UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

[walrus]

The people who thought Maine was going to get anything out of this series need their heads examined.

Maine played well, they just don't have any talent. They did what they could with what they have. If the idea is to hit the glass behind the net or the boards they would be number 1. Robbins generated 2 or 3 breakways, never once made the goalie make a save. 2 on 1 don't make the pass, 2 on 2 pass it into traffic. Lines spend their whole shift trying to get puck out of zone, dump it and change. Couple bright spots, Rob played well, once again Dane Gibson looked good. They will win some games if they would stop taking stupid offensive zone penalties and play as hard as they did this weekend.If not umass will sweep them

[NorthMike]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

Maine played well, they just don't have any talent. They did what they could with what they have. If the idea is to hit the glass behind the net or the boards they would be number 1. Robbins generated 2 or 3 breakways, never once made the goalie make a save. 2 on 1 don't make the pass, 2 on 2 pass it into traffic. Lines spend their whole shift trying to get puck out of zone, dump it and change. Couple bright spots, Rob played well, once again Dane Gibson looked good. They will win some games if they would stop taking stupid offensive zone penalties and play as hard as they did this weekend.If not umass will sweep them

Three solid pipes last night by Maine, two by Holway - he's going to be a good one. It drives me nuts how many times they turn over the puck when they should have broke out of the defensive zone, not just last night but all season. Poor discipline! BU players easily kept taunting the Maine players and they took the bait. They just can't keep cool heads.

[walrus]

Three solid pipes last night by Maine, two by Holway - he's going to be a good one. It drives me nuts how many times they turn over the puck when they should have broke out of the defensive zone, not just last night but all season. Poor discipline! BU players easily kept taunting the Maine players and they took the bait. They just can't keep cool heads.

Forgot about the posts, While it wasn't a win, they weren't awful. BU is really good. I think the taunting went both ways. Gibson crushed the Canadian world jr player in the 1st. He didn't look great after that. Pearson should sit, how many goals did bu score with him in the box this weekend? He is going to be good but he has to learn.

I had no expectations for wins or ties this weekend. I figured they would crush maine at agganis and it would be close at home.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

The people who thought Maine was going to get anything out of this series need their heads examined.

Your one to talk...they (Maine) could and at times made BU play with a purpose. AND the reason this team is in the situation it's in NOW is the man behind the Bench. I knew fully they had most likely no chance against a more talented team, and that is BECAUSE it is instilled in them by the approach of there game planning/ill advised penalty's in the offensive zone and all in all. This has been a 10 year snow-ball effect of BAD HOCKEY. (6yrs TW and the present close to 4 yrs of RG). You go in with a losing attitude and excuses filled after game comments then that's the RECIPE of Bad and going no wheres soon hockey.

[umhockey91]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

But at least Maine's AD was just given a brandy new four year contract for all his great work over the past couple years... Women's basketball and softball have produced at least....

The State of Maine's very own Steve Abbott hired Gendron.

[Drew S.]

The State of Maine's very own Steve Abbott hired Gendron.

I'm not sure why, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in the job.

[Drew S.]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

0-14-1 against the other big four teams over the last two seasons.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

I'm not sure why, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in the job.

A toxic combination of sky high expectations and low pay and resources.

[DoubleA]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

I'm not sure why, but it didn't seem like there was a lot of interest in the job.

Thinking back to May 2013, there was actually a lot of interest in the job-

-Corkum appealed directly to the Black Bear fan base (right here on USCHO) asking for their support to land it.

-Then there was the whole sheet-show with Gwozdecky getting fired from Denver. He came in to talk to the committee IIRC.

-Osiecki from Ohio State had just been booted and he threw his hat in the ring.

-I personally proposed a 4-time Stanley Cup winner/Conn Smythe award winner to Steve Abbott. The guy is a friend of mine and had very sincere and real interest in the job. They had a conversation. Abbott told him "Sorry, you have to have a college degree to be considered." The guy says "Steve, I may not have a college degree, but I have a PhD in hockey. C'mon." No go.

There were a couple of others as well. I forget who they were.

None of that matters. The entire landscape of D1 hockey has changed since the Walsh era. It seems near impossible to get a top recruit to attend Maine today. BU right now, e.g., has 7 kids that were once U.S. U18 NTDP. Maine has 0.

[Drew S.]

Thinking back to May 2013, there was actually a lot of interest in the job-

-Corkum appealed directly to the Black Bear fan base (right here on USCHO) asking for their support to land it.

-Then there was the whole sheet-show with Gwozdecky getting fired from Denver. He came in to talk to the committee IIRC.

-Osiecki from Ohio State had just been booted and he threw his hat in the ring.

-I personally proposed a 4-time Stanley Cup winner/Conn Smythe award winner to Steve Abbott. The guy is a friend of mine and had very sincere and real interest in the job. They had a conversation. Abbott told him "Sorry, you have to have a college degree to be considered." The guy says "Steve, I may not have a college degree, but I have a PhD in hockey. C'mon." No go.

There were a couple of others as well. I forget who they were.

None of that matters. The entire landscape of D1 hockey has changed since the Walsh era. It seems near impossible to get a top recruit to attend Maine today. BU right now, e.g., has 7 kids that were once U.S. U18 NTDP. Maine has 0.

Was Gwozdecky genuinely interested? He obviously would have been great but I just can't imagine he would have been. It's hard for me to see Corkum being any better than Red but who knows.

All I remember is that the finalists were very unimpressive.

[DoubleA]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

Was Gwozdecky genuinely interested? He obviously would have been great but I just can't imagine he would have been. It's hard for me to see Corkum being any better than Red but who knows.

All I remember is that the finalists were very unimpressive.

Gwoz wasn't genuinely interested IMHO, but the intrigue of the Maine opening came right on the heels of Gwoz' departure from Denver. So he took a sniff.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

.

-I personally proposed a 4-time Stanley Cup winner/Conn Smythe award winner to Steve Abbott. The guy is a friend of mine and had very sincere and real interest in the job. They had a conversation. Abbott told him "Sorry, you have to have a college degree to be considered." The guy says "Steve, I may not have a college degree, but I have a PhD in hockey. C'mon." No go..

And Abbott was right, all(most?) the Assts Shawn ever had got Masters degrees while they were at UMaine. Thats the reason they got them.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

A toxic combination of sky high expectations

people still think Maine can get out of the first round in HE playoffs. I'd settle for them beating UMass this weekend and I doubt they get 4 points out of the weekend

[DoubleA]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

And Abbott was right, all(most?) the Assts Shawn ever had got Masters degrees while they were at UMaine. Thats the reason they got them.

Oh Abbott was definitely correct. By UMaine or NCAA statute I suppose, it is a requirement for the coach to have a minimum Bachelor's Degree. I don't know that they have to have a Masters.
It seems short sighted to me not to consider a guy with the qualifications this NHL individual had.

[DoubleA]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2016 2017 season thread

Maine played well, they just don't have any talent....

Maine Hockey has s-o-m-e talent, just not enough to be an elite National or Hockey East team any more. Get one thing straight - I bleed Blue. I am loyal to Maine Hockey forever. Just currently very disillusioned.

Some perspective if you'll allow me, on the talent issue. A very real issue for the Black Bears. My view is from having BU season tix because I live here...
BU has a Junior, Brien Diffley, who is IMHO a very good D1 defenseman. 6'2" 190 lbs, a Burlington, MA kid. Seen him play at least 20-25 games over the last two seasons. A really solid player. Lots of playing time his Frosh and Soph years. He would easily be Maine's best defenseman on this '16-'17 team. He basically lost his spot at BU this year with Fabbro and Krys coming in. He doesn't even dress.
All six dressing BU defensemen are NHL draft picks. All six. Diffley has dressed for 7 of 23 games so far this season. Three of them were during World Juniors try-outs and tournament. He will play if someone is hurt or out for some reason.
That is an extreme but real example of what Red and the Maine Hockey program face. I say call the kid and ask him if he wants to transfer. He'll play 35-40 minutes a game in blue! He ain't playing in red.