UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

[Snively65]

[QUOTE=HockeyRef;6527514]

Looking again, Ma#1ne Hky had UNH 8th (his format confused me. That means UNH's average in the HE Thread was 10.33! 1932's first-place vote lifts UNH up to an average of 9.4!

While I think counting on two true-freshmen defensemen to carry the team this season seems like an easy way to be disappointed, I do echo 1932's other sentiment.

"Why the constant drum of the same crap for the past 5+ years..."

11-12: 15-19-3 / 6th Place HE / No Tournament
12-13: 20-12-7 / 4th Place HE / TOURNAMENT
13-14: 22-18-1 / 4th Place HE / No Tournament
14-15: 19-19-2 / 8th Place HE / No Tournament
15-16: 11-20-6 / 10th Place HE / No Tournament
16-17: 15-20-5 / 10th Place HE / No Tournament

FYI, That adds up to a .487 winning-percentage, no titles and one NCAA Tournament. As opposed to a .626 winning-percentage, 3 RS HE Titles and 6 NCAA Tournaments over the six years prior. That may have something to do with the negativity...[/QUOTE]


Which I think, for any of the fans who have left the program (for now at least?) is the main reason. Dan, you echo the "we lose because we have no facilities, can't compete with the Boston teams" excuse on many occasions that you say the 'true fan' espouses. (If I have that right) Can I ask you honestly where you get that from? The powers that be? The coaches? No seriously...and, please know I respect your recruiting knowledge and am not trying to debating anything. I just don't hear that among the fans I see game in, game out. Maybe I listen to the wrong people. Mostly I hang with other pragmatic fans and we have our own ideas about why the 'Cats have ended up 10th as you pointed out, but, facilities and location aren't one of them....Anyone who IS saying that surely doesn't get it.

Going back to 'true fans' and I think most 'true fans' who understand the game beyond the ice have a pretty good handle on why UNH hockey has hit a skid and are hopeful for a turn around, but offer no excuses like those. Anyway, 'hope springs eternal' as they say! Personally I could care less where others put the 'Cats in polls on this forum, and in the HE coaches poll likely to come out shortly (like my season tix????). I have a good sense of what we have and how we can compete. Am fully aware of what we have lost but I also see some great things still to come. Catch up to me in February....

In the meantime, looking forward to hitting that ancient, antiquated building we call Lake Whittemore very soon! Go 'Cats!

Actually, Dan constantly proclaims that the Whitt is still one of the top arenas in the country, and that Durham's wonderful location has it all over the Boston area schools. Being a Durham townie growing up, I do not disagree with him on either of those points.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Which I think, for any of the fans who have left the program (for now at least?) is the main reason. Dan, you echo the "we lose because we have no facilities, can't compete with the Boston teams" excuse on many occasions that you say the 'true fan' espouses. (If I have that right) Can I ask you honestly where you get that from? The powers that be? The coaches? No seriously...and, please know I respect your recruiting knowledge and am not trying to debating anything. I just don't hear that among the fans I see game in, game out. Maybe I listen to the wrong people. Mostly I hang with other pragmatic fans and we have our own ideas about why the 'Cats have ended up 10th as you pointed out, but, facilities and location aren't one of them....Anyone who IS saying that surely doesn't get it.

Going back to 'true fans' and I think most 'true fans' who understand the game beyond the ice have a pretty good handle on why UNH hockey has hit a skid and are hopeful for a turn around, but offer no excuses like those. Anyway, 'hope springs eternal' as they say! Personally I could care less where others put the 'Cats in polls on this forum, and in the HE coaches poll likely to come out shortly (like my season tix????). I have a good sense of what we have and how we can compete. Am fully aware of what we have lost but I also see some great things still to come. Catch up to me in February....

In the meantime, looking forward to hitting that ancient, antiquated building we call Lake Whittemore very soon! Go 'Cats!

Those excuses are made here ad nauseam - by those who are close to, throw around the term 'true fans' and continue to defend the recruiters. Not by me. The excuses are baseless. Unfortunately, when I hear these excuses from 'non-haters' close to the program I worry about where they originate...

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Snivelly -

Better than I expected too, but those winning percentage numbers are warped by a couple of mediocre seasons early in that span - the program has fallen a long way since sneaking into the tournament in 12-13 (let alone the glory days). Those were the days where you could see the edge of the cliff approaching. Now we have to look back up at the edge. The winning percentage over the last two seasons (.409) is the more accurate reflection of where the program is now. And its only that high because the schedule has been dumbed down substantially...

Its easy to go back into the past - at various ranges - and make UNH look good. Like last spring, when Adam Wodon used Umile's last ten seasons as an argument for why he should remain at UNH. UNH has something like five NCAA tournaments, a couple titles and a well-above .500 record in the last ten years. Unfortunately all the good numbers come in the first six years of that stretch. Anyone with any objectivity can see the fallacy in those arguments and the struggles of the program in its current state. You don't even have to be a hater. Its no accident that 1932 used 5+ years in his post - it includes a tournament and two 20 win seasons, so what are we even complaining about, right?

The reality is easy to see - and quite frankly, UNH is LUCKY to have so many true fans (objectively frustrated, blindly loyal and anything in between) who still care enough to post here, complain and head to the Whitt on the weekends. Because interest could be a whole lot worse, given the product they're turning out. Attacking those who care enough to be disappointed seems like a good way to make things worse, but what do I know...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Those excuses are made here ad nauseam - by those who are close to and continue to defend the recruiters. Not by me. The excuses are baseless. Unfortunately, when I hear these excuses from 'true fans' close to the program I worry about where they originate...

Oh I know you don't make them, that much I am sure of. Anyway, moving on. Hoping UNH will surprise here and there this season. We'll see. Psyched that the B's are on NESN tonight! woot!!

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

The reality is easy to see - and quite frankly, UNH is LUCKY to have so many true fans (objectively frustrated, blindly loyal and anything in between) who still care enough to post here, complain and head to the Whitt on the weekends. Because interest could be a whole lot worse, given the product they're turning out. Attacking those who care enough to be disappointed seems like a good way to make things worse, but what do I know...

Bingo.

[HockeyRef]

Bingo.

Seems no one wins right? Can't be a fan and tromp off to the 'Whitt on weekends and actually enjoy the experience because that's a bad thing to do..and you can't be a fan and complain about the product on the ice because that's a bad thing to do.

Frustrating all the way around. Seems there's no middle ground.

[Snively65]

Seems no one wins right? Can't be a fan and tromp off to the 'Whitt on weekends and actually enjoy the experience because that's a bad thing to do..and you can't be a fan and complain about the product on the ice because that's a bad thing to do.

Frustrating all the way around. Seems there's no middle ground.

I do not think that either of those approaches are bad things to do. Giving money to State U by buying hockey tickets is a good thing. Posting critiques here is also a good thing, as it allows us to vent.

[HockeyRef]

I do not think that either of those approaches are bad things to do. Giving money to State U by buying hockey tickets is a good thing. Posting critiques here is also a good thing, as it allows us to vent.

Would like to think there's a live and let live thing going. Agree venting is a good if not necessary thing to do. At the same time just because one is a loyal fan it doesn't mean they are totally blind to a teams shortcomings...In the end I think all want the same thing (hopefully) and that is success for our 'Cats!

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

At last, UNH begins its long-awaited, proverbial nationwide search for a successor to the retiring fearless leader ...

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/2...ident-underway

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Coach Umile sat down with @JamieStatonWMUR today of @WMUR9_Sports at Bow Lake. The story will air on @NHChronicle in October! #GoUNH pic.twitter.com/XItx2QJC7K

— UNH Wildcats Hockey (@UNHHockey) September 21, 2017

Umile tanned and rested for the vigors of his retirement tour.

Chuck and friends, it looks like the year will begin no matter what the feelings are. While much of the emotion on here is understandable, i can now announce the "horse" is officially dead! ... The d will remain a work in progress but also feel that the forwards need to be better 2 way players. An issue that has received little note on these threads. Team defense needs to be a focus.

I hear you about the horse.
I think two-way is not really the key, as much as puck possession time. That involves your second point about the D. The forwards had few chances to control the puck because the D rarely got them clean passes. If the puck is always a chip into your area rather than a clean pass on your stick, you'll always be indecisive, not knowing whether to convert to defense or commit to the rush.
The talent is there on the offense, particularly with healthy Vela and Nazarian, whose injuries killed their year, and Blackburn with a year under his belt.
Two key recruits are excited by Mike Souza, and they are the key to the D. You know what you get with Marks, Wyse, and the Boyd/Dawson/Chanter groupings. See point 1 above.
Can Gildon or Maass control the puck for the breakouts. From what I saw they are good offensive players in the offensive zone, but I didn't see enough if they can get to pucks in the defensive zone and control them. From what I saw of Maass, his offensive zone play is very good, and given his later round NHL pick status, have to imagine defense is not as strong. Gildon looked like Masonius in his zone. Can handle the puck OK, but not really take charge.
If either can really become that guy who corrals loose pucks and changes the direction of the play, then that will be a huge positive.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Since the opening of the Whittemore Center - and prior to this season - the only true freshman UNH defensemen I found (per hockeydb) were Chanter, Pesce, Murray, Truelson and O'Brien. There freshmen numbers were as follows....

Chanter: 8 GP, 0-2--2
Pesce: 38 GP, 1-5--6
Murray: 2 GP, 0-0--0
Truelson: 28 GP, 0-2--2
O'Brien: 26 GP, 0-6--6

The two FR defenders may have stand-out seasons, but it is a lot to ask and way too much to expect. They may end up All-Americans and future NHLers, but more often than not 18 year old college defensemen require adjustment periods when playing against 22-24 year old experienced, college forwards...

The deciding factors defensively will be whether Marks, Chanter and Wyse can take big steps to lead the group. The forwards will need to prevent odd rushes and I think we'll all see that TK was hardly the liability he was painted to be in the D zone when he is no longer around to serve as a one-man break out/transition...

[HockeyRef]

Coach Umile sat down with @JamieStatonWMUR today of @WMUR9_Sports at Bow Lake. The story will air on @NHChronicle in October! #GoUNH pic.twitter.com/XItx2QJC7K

— UNH Wildcats Hockey (@UNHHockey) September 21, 2017

Umile tanned and rested for the vigors of his retirement tour.



I hear you about the horse.
I think two-way is not really the key, as much as puck possession time. That involves your second point about the D. The forwards had few chances to control the puck because the D rarely got them clean passes. If the puck is always a chip into your area rather than a clean pass on your stick, you'll always be indecisive, not knowing whether to convert to defense or commit to the rush.
The talent is there on the offense, particularly with healthy Vela and Nazarian, whose injuries killed their year, and Blackburn with a year under his belt.
Two key recruits are excited by Mike Souza, and they are the key to the D. You know what you get with Marks, Wyse, and the Boyd/Dawson/Chanter groupings. See point 1 above.
Can Gildon or Maass control the puck for the breakouts. From what I saw they are good offensive players in the offensive zone, but I didn't see enough if they can get to pucks in the defensive zone and control them. From what I saw of Maass, his offensive zone play is very good, and given his later round NHL pick status, have to imagine defense is not as strong. Gildon looked like Masonius in his zone. Can handle the puck OK, but not really take charge.
If either can really become that guy who corrals loose pucks and changes the direction of the play, then that will be a huge positive.

What are your line predictions if I may ask?

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Just based on talent, less on who fits well with who.

Sr.Salvaggio----Jr.Nazarian ------So.Grasso
Sr.McNicholas---So.Blackburn------Jr.Vela
So.BVR-----------Fr.Kelleher --- --Sr.Eiserman
So.Fregona---------Jr.Miller ---------Fr.MacAdam
Fr.Sato--------Jr.Cefalu--------So.Sacco


I'd assume Grasso and Salvaggio drop a bit in production with Kelleher gone. Hopefully Nazarian and Vela with health produce more. Nazarian could be a McNicholas type scorer. Eiserman unfortunately stalled out with offense, so 3rd line will be his cap.
Assumes Fregona can get more upto speed than he did his freshman year. I am hoping he can make more of a jump and not be wasted on the 4th line - I actually expected him to be about the same as Grasso, but Grasso way overperformed my expectations, and Fregona way underperformed. Otherwise, an undersized fourth liner is not great.

[boblav1]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

Congrats to the football Wildcats on the win today and the attendance record. Impressive!

VICTORY!!!!! #15 UNH improves to 3-1 and 2-0 in the @CAAFootball in front of a UNH record crowd of 22,135 fans! #GoUNH pic.twitter.com/xAoT3EWKOe

— UNH Football (@UNH_Football) September 23, 2017

[Dan]

Re: UNH Wildcats-The Back Nine and Beyond!

UNH picked 9th by the, uhh...writers. If you told me they'd jump up to 7th I wouldn't be surprised at all, but that's probably their ceiling. Merrimack and UConn are essentially their equals. Ninth should be the floor, they're still notably better than UMass and Maine.

https://twitter.com/MattVautourDHG/s...77587840299008