UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

[Lemonade]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

I don't see the Buckley connection, so doubt that was a reason. His advisor/coach was Brian Eklund.
Hard not to recognize kids voting with their skates: Foegele, Farabee, Ryczek, and now a kid who was briefly convinced to see a path forward. When you factor in that a new hire typcially has a brief window of high favorables in which to sell his vision and generate momentum, before reality of performance becomes the pre-eminent evaluation, that window now seems closed. I failed to see the track record of team building that might have led to a groundswell of interest by recruits in the first place, the "gee wiz, look at our history and how great Dick Umile is, and what a nice family we are" interviews didn't fill me with greater expectation, and it appears I am not alone. We talked about how important it was to get a "bell-cow" recruit to grab the market's attention, but after the bell-cow sat in the field all alone for 8 months, no wonder it wandered off.

Excellently put...."he bell-cow sat in the field all alone for 8 months, no wonder it wandered off" is the perfect summary.

I do however put a lot it on Buckley leaving (rightly or wrongly). I think a goalie coach of that stature is a huge attraction - working with Stanley Cup Champion goalies like Matt Murray/Marc Andre Fleury is impressive. Goalies dont really work with head coaches its about the goalie coach.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Well, this is just working out exactly as Dick and Marty envisioned isn't it? Looks like they were finally able to teach the young, inexperienced lad something about coaching at UNH in the 20teens! How to ignore recruiting and most specifically your top recruits in order to ensure your best don't end up on campus and you end up with low end talent. The UNH way as of late! I'm certainly glad Umile stuck around the past three years - and especially this last season - to instil this traditional value in Mike...

To DrewS - this is a HUGE blow. Goalies don't usually bolt after one year, even in the best scenarios. See rookie studs at BC, BU, UML all returning. And now UNH has no one to sell future commitments - young studs OR late bloomers. Not that they've taken advantage of that anyway...

I never was convinced about Souza's ability to turn UNH around. Now I am. He isn't the guy. He likely never was (with essentially no track record of real success before he arrived), but this three year plan has ruined any chance for success. It will be the next guy (maybe) - and even getting the next guy depends fully on Marty doing something he rarely, IF EVER, is willing to do. Remove a coach simply because a team is not winning and could improve with a new hire. There is a reason so many coaches have been at UNH for 20+ years inspite of extended struggles. A couple flash seasons and being a good person gets you the Umile lifetime deal it seems. As if winning regularly and being a good person are mutually exclusive. That attitude/strategy is why UNH is an underachieving ath dept and UNH Hockey is now a punchline...

UNH needs an aggressive recruiting, aim high, demand expectations, outspoken salesman to turn this around. At both the HC and AD levels. That has not been Mike Souza since the day he arrived, no matter how much people like him as a person. It has never been Scarano. Everyone likes Scott Borek too. Borek was at every showcase. Being likeable and working hard isn't enough on the ice, it's not enough on the bench either - it takes talent...

[HockeyRef]

I don't think it's as big of a loss as you guys think. Programs like UNH and Maine need the good three and four year guys versus the great one year guy. I'm sure it's frustrating, but to get back to the days when you get thrashed in the frozen four it will take a different type of player than this kid.

Drew your intentions are good (like mine!) but believe me...this IS huge. As a fan I found it exciting that UNH had caught a big fish and felt we were on the way to a revival that sure, would've taken a few seasons but felt it would indeed happen.

Right now I am not so sure of that; this one hurts and the ave fan in the seat won't realize the impact this has on the recruiting front. And sadly some are tired of it and really don't care.

Personally I wish Mike Souza the best and am pulling for him to succeed. He has the vision you want to see in a coach but his starting point is all up hill. But I guess ya gotta start some place.

I imagine they are rolling up their sleeves and are back at it. Finally I agree with the sentiments here; tradition is a wonderful thing but if it can't get you to the NHL it doesn't matter. Sorry to sound like a fair weather fan but this one is tough to swallow.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

He had the vision you want to see in a coach but his starting point is all up hill. But I guess ya gotta start some place..

As my pappy used to say, "it's all uphill from here."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVsibzl3zVs

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

We talked about how important it was to get a "bell-cow" recruit to grab the market's attention, but after the bell-cow sat in the field all alone for 8 months, no wonder it wandered off.

The apathy that currently pervades the UNH Hockey program knows no bounds.

The new guy hits the jackpot ... then sits on his hands waiting for the crowd to arrive.

Somewhere out there, Walshy is busting a gut, laughing and pointing at the folks in Durham NH.

[Drew S.]

Drew your intentions are good (like mine!) but believe me...this IS huge. As a fan I found it exciting that UNH had caught a big fish and felt we were on the way to a revival that sure, would've taken a few seasons but felt it would indeed happen.

Right now I am not so sure of that; this one hurts and the ave fan in the seat won't realize the impact this has on the recruiting front. And sadly some are tired of it and really don't care.

Personally I wish Mike Souza the best and am pulling for him to succeed. He had the vision you want to see in a coach but his starting point is all up hill. But I guess ya gotta start some place.

I imagine they are rolling up their sleeves and are back at it. Finally I agree with the sentiments here; tradition is a wonderful thing but if it can't get you to the NHL it doesn't matter. Sorry to sound like a fair weather fan but this one is tough to swallow.

As tough as it would have been they should have gotten rid of Umile five years ago. I wonder who closely AD's follow recruiting. It's something they should take much more interest in. At Maine Tim's problems really started in 2004 and 2005 but he didn't get fired until 2013. If you guys make the NCAA's in the next six years it will be nothing short of a miracle.

[Drew S.]

The apathy that currently pervades the UNH Hockey program knows no bounds.

The new guy hits the jackpot ... then sits on his hands waiting for the crowd to arrive.

Somewhere out there, Walshy is busting a gut, laughing and pointing at the folks in Durham NH.

Couldn't disagree more. Shawn understood UNH's value to Maine. I wouldn't be shocked if he even helped them out a bit here and there. It's not entirely a coincidence that Maine and UNH have ebbed and flowed in sync to a large degree.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

The apathy that currently pervades the UNH Hockey program knows no bounds.

The new guy hits the jackpot ... then sits on his hands waiting for the crowd to arrive.

Golf season almost over, so back to coaching soon.

Look for new #UNH volunteer goalie coach to be named soon Replaces #MikeBuckley now full time @penguins goalie coach @gdsgoalies @UNHHockey

— Mike Lowry (@UNHRecruitsCHC) August 23, 2017

[Dan]

Golf season almost over, so back to coaching soon.

Look for new #UNH volunteer goalie coach to be named soon Replaces #MikeBuckley now full time @penguins goalie coach @gdsgoalies @UNHHockey

— Mike Lowry (@UNHRecruitsCHC) August 23, 2017

How nice! And just in time!

Here's another tweet - a glimpse at what happens when you hire a proven recruiter, with an actual resume and don't tie him to an anchor for three years...

NZ Recruiting Class Rankings Updated. #1 @UNDmhockey, #2 @TerrierHockey, #3 @UMassHockey, #4 @GopherHockey, #5 @DU_Hockey @collegehockey pic.twitter.com/5y8SXOH5fu

— Neutral Zone (@_Neutral_Zone) August 23, 2017

#UMass

But, I guess its really not fair to expect UNH to compete for recruits with the Minnesota State's of the world. For so many reasons (err, excuses), really...

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Expect Commesso, one of top goalies in age group, to land at BU where his goalie coach, Brian Eklund, is volunteer assistant. https://t.co/7GTmF5fIWy

— Jeff Cox (@JeffCoxSports) August 23, 2017

[QUAlum2004]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Mark Divver @MarkDivver

Highly touted '02 goalie Drew Commesso of St. Sebastian's no longer committed to UNH, per source

Heard this yesterday.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Expect Commesso, one of top goalies in age group, to land at BU where his goalie coach, Brian Eklund, is volunteer assistant. https://t.co/7GTmF5fIWy

— Jeff Cox (@JeffCoxSports) August 23, 2017

Im sure since its against the rules - Eklund as a volunteer assistant NEVER whispered to Commesso he should join him at BU. Nor did he ever deliver a message directly from Quinn, et al...

Perhaps a lesson was learned in why you don't STOP recruiting kids hard, just because they verbal. Although, you'd think that's one thing Umile/Scarano could have taught Souza that from experience...

[Lemonade]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Im sure since its against the rules - Eklund as a volunteer assistant NEVER whispered to Commesso he should join him at BU. Nor did he ever deliver a message directly from Quinn, et al...

Perhaps a lesson was learned in why you don't STOP recruiting kids hard, just because they verbal. Although, you'd think that's one thing Umile/Scarano could have taught Souza that from experience...

Goalies tend to stick by their goalie coaches apparently....
Mike Robinson (DOB: 3/27/1997) verbally accepted an athletic scholarship offer from the University of New Hampshire last August. He has been training with Mike Buckley of Goaltending Development Services(GDS) for 10 years.

[defkit]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

Im sure since its against the rules - Eklund as a volunteer assistant NEVER whispered to Commesso he should join him at BU. Nor did he ever deliver a message directly from Quinn, et al...

Perhaps a lesson was learned in why you don't STOP recruiting kids hard, just because they verbal. Although, you'd think that's one thing Umile/Scarano could have taught Souza that from experience...

The kid doesn't need his advisor to whisper anything. I'm sure he is smart and can easily notice that despite the great run BU has had on the recruiting trail, the one thing missing is a goalie to replace Oettinger in a couple years. A teammate at Sebs has committed to BU, and of course he knows that his advisor has a connection to the school. But it seems pretty clear to me that Buckley getting promoted by the Pens and having to give up his UNH gig was a trigger here. Perhaps along with some discontentment with how things have gone with UNH recruiting since he gave his verbal (just going by what UNH fans are saying on here - I have no way of knowing).

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: UNH Commits & Recruiting: 2017 and Beyond

On this forum, I find that UNH's accomplishments on the recruiting front and on the ice tend to be under-reported.

Historically speaking or in the past 7-8 years or so?