UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

[Darius]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Agreed on Kelleher although he is improving. Eiserman has replaced him in the "all I heard was sterling reports on xxxxxxx. His performance to date has been, to be kind, underwhelming" department.

Losing players early? A nice problem having such quality. The real problem is replacing them with similar talent. The perennial powers operate and win championships with that model.

Through the blue tinted glasses if this year's Freshman and the next few recruiting classes come close to meeting expectations, we'll be fine.

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

I am tired of hearing about this guy or that guy who is doing wondrous things in juniors, then they get to UNH and do not live up to the hype. Got more than a few upperclassmen who fit that bill right now.

Maybe you are reading the wrong blogs reporting on the "exploits", as any objective review of their pre-UNH performances were questionable. Of the upperclassmen, only Downing & Pesce and Laleggia had any any indication of being top 6 forwards or top 4 defensemen. Laleggia was CHN's freshman of the year, and an all-leaguer. Downing and Pesce have been above average, injured but not great due to a lack of support.

Thrush had 28 USHL points
Camper had 21 and 14 point seasons
Gaudreault had 31 USHL points
Willows was an overperforming 20 year old in a weak junior league
MacDonald had a hot month in a showcase tournament
Smith never made a USHL team
Hill had promise but plateaued in the USHL at 23, 26 and 33 points
Correale had 18, 12 and 39 point BCHL seasons at ages 17-19, before being a "late bloomer" in the AJHL
Maller had 9 and 5 points in the USHL
Quast was another lottery ticket 20 year old in a weak league.
Cleland has potential being invited to the USNDPT 40 camp.

Kelleher does have the pedigre, and should blossom.
The freshmen have the most potential, with Poturalski leading the charge. Not surprisingly, he has been a top USHL performer.
Foegele has shown potential and should be a good second line guy
Eiserman is worrying -- he did not show much offensive skill in the USHL, and now he is struggling as a freshman.
McNicholas is following his usual pattern of lacking strength so going slowly in his first year.
Fugele (a Willows type background) was the only D to show puck skills
Chanter not quite developed, but still raw skillset

As for the future,
Blackburn is a top end guy, though not dynamic
Masonius should boost the D
Vela has NHL potential, and while he is picking up assists, is not putting the puck in the net. But he's 17 and has another year of juniors

The rest of the recruits are question marks
O'Neill wasted a year in the USHL as a 16 year old, and now is struggling with a shoulder injury
Grasso is a young scooter and scorer, but at 5'6 has little defensive strength and therefore is a niche player
Kalinowski is a 3rd/4th line kid
Nazarian is doing OK in moving from Mass HS to the USHL
young Kelleher is a hard worker but lacks offensive skills
BVR is intriguing based on size and ability to get in close to finish

Bottom line, the freshmen will have to carry this team. Not unexpectedly, they are struggling to some degree. Mostly, the D has looked incredibly weak, with the poorest puck skills I've seen in a while. Other than Masonius, the horizon is troubling.

They are paying for Umile's loyalty and lack of accountability to his friends. There was an incremental change this season, but the basic issue in recruiting is selling the future, and the existing structure makes that hard. Little will change until that structure changes.

(and hopefully Scarano doesn't fubar that decision by listening to Umile about his choice of successors, which would mean a 55+ very established associate coach, see 4 hours north.)

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Intriguing commentary today! Question: did the recruiting issue /violations of the past stymie the ability to sign top notch players?

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

More "exploits" of a UNH recruit:

"UNH Recruit Marcus Vela Makes Canada West Team"

A few weeks ago at a UNH game, I spoke with a prominent member of the NHL scouting community. He told me that if Warren Foegele had still been on the boards when his team was ready to select in the third round, they would have drafted him. He added that he believes Foegele will not be at UNH for more than 3 years opting to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes. Does that sound like a 2nd line college forward to you?

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Intriguing commentary today! Question: did the recruiting issue /violations of the past stymie the ability to sign top notch players?

Violations? We talkin' 'bout violations?

UNH ADMISSIONS

Every super awesome player wants to go to play for UNH and the admissions office won't let anyone in without an IQ > 300 so they go to inferior hockey schools like BC and BU. I read it on the internet so it's true!

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

All of this was reported (without judgements such as "overperforming" or "weak junior league") on The UNH Men's Hockey Blog:

"Thrush had 28 USHL points
Camper had 21 and 14 point seasons
Gaudreault had 31 USHL points
Willows was an overperforming 20 year old in a weak junior league
MacDonald had a hot month in a showcase tournament
Smith never made a USHL team
Hill had promise but plateaued in the USHL at 23, 26 and 33 points
Correale had 18, 12 and 39 point BCHL seasons at ages 17-19, before being a "late bloomer" in the AJHL
Maller had 9 and 5 points in the USHL
Quast was another lottery ticket 20 year old in a weak league.
Cleland has potential being invited to the USNDPT 40 camp."

However, I also reported on the recruits' accomplishments (e.g., making a league's all-star team, playing well in a playoff series, being among the top scorers in a league).

When writing about UNH recruits on the blog, I've been careful to follow the slogan "I report, you decide". If a reader sees, for example, that a recruit was the leading scorer in a junior league (e.g., Matt Willows), it's up to him/her to predict how the recruit will evolve as a NCAA player. Every now and then on the USCHO forum, I'll go out on a limb and predict how a UNH recruit will perform once they've joined the team. For example, I believe I posted that I think Tyler Kelleher has the potential to be one of the top 5 or 6 UNH forwards in recent memory. He may or may not attain that level. In the meantime, I enjoy watching him (and others) play.

 

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Violations? We talkin' 'bout violations?

UNH ADMISSIONS

Every super awesome player wants to go to play for UNH and the admissions office won't let anyone in without an IQ > 300 so they go to inferior hockey schools like BC and BU. I read it on the internet so it's true!

I've occasionally wondered how Johnny Gaudreau would have developed if he ended up going to UNH instead of BC. Would he have become the Hobey Baker award winner surrounded with players who were, on the whole, less "talented" than his linemates at BC? I don't know. Some players I've spoken to who played with and against him in juniors described him as unusually driven to excel. Maybe he would have become the second UNH player to win the Hobey (along with Jason Krog), maybe not. We'll never know.

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Fun to come over here and bash UNH players isn't it? Sigh. Love him or hate him he comes to play and yes he can be aggravating. His first two seasons he was less than stellar sure. Last year much better as his line mates all clicked and he had a great year. This year its obviously not the same but he's putting up points at least...Yea I am trying to be / need to be more thick skinned so Felger have a nice day!

haha knew that would raise at least one eyebrow...sorry I got under your skin....but have a nice day as well!

 

[HockeyRef]

haha knew that would raise at least one eyebrow...sorry I got under your skin....but have a nice day as well!

Hey no less than when I had the audacity to put "Willows" and "Eichel" in the same sentence ! I mean, the nerve of some people! Most likely I was the only one who raised an eyebrow...or two.

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

UNH freshmen have to adjust to the same realities as do the 14 freshmen playing for highly ranked Lowell .... and a few other teams with a heavy freshman presence. -- SONAR

You keep saying this - but, while UML may have a larger freshman class they do not lean on their freshman NEARLY as much as UNH has had too this season. UML is deep with upper class contributors and a talented SO class. UNH has just two seniors (Downing & Willows) and one Junior (Pesce) who can play at the highest levels of Hockey East - Willows does so mainly through effort over true talent and Pesce is hurt. The sophomore class has two decent defensemen and Kelleher. That is all they have outside of the FR class. That's it!

In their last games - UNH skated 8 freshman, while UML skated just five. Aside from Smith for UML all of the other freshmen were on lower lines or pairs. Eiserman was apparently being 'coached' for whatever reason, but on a normal night he's in there for Bourque and its 9 for UNH.

Two teams in much more similar freshman dependent situations are Michigan (8-6) and Wisconsin (1-10-1) - both struggling, Wisconsin mightily.

 

[HockeyRef]

You keep saying this - but, while UML may have a larger freshman class they do not lean on their freshman NEARLY as much as UNH has had too this season. UML is deep with upper class contributors and a talented SO class. UNH has just two seniors (Downing & Willows) and one Junior (Pesce) who can play at the highest levels of Hockey East - Willows does so mainly through effort over true talent and Pesce is hurt. The sophomore class has two decent defensemen and Kelleher. That is all they have outside of the FR class. That's it!

In their last games - UNH skated 8 freshman, while UML skated just five. Aside from Smith for UML all of the other freshmen were on lower lines or pairs. Eiserman was apparently being 'coached' for whatever reason, but on a normal night he's in there for Bourque and its 9 for UNH.

Two teams in much more similar freshman dependent situations are Michigan (8-6) and Wisconsin (1-10-1) - both struggling, Wisconsin mightily.

Dan thank you for putting this comparison into true perspective it is appreciated. Our core is truly limited that is for sure. Which is what bothers me the most when I read blog posts about the "sad state of UNH Hockey, lost forever blah blah blah. Sick of it as it's not realistic. We all know this that when you go to games and look at who's out there hell we are skating at any given time at least 3 to 4 inexperienced Frosh ( not to mention our GK) Geesh.

 

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Timely, if nothing else:

http://www.sbncollegehockey.com/col...ston-university-providence-vermont-notre-dame

 

[ClOuD 9]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Reverting to my habitual Debbie Downer mode... sure looked on TV that there were a hell of a lot of empty seats at the Whitt last night. Haven't been there in many years -- is this normal? Perhaps you guys are used to it, but to me it was almost embarrassing, especially for a game against an opponent as significant as BC.

Halfway through the third period of a one goal game, and some sections looked only about two thirds full. Is that because there are a higher percentage of non-student ticket holders nowadays?

It's the new normal, but still relatively new (year two maybe). The reported average so far this season is 5,574 - however that is tickets sold and not actual attendance. It very much appears numbers are being fluffed as there were probably a thousand empty seats for the lone sellout vs Colorado College and the suggestion that there were 4,112 at the RPI game is quite literally unbelievable.
Perhaps they got lucky having football at home on Friday, it gives them a ready made excuse when attendance flops vs Maine in Manchester, which it was seemingly going to do anyway. Every blue dot is a ticket that is still available, not seeing any available for the next night in Portland.
<img src="http://i57.tinypic.com/2cqb9t3.png">

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

You keep saying this - but, while UML may have a larger freshman class they do not lean on their freshman NEARLY as much as UNH has had too this season. UML is deep with upper class contributors and a talented SO class. UNH has just two seniors (Downing & Willows) and one Junior (Pesce) who can play at the highest levels of Hockey East - Willows does so mainly through effort over true talent and Pesce is hurt. The sophomore class has two decent defensemen and Kelleher. That is all they have outside of the FR class. That's it!

In their last games - UNH skated 8 freshman, while UML skated just five. Aside from Smith for UML all of the other freshmen were on lower lines or pairs. Eiserman was apparently being 'coached' for whatever reason, but on a normal night he's in there for Bourque and its 9 for UNH.

Two teams in much more similar freshman dependent situations are Michigan (8-6) and Wisconsin (1-10-1) - both struggling, Wisconsin mightily.

Good points Dan.

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

Beat me to it, but I think that Greg does make a good point that UNH has not recruited many players who left early over the years, and even fewer who stuck in the NHL for longer than a cup of coffee. But, I do miss the days as recently as about a decade ago when UNH could skate three lines that each could score goals, with many players who were not big enough to have much chance for ever playing in the NHL. I get so sick of watching the dump and chase offense, which somehow seems to produce SOG, but only rarely good scoring chances.

The problem, as has been discussed to death on this board - so I'm not sure why anyone is surprised at what were seeing - is the horrible recruiting efforts that effected this program beginning with the debacle of losing Bourque, White, Reid, O'Neil and Laleggia along with the recruiting software miscue. UNH had to scramble to add fill ins for these recruits and they didn't come close to matching the talent they had lost.

UNH used to consistently skate two #1 lines, a young freshmen forward line and a hard-charging defensive third line. That has changed dramatically in the last few seasons as the talent has fallen off. I disagree with Greg - I think the team still skates well and has plenty of speed, but for a lot of the forwards that is all they have. Hands, stick-skills, shooting skills are what is missing!!

They replaced the lost talent with guys who can skate all over the ice, but can't handle the puck at top speed, guys who cannot handle the puck in tight spaces and guys who can't pick corners when shooting. Watch a lot of the upperclass kids play this weekend - they skate around, but they don't control the puck and their shots are blocked or into chests. Then watch the younger F's.

The one upperclassman who can do those things is Downing, but he'd be better suited playing a complimentary role on a #1 line (or at least he needs to play with other good players) to really be successful. When he played with Goumas for a few games as a sophomore they were dynamic! Instead, he's always been asked to carry a line and balance the scoring.

Willows hands are good enough, when combined with his bull in a china shop approach to the game, that he can produce. Kelleher was expected to be a prime scorer from day one - that has never been the UNH way and wasn't really fair given his stature. With added strength he's off to a great start this season. How many UNH freshman have burst onto the scene? Not many (Haydar & Collins). Saviano, Gare, Smith, the Hemingways, Radja, Thompson, Butler, Winnik - all pretty insignificant to modest FR contributions with BIG sequels.

We'll get the sequels from Kelleher and we'll get the sequels from this years FR - its just going to take some time. Poturalski, Foegele, Eiserman & McNicholas (Umile obviously loves his offense, if not his D) should all break 100 points easily. I'd expect Blackburn, Vela and VanReimsdyk to do the same. I hope all three come next year! These are the dynamic forwards we're used to. Players who can not only skate, but can score, handle the puck and make plays at tempo.

BTW - C-H-C - Blackburn is coming. If he signed his NLI (a one year document) it had to have been for 2015-16 and there's no reason to sign it unless they expect him to come.

It might not be next year - with Downing & Willows graduating and more kids on the way - but UNH is getting back on track. The SBN rankings are garbage - just like they did with this year's freshman they severly underrate next year's recruiting class. Especially, if it goes the way I hope in terms of who arrives. Fortunately, none of that matters. When this year's freshman are juniors, at the latest, UNH will once again be a part of the top tier in Hockey East. So enjoy the ride and appreciate that this young team has been in games (their last 5 loses - 7 of 9 - have been by essentially one goal (1 ENG)). Those are the games young teams lose and experienced teams win.

Now just don't screw up the recruiting...

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

The SBN rankings are garbage - just like they did with this year's freshman they severly underrate next year's recruiting class. Especially, if it goes the way I hope in terms of who arrives.

Of course, if UNH ends up bringing in all the older forwards just because they're older SBN might be right on...

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

For two years before he came, all I heard was sterling reports on Kelleher. His performance to date has been, to be kind, underwhelming.

And forgot about Filipowicz, Smith, and Winnik. That makes six in Umile's 25 years of coaching. Not exactly an avalanche of defections. The problem is not players leaving early, the problem is that too many of our four year players are not difference makers, either offensively or defensively. It all comes back to the recruiting. I told people last spring that this incoming class and the one next year are the make a break ones for me. I am tired of hearing about this guy or that guy who is doing wondrous things in juniors, then they get to UNH and do not live up to the hype. Got more than a few upperclassmen who fit that bill right now.

That further points to the coaching staff. Last time I checked the coaches are in charge of the recruiting process which also includes managing defections and making sure the team doesn't have to lean on freshman so much. The current roster has four seniors that skate regularly (Randall GP=5). That's not going to cut it and that falls on coaches/recruiters does it not?

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

For two years before he came, all I heard was sterling reports on Kelleher. His performance to date has been, to be kind, underwhelming.

Did Saviano underwhelm you when he scored 2 points as a FR? Did Colin Hemingway? Brett Hemingway? Preston Callandar? Bobby Butler? Paul Thompson? A handful of UNH freshman have finished the season in the 20 point range, but none outside of Mowers, Haydar & Collins have really blown the doors off. That's been fine because none have had too. Kelleher and this year's freshman may seem underwhelming, but only because of the expectations and responsibility they were saddled with. Kelleher had 16 points last year (at a buck-fifty soaking wet) and could be on his way to 30+ this year. Be patient, UNH has always made its living off of breakout SO and JR years while kids quietly matured and supported experienced scorers...

I'm not sure who you think was oversold? Way to early on Kelleher. Downing has had to do way too much heavy lifting on his own. The rest were unheralded fill-ins for top talent that never made it...

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2014/2015 - Wait 'Til Next Year!!!

From a definitional point, does deferring and antagonizing the Div. 1 second leading scorer behind Jack Eichel count as a "defection"?

http://www.uscho.com/stats/overall/division-i-men/2014-2015/

 

[HockeyRef]

The problem, as has been discussed to death on this board - so I'm not sure why anyone is surprised at what were seeing - is the horrible recruiting efforts that effected this program beginning with the debacle of losing Bourque, White, Reid, O'Neil and Laleggia along with the recruiting software miscue. UNH had to scramble to add fill ins for these recruits and they didn't come close to matching the talent they had lost.

UNH used to consistently skate two #1 lines, a young freshmen forward line and a hard-charging defensive third line. That has changed dramatically in the last few seasons as the talent has fallen off. I disagree with Greg - I think the team still skates well and has plenty of speed, but for a lot of the forwards that is all they have. Hands, stick-skills, shooting skills are what is missing!!

They replaced the lost talent with guys who can skate all over the ice, but can't handle the puck at top speed, guys who cannot handle the puck in tight spaces and guys who can't pick corners when shooting. Watch a lot of the upperclass kids play this weekend - they skate around, but they don't control the puck and their shots are blocked or into chests. Then watch the younger F's.

The one upperclassman who can do those things is Downing, but he'd be better suited playing a complimentary role on a #1 line (or at least he needs to play with other good players) to really be successful. When he played with Goumas for a few games as a sophomore they were dynamic! Instead, he's always been asked to carry a line and balance the scoring.

Willows hands are good enough, when combined with his bull in a china shop approach to the game, that he can produce. Kelleher was expected to be a prime scorer from day one - that has never been the UNH way and wasn't really fair given his stature. With added strength he's off to a great start this season. How many UNH freshman have burst onto the scene? Not many (Haydar & Collins). Saviano, Gare, Smith, the Hemingways, Radja, Thompson, Butler, Winnik - all pretty insignificant to modest FR contributions with BIG sequels.

We'll get the sequels from Kelleher and we'll get the sequels from this years FR - its just going to take some time. Poturalski, Foegele, Eiserman & McNicholas (Umile obviously loves his offense, if not his D) should all break 100 points easily. I'd expect Blackburn, Vela and VanReimsdyk to do the same. I hope all three come next year! These are the dynamic forwards we're used to. Players who can not only skate, but can score, handle the puck and make plays at tempo.

BTW - C-H-C - Blackburn is coming. If he signed his NLI (a one year document) it had to have been for 2015-16 and there's no reason to sign it unless they expect him to come.

It might not be next year - with Downing & Willows graduating and more kids on the way - but UNH is getting back on track. The SBN rankings are garbage - just like they did with this year's freshman they severly underrate next year's recruiting class. Especially, if it goes the way I hope in terms of who arrives. Fortunately, none of that matters. When this year's freshman are juniors, at the latest, UNH will once again be a part of the top tier in Hockey East. So enjoy the ride and appreciate that this young team has been in games (their last 5 loses - 7 of 9 - have been by essentially one goal (1 ENG)). Those are the games young teams lose and experienced teams win.

Now just don't screw up the recruiting...

Good stuff Dan keep coming back!!! I did just read that we had lost those games by one point and you are right...it'll come.