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UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

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Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

JB said:
Hadn't looked at it from that angle.

I think it is time to change recruiting because it isn't working as well as in the past. Having heard Borek talk he seems like a nice guy and I would rather he be hired away but since McCloskey left the PP% has dropped each year and the recruits aren't as good. Both of those point to him as the change needed. Younger blood would be good too.
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Offense is the problem, especially the PP. Lassonde is in charge of the defense and you have to say that it has been effective. As a former goalie, he has gotten just about every goalie UNH has had over the past 15 years to perform. The last flame out was Trent Cavicchi in '96, the back up was Brian LaRochelle, who they refused to play. The next season, with Sean Matile ineligible for the first 10 games, LaRochelle went, I think 10-1 (note: I just checked the media guide and Brian is not listed! What kind of message is that?) after Lassonde drilled him with the puck machine. The next weakest, I guess, was Matt Carney but he was a soldier in 2002.

Offensively, I just don't think we're effective. Too much reliance on transition, terribly ineffective when we have to establish a presence in the offensive zone and grind out goal. It wasn't always that way (2003 sticks out), but as the years have progressed we have become reliant on speed and scoring off transition and now, at least it appears that way, have no ability to maintain possession in the offensive zone and produce dirty goals. Being around the net, getting tips and rebounds, has always been the surest way to victory. Now if we can only get some players who are effective in that sort of game. I can only wish.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Greg Ambrose said:
Offensively, I just don't think we're effective. Too much reliance on transition, terribly ineffective when we have to establish a presence in the offensive zone and grind out goal. It wasn't always that way (2003 sticks out), but as the years have progressed we have become reliant on speed and scoring off transition and now, at least it appears that way, have no ability to maintain possession in the offensive zone and produce dirty goals. Being around the net, getting tips and rebounds, has always been the surest way to victory. Now if we can only get some players who are effective in that sort of game. I can only wish.
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Agree 100%. All aspect of offense have dipped since McCloskey left. For me the PP% is the easest stat to look up.

09-10 = 16.9
08-09 = 11.6
07-08 = 18.2
06-07 = 19.5
05-06 = 19.8
04-05 = 24.2
03-04 = 20.0
02-03 = 23.9
01-02 = 29.4
00-01 = 13.8
Before this USCHO stats are funny and I am not looking up elsewhere. The trend is going the wrong way from a team annually in the 20's to now one around 15%.

But UNH has no 1/2 ice offense. Before it was just passable now it is absimal.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Congrats to Butler for being named at top 10 finalist for the Hobey Baker.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Dick Umile was named Hockey East's Co-Coach of the Year along with Merrimack's Mark Dennehy.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

The only surprise in those awards is Foster on the First Team. Hutton had a way better year, and probably deserved to be 1st team all-HE. Voters are strange, at times, though. Congrats to the guys!
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Is it possible to simply feel pride and satisfaction with the accomplishments of the UNH hockey team and its players?
Is it necessary to succumb to the pressure of fans from other teams who insist on dumping on UNH (e.g. Umile didn't deserve Coach of the Year; Foster on the 1st Team is absurd; etc.)?
For the record, Brian played in 8 more Hockey East games than the UML goalie and his save percentage (which is more reflective of the goalie's performance than goals against) was better. These are the Hockey East awards so logically, Foster was the better goalie in Hockey East competition.
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Clark-Hislop-Cox said:
Is it possible to simply feel pride and satisfaction with the accomplishment of the UNH hockey team and its players?
Is it necessary to succumb to the pressure of fans from other teams who insist on dumping on UNH (e.g. Umile didn't deserve Coach of the Year; Foster on the 1st Team is absurd; etc.)?
For the record, Brian played in 8 more Hockey East games than the UML goalie and his save percentage (which is more reflective of the goalie's performance than goals against) was better. These are the Hockey East awards so logically, Foster was the better goalie in Hockey East competition.
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Per hockeyeastonline.com, Foster's Sv% was .913, Hutton's was .920. Foster did play in more games (almost all of them), which is probably why he made 1st team. I'm not trying to knock Foster, I just think Hutton was the better goalie this year.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Foster saved 764 out of the 837 shots on goal. The UML goalie saved 481 out of the 523 shots on goal. Hutton had a slightly better save percentage but Brian stopped a lot more rubber.

But whatever - the point is UNH fans have to swallow the disappointment of not being in the Hockey East semifinal game and possibly/probably not making it to the NCAA tournament. I refuse to feel crappy or ashamed of the team's accomplishments in the regular season.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Clark-Hislop-Cox said:
the point is UNH fans have to swallow the disappointment of not being in the Hockey East semifinal game and possibly/probably not making it to the NCAA tournament.
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UNH makes it in with over 80% of the PWR predictors that I have run; not to worry until we get there. :)
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

Clark-Hislop-Cox said:
Is it possible to simply feel pride and satisfaction with the accomplishments of the UNH hockey team and its players?
Is it necessary to succumb to the pressure of fans from other teams who insist on dumping on UNH (e.g. Umile didn't deserve Coach of the Year; Foster on the 1st Team is absurd; etc.)?
QUOTE]
No. UNH was picked by the coaches pre-season to finish fourth. It is obvious that the contributions of Butler and Foster to their team's performance were deemed more important than the other players at their respective positions. Statistics like save percentage and shots on goal have been shown to be an inaccurate indicator of success.
And congrats to Mr. Umile as well. UNH did win the regular season championship.
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Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

thecomicbookguy said:
Per hockeyeastonline.com, Foster's Sv% was .913, Hutton's was .920. Foster did play in more games (almost all of them), which is probably why he made 1st team. I'm not trying to knock Foster, I just think Hutton was the better goalie this year.
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Pretty sure these awards are by vote of the coaches, no?

If they are then this reflects less on the numbers (sv%, GAA, games) and more on what they saw. Hutton played behind a way better defense for most of the season hence the low number of overall saves as he saw less rubber.

For about the last month Foster has been the thing that made UNH stay in 1st. All those bad periods of play, Foster was the only thing that kept UNH enough in the game for those 3rd period come backs.

This also goes to what the UNH coaches have said all year. Fosters numbers have not told the story of how well he has played. Which is a nice way of saying that (particularly in the early part of the year) the team hung him out to dry.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

JB said:
Hadn't looked at it from that angle.

I think it is time to change recruiting because it isn't working as well as in the past. Having heard Borek talk he seems like a nice guy and I would rather he be hired away but since McCloskey left the PP% has dropped each year and the recruits aren't as good. Both of those point to him as the change needed. Younger blood would be good too.
Click to expand...

What player in the past recruited to UNH was a candidate for NHL rookie of the year, or when not admitted to UNH found himself in the NHL before his graduating class walked, or played a significant role in the USA World Junior Title? Someone tell admissions that UNH is not Harvard and the Men's Hockey is one of very few things that put UNH on the map at all nationally and make MONEY!!! If you want them to cook the dinner let them have a few more of the groceries to make it- they still can be ranked as the 4th or 5th state school in New England academically.
What are the yearly PP% averages of all HE teams, the league has much more parity, the time of an automatic 12 pts for Lowell, Merrimack are history.
If younger blood implies that more energy is needed to recruit does not know Borek, he is a tenacious, relentless recruiter, that requires little rest probably no one better, he actually got McCloskey in the game(recruiting). Borek is on the road a lot longer than the competition because UNH's budget is a fraction of the HE elite (and some of the not so elite). All the staff has traveled on holidays (including X-mas) to get discount fares and drive all over western Canada or the Midwest (USHL) because a car rental is cheaper than an airfare. Be thankful for Borek and ironically for an email software glitch that will probably keep him here until he can get a gig like Sean Tremblay that will allow much less scrutiny and make some real money comenserate with his efforts.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

bomberhockey said:
What player in the past recruited to UNH was a candidate for NHL rookie of the year, or when not admitted to UNH found himself in the NHL before his graduating class walked, or played a significant role in the USA World Junior Title? Someone tell admissions that UNH is not Harvard and the Men's Hockey is one of very few things that put UNH on the map at all nationally and make MONEY!!! If you want them to cook the dinner let them have a few more of the groceries to make it- they still can be ranked as the 4th or 5th state school in New England academically.
What are the yearly PP% averages of all HE teams, the league has much more parity, the time of an automatic 12 pts for Lowell, Merrimack are history.
If younger blood implies that more energy is needed to recruit does not know Borek, he is a tenacious, relentless recruiter, that requires little rest probably no one better, he actually got McCloskey in the game(recruiting). Borek is on the road a lot longer than the competition because UNH's budget is a fraction of the HE elite (and some of the not so elite). All the staff has traveled on holidays (including X-mas) to get discount fares and drive all over western Canada or the Midwest (USHL) because a car rental is cheaper than an airfare. Be thankful for Borek and ironically for an email software glitch that will probably keep him here until he can get a gig like Sean Tremblay that will allow much less scrutiny and make some real money comenserate with his efforts.
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That is all nice. Show me the results on the ice AT UNH.

Part of the problem may be who is being recruited. If the player can't get in I don't care where he is before his graduating class walks. I don't care if he works 22 hours a day if it isn't getting results than something needs to change. Work smarter not harder.

If you look at the talent actually on the ice at UNH today vs. 8 years ago it is clear there has been a BIG drop off. None of the fans knows the exact cause but it seem obvious that it occured right after McCloskey left for the womens team.

UNH doesn't need a college all star team of players that committed and never suited up. They need players on the ice.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

bomberhockey said:
What player in the past recruited to UNH was a candidate for NHL rookie of the year, or when not admitted to UNH found himself in the NHL before his graduating class walked, or played a significant role in the USA World Junior Title? Someone tell admissions that UNH is not Harvard and the Men's Hockey is one of very few things that put UNH on the map at all nationally and make MONEY!!!
Click to expand...

I hate to break the news to you, but really... college hockey isn't putting anyone on the map. UNH isn't on the national map and if they were, it wouldn't be because of the hockey team.
ice
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

bomberhockey said:
What player in the past recruited to UNH was a candidate for NHL rookie of the year, or when not admitted to UNH found himself in the NHL before his graduating class walked?
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Keith Yandle

Nick Papagiorgio said:
I hate to break the news to you, but really... college hockey isn't putting anyone on the map. UNH isn't on the national map and if they were, it wouldn't be because of the hockey team.
ice
Click to expand...
He's right about the money issue, though. Hockey is generally regarded as the money-making sport at UNH.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

thecomicbookguy said:
He's right about the money issue, though. Hockey is generally regarded as the money-making sport at UNH.
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Of course it is. But no one's hockey team is putting their school on the map nationally. D1 Football and basketball could (obviously BC people can attest to the nationally known "Flutie Effect") but definitely not college hockey. It's just the nature of the beast being such a niche sport.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats - '10 Playoff Edition

O.K. I don't have all the stats to post something super-intelligent to back up our coaching staff. I do have rather undying (maybe blind at times) loyalty for Dick. Evidently, HE people think Umile did a pretty good job this year too . You all saw what I saw this year .From the very beginning, a team we might not expect a lot from.To come in first this year, I would say this team over-achieved .Just an opinion --please don't bash me for it.:)
 
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