This will not be a "new boss" sending a message of cleaning house to send a signal. It's hard to send that message when you have been part of the stink the past two years.
I would not worry about the in/out numbers, as UNH has scholarship money that they have pocketed if my guess is correct. Typically you look at the fourth line and 6/7/8 defensemen and it includes pretty decently regarded kids early in their careers (unless you are a BC, which gives out lots of fulls, so fills the fourth line with lower quality kids like Shero). UNH was never top heaving in giving fulls -- if you recall, when Borek left, his supporters said one of his skills was getting lots of kids to take smaller deals. That means the second and third line players at UNH should each have partial deals, leaving lots of partial kids for the fourth line. However, UNH barely recruited the first two years after Borek left, and they played short handed all year. So the fourth liners Cefalu was a surprise recruited "walk on," Miller was an in-state low partial, and Nonis I presume was a favor to his dad, as was Sacco. None should be getting anything more than nominal scholarship money. That means there was unspent scholarship money this year. In addition, I think Boyd, with his health, may not be on the team. For "cutting" a players, I don't think they need to do so to free up money, but there are several who probably will be told that they are likely to be in the stands much of next season, while the new coach's kids -- Maass, Gildon and hopefully a late forward (Limoges) get the bulk of the playing time.
I'm more interested in who Souza hires as his two assistants. He's got a lot to learn and making a play for a Jerry Keefe/Daryn Yopyk sort would be interesting, though I don't think they would cast their lot with an unproven coach who they outrank. Does he go for a guy with strong resume trying to rehap his role in hockey -- Seth Appert? Leaman hired Steve Miller, Jackson hired Jamie Russell/Paul Pooley types? Does he have enough standing to hire a proven recruiter, even though that might be a threat to his own position). Wisconsin, for example (leaving aside that they hired a real proven coach -- Granato) also hired old hat former assistant/fired Ohio State coach Osiecki. Or does Souza goes with a comfortable UNH/Mass/GBL connections -- Mark White/Sean Collins/Mark Mowers even though they are equally inexperienced.
