice this season with the Des Moines Buccaneers. My impression is that he is sturdy, rugged and plays physical. He had 12 goals and 16 assists and a +/- rating of -17 with the Bucs last year. In fairness to him, the top 12 scorers on the Bucs all had minus ratings for the season with their leading scorer having a -22. He will be a "true freshman" at UNH in that he graduates from high school next month. He also turns 19 in June so is an "older" true freshman, if you will. Marcus Vela, also a true freshman, doesn't turn 19 until next March. Nazarian may earn meaningful ice time sooner than you think.
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jeteye1717
Member
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
Was it really necessary to reveal this information in a public forum? Perhaps Ara and his family are OK with sharing this tidbit with the world, but perhaps not, and I'll wager you didn't seek nor get permission from anyone in the Nazarian family to do so. Just because this info. may be common knowledge amongst recruiters, coaches, potential 'family advisers,' etc., doesn't give you carte blanche to broadcast it for all to see. Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of their life - warts and all - revealed as an open book, even in this regrettable era of pervasive social media over-exposure; wouldn't a bit of self-censorship here have been a better call? Something tells me you'll not agree with me, but oh, just think how we'd all benefit from knowing how many grades *you* repeated back in the day ...
Was it really necessary to reveal this information in a public forum? Perhaps Ara and his family are OK with sharing this tidbit with the world, but perhaps not, and I'll wager you didn't seek nor get permission from anyone in the Nazarian family to do so. Just because this info. may be common knowledge amongst recruiters, coaches, potential 'family advisers,' etc., doesn't give you carte blanche to broadcast it for all to see. Not everyone is comfortable with the idea of their life - warts and all - revealed as an open book, even in this regrettable era of pervasive social media over-exposure; wouldn't a bit of self-censorship here have been a better call? Something tells me you'll not agree with me, but oh, just think how we'd all benefit from knowing how many grades *you* repeated back in the day ...
JB
Desk Chair Coach
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
I think you need to relax a little bit.
It is not unusual for in coming college hockey players to have repeated a grade somewhere along the way. It is nothing anybody should have any shame about. In particular when you want to get into a private school sometimes they require you to repeat a grade. I honestly don't know about Malden Catholic but I know students required to repeat a grade (typically freshman year) when they got into private schools.
It is reactions like yours that make this a "bigger deal". Your post immediately assumed that this was some big secretive news that the family would be concerned about being released or discussed, which then leads others to the assumption that there was something wrong causing the repeat.
I think you need to relax a little bit.
It is not unusual for in coming college hockey players to have repeated a grade somewhere along the way. It is nothing anybody should have any shame about. In particular when you want to get into a private school sometimes they require you to repeat a grade. I honestly don't know about Malden Catholic but I know students required to repeat a grade (typically freshman year) when they got into private schools.
It is reactions like yours that make this a "bigger deal". Your post immediately assumed that this was some big secretive news that the family would be concerned about being released or discussed, which then leads others to the assumption that there was something wrong causing the repeat.
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
My daughter repeated third grade because her reading skills weren't what they should have been. So she then went on to make the deans list for 8 semesters in chem engineering at UMaine pulling down 2 B's in four years and all the rest A's. That is almost unheard of in that discipline. You think holding her back one year as a kid hurt her much?
. She now has a very nice position at Proctor and Gamble's Gillette plant in South Boston.
Best thing that could have happened to her. Point is, being held back a year is not a bad thing
My daughter repeated third grade because her reading skills weren't what they should have been. So she then went on to make the deans list for 8 semesters in chem engineering at UMaine pulling down 2 B's in four years and all the rest A's. That is almost unheard of in that discipline. You think holding her back one year as a kid hurt her much?
. She now has a very nice position at Proctor and Gamble's Gillette plant in South Boston. Best thing that could have happened to her. Point is, being held back a year is not a bad thing
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Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
"UNH Recruits Update: Final 2014-15 Stats"
In the Player Spotlight - Joseph Masonius
"UNH Recruits Update: Final 2014-15 Stats"
In the Player Spotlight - Joseph Masonius
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News projects that goalie Mike Robinson will be drafted 105th overall in the NHL Draft on Saturday:
http://m.thn.com/blog/ryan-kennedys-final-nhl-draft-rankings-the-120/
Ryan Kennedy of the Hockey News projects that goalie Mike Robinson will be drafted 105th overall in the NHL Draft on Saturday:
http://m.thn.com/blog/ryan-kennedys-final-nhl-draft-rankings-the-120/
Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2018
Mike Robinson – 2015 NHL Draft, Round 3, 86th Overall
UNH All-American Goalies:
Rod Blackburn 1958-61 – NHL Draft began in 1963.
Cap Raeder 1972-75 – 1973 NHL Draft, Round 12, 167th Overall
Jeff Levy 1990-92 – 1990 NHL Draft, Round 7, 134th Overall
Ty Conklin 1997-2001 – Not drafted.
Mike Ayers 2000-04 – 2000 NHL Draft, Round 6, 177th Overall
Kevin Regan 2004-08 – 2003 NHL Draft, Round 9, 277th Overall
Brian Foster 2006-10 – 2005 NHL Draft, Round 5, 161st Overall
One day after the 2015 NHL Draft, the target date for Mike Robinson to enroll at UNH remains either Fall 2016 or Fall 2017. And no, Chris Heisenberg's Recruit spreadsheet - which still has his enrollment date as 2016 or 2017 - is not the only source for this information.
Mike Robinson – 2015 NHL Draft, Round 3, 86th Overall
UNH All-American Goalies:
Rod Blackburn 1958-61 – NHL Draft began in 1963.
Cap Raeder 1972-75 – 1973 NHL Draft, Round 12, 167th Overall
Jeff Levy 1990-92 – 1990 NHL Draft, Round 7, 134th Overall
Ty Conklin 1997-2001 – Not drafted.
Mike Ayers 2000-04 – 2000 NHL Draft, Round 6, 177th Overall
Kevin Regan 2004-08 – 2003 NHL Draft, Round 9, 277th Overall
Brian Foster 2006-10 – 2005 NHL Draft, Round 5, 161st Overall
One day after the 2015 NHL Draft, the target date for Mike Robinson to enroll at UNH remains either Fall 2016 or Fall 2017. And no, Chris Heisenberg's Recruit spreadsheet - which still has his enrollment date as 2016 or 2017 - is not the only source for this information.
HockeyRef
Well-known member
Congrats to Mike Robinson highest drafted goalie in UNH history!
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