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UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

I'm going to take slight liberties with the order of your post HR, but there are two excellent points in there ...

HockeyRef said:
Hey Chuck ... 600 wins or not; heck, his legacy has been set already what's in a number but I digress ...
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Couldn't agree with you more, HR. There's only one (1) thing left out there that could shift the top line of Coach Umile's legacy from what it is today ... and it's not a "legendary 600 win UNH Hockey coach" vs. the current "legendary all-time winningest UNH Hockey coach" opener. I was 110% behind Coach until at some point within the last year-plus, when several things came to my attention to change my take on this, and to convince me Coach wasn't as committed to achieving that last unattained honor on his coaching CV as I assumed he was (and you all know what happens when you assume).

I'm not saying he's totally packed it in, and he's not hoping to pull something incredible off over his final two seasons - I'm sure in his heart, he thinks with a few breaks, it can be done - but if he looks in the mirror and asks himself if he's pushing himself as hard as most of his top competitors are pushing themselves to attain that elusive D-1 title, he has to realize he's just playing out the string, and chasing a meaningless number. And if he's doing that at his age, and at this stage of what has been a remarkable career, where he's experienced almost everything there is to be experienced at this level ... why bother any more if you're just hoping to get lucky, instead of pushing hard and building realistic expectations?

Especially when you can be enjoying yourself doing this same work somewhere else at a lower level with less pressure and expectations, and letting a younger person with more energy and ambition pick up where you left off (sooner) at your alma mater, where you can say to yourself that, hey, I might not have gotten there myself, but I set the next guy up to push the program over the top to a D-1 title?

If you're still coaching because you love coaching, and it's in your blood and you think you still have something to offer ... hey, I totally get that. But despite warnings and cautions from this corner that you were risking finishing up your career the same way as Coach Holt back during the dawn of the Hockey East era, you've apparently ignored that, kept doing things the same way, results continued to slip, and now you are a two year lame duck chasing a meaningless round number. And UNH is likely stuck in neutral 'til the 2020's. Yippee. :(

HockeyRef said:
Anyhoo, the future of the program at this point has to lie in getting the best players on that ice and right quick. This season especially the Freshman class will have to take a few lumps but it will be worth it providing they do indeed, figure into the mix as they should.
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With the cupcake early season schedule that BS35+4 has contrived this season to prop up his outgoing coach and assist him in getting to the meaningless round number, I agree 100% - there is NO excuse not to get the kids out there right from the start. There's not enough returning upperclass veterans to justify otherwise, and it's hard to describe games against half of the AHA seriously as "getting thrown in at the deep end" without bursting out laughing. I may have been pushing things in describing the Bentley opener as a must-win game, but I'm serious as a heart attack when I say UNH has to win at least 10 games by the end of December, or else this season (and Coach's "Crawl to 600") are both dead in the water. Just sayin', and JMHO.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

All,

I am sparked that you all seem to have some passion for the talent of this incoming class. Umile plays freshmen on the first two lines when they are better than the players we have (one can make a strong argument on last year's senior line) that are upperclassmen. Here is a not all inclusive list of some on the first two lines since 2000. He had Sean Collins, Brett Hemingway, Jacob McFlikier, JVR, Danny Dries, Trevor Smith, Jim Abbott on the power play, Justin Atkins on power play, Downing, Goumas, Sorkin, Poturalski, Kelleher, Nazarian (second half of season) Vela and Miller (second half of season). Umile plays those who he believes gives him the best chance to win. If he had BU and BC first round picks, they would be playing. He believes the best 3 for our first line is Nazarian (one of the greatest MA high school players of his generation) who most think will have a breakout year, Salvaggio (best shot on the team with physical presence) and Tyler Kelleher (best offensive player on the team). The second line is Eiserman, Miller and Vela. They look a lot better in practice than any of the freshmen by a wide margin and they play off their lines on TR and the 6 above are still the best 6 on the ice. I absolutely love the talent of our freshmen and if they are better than those now playing, I am all for Umile promoting and demoting as needed.

I am sure the hate posts might be coming but please go and at least watch what is going on rather than a few highlight reels (I can see any of the five freshmen forwards displacing someone when they show they are better). The ones we have on the first two lines had highlight reels from their junior playing days as well. I know many of you will question Miller, as I have in my mind over the past year. The players say he has the best wrist shot from the slot of anyone in hockey east and he plays way beyond his size. I hope the frosh play well enough to displace the first two lines but as of now they have not.

See you all soon and hoping they are as good as we all think they are when they play for real in the near future.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

UNH1932 said:
All,

I am sparked that you all seem to have some passion for the talent of this incoming class. Umile plays freshmen on the first two lines when they are better than the players we have (one can make a strong argument on last year's senior line) that are upperclassmen. Here is a not all inclusive list of some on the first two lines since 2000. He had Sean Collins, Brett Hemingway, Jacob McFlikier, JVR, Danny Dries, Trevor Smith, Jim Abbott on the power play, Justin Atkins on power play, Downing, Goumas, Sorkin, Poturalski, Kelleher, Nazarian (second half of season) Vela and Miller (second half of season). Umile plays those who he believes gives him the best chance to win. If he had BU and BC first round picks, they would be playing. He believes the best 3 for our first line is Nazarian (one of the greatest MA high school players of his generation) who most think will have a breakout year, Salvaggio (best shot on the team with physical presence) and Tyler Kelleher (best offensive player on the team). The second line is Eiserman, Miller and Vela. They look a lot better in practice than any of the freshmen by a wide margin and they play off their lines on TR and the 6 above are still the best 6 on the ice. I absolutely love the talent of our freshmen and if they are better than those now playing, I am all for Umile promoting and demoting as needed.

I am sure the hate posts might be coming but please go and at least watch what is going on rather than a few highlight reels (I can see any of the five freshmen forwards displacing someone when they show they are better). The ones we have on the first two lines had highlight reels from their junior playing days as well. I know many of you will question Miller, as I have in my mind over the past year. The players say he has the best wrist shot from the slot of anyone in hockey east and he plays way beyond his size. I hope the frosh play well enough to displace the first two lines but as of now they have not.

See you all soon and hoping they are as good as we all think they are when they play for real in the near future.
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UNH 1932
Thanks for the live update from practice. I can certainly tolerate these as the starting 6, and certainly until someone shows us something different.
I believe that this is the best class in many years, whether they are top 6 remains to be seen. They certainly give us a strong class to build from. I am glad you pointed out the starting freshmen from the past, as i sat here thinking the same thing. I do wonder though if DU's reported drop in recruitment participation in the past several years has left him not knowing them as well as say 10 years ago. How many has he actually seen play once, twice. Not being critical as much as just wondering.
What time do they practice and is it open to the public? I can't wait until Sunday (interesting that the tickets say 2:00 and schedule says 4:00) and my biggest disappointment will be the low turn out. I love watching the new kids skate for the first time in front of a crowd. How can people love UNH hockey and not go?????
See you there.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

I can live with that to start out with. I am curious what has given Salvaggio the push to the top line, I have seen he has a defensive presence and can bring some size to that first line that I asked for. Maybe having the right supporting cast in Kelleher and Nazarian have helped him greatly. We have never really had the chance to see his talent level because he has been buried in the 3rd/4th/sitting in the stands group for his first two seasons. My only real question/concern in that group is, where is Mcnick? While I fully believe he can be an asset anchoring a third line I really think he was presenting a good argument for top 6 time at the end of last year.

I will say, I can handle that grouping going in. 4/6 are easily top 6 material, Salvaggio is an interesting choice but I have not seen a lot of glowing discrepancies in his game so I only say that due to his lack of playing time to date. Miller had some good looks playing with Vela and Nazarian last year so pairing him with Vela is a good thing in my mind. Obviously there will be changes throughout the season (and even possibly before next Sunday). I will be interested to see what the new line combinations bring in the exhibition game next weekend.

Also a note, for those STH's that have not received their tickets yet (that includes me). The ticket office was stuffing envelopes on Friday night during the Women's teams exhibition. I needed a hockey fix so I went to the game... For those who do not know (since the ticket office communicates so well with us) you can get 2 comp tickets to every Womens game for each mens STH you hold. I usually get to about 5 games per year.
 
deltabravo62 said:
I can live with that to start out with. I am curious what has given Salvaggio the push to the top line, I have seen he has a defensive presence and can bring some size to that first line that I asked for. Maybe having the right supporting cast in Kelleher and Nazarian have helped him greatly. We have never really had the chance to see his talent level because he has been buried in the 3rd/4th/sitting in the stands group for his first two seasons. My only real question/concern in that group is, where is Mcnick? While I fully believe he can be an asset anchoring a third line I really think he was presenting a good argument for top 6 time at the end of last year.

I will say, I can handle that grouping going in. 4/6 are easily top 6 material, Salvaggio is an interesting choice but I have not seen a lot of glowing discrepancies in his game so I only say that due to his lack of playing time to date. Miller had some good looks playing with Vela and Nazarian last year so pairing him with Vela is a good thing in my mind. Obviously there will be changes throughout the season (and even possibly before next Sunday). I will be interested to see what the new line combinations bring in the exhibition game next weekend.

Also a note, for those STH's that have not received their tickets yet (that includes me). The ticket office was stuffing envelopes on Friday night during the Women's teams exhibition. I needed a hockey fix so I went to the game... For those who do not know (since the ticket office communicates so well with us) you can get 2 comp tickets to every Womens game for each mens STH you hold. I usually get to about 5 games per year.
Click to expand...

As per tix I just bought mine so I am planning to print mine out at home? I know they just came in the mail for a bunch of people I know. I am sooo excited to be at the 'Whitt next Sunday myself!!! And I'm also glad we will have plenty to talk about as the season kicks off. Here we go 'Cats!! (now where DID I put my pom pom??? Sigh.)

I don't think any of us here really expect to see the Frosh class take over the top six, but are hoping that they will provide a much needed spark and jump to the team. Glad to hear that some feel this is the best class in awhile. As for me, just seeing another vR on the ice will be especially gratifying as we've been waiting for this for awhile! Big thing will be can the D and goal tending come together...and who will score some goals along with TyK?

I will hang out at the picture near my section (101) if any of you are walking the perimeter come by and say hello!
 
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Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

HockeyRef said:
As per tix I just bought mine so I am planning to print mine out at home? I know they just came in the mail for a bunch of people I know. I am sooo excited to be at the 'Whitt next Sunday myself!!! And I'm also glad we will have plenty to talk about as the season kicks off. Here we go 'Cats!! (now where DID I put my pom pom??? Sigh.)

I don't think any of us here really expect to see the Frosh class take over the top six, but are hoping that they will provide a much needed spark and jump to the team. Glad to hear that some feel this is the best class in awhile. As for me, just seeing another vR on the ice will be especially gratifying as we've been waiting for this for awhile! Big thing will be can the D and goal tending come together...and who will score some goals along with TyK?

I will hang out at the picture near my section (101) if any of you are walking the perimeter come by and say hello!
Click to expand...

Can't we just call him 3vR?
If I remember correctly Jason S. was held in fairly high regard a one point. He like many others are a product of line mates and ice time. In my mind that is what creates breakout years and ongoing improvement.
 
After the Whistle said:
Can't we just call him 3vR?
If I remember correctly Jason S. was held in fairly high regard a one point. He like many others are a product of line mates and ice time. In my mind that is what creates breakout years and ongoing improvement.
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Sure...3vR sounds just fine. of course...BvR is pretty much in line with the other two :) I'd love nothing more than to see Jason S have a great year...he certainly is due...I know from what I have seen from social media the team is psyched to get going.
 
HockeyRef said:
Sure...3vR sounds just fine. of course...BvR is pretty much in line with the other two :) I'd love nothing more than to see Jason S have a great year...he certainly is due...I know from what I have seen from social media the team is psyched to get going.
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BvR yay; 3vR nay!
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck Murray said:
And that's a guy who's actually WON a D-1 National Title.

Surprising the LSU AD doesn't already have Jamarcus Russell or Kevin Faulk on board as the offensive coordinator/successor in waiting. More enlightened and experienced AD's have been known to take that approach ...
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Although I agree with your larger point, I never want college hockey EVER to look to college football, a corrupt professional sport forced into a college concept just because it makes money, as a basis for seeing how to do things correctly.
 
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NCAA watcher said:
Although I agree with your larger point, I never want college hockey EVER to look to college football, a corrupt professional sport forced into a college concept just because it makes money, as a basis for seeing how to do things correctly.
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Couldn't agree more. College hockey has had few instances of skulduggery of the kind that goes on daily in football and hoops.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

We're a week and a half away from the start of the regular season, and the exhibition opener is only a few days away now. There is plenty of room left in this now almost-obsolete offseason thread, and the time is approaching for someone (else) to start the first of the season threads.

I guess my big takeaway from this now-past offseason is that UNH Hockey is still a rudderless program. Uber-lame duck coach, the next guy already behind the bench but hardly setting the recruiting world ablaze with his vision for the program starting in March 2018, the second assistant *maybe* coming up with one surefire recruit, and even more question marks than when we started this thread up a few short months ago. As fans, we are left to hope for the best with a returning team that should be stronger (on paper anyway), facing what appears to be the weakest early season schedule (NC and HE combined) I can remember in my decades of following the program. And my impression is that the coaching staff is reduced to hoping for the best as well - or else we don't see them scheduling this stream of cupcakes in the first place.

Do I think UNH will win at least 10 games before 2018? Yes, actually I do. If they don't, then God help all of us, because the second half of the schedule will chew them up and spit them out otherwise (not to mention the "Crawl to 600" will be dead in the water). If UNH can hit the 2018 part of the schedule with some momentum and confidence, then *maybe* UNH can sneak into the top half of the HE RS standings. But realistically, none of that would translate into any realistic shot at postseason success.

I want to be optimistic, but expecting a quick start and a non-disastrous finish to the conference schedule is about as much hope as I can realistically muster up. And while that's your typical UNH season during the Umile era in a nutshell ... all of this would probably be quite acceptable after last season's debacle IF there was progress being made with the recruiting, but that just doesn't seem to be happening. So far. Rooting (hard) to be proven wrong. JMHO.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

The HE poll should come out this week. We do have the USCHO Preseason Poll, with 7 Hockey East Teams receiving votes.


September 26, 2016
Team (First Place Votes) Record Points Last Poll
1 North Dakota (43) 34- 6-4 993 1
2 Quinnipiac ( 1) 32- 4-7 856 2
3 Denver 25-10-6 848 4
4 Boston University ( 5) 21-13-5 774 14
5 Boston College ( 1) 28- 8-5 641 3
6 Minnesota-Duluth 19-16-5 621 9
7 St. Cloud State 31- 9-1 569 5
8 Massachusetts-Lowell 26-10-5 535 7
9 Notre Dame 19-11-7 502 13
10 Providence 27- 7-4 476 7
11 Michigan 25- 8-5 470 6
12 Harvard 19-11-4 422 10
13 Minnesota 20-17-0 404 NR
14 Bowling Green 22-14-6 370 NR
15 Northeastern 22-15-5 361 12
16 St. Lawrence 19-14-4 336 18
17 Michigan Tech 23- 9-5 285 16
18 Yale 19- 9-4 283 11
19 Minnesota State 21-13-7 153 17
20 Ferris State 20-15-6 126 15
Others receiving votes: Cornell 92, Nebraska-Omaha 85, Penn State 63, Clarkson 62, Rochester Institute of Technology 62, Ohio State 33, Air Force 17, Vermont 16, Miami 11, Wisconsin 10, Dartmouth 6, Robert Morris 6, Michigan State 5.
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

So you're saying we're not even in the Top 33? And who's this Robert Morris fellow??
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck Murray said:
So you're saying we're not even in the Top 33? And who's this Robert Morris fellow??
Click to expand...

Our best finish in recent years was what, 19th or 20th? 2013 we were 10th in the Nation heading into the last Regional in Manch we played in. Well...like I said eons ago in this thread, no where to go but up. Wish this could be the year we return, I know that's a tall order. I won't go if we aren't there just to see the 'Cat insignia painted on the boards is too hard. Welp, bring it on! 5 days to puck drop!!
 
Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Official <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HockeyEast?src=hash">#HockeyEast</a> preseason poll topped by <a href="https://twitter.com/TerrierHockey">@TerrierHockey</a>. As voted on by the league's head coaches. <a href="https://t.co/MJvyyUaVrJ">pic.twitter.com/MJvyyUaVrJ</a></p>— Hockey East (@hockey_east) <a href="https://twitter.com/hockey_east/status/780799156751245312">September 27, 2016</a></blockquote>
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