UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

[Biddco]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Tralmarks is the only Maine player who could generate any room on the ice. They make every goalie look like Dryden in his prime. Right in the bread basket or off the boards. It's frustrating to watch. They played well defensively, Swayman was good.
Highlight of the night, meeting Biddco

That was amoung the many highlights of my trip

Congratulations to the Bulldogs for sweeping a team on their home ice. Not an easy thing to do. Biddco, hope you enjoyed your visit to Maine and have a safe trip home.

Thank you! I loved my visit to Maine. My only regret is that I didn't make it longer. Did not get enough time at Acadia! I will highly recommend any fan go and visit. Maine is a beautiful state and the arena is super cool.

Oh and thanks to everyone who suggested places and things to do. Appreciate it. I'll return the favor for fans who are able to visit Duluth next year.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

That was amoung the many highlights of my trip
Thank you! I loved my visit to Maine. My only regret is that I didn't make it longer. Did not get enough time at Acadia! I will highly recommend any fan go and visit. Maine is a beautiful state and the arena is super cool.

Oh and thanks to everyone who suggested places and things to do. Appreciate it. I'll return the favor for fans who are able to visit Duluth next year.

Maine fans were saying you guys were louder than the rest of the building. Good luck to UMD the rest of the way. Too bad you didn't get down to the coast. Its really special.

You guys got out of here just in time, we got whacked by a storm. Power is out every where, trees down so some roads aren't passable. My road looks like we won't have power for a few days, many trees across lines and across the road.

[Biddco]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Maine fans were saying you guys were louder than the rest of the building. Good luck to UMD the rest of the way. Too bad you didn't get down to the coast. Its really special.

You guys got out of here just in time, we got whacked by a storm. Power is out every where, trees down so some roads aren't passable. My road looks like we won't have power for a few days, many trees across lines and across the road.

That's nice to hear! We pride ourselves on being loud and all the fans we met were very nice. One lady even showed me a picture she took of me at the Frozen Four with my crazy UMD gear. I can't imagine what the place was like in the old days...what a great place you have.


I did spend time at Acadia but didn't have time to go back and do more hiking near sand beach. We unfortunately had some trouble leaving, we had to spend the night in Newark as the weather cancelled many flights. My friend had to take a bus to Boston to catch her flight. But now I'm home and very happy.

[Fishman'81]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I would personally agree with this. I don't think the talent level is an issue, nor even the amount of effort the guys give. I think the dump and chase is a problem, as is Gendron's general style. I remember I saw the team at Merrimack and sat right behind the bench, and he just looked like a spastic and had no general control of the situation. I think a new voice and a new style is needed, because I do think there is talent on the team.

I definitely think that the lack of talent is 99% of the on-ice problem. I see effort, but no truly skilled players. Been this way with all of Red's recruits. This program is complete toast for the foreseeable future.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Maine faces a slow starting team in the River Hawks this weekend (0-4 in Hockey East play). It will be interesting to see how many goals Maine scores. Is this one of the teams Maine should sweep or split against?

Dr. Maine, the cure for the common hockey team.

Lowell sweeps.

[Bhall44]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I would personally agree with this. I don't think the talent level is an issue, nor even the amount of effort the guys give. I think the dump and chase is a problem, as is Gendron's general style. I remember I saw the team at Merrimack and sat right behind the bench, and he just looked like a spastic and had no general control of the situation. I think a new voice and a new style is needed, because I do think there is talent on the team.

I am in agreement with Mike and Kirby as it pertains to system. There are multiple strategies (dump and chase, no weak side on PK, no PP screener, etc. just to name a few) that have not worked and continue to not work and Red has no shown no willingness to modify scheme. Scheme should be created around skill and talent available, for example, I am still completely baffled why Red refuses to play Pat Shea at C where he has made is most significant impacts. Doherty is more impactful at LW but he has him C Shea.....? I hope the use of Holesinsky on the W Saturday was stamina related as he was returning from injury because I have no idea why you would take 50% of the ice away from the teams best creator. 7 blueliners in back to back nights better be due to injuries. The only team with a legit reason to do this in all of NCAA is BU who has 7 drafted blueliners.

I also think it is important to keep in mind expectations of a young team this season is not necessarily equal to expectations for next season and the season after as young players develop. Going into the season this team's ceiling was 6-7 and floor was 11. Through one month of action nothing has changed. If 10/11th than the hot seat is going to get really really hot. Finishing 7/8th and all Maine fans should be happy with the progress this season. Red can also be faulted for letting the dumpster fire burn itself out as opposed to putting the fire out when he took over. Red took the moral high ground and chose to honor all current and future scholarship offers at the time he took over the program. Any hopes of a quick turnaround were dashed with that decision. The frustration with rebuild time is directly related to that decision.

I watch a lot of junior hockey and the skill level of the past two recruiting classes are very good. Without any reasonable argument against, these two classes represent the two best back to back recruiting classes in Orono since 2007 & 2008. Guite & Co (Leach/Michaud) have done a tremendous job bringing in known talent (e.g., Pearson, Shea) and identifying and securing talent (Tralmaks, Sasson, etc.) prior to becoming a hot commodity. I have no idea what the ultimate fate of Gendron will be, but I do worry that with the program heading in the right direction a complete change of coaching staff would result in a complete cleaning out of the recruit locker, which is quite talented. As it sits right now we are 2 years into a 5 year run of high quality recruits that Maine hasn't seen in over a decade. Winning in college hockey is hard enough let alone rocking the boat every 4 or 5 years.

[ticapnews]

that's why they need to spend money on infrastructure... to maintain it

I think I read in the last UM budget briefing that over 50% of the buildings on campus will be over 50 years old by next year. Happy Maintenance!

[ticapnews]

I am probably the only person on this forum who didn't want Tim dismissed.

Hi.

Up until the point the university decided it wasn't going to extend TW again I was behind him. Once the university made the decision it was a no-brainer. We can't have a lame-duck coach.

BTW, the day is coming again, likely in mid-March.

And before anyone gets wild ideas about attracting top talent to coach the team, remember that Red makes about $225k (less 5% he gives right back to the school) and the University of Minnesota, which prints money under Mariucci Arena, just extended tDon for north of $600K. He makes more for just retirement than Red's entire salary. So unless you win Powerball and are willing to write one of those huge novelty checks to the university, set those dreams aside.

[AMC]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Hi.

Up until the point the university decided it wasn't going to extend TW again I was behind him. Once the university made the decision it was a no-brainer. We can't have a lame-duck coach.

I remembered being pretty ambivalent about it, reasoning that Maine was so screwed financially and demographically we shouldn't expect to be very good anymore (a position I still hold!).

I looked at my old posts though, and while that was my opinion, I was apparently ready for Whitehead to go after he named Joey Diamond and his significant league league leading record in all time penalty minutes his captain.

So, I guess my position was Whitehead's record, meh but defensible. Whitehead's leadership, deficient.

[ticapnews]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I remembered being pretty ambivalent about it, reasoning that Maine was so screwed financially and demographically we shouldn't expect to be very good anymore (a position I still hold!).

I looked at my old posts though, and while that was my opinion, I was apparently ready for Whitehead to go after he named Joey Diamond and his significant league league leading record in all time penalty minutes his captain.

So, I guess my position was Whitehead's record, meh but defensible. Whitehead's leadership, deficient.

I understood what he was trying to do there but it failed miserably. Give him the responsibility of being captain and he'll show leadership and reduce the penalty minutes. Good theory but it didn't work. Leadership and responsibility were not Joey's game.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I understood what he was trying to do there but it failed miserably. Give him the responsibility of being captain and he'll show leadership and reduce the penalty minutes. Good theory but it didn't work. Leadership and responsibility were not Joey's game.

It worked with Preston Ryan, I think Tim did the right thing. Hind sight ......

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[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

I believe he lost the team at Notre dame season 1 and has never got it back

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About 20 game's into the first season is what I figured.

[Ma#1ne Hky]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Nice to see Sean Romeo doing well @ Ohio State.... 5-1-2.... 1.47 GAA.... .934 save %.

[walrus]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Nice to see Sean Romeo doing well @ Ohio State....5-1-2....1.47 GAA.... .934 save %.

Wow, never would guessed that. Good for him

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[NorthMike]

Re: UMaine Black Bears, 2017-2018 season, is this Reds last stand?

Responding to Bhall' s post, seemed long to just copy again here:

A conundrum, good talent but a coach running out of time that cant put it together.