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UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

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  • UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

    OK then - the people have spoken. There's been a lot of discussion in the offseason about medium-term and long-term issues that are currently swirling around the UNH Hockey program, but there is the simple issue of the upcoming 2016/2017 season to get on with. And after what was Coach Umile's worst-ever season over his quarter century at the helm of his alma mater's (former?) flagship program, the stage has been set for the final act of his long-running play way, way off Broadway. Two years are what's left on his (former?) lifetime contract, and the successor-in-waiting is not even at the midway point of his holding pattern. Recruiting has slowed to a crawl, and the Wildcat faithful are searching desperately for a glimmer of hope that the good times of old are on their way back to Durham.

    To those folks (myself included), I have some good news ... the good ol' days will be back for the remainder of 2016!

    And for us fans of those good ol' days, the other side of the coin is that a mediocre finish over the first 60+ days of 2017 is likely going to be in the cards as well.

    Much has been written and debated about Coach Umile's exit strategy, and "The ____ to 600" will be at the forefront of his team's rebound from last year's debacle. The leadership role - something they handled naively and ultimately poorly last season - looks to be in excellent hands this time around. Two healthy goalies in competition for playing time bodes well, and although Tirone might not like playing less than he's been accustomed to over the last season-and-a-half ... the burden of backstopping the team in every game might allow him to play more consistently and progress back to his late 2015 form, after what he'd have to consider a "sophomore slump" season last year.

    The defense should be slightly better than last season's crew, as the returning players will have that extra year of experience, and Maller looks to be healthy, which is a solid if unspectacular *addition*. Wyse looks to have some potential, but we're going to have to give him time to adjust, as a second pairing assignment is a pretty big ask in this league, and certainly in this program. But with addition by subtraction of two players who got sizeable ice time last season, this year's crew HAS to be better. If not ... watch out.

    Up front, I know there's a lot of excitement about some of the guys and their potential, and hopefully it's for good reason. There doesn't appear to be a whole lot of talent in the pipeline behind them (at least not at this point), so this group could be a "make or break" group that either generates the new excitement that so many of us are waiting to see ... or if they underperform and underachieve, then there will be ramifications that some (myself very much at the fore) have discussed ad nauseum.

    I'm predicting a 15 win season (and hoping for more than that) but sadly I don't see the team escaping from the first round of the (obligatory reference) MBPBEGAM HE *playoffs*. I'll check back in after the holidays to see how the team has done, and hopefully they'll have aced the first part of their test. So ... let the games begin!!
    Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
    Montreal Expos Forever ...

  • #2
    Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

    Yep, we are indeed going to have a hockey season here!!! Go 'Cats!!!!! Here's to our opener v the Falcons of Waltham (Watertown?)...and by the way Snively65? Max French got the 'nod' for being one of the top returning scorers in John Buccigross' twitter. I , of course, mentioned our TyK
    Here we go 'Cats!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

      Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
      I'm predicting a 15 win season (and hoping for more than that) but sadly I don't see the team escaping from the first round of the (obligatory reference) MBPBEGAM HE *playoffs*. I'll check back in after the holidays to see how the team has done, and hopefully they'll have aced the first part of their test. So ... let the games begin!!
      Are you not posting again here until after the end of the December - early January holidays, Chuck?

      Or, just after the Columbus Day weekend holiday? Speaking of which, there is still time to get into the nine-goal over/under contest for the UNH-Bentley match up this weekend. IIRC correctly, Chuck took the over, by predicting that UNH would win 7-3, and Wildcat DC and I took the under, not making a prediction for the goal distribution. I think that the game will come down to whether TyK can generate more offense than French.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

        Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
        Here's to our opener v the Falcons of Waltham (Watertown?)...
        Waltham. Their off-campus arena is in Watertown. At least until they finish up construction of the new on-campus arena.
        Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
        Montreal Expos Forever ...

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

          Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
          Are you not posting again here until after the end of the December - early January holidays, Chuck?
          Nah, I'll be here, just meant the midseason review. I misspoke - my fault. Happens to all of us. Speaking of which ...

          Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
          I think that the game will come down to whether TyK can generate more offense than French.
          Do we even know if Kelleher knows any French??
          Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
          Montreal Expos Forever ...

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

            Originally posted by Chuck Murray View Post
            Nah, I'll be here, just meant the midseason review. I misspoke - my fault. Happens to all of us. Speaking of which ...



            Do we even know if Kelleher knows any French??
            Oh, yeah; he knows French from last Thanksgiving weekend.

            The forward match up that would have been fun to watch was three years ago when Kevin Goumas and Brett Gensler were seniors on the two teams.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
              Are you not posting again here until after the end of the December - early January holidays, Chuck?

              Or, just after the Columbus Day weekend holiday? Speaking of which, there is still time to get into the nine-goal over/under contest for the UNH-Bentley match up this weekend. IIRC correctly, Chuck took the over, by predicting that UNH would win 7-3, and Wildcat DC and I took the under, not making a prediction for the goal distribution. I think that the game will come down to whether TyK can generate more offense than French.
              Snively - I think if we win, Chuck has to type the full name of our AD for week when referencing him. If he wins, I will use the "B" acronym for a week.
              Signature line intentionally left blank.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                Yep, we are indeed going to have a hockey season here!!! Go 'Cats!!!!! Here's to our opener v the Falcons of Waltham (Watertown?)...and by the way Snively65? Max French got the 'nod' for being one of the top returning scorers in John Buccigross' twitter. I , of course, mentioned our TyK
                HR, we have a small crew coming. You going to Libby's?
                Signature line intentionally left blank.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by wildcatdc View Post
                  HR, we have a small crew coming. You going to Libby's?
                  That's the plan!! Love to meet up...
                  Here we go 'Cats!!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

                    Meanwhile, trouble in Catamount land:

                    http://uvmathletics.com/news/2016/10...ckey-team.aspx
                    Here we go 'Cats!!

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by wildcatdc View Post
                      Snively - I think if we win, Chuck has to type the full name of our AD for week when referencing him. If he wins, I will use the "B" acronym for a week.
                      "B" acronym = BS35+4?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by HockeyRef View Post
                        Meanwhile, trouble in Catamount land:

                        http://uvmathletics.com/news/2016/10...ckey-team.aspx
                        My first reaction was:

                        Wow, they have two C's and three A's on their squad. I guess that's the other end of the spectrum.

                        My second reaction was:

                        Pretty sure drinking in boxer shorts isn't particularly uncommon at UVM.


                        That stated - wow - that's a pretty big deal. All joking aside.
                        Signature line intentionally left blank.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                          "B" acronym = BS35+4?
                          You had to ask?? 😄
                          Signature line intentionally left blank.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by wildcatdc View Post
                            My first reaction was:

                            Wow, they have two C's and three A's on their squad. I guess that's the other end of the spectrum.

                            My second reaction was:

                            Pretty sure drinking in boxer shorts isn't particularly uncommon at UVM.


                            That stated - wow - that's a pretty big deal. All joking aside.
                            The Catamounts went through a worse hockey hazing debacle a couple of decades ago, from which it took them years to recover. Those hippies just never learn.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: UNH Wildcats 2016-17 -- We're Going to Have a Hockey Season Here!!

                              Originally posted by Snively65 View Post
                              The Catamounts went through a worse hockey hazing debacle a couple of decades ago, from which it took them years to recover. Those hippies just never learn.
                              You got that right. At least this time, the team kept their shorts on (and their hands to themselves) ...
                              Sworn Enemy of the Perpetually Offended
                              Montreal Expos Forever ...

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