UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

[bomberhockey]

You're probably right.

Of course, Umile should have been involved and aided in recruiting whenever he could, but, Borek knew going in he would shoulder 99% of the recruiting responsibility and that is the way he wanted it. Regardless, I don't think he struggled to recruit to UNH because of Umile. Or because of the lack of a players lounge. Or because British Columbia is across the continent.

He struggled to bring top talent to UNH for three reasons. First, he made numerous poor decisions on EARLY commitments to players like Smith, Gaudreault, Hill, Kalinowski, Maller, Chanter, etc, etc, etc. Its not as if he was constantly missing on his targets and settling late - he offered these kids that early because he thought they were difference makers. Second, he consistently failed to monitor prospects after their commitments losing numerous kids to academic technicalities. Additionally, he failed to learn from these mistakes (Masonious). Finally, as we all know, he made a lot of poor decisions on deferrals leading to decommitments.

None of that is the fault of Umile not picking up the phone or missing a visit or two. Borek was empowered to make decisions and he made bad choices in philosophy, offers and class building and the roster has suffered as a result. That's why blaming Umile's lack of involvement just sounds like another in a long line of excuses. If Umile hindered recruiting, it was likely more an issue of Umile's personnel usage (upperclassmen) than not helping with the process itself...

Perhaps the most unfair thing I've done is to attribute the rationalizations made by posters on this board to Borek himself. I don't like posting about Borek. I empathize with him in many ways, but he just didn't/couldn't maintain the UNH recruiting momentum he inherited. Hopefully, the new staff can right the ship, but it seems so far that a lot of the old mental obstacles are still standing in the way...

Borek came to UNH for one reason, he was told in 2002 that he'd be HC in 5 years. He'd have lived help in recruiting, and is extremely happy now that everyone is involved at PC. Frankly what happened here couldn't happen there because they're all involved with their recruits, he doesn't have introduce them to the HC in August of enrollment. He's still point at PC but not HC, closer and financial dealer. Borek thought he'd be HC when the lowly recruit JVR started here. He wasn't when TVR finished. As far as deferrals and not staying on his recruits I'll just say respectfully you have no idea what your talking about. I guess time will tell if PC slides too, but he had a good year this year recruiting so we'll see.

[E.J. Smith]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

You're probably right.

Of course, Umile should have been involved and aided in recruiting whenever he could, but, Borek knew going in he would shoulder 99% of the recruiting responsibility and that is the way he wanted it. Regardless, I don't think he struggled to recruit to UNH because of Umile. Or because of the lack of a players lounge. Or because British Columbia is across the continent.

He struggled to bring top talent to UNH for three reasons. First, he made numerous poor decisions on EARLY commitments to players like Smith, Gaudreault, Hill, Kalinowski, Maller, Chanter, etc, etc, etc. Its not as if he was constantly missing on his targets and settling late - he offered these kids that early because he thought they were difference makers. Second, he consistently failed to monitor prospects after their commitments losing numerous kids to academic technicalities. Additionally, he failed to learn from these mistakes (Masonious). Finally, as we all know, he made a lot of poor decisions on deferrals leading to decommitments.

None of that is the fault of Umile not picking up the phone or missing a visit or two. Borek was empowered to make decisions and he made bad choices in philosophy, offers and class building and the roster has suffered as a result. That's why blaming Umile's lack of involvement just sounds like another in a long line of excuses. If Umile hindered recruiting, it was likely more an issue of Umile's personnel usage (upperclassmen) than not helping with the process itself...

Perhaps the most unfair thing I've done is to attribute the rationalizations made by posters on this board to Borek himself. I don't like posting about Borek. I empathize with him in many ways, but he just didn't/couldn't maintain the UNH recruiting momentum he inherited. Hopefully, the new staff can right the ship, but it seems so far that a lot of the old mental obstacles are still standing in the way...

No argument on any of that. Further response below but my bottom line in all of this is that for UNH to go from where they were to where they are it took across the board failure. But it seems like various parties on this thread have staked out positions that it was either Umile or Borek and have slowly over the course of the discussion polarized in their positions. It wasn't Umile or Borek, it was Umile and Borek that caused this failure, at least that's my position. Given the current state of the program, there certainly should be enough blame to go around.

You make great points about Borek's shortcoming. Losing touch with commits, deferrals - omg the deferrals, the maddeningly stupid deferrals - the quantity over quality approach, the outright poor talent assessments, totally agreed. Add to that something your post made me think of for the first time, the utterly failed "Maryland Strategy". He went all in on the mid-Atlantic approach, maybe even thinking he was visionary and getting a jump on the rest of the college hockey world. Didn't work out that way but unfortunately UNH pegged a fair amount of their recruiting to it.

[E.J. Smith]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Dan

Bomber is correct about Denver having great advantages over us in recruiting (particularly Western kids from Canada and US). Take Garrett Gamez as an example among many others. They are happy to visit UNH and most like it here just fine (with or without weight rooms and a videoboard). Our rink was perfect for Gamez (olympic sheet for skill player with speed) and he chose Denver over UNH (like most do that are looking at both schools). I do not ever remember a win against Denver in recruiting over the past 20 years. If Denver had offered Krog, it is highly likely he would not have come to UNH. It is the same with BU, BC and many others as we have never been seen as first choice school for most great hockey players. We get lucky every now and again due to connections. Borek seems to be doing fine at Providence and Gamez is a key piece at Providence. You all know what I think of pulling offers and it seems that will be the MO for PC going forward. Gaudreault and Maller are very good college hockey players. UNH has never had 4 scoring lines since the 1970's. You need them all and you should not dismiss them. Maller's physical problems have been tough to overcome but he is a top 2 defensemen when healthy and top 4 when not. It would be great if we pick up a star forward or defensemen at the last minute. We probably have the money and we do have a very talented freshmen class this year.

Your email you sent must have been erased by either USCHO or my spam forlder. Thanks for staying loyal to UNH no matter what. I hope we turn the corner soon. Please try again.

So how do you explain Quinnipiac, Lowell, Union, Providence? Are you saying they've traditionally been first choice schools of great hockey players?

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

So how do you explain Quinnipiac, Lowell, Union, Providence? Are you saying they've traditionally been first choice schools of great hockey players?

This is the part of the discussion where Dan is absolutely 100% on the mark. If there are enough people in the recruiting process at UNH who feel defeated before they even begin, then it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Leaman has shown how to do this twice now, and of course no one other than Walshy taught him how it was done during his time as a volunteer assistant at Orono.

The idea that even BC or BU is "magic" has been tested before (i.e. Count Cedorchuck and now Dan Quinn), and will probably be tested again once Coach York is done at CHCC. But so long as 90% of the schools they're competing against throw in the towel and don't even try to compete for recruits at a certain level ... doesn't it make things SO much easier for the BC's and the BU's of the D-1 hockey world?

If you're selling - and let's face it, these guys are selling their programs - even successful salesmen get rejected more often than they sell their product. The best at selling get used to (frequent) rejection, don't take it personally, buckle down, learn from their mistakes and then keep on selling. Maybe the message gets fine-tuned to be more efficient ... but if you are a D-1 recruiter and just throw in the towel on the most talented prospects ... then you're hopefully working for one helluva great hockey teacher (perhaps the Bazin/Pecknold type?) to make up for that talent gap. If you're not fishing in the best pond, and your instructor can't make the second pond fish competitive with the best of the best pond, then you're doomed to mediocrity. And I frankly think that's where UNH currently finds itself.

The part I'd need some explanation of is why Borek would have thought in 2002 that a 52 year old head coach who just strong armed his way into a lifetime contract was going to retire at age 57.

Sounds like this non-recruiting HC did a pretty good job at "selling" his own *recruit* a bill of goods, perhaps?

[NCAA watcher]

Whatever our views on the nuances of his work, Bomber please accept our condolences on the death of Borek's son. I hope he can find peace from that devastating event.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Very sad to hear the news of the death of Scott Borek's son Gordon, 22 years old, yesterday. Thoughts and prayers to the family...

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Awful news. I can't even imagine the pain of losing a child. Thoughts and prayers to Coach Borek and his family.

[bomberhockey]

Awful news. I can't even imagine the pain of losing a child. Thoughts and prayers to Coach Borek and his family.

I'm humbled by the UNH community and especially the hockey staff, players and alumni during this tragedy. Having exposure to the Boreks and seeing and hearing the outpouring of sympathy and compassion from the very people I've harshly criticized frankly leaves me embarrassed. When it comes right down to it the UNH hockey community came running to stand by the Boreks in their moment of devastation. I'm sorry Gordie paid the ultimate price to show me how good people generally are. I've learned many lessons from the Boreks in the time Ive known them. I've seen them overcome other obstacles that they made seem effortless and grace filled. Scott is far and away the most positive person I've known and to see him racked to his core with grief is unsettling. I thank you Watcher and all for your well wishes for the Boreks. I'd ask you to pray for the Boreks to find the strength and peace in getting through this sad sad tragedy.
Gordie just turned 22, and a proud UNH Wildcat!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

I'm humbled by the UNH community and especially the hockey staff, players and alumni during this tragedy. Having exposure to the Boreks and seeing and hearing the outpouring of sympathy and compassion from the very people I've harshly criticized frankly leaves me embarrassed. When it comes right down to it the UNH hockey community came running to stand by the Boreks in their moment of devastation. I'm sorry Gordie paid the ultimate price to show me how good people generally are. I've learned many lessons from the Boreks in the time Ive known them. I've seen them overcome other obstacles that they made seem effortless and grace filled. Scott is far and away the most positive person I've known and to see him racked to his core with grief is unsettling. I thank you Watcher and all for your well wishes for the Boreks. I'd ask you to pray for the Boreks to find the strength and peace in getting through this sad sad tragedy.
Gordie just turned 22, and a proud UNH Wildcat!

No matter how/what we feel about the way things go for UNH hockey I know we all feel this loss and would do anything for the Borek family. Sorry for your loss as well Bomber...knowing the family the way that you do must be very difficult. I would like to send the family a card so if you have an address please pm me if you want to or post it here (thinking of the PC Athletic office addy which I can look up myself ) if you feel that's appropriate...thanks in advance....take care.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Thoughts and prayers go out to the Borek family. RIP Gordy summer camps and 3 v 3 at the Whitt won't be the same without you

— Tyler Kelleher (@TKelleher16) May 29, 2016

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

So how do you explain Quinnipiac, Lowell, Union, Providence? Are you saying they've traditionally been first choice schools of great hockey players?

You make a fair and somewhat relevant point but it is not apples to apples. We have been better in the long run and equivalent or better for all but the past 3-4years compared to all of these schools. Vermont was in Frozen Four and was very good for a few years. Merrimack was very good for a 3-4 year period as well. None of those schools win recruiting battles with the top schools either. Please find me more than 3 kids that the top schools wanted over the past 10 years that went to the above schools. Providence definitely used their admission department to find a way to get marginal student-athlete hockey players into school. Union's championship was Leaman's recruits and I do not want to belittle the Providence coach in any way. Lowell has found some older kids who were not top students and built a very good program based on an aggressive trapping system and relying on referees not calling everything as they would be in the box for 50 minutes per game. UNH might be better if they followed Lowell and Providence's training regimen. They have another gear that UNH does not seem to have. We are 500 or above against Lehman and dreadful against Bazin but better over the past couple of years. Quinnipac has been very good over the past few years and I congratulate Coach Pecknold. He has a lot of work to do if he wants to be compared to UMILE as they all do.

I guess what I am saying is that none of these schools get many bona fide stars as it is the right players for your program that makes the difference. The top schools have all of the draft picks and players that every other program wants. They would all have life a little easier if they had the caliber of players that BC/BU/Denver/Michigan/Notre Dame/North Dakota/Miami/??? have every year. The saving grace is most of the above schools and UNH have a large majority of players staying all four years. Please tell me how many UNH kids in the glory years were heavily recruited by top schools (that would include Maine). I would gladly beg President Huddleston to give you all the keys to the hockey franchise if you really had reasonable solutions to our on ice problems.

Please give Mike Souza a chance as he is a great recruiter and coach. We are about to embark on a new era of NCAA annual appearances in the near future.

Condolences to the Borek family over the loss of their son Gordon this weekend.

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Chuck

This is ridiculous as you know that UNH is in on all of the hockey players who choose BC and BU. There have been at least 10+ current student athletes from both schools who were heavily recruited by UNH and chose BC or BU instead. UNH has not surrendered at all. They try for them all and students choose the Boston schools for a variety of reasons. They may have come to UNH if they were not offered by BC and BU. I want UNH to be better and I saw some good things last season that might be a positive this year. Nobody is trying harder than UNH and I wish you would not blast off horse manure for things you have no knowledge of. Nobody feels defeated. Facts are facts and you do the best you can with what you have.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2016 Offseason Thread - Searching for Direction

Info about wake for Gordie Borek just posted on Twitter:

USHR @USHRhockey · 3m3 minutes ago

The wake for Gordie Borek will be Thurs. 6/2 from 4-8 pm at the Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Lee, NH 03861. Funeral info is below. (Didn't see any but imagine info will be out)

[bomberhockey]

Info about wake for Gordie Borek just posted on Twitter:

USHR @USHRhockey · 3m3 minutes ago

The wake for Gordie Borek will be Thurs. 6/2 from 4-8 pm at the Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Lee, NH 03861. Funeral info is below. (Didn't see any but imagine info will be out)

Thank you HR for posting.

[HockeyRef]

Thank you HR for posting.

Awww not a prob it's the least I can do...lots of wonderful pics/stories are showing up this young man had a positive spirit and will be missed by many....

Saw an update on services:

4-8 PM Thursday, Visiting Hours - Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Lee, NH
10 AM Friday, Celebration of Life - Bethany Church, 500 Breakfast Hill Rd., Greenland, NH

God bless this family...