Merrimack College 2017-2018

[MCWarrior1011]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

IF... a booster can get a coach fired, will probably also be naming the replacement hired.
If you're not his boy... fohgeddaboudit. Just sayin'.

That is also a big IF because I keep hearing from a lot of alumni (who donate a lot of money) that Gallant had nothing to do with Dennehy getting fired. They said he's a pain in the *** but he did not get anyone fired and no one around there takes gallant all that seriously. The big alumni donors who I talk to all say that the college uses gallant and not the other way around.

I am sorry, Coach Dennehy was a great guy and everything but why should Merrimack aspire to be a team that finishes below .500 and bounces out in the QF? I dont have illusions of competing for national championship every year but I think once in a while getting to the Garden (more than once every 13 years) is not a overblown expectations. Yeah Coach Dennehy got us to some great heights but the team was back to winning 8 games 3 years later. Since then we have been below .500 with some long losing streaks EVERY **** YEAR and the same problems. We cant score goals. Every night for 3 years we hear how hard they worked, which is awesome, but they do not score goals and do not win enough games.

I just find it funny that so many people on this thread who are fans of other teams, who watch merrimack twice per year, will tell Merrimack fans that we have to just be happy being in Hockey East. Just be happy rubbing elbows with BC and stuff. Or all you "experts" who know "no one can do it better than Dennehy." Well why don't we see? Let's see if someone else can do something better. Teams with far less resources have won. Merrimack invests money. They dont have money for a $100 million rink. But everything else is right up there with the rest of HE like Yuppie Scum pointed out.

You people get so hung up on arenas. Is Harvard's arena great? It's fine but it's not BU, Tsongas, BC, or anything like that. Facilities are a lot more than the arena. It seems like no one here gets that. Union competes and their arena is a joke. It could be different because it is Atlantic Hockey but Mercyhurst is the best team in Atlantic in a public rink. Matthews is a cooler arena but Merrimack's behind the scenes facilities are as good as Northeastern's. Look at the pictures. Merrimack's training, locker room and everything is on par with the rest of the league.

Saying that Dennehy did not win because of the arena is making an EXCUSE. He is a nice guy and it sucks to see a nice guy lose his job, but he wasn't winning games. Coaches are judged on wins and losses and it is plain and simple.

[PPGuru]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

MC1011, the discussion about the relative merits of the physical facilities is just part of the puzzle. Whether Gallant had influence on the firing is another part. For me, the manner in which Dennehy was fired is interesting. Dennehy had a contract thru 2019 that was extended for multiple seasons in Feb of 2017. I figure that he is under contract until 2021 or 2022. My question: What happened in the last year that Merrimack decided that Dennehy had to go RIGHT NOW? The fact that the firing took place right after the game makes me believe that the decision to let Dennehy go had already been made at least weeks before. Beating Lowell in the opening round only bought Dennehy an extra week. What happened that made it imperative to fire Dennehy after the game? Wouldn't most moves like this been made mid week after a couple of days of 'reflection'? How did a well regarded Coach become a problem that had to be let go in the space of a year?

[J.D.]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

As surprised as I was by this and as well respected as Dennehy is, in the end this will simply come down to who they hire. If Merrimack is able to land a promising younger coach like a Carvel at UMass...ok. But if this turns into the previous fiasco at UMass of having to settle for Micheletto, that's a different story. You'd be begging for Dennehy to come back.

[The Zlax45]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

That is also a big IF because I keep hearing from a lot of alumni (who donate a lot of money) that Gallant had nothing to do with Dennehy getting fired. They said he's a pain in the *** but he did not get anyone fired and no one around there takes gallant all that seriously. The big alumni donors who I talk to all say that the college uses gallant and not the other way around.

I am sorry, Coach Dennehy was a great guy and everything but why should Merrimack aspire to be a team that finishes below .500 and bounces out in the QF? I dont have illusions of competing for national championship every year but I think once in a while getting to the Garden (more than once every 13 years) is not a overblown expectations. Yeah Coach Dennehy got us to some great heights but the team was back to winning 8 games 3 years later. Since then we have been below .500 with some long losing streaks EVERY **** YEAR and the same problems. We cant score goals. Every night for 3 years we hear how hard they worked, which is awesome, but they do not score goals and do not win enough games.

I just find it funny that so many people on this thread who are fans of other teams, who watch merrimack twice per year, will tell Merrimack fans that we have to just be happy being in Hockey East. Just be happy rubbing elbows with BC and stuff. Or all you "experts" who know "no one can do it better than Dennehy." Well why don't we see? Let's see if someone else can do something better. Teams with far less resources have won. Merrimack invests money. They dont have money for a $100 million rink. But everything else is right up there with the rest of HE like Yuppie Scum pointed out.

You people get so hung up on arenas. Is Harvard's arena great? It's fine but it's not BU, Tsongas, BC, or anything like that. Facilities are a lot more than the arena. It seems like no one here gets that. Union competes and their arena is a joke. It could be different because it is Atlantic Hockey but Mercyhurst is the best team in Atlantic in a public rink. Matthews is a cooler arena but Merrimack's behind the scenes facilities are as good as Northeastern's. Look at the pictures. Merrimack's training, locker room and everything is on par with the rest of the league.

Saying that Dennehy did not win because of the arena is making an EXCUSE. He is a nice guy and it sucks to see a nice guy lose his job, but he wasn't winning games. Coaches are judged on wins and losses and it is plain and simple.

Providence's actual arena is a joke...the other stuff underneath is top of the line.

[Snively65]

in a contest between bentley and mack, mack would rank last.

Um, I do not think that Bentley has ever beaten Mack. I belive that Bentley has beaten UML, UNH, Maine, NU, UMass-Flagship, BU, and Yukon, when those Huskies were still in AHA, but not Mack and UVM, and not yet played BC and PC.

[Yuppie Scum]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

Providence's actual arena is a joke...the other stuff underneath is top of the line.

What's wrong with the Schneider? The sightlines are good and the concessions are fine. Their dunkins is WAY better staffed than the Lawler one, and it's not "outside security." The lobby looks like a Volvo dealership. I have fond memories of the playoff series between MC and PC down there a couple years back, one of the liveliest sporting event atmospheres I've ever been at.

[boblav1]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

MC1011, the discussion about the relative merits of the physical facilities is just part of the puzzle. Whether Gallant had influence on the firing is another part. For me, the manner in which Dennehy was fired is interesting. Dennehy had a contract thru 2019 that was extended for multiple seasons in Feb of 2017. I figure that he is under contract until 2021 or 2022. My question: What happened in the last year that Merrimack decided that Dennehy had to go RIGHT NOW? The fact that the firing took place right after the game makes me believe that the decision to let Dennehy go had already been made at least weeks before. Beating Lowell in the opening round only bought Dennehy an extra week. What happened that made it imperative to fire Dennehy after the game? Wouldn't most moves like this been made mid week after a couple of days of 'reflection'? How did a well regarded Coach become a problem that had to be let go in the space of a year?

Just had a conversation with someone last week who was mentioning something an NHL GM said to him about weird trades/firings. Lots of times, when weird things happen in sports, there are things happening behind the scenes.

— Mike McMahon (@MikeMcMahonCHN) March 11, 2018

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

With that in mind, it will be VERY interesting to see how long it takes to fill this position.

[mookie1995]

Um, I do not think that Bentley has ever beaten Mack. I belive that Bentley has beaten UML, UNH, Maine, NU, UMass-Flagship, BU, and Yukon, when those Huskies were still in AHA, but not Mack and UVM, and not yet played BC and PC.

Sorry
Mookie was holding a facilities contest between the two.

Could have been more clear on that. Apologies

[theprofromdover]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

You people get so hung up on arenas. Is Harvard's arena great? It's fine but it's not BU, Tsongas, BC, or anything like that.

But it's Harvard and you're Merrimack.

[mookie1995]

But it's Harvard and you're Merrimack.

Gotta admit they are pretty funny

[amkirby10]

What's wrong with the Schneider? The sightlines are good and the concessions are fine. Their dunkins is WAY better staffed than the Lawler one, and it's not "outside security." The lobby looks like a Volvo dealership. I have fond memories of the playoff series between MC and PC down there a couple years back, one of the liveliest sporting event atmospheres I've ever been at.

What are you talking about? The sightlines at Schneider are terrible, everything is obstructed by something, and the stands aren’t high enough above the ice, so you can’t see the near side boards. I was there for part of Maine’s playoff series last weekend and it didn’t seem like there was a good seat in the place.

[Middle Street]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

What are you talking about? The sightlines at Schneider are terrible, everything is obstructed by something, and the stands aren’t high enough above the ice, so you can’t see the near side boards. I was there for part of Maine’s playoff series last weekend and it didn’t seem like there was a good seat in the place.

Agreed. Schneider has the worst sightlines of the all of the D-1 venues I've visited for all of the reasons above. Yuppie Scum, you may have been fortunate to get one of the better seats.

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

Gotta admit they are pretty funny

Honestly, I could go for one more Davidson and Wake Forest reference.

[MC Alumni]

Re: Merrimack College 2017-2018

That is also a big IF because I keep hearing from a lot of alumni (who donate a lot of money) that Gallant had nothing to do with Dennehy getting fired. They said he's a pain in the *** but he did not get anyone fired and no one around there takes gallant all that seriously. The big alumni donors who I talk to all say that the college uses gallant and not the other way around.

I am sorry, Coach Dennehy was a great guy and everything but why should Merrimack aspire to be a team that finishes below .500 and bounces out in the QF? I dont have illusions of competing for national championship every year but I think once in a while getting to the Garden (more than once every 13 years) is not a overblown expectations. Yeah Coach Dennehy got us to some great heights but the team was back to winning 8 games 3 years later. Since then we have been below .500 with some long losing streaks EVERY **** YEAR and the same problems. We cant score goals. Every night for 3 years we hear how hard they worked, which is awesome, but they do not score goals and do not win enough games.

I just find it funny that so many people on this thread who are fans of other teams, who watch merrimack twice per year, will tell Merrimack fans that we have to just be happy being in Hockey East. Just be happy rubbing elbows with BC and stuff. Or all you "experts" who know "no one can do it better than Dennehy." Well why don't we see? Let's see if someone else can do something better. Teams with far less resources have won. Merrimack invests money. They dont have money for a $100 million rink. But everything else is right up there with the rest of HE like Yuppie Scum pointed out.

You people get so hung up on arenas. Is Harvard's arena great? It's fine but it's not BU, Tsongas, BC, or anything like that. Facilities are a lot more than the arena. It seems like no one here gets that. Union competes and their arena is a joke. It could be different because it is Atlantic Hockey but Mercyhurst is the best team in Atlantic in a public rink. Matthews is a cooler arena but Merrimack's behind the scenes facilities are as good as Northeastern's. Look at the pictures. Merrimack's training, locker room and everything is on par with the rest of the league.

Saying that Dennehy did not win because of the arena is making an EXCUSE. He is a nice guy and it sucks to see a nice guy lose his job, but he wasn't winning games. Coaches are judged on wins and losses and it is plain and simple.

Thank you! Excellent post.