UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

[Dan]

that's what I thot. don't care about them, they're gone anywhoo:0

You should if it results in a disappointed Crotty, Crone, Cockerill or Kotkosalo ending up back on the market. Or of transfers become available. Talent arriving at UNH will close the gap a whole lot more (and faster) than expecting early departures to hurt the team's above them.

BU swapping Farrance for McAvoy, BC replacing White with Tolvanen or PC trading Jakes isn't going to bring them back to the pack. UNH needs to catch them...

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

You should if it results in a disappointed Crotty, Crone, Cockerill or Kotkosalo ending up back on the market. Or of transfers become available. Talent arriving at UNH will close the gap a whole lot more (and faster) than expecting early departures to hurt the team's above them.

BU swapping Farrance for McAvoy, BC replacing White with Tolvanen or PC trading Jakes isn't going to bring them back to the pack. UNH needs to catch them...

Fair enough! UNH needs also to compete for these guys ending up back on the market. But of course that brings up the whole question of do you want to build a program on two/three year players or four year players?

 

[UML Puck Hawk]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Come on CJ!!!!!

Buffalo...

 

[HockeyRef]

Buffalo...

Congrats to CJ an excellent forward wish him the best!!! We know all about players leaving early; our biggest issue is replacing the talent.

 

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Hockey East early departures so far:

UPDATED

Colin White/BC
Clayton Keller/BU
Charlie McAvoy/BU
Jake Walman/Providence
Tage Thompson/UCONN
CJ Smith/UML
Tyler Mueller/UML ???

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

I know Chuck doesn't believe me but I did speculate that Captain choice. I dunno why but I just had a feeling about it. That being said...no, I didn't predict the other things you mention but I was not surprised on the choice...believe it..or not. I agree Marks is a strong choice and also think Jason S has alot of character/could be an "A" choice if they do decide to go with the "A"'s. (and I hope they do).

Hey, if you still want to claim credit for that disaster, why would I ever disbelieve you, HR?

I too had a *feeling* about it, right after learning of the decision. I think it's called nausea.

But we learn from our mistakes, and we move on, right? Personally, I'd prefer to see Salvaggio get an "A" over Eiserman. You also gotta think Marks' pairing with Cleland this past season isn't going to hurt his chances for the "C" next season.

 

[HockeyRef]

Hey, if you still want to claim credit for that disaster, why would I ever disbelieve you, HR?

I too had a *feeling* about it, right after learning of the decision. I think it's called nausea.

But we learn from our mistakes, and we move on, right? Personally, I'd prefer to see Salvaggio get an "A" over Eiserman. You also gotta think Marks' pairing with Cleland this past season isn't going to hurt his chances for the "C" next season.[/QUOTE

Haha well give me credit for something around here I guess that means I've finally arrived I'll be at the banquet and will have the info /news hot off the press!!!

Seriously I am going to say that CMacD battled a ton of adversity breaking his leg (and had life threatening complications) which probably fueled his selection. I am well aware of his numbers etc. and it's not worth hashing all of that season over. He's having a great season playing down South so good for him.

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Tyler Kelleher has a good night with the Admirals getting his first pro points on two assists...and the number 2 star for the night. Fun fact UNH's Trevor Smith captains that team.

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

My first thought about Eiserman as Captain is that he gets injured a lot, and misses a lot of games, so there would need to be two Alternative Captains available, I think, to listen to the zebras yak about their take on penalties, etc. But, what do I know, as I thought that TyK would have been a good Co-Captain with Cleland this past season. Did TyK miss any games over his four years?

Turns out TyK missed one game is sophomore season and four his freshman year, so five total. Cleland missed only one game his sophomore season.

FWIW, this past season, six players did not miss a game: TyK, Cleland, Salvaggio, Grasso, BvR, and Marks. Blackburn and Dawson missed one game, and Tirone and Miller two. Eiserman missed 13 games this past season, 4 his sophomore year, and 5 during his freshman season, for a total of 22 games missed in three years.

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Tyler Kelleher has a good night with the Admirals getting his first pro points on two assists...and the number 2 star for the night. Fun fact UNH's Trevor Smith captains that team.

Trivia question: what NHL goalie had one of his collegiate seasons essentially ended when Trevor Smith flattened him for straying out of his crease at the Whitt?

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Turns out TyK missed one game is sophomore season and four his freshman year, so five total. Cleland missed only one game his sophomore season.

FWIW, this past season, six players did not miss a game: TyK, Cleland, Salvaggio, Grasso, BvR, and Marks. Blackburn and Dawson missed one game, and Tirone and Miller two. Eiserman missed 13 games this past season, 4 his sophomore year, and 5 during his freshman season, for a total of 22 games missed in three years.

Good reporting sir! Did not realize how many games Eiserman has missed...Wyse, he missed 3/4 games this year? I'm going to guess Ben Bishop on your trivia q...

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Good reporting sir! Did not realize how many games Eiserman has missed...Wyse, he missed 3/4 games this year? I'm going to guess Ben Bishop on your trivia q...

Yes, Big Ben from U Maine was the goalie who got flattened by Trevor Smith.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Seriously I am going to say that CMacD battled a ton of adversity breaking his leg (and had life threatening complications) which probably fueled his selection. I am well aware of his numbers etc. and it's not worth hashing all of that season over. He's having a great season playing down South so good for him.

Overcoming adversity is a great thing, and lessons learned will serve him well for the rest of his life. Glad CMacD has been able to extend his career in the low minors. His UNH career was snakebitten, to put it mildly.

But simply overcoming adversity was (and still is - caution to any soft-hearted teammates who might think a Boyd return warrants his captaincy) a really dumb reason in and of itself to justify choosing him to be your captain. That's not on him, though - as I said at the time, I seriously doubt he "ran" for the position. That's on his teammates, and in the end it's on Coach, who runs the program, and could have saved the (well-intentioned) players from themselves. That's a baseline expectation when you're the adult in charge, isn't it?

And in retrospect, it probably also pointed to a leadership void in that class ... and as we would find out a year later, a seemingly worthy junior option (Kelleher) apparently wanted no part of leadership even then. I wonder if Cleland emerged during the course of his junior season as an obvious leader under adversity, which seemed to make him the (rightful) slam-dunk choice for this past season's captain? Have to wonder if he could have handled the "C" a year earlier?

... and with such speculation, the march into random offseason chatter continues unabated ...

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Yes, Big Ben from U Maine was the goalie who got flattened by Trevor Smith.

Totally guessed on that one...! Would've loved to have seen it. Was it at home? Must've been awesome!

 

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Not surprisingly, TyK didn't make the top 3 Hobey Finalists but proud of him nonetheless! (Shameless plug: I still believe he deserves it)

Who's gonna win? My guess: Vecchione...has he been signed yet?

 

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Not surprisingly, TyK didn't make the top 3 Hobey Finalists but proud of him nonetheless! (Shameless plug: I still believe he deserves it)

Who's gonna win? My guess: Vecchione...has he been signed yet?

It is an outrage, I tell ya.

 

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

You should if it results in a disappointed Crotty, Crone, Cockerill or Kotkosalo ending up back on the market. Or of transfers become available. Talent arriving at UNH will close the gap a whole lot more (and faster) than expecting early departures to hurt the team's above them.

BU swapping Farrance for McAvoy, BC replacing White with Tolvanen or PC trading Jakes isn't going to bring them back to the pack. UNH needs to catch them...

You are so cute, thinking UNH can get a late pickup of that talent level. Talented free agents go to programs the level of Penn State (Limoges and Cole Hults), Providence got Hults (before that changed with PC getting Princeton transfer Tom Davis), Michigan (Jacob Slaker). I suppose you could dream about RPI's Bailey Conger, but have you seen any hustle by UNH to get that late talent, like BU's Baillargeon last year (Arizona St.) or Fortunato (Quinnipiac)? Or a late Euro (Denver Borgstrom, PC's Bjorkvist, BC's Mattila twins)?

Woke in middle of the night astounded again at Umile's attempt to sell his final year as a year of transition. He also admitted that he has delegated all of the recruiting to Souza. ("We are fortunate to have Mike Souza here changing the culture in recruiting and gaining more invaluable experience to become the 14th head coach of UNH hockey at the completion of the 2017-18 season".
Scarano said. "I am confident next season will be one in which we build from within, make inroads in recruiting and continue to bolster an exciting future.")

So basically he is saying all of the inroads in recruiting and culture are Mike Souza's but Umile is willing to pitch in on Monday - Thursday, 4-6 pm, and Friday/Saturday 7-10 pm in his quest for $247K (you paying attention to possible titles, Chuck?), but nothing more to change the culture.....

 

[After the Whistle]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Likely Marks to get the C as more commonly the C seems to sit on a Dman's jersey when there is not a clear leader at forward. I too question whether Eiserman will remain healthy for the season. While that is not really a reason to keep a letter off of him, it may be what keeps him from getting the C. Taking playing time (over all three seasons) out of the thinking process you have to admire what Salvaggio did with his opportunity to play with the top line last year. I realize who was on his other wing and that certainly helps but he lit up the score sheet and did a lot of things you do not see on the score sheet. Point being I do not see him as a dark horse candidate given his attitude and ability that was held back in his first two years.

If we are going 1 C, 2 A's. My prediction is Marks then Eiserman and Salvaggio. Not necessarily how I would pick things but that is my best guess. I have been wrong before... And if anyone outside of the team says they guessed the Captains from two years ago they probably also predicted the 1980 Miracle on ice, The Patriots Super Bowl comeback, and the Bruins 3 goal comeback against the leafs in 2013..

db62
I agree with your prediction. I also guess that I am more comfort than you. Shane has suffered through some unfortunate line assignments in my mind.
He is really much more of a set up guy than a big goal scorer.

 

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017 Off-season: The Clash Question

Not surprisingly, TyK didn't make the top 3 Hobey Finalists but proud of him nonetheless! (Shameless plug: I still believe he deserves it)

Who's gonna win? My guess: Vecchione...has he been signed yet?

It is an outrage, I tell ya.

Yeah, I'm disappointed but not terribly surprised. Looking at the other 3 players who did get to the "Hat Trick", I guess the one that makes me scratch my head a little (at least in comparison to Kelleher) is Aston-Reese. The other two guys played on winning teams, one of which is still in the mix at the Frozen Four. Vecchione led the nation in scoring, has been on the radar for his entire career, and played for a team that made the D-1 tourney. And while Northeastern did (narrowly) finish with a winning record, they bowed out of the season a day earlier than UNH did.

I thought Dan outlined a strong argument for Kelleher over ZAR in the NU thread a few weeks ago. But ZAR fared better at the HE awards banquet, so that may have given him a nudge with the Hobey folks less familiar with the two players. And although I don't think last year is supposed to be a consideration, Northeastern did some incredible things late in the season last year, so that may have given ZAR a head start on things this season. Throw in a letter on the front of his jersey, where Kelleher opted against, and maybe it's a lot of little things that all added up to give Aston-Reese the slight edge. Oh well.

FWIW I'm getting a feeling that Butcher wins it this year. I had the same feeling when Leopold won it in '02. Union didn't exactly finish the season on an up note, with two decisive losses in the postseason.

 

[Dan]

You are so cute, thinking UNH can get a late pickup of that talent level. Talented free agents go to programs the level of Penn State (Limoges and Cole Hults), Providence got Hults (before that changed with PC getting Princeton transfer Tom Davis), Michigan (Jacob Slaker). I suppose you could dream about RPI's Bailey Conger, but have you seen any hustle by UNH to get that late talent, like BU's Baillargeon last year (Arizona St.) or Fortunato (Quinnipiac)? Or a late Euro (Denver Borgstrom, PC's Bjorkvist, BC's Mattila twins)?

Woke in middle of the night astounded again at Umile's attempt to sell his final year as a year of transition. He also admitted that he has delegated all of the recruiting to Souza. ("We are fortunate to have Mike Souza here changing the culture in recruiting and gaining more invaluable experience to become the 14th head coach of UNH hockey at the completion of the 2017-18 season".
Scarano said. "I am confident next season will be one in which we build from within, make inroads in recruiting and continue to bolster an exciting future.")

So basically he is saying all of the inroads in recruiting and culture are Mike Souza's but Umile is willing to pitch in on Monday - Thursday, 4-6 pm, and Friday/Saturday 7-10 pm in his quest for $247K (you paying attention to possible titles, Chuck?), but nothing more to change the culture.....

Hahaha, I was going to ask you yesterday if you thought Conger would be a guy worth moving on. He certainly slides in ahead of a number of forwards on the depth chart currently - but is he worth the money that could potentially be given to a better player in the next year or two. While I'd love to see some quick fixes - I don't want to see UNH simply hit the clearance bin and give away scholarship money that could grab a stud down the road for a slight upgrade. Is Conger a top-six on HE competitor...??

But hey, you know me! Ever the optimist, haha! The Gildon move has got me dreaming big...!!