UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Chairs?

[Felger]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Takeaways are, first, the weak OOC schedule. Pretty imperative that UNH win a heck of a lot more than the lose in these 12 games and especially those against teams that have a chance of success (Union, St. Lawrence, Michigan St.). Not going to get much in the way of Pairwise Points playing AIC and Bentley. Second thing that gets me is why we are playing two road games vs. Merrimack and Providence. This all started three years ago and we have gone back and forth with two game sets since. I can maybe understand PC since a trip to Providence, especially on a Friday, can be a bear. But Merrimack? They are our closest HE rival in terms of miles so, for the life of me, I cannot think of any logical explanation for this type of scheduling. Finally, the reason we have so many OOC games is because we only play 24 league games. I have thrown this out before but, assuming the league remains with 12 teams, I'd like to see them have two divisions, play three games each inside your division (15 games) and two games in the other division (12) for a total of 27. Then we'd only have 7 OOC games to contend with, not 12. Any thoughts on that?

On Souza, except for Cavanaugh's pronouncement, there is nothing to indicate that Souza is coming to UNH with a deal that he will be the head coach. All this news has come out of Connecticut with the implied rationalization that it is the only reason he would leave.

Have to have 11 home games and 11 away games. Already hosting Notre Dame and Vermont for two, so have to play a pair of road series to balance the home/away numbers. That is why last year, when the Notre Dame and Vermont series were on the road, 'Cats hosted MC and PC for two. If you could play home and homes against the Catamounts and Irish, the situation would be eliminated...

As far as the divisions go, seems pretty simple to me: Maine, New Hampshire, Lowell, Amherst, Vermont and UConn in one division. BC, BU, MC, ND, NU, PC in the other. Though the divisional model feels like a return to the unbalanced schedules of the ECAC years.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Umm...is it a bad thing that we only have 7 D coming in for next season with the loss of Masonius:

Cleland, Quast, Furgele, Marks, Boyd, Maller, Chanter? One of those having or has had foot issues? Will this create space for Nonis? If I've missed someone my bad..

On another note not related to the Wildcats, are you Bruins fans happy with the acquisition of Jimmy Hayes? I will see him play in the BU/BC charity game this Friday (if he's still on the roster).
Winnick back to Toronto...Buh Bye Jack.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

So, he didn't qualify.

So if this is the case, and please understand I have zero knowledge of how this all works, he can get into UConn? Did he not sign a NLI or does that not matter if he can't cut the admission muster at UNH? Just looking for some understanding how an athlete can be on track for 3 years and then poof...all gone. And I do know this happens all the time.

 

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

So if this is the case, and please understand I have zero knowledge of how this all works, he can get into UConn? Did he not sign a NLI or does that not matter if he can't cut the admission muster at UNH? Just looking for some understanding how an athlete can be on track for 3 years and then poof...all gone. And I do know this happens all the time.

Assuming that's the case - coaches who, after committing the player, pay little to no attention to his academic pursuits or their University's academic requirements (despite being burned by doing so many times). Need a few more forwards, but UNH is building quite a team of deferrals, academic casualties and character issues...

Bourque - White - Reid
Vecchione - Gaudreault?? - Masters

Yandle - O'Neill
Masonious - Laleggia
Rycek - Kolomaitis

Would love for anyone to show examples of another team where THIS happens - i.e. a program that has lost this much talent, but pushing back elite skaters to cater to average recruits and consistently loses recruits to academic reasons that they should be 100% aware of and understand how to handle (credit hour reqs). Because, I doubt it...

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

I'm sure someone would lie about it publicly.

If neither Souza nor Umile are going to call the little weasel on it - and why would they lower themselves to discuss private matters in the public realm - then yeah, why not? It's just the way he's wired, I'm afraid.

Just wonder how the little git would feel if the tables were turned, and other HE coaches started commenting publicly on UConn's inner workings, succession planning, etc.

This is the second bit of meddling the twerp has pulled (the "nephew" thing being the first).

I'm just waiting for a pair of cement skates to show up at his office in Storrs any day now ...

 

[FDNY99]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

This is the second bit of meddling the twerp has pulled (the "nephew" thing being the first).

I'm just waiting for a pair of cement skates to show up at his office in Storrs any day now ...

Chuck...Jeff Cox (@Jeffcoxsports) was the ONLY one who reported the nephew thing...and he was the first one to bring up the coach in waiting thing too. I never saw any quotes from Cavanaugh in that piece...just saying.

 

[Snively65]

Assuming that's the case - coaches who, after committing the player, pay little to no attention to his academic pursuits or their University's academic requirements (despite being burned by doing so many times). Need a few more forwards, but UNH is building quite a team of deferrals, academic casualties and character issues...

Bourque - White - Reid
Vecchione - Gaudreault?? - Masters

Yandle - O'Neill
Masonious - Laleggia
Rycek - Kolomaitis

Would love for anyone to show examples of another team where THIS happens - i.e. a program that has lost this much talent, but pushing back elite skaters to cater to average recruits and consistently loses recruits to academic reasons that they should be 100% aware of and understand how to handle (credit hour reqs). Because, I doubt it...

I think that your summary is very telling about our recent woes, Dan. You mean Johnny Hockey Gaudreau, not Gaudreault, right?

HRef, the two-year foreign (second) language requirement at UNH apparently has been one of the admission obstacles. Do any students still take Latin in high school?

 

[HockeyRef]

I think that your summary is very telling about our recent woes, Dan. You mean Johnny Hockey Gaudreau, not Gaudreault, right?

HRef, the two-year foreign (second) language requirement at UNH apparently has been one of the admission obstacles. Do any students still take Latin in high school?

Ha hubby took Latin all 4 years in HS..few schools offer it. Guess we will move on and wish him all the best. We will never know what went down (most likely) and I wasn't intending on pointing fingers with my initial inquiry and certainly no bad will towards the player. Moving on...onward 'Cats!!

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Dan Winnik just traded back to the Leafs, to rejoin JvR and Trevor Smith, or NHL-UNH-North. I know that many here do not like players who leave UNH early for the pro's, but I am ok that.

 

[UNHJourney34]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Umm...is it a bad thing that we only have 7 D coming in for next season with the loss of Masonius:

Cleland, Quast, Furgele, Marks, Boyd, Maller, Chanter? One of those having or has had foot issues? Will this create space for Nonis? If I've missed someone my bad..

On another note not related to the Wildcats, are you Bruins fans happy with the acquisition of Jimmy Hayes? I will see him play in the BU/BC charity game this Friday (if he's still on the roster).
Winnick back to Toronto...Buh Bye Jack.

I think that Jimmy Hayes is the smallest factor in this trade. He is a 3rd/4th liner, but a good story/hometown kid. The reason this deal is huge success is the clearing of cap space. Clearly that was the Bruins goal this offseason. Smith was overpaid for what he was and they were able to move the Savard contract which had been hanging over their heads for years, really hindering their ability to sign free agents.

After Hamilton signed nearly an identical deal to what the B's were offering him it seems pretty clear that he didn't want to be in Boston and the return they got for him was better than what they would have gotten if he had made it to RFA. The return for Lucic was incredible because he only has 1 year left on his deal. 2 first round picks and a solid prospect is more than I expected was possible to get for him. Beleskey signing was great as well, there was talk that someone was really going to overpay for him. But he actually signed with the Bruins for less than Anaheim was offering him. And he fits in nicely in Lucic's spot (and for 2 Million per year cheaper). And now with this trade I definitely think Sweeney has a plan and has done a nice job in execution so far this offseason. The Bruins definitely need help on defense now, at least 1 solid top 4 defenseman. And there's still some question on who is going to backup Rask now that Svedberg is gone. But with these moves they have cleared plenty of cap space to be able to bring in some solid players to fill those needs. So I imagine that there are still a couple important moves to be made over the next couple weeks but so far I am pretty happy with what they have done.

 

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Greg A

Felger is correct about the 11 home and 11 away and very logical in his proposed divisional model. I prefer Greg's and Felger's unbalanced league schedule to playing Atlantic Hockey teams to fill out the schedule. I believe they want to expand to make it more feasible to have all trips > 2 or 2.5 hours to be home one year, away the next. It cannot be done with 12 teams and the ND situation. All one year home, one year away teams but Notre Dame were done by random draw. The league needed four and all of the coaching staffs are unhappy with the short trip games (It would have great to have Maine, VT, Amherst, UCONN and Providence). Merrimack was just a random draw. I believe this is a permanent condition until one leaves or one or two join HE.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Chuck...Jeff Cox (@Jeffcoxsports) was the ONLY one who reported the nephew thing...and he was the first one to bring up the coach in waiting thing too. I never saw any quotes from Cavanaugh in that piece...just saying.

Since you're new here let me clue you in, Chuck doesn't like facts.

 

[Greg A]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Have to have 11 home games and 11 away games. Already hosting Notre Dame and Vermont for two, so have to play a pair of road series to balance the home/away numbers. That is why last year, when the Notre Dame and Vermont series were on the road, 'Cats hosted MC and PC for two. If you could play home and homes against the Catamounts and Irish, the situation would be eliminated...

As far as the divisions go, seems pretty simple to me: Maine, New Hampshire, Lowell, Amherst, Vermont and UConn in one division. BC, BU, MC, ND, NU, PC in the other. Though the divisional model feels like a return to the unbalanced schedules of the ECAC years.

Thanks for the clarification on point one. On point two, I remember the ECAC days when teams did not play the same number of games and standings were based on winning percentage. Great advantage for the Ivies back then. But going to 27 HE games is not an unbalanced schedule in that sense as everybody will play the same number of games. I guess what you mean is that not all teams will play the same number of games against all league opponents. But isn't this he way it is in every league that has divisions? I'm thinking football mostly, Big 10, SEC and, of course, the NFL. But I think the model can fit for college hockey, especially when you consider that having 12 OOC games means that over a third of the overall schedule is "unbalanced."

 

[Greg A]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Since you're new here let me clue you in, Chuck doesn't like facts.

Where do you think Jeff got the idea that Souza was Umile's nephew? Think it came out of some sort of epiphany? Some rudimentary fact checking would have revealed that claim to be false.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Where do you think Jeff got the idea that Souza was Umile's nephew? Think it came out of some sort of epiphany? Some rudimentary fact checking would have revealed that claim to be false.

Couldn't have said it better myself, Greg. Over to you, Nick ...

 

[FDNY99]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Where do you think Jeff got the idea that Souza was Umile's nephew? Think it came out of some sort of epiphany? Some rudimentary fact checking would have revealed that claim to be false.

Probably the same place he got the WRONG info 2x that Mike Mottau was coming to UCONN to be an Assistant (once with Souza, the second time to replace Souza). Some rudimentary fact checking would have showed these claims to be false too. Good luck on your upcoming season...

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

Probably the same place he got the WRONG info 2x that Mike Mottau was coming to UCONN to be an Assistant (once with Souza, the second time to replace Souza). Some rudimentary fact checking would have showed these claims to be false too. Good luck on your upcoming season...

They don't like logic either.

Your first lesson in the well-known world of Hillbilly Logic.

 

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2015 Offseason - Future Planning ...or Just Rearranging the Deck Cha

They don't like logic either.

Your first lesson in the well-known world of Hillbilly Logic.

As opposed to the even more well-known world of Pinhead Logic, aka "Chestnut Hill-billy" logic.

 

[HockeyRef]

As opposed to the even more well-known world of Pinhead Logic, aka "Chestnut Hill-billy" logic.

Ha! Love it...

 

[NCAA watcher]

Umm...is it a bad thing that we only have 7 D coming in for next season with the loss of Masonius:

Cleland, Quast, Furgele, Marks, Boyd, Maller, Chanter? One of those having or has had foot issues? Will this create space for Nonis? If I've missed someone my bad..k.

Not only is this going to be a weak defense, but in looking at help for 2016, 2017 as recruits, I see no real prospects to spend the Masonius/ryczyk money on. The program, whoever will coach it, will will have little in the pipeline, and will face some real challenges while we sort out the future.