UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

I look at the games in December and early January and see some lost opportunity to get to the NRN.

No doubt about it, the blown opportunities against the "cupcakes", and the three blown multi-goal 3rd period lost results against Brown, UConn and UMaine, those would have not only gotten Coach close to (if not to or past) the NRN, but also could have set UNH up for home ice next weekend. Talent no doubt is down, but good coaching keeps this somewhat afloat in the sea of mediocrity that Hockey East has been this season.

I'll also bring up the on-ice leadership vacuum that continues to be present for most of the last few years with this program. Putting aside last year's captain (Cleland), two of the last three seasons,, this has been a significant issue ... and looking ahead to next season, it may be an issue yet again. Most of the obvious candidates (and I use that term loosely) are either depth players (Miller), spare parts (Dawson, Cefalu), 5th year seniors (Clark, maybe Boyd?) or have been career underachievers (Vela). Nazarian may be the only one who does not fall into one of those categories, and his production has been decent, but not great. I've always thought underclassmen should be considered, but the options there (Blackburn, Wyse, BvR) are hardly obvious ones at this point of the game, either.

Sorry if I took this astray a little, but I'm searching for rays of hope, and I'm not seeing (m)any ...

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Play Clark tonight. He's earned it, as much as Tirone, by simply being a good soldier - and the coaches owe it to him for never giving him a fair shake despite all the struggles the team has had with the position. They're not playing for anything tonight and, in fact, would be better of finishing last and getting UConn (or Maine - if tie breakers allow) than drawing Lowell.

They won't give him a shake this time either, though - it will undoubtedly be right back to Tirone. He's the senior who deserves it in their mind. He always has been. In addition to the lacy of ability - the lack of EVER hosting a legitimate goaltending competition has killed this team for three seasons...

The Ty Taylor era can't start soon enough - assuming he wins the job (he should have no trouble doing so, FYI)...

I'll meet your Adam Clark, and raise you a Joe Lazzaro (sp?).

If you're not going to play Tirone tonight - and I agree, they probably will - why not start Robinson instead? One bad outing, and he's off your "good list" already? Isn't he the only returning guy who will have a legitimate shot at significant playing time next season? Unless you know Clark is returning next season ... why waste a start on him? Hasn't that ship sailed, especially with Taylor out on the horizon? At least with Lazzaro, you know he'll be back next season. And it's not exactly like UNH has to "sandbag" tonight to ensure they lose to get a more favorable MBPBEGAM match-up ...

[Dan]

I'll meet your Adam Clark, and raise you a Joe Lazzaro (sp?).

If you're not going to play Tirone tonight - and I agree, they probably will - why not start Robinson instead? One bad outing, and he's off your "good list" already? Isn't he the only returning guy who will have a legitimate shot at significant playing time next season? Unless you know Clark is returning next season ... why waste a start on him? Hasn't that ship sailed, especially with Taylor not on the horizon? At least with Lazzaro, you know he'll be back next season. And it's not exactly like UNH has to "sandbag" tonight to ensure they lose to get a more favorable MBPBEGAM match-up ...

I'm fine with Robinson starting and he deserves a real chance to compete with Taylor next year. But I'm dealing in what has become UNH absolutes - not what I would do. They're playing a senior on senior night - so Robinson and Lazzarro are out. It will be Tirone...

As for next year, maybe Souza will be different and look to a rotation/competition. I'll believe it when I (hopefully) see it. Until then I imagine he'll prefer to play HIS guy over Boreks - so, Taylor, who I do think is likely to be the better goalie in the long run. But a true competition or rotation until one guy earns the job - and continuing competition and accountability in practice - works for me. We'll see...

[e.cat]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

More specifically, UNH lacks senior talent. Other than McNick who has held his own under dire circumstances, Salvaggio and Eiserman are both busts!

[HockeyRef]

No doubt about it, the blown opportunities against the "cupcakes", and the three blown multi-goal 3rd period lost results against Brown, UConn and UMaine, those would have not only gotten Coach close to (if not to or past) the NRN, but also could have set UNH up for home ice next weekend. Talent no doubt is down, but good coaching keeps this somewhat afloat in the sea of mediocrity that Hockey East has been this season.

I'll also bring up the on-ice leadership vacuum that continues to be present for most of the last few years with this program. Putting aside last year's captain (Cleland), two of the last three seasons,, this has been a significant issue ... and looking ahead to next season, it may be an issue yet again. Most of the obvious candidates (and I use that term loosely) are either depth players (Miller), spare parts (Dawson, Cefalu), 5th year seniors (Clark, maybe Boyd?) or have been career underachievers (Vela). Nazarian may be the only one who does not fall into one of those categories, and his production has been decent, but not great. I've always thought underclassmen should be considered, but the options there (Blackburn, Wyse, BvR) are hardly obvious ones at this point of the game, either.

Sorry if I took this astray a little, but I'm searching for rays of hope, and I'm not seeing (m)any ...

Exactly the point Chuck those blown opps have cost them dearly. Not to mention the lack of any consistent scoring as Dan pointed out. As per Captain next season my bets on Vela if not for his "hot head" as some fans say but personally? That's exactly why he's my pick.

Not that I want a jerk out there mind you but someone to lead this team and a little fire isn't a bad thing. The safe and most likely pick? Miller or Nazarian. The latter has been in most of the pressers recently due to his scoring I suppose. Either player is fine still I'd go with Vela.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

To the seniors, I know this board and I have focused on your on-ice experience at UNH, much not kind. Tonight is a night to celebrate your UNH experience, and I hope you have all taken advantage of it beyond the ice, and have learned from it. Even if the on-ice results have not come, I hope you view your UNH experiences as positive, because those will outweigh the hockey in a couple of years. Tonight is your night.

[Dan]

More specifically, UNH lacks senior talent. Other than McNick who has held his own under dire circumstances, Salvaggio and Eiserman are both busts!

Those two are who they've always been - Salvaggio was a hard-skating third line guy his whole life until he played one season with TK. Put him on a line with an elite playmaker and he can score. Otherwise you need to put him in a role behind elite offense and convince him to check. Expecting him to carry the load has been unfair to him...

Eiserman has always been an elite role player capable of chipping in offense. That's what he was with the NTDP. It was thy role thy made him a highly sought after recruit. He's my sneaky candidate for a potential Winnik type NHL career if he can improve his skating and get more physical. He's never been utilized correctly by the coaches.

Neither has ever been surrounded by the right roster/linemates (aside from Salvaggios one season) to either get more out of them or allow them to flourish in their roles...

UNH teams of the past would have a top-six and then a third line of Salvaggio - Eiserman - X. If that was still the case today, both would be beloved...

The SR class lost AP and Foegele and subsequent recruiting has never replaced those two - which it should have been expected to do (and prepared to do). If they had, we might see the two seniors you mentioned in roles and with linemates allowing them to flourish as the types of players they truly are and have always truly been...

McNicholas was the third offensive kid in that class - as much as I like and appreciate him, asking him to be a #1 guy on an entire team is unfair. He should be a #2 center and would excel in that role. The fact that they haven't recruited elite offensive talents in subsequent classes to replace AP and WF is the real issue...

[Greg Ambrose]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

To the seniors, I know this board and I have focused on your on-ice experience at UNH, much not kind. Tonight is a night to celebrate your UNH experience, and I hope you have all taken advantage of it beyond the ice, and have learned from it. Even if the on-ice results have not come, I hope you view your UNH experiences as positive, because those will outweigh the hockey in a couple of years. Tonight is your night.

If the could only have experienced it the way it was.

[e.cat]

Those two are who they've always been - Salvaggio was a hard-skating third line guy his whole life until he played one season with TK. Put him on a line with an elite playmaker and he can score. Otherwise you need to put him in a role behind elite offense and convince him to check. Expecting him to carry the load has been unfair to him...

Eiserman has always been an elite role player capable of chipping in offense. That's what he was with the NTDP. It was thy role thy made him a highly sought after recruit. He's my sneaky candidate for a potential Winnik type NHL career if he can improve his skating and get more physical. He's never been utilized correctly by the coaches.

Neither has ever been surrounded by the right roster/linemates (aside from Salvaggios one season) to either get more out of them or allow them to flourish in their roles...

UNH teams of the past would have a top-six and then a third line of Salvaggio - Eiserman - X. If that was still the case today, both would be beloved...

The SR class lost AP and Foegele and subsequent recruiting has never replaced those two - which it should have been expected to do (and prepared to do). If they had, we might see the two seniors you mentioned in roles and with linemates allowing them to flourish as the types of players they truly are and have always truly been...

McNicholas was the third offensive kid in that class - as much as I like and appreciate him, asking him to be a #1 guy on an entire team is unfair. He should be a #2 center and would excel in that role. The fact that they haven't recruited elite offensive talents in subsequent classes to replace AP and WF is the real issue...

True enough. Just furthers the argument that this team lacks the talent and depth to plug them into appropriate roles.

[Dan]

Does this forward group contend for a HE title and an NCAA Tournament bid? I think so...

Salvaggio - McNicholas - Poturalski (or talented JR)
Foegele (OTJ) - Blackburn - Grasso
Eiserman - Vela - Nazarian
BVR - MacAdams - Kelleher

Poturalski probably passes 80 points as a college senior with Foegele not far behind. I bet he brings out last season versions of his two linemates and Foegele does the same for Grasso, as well as maximizing Liam Blackburn's burgeoning talent.

A look at what might have been illustrates so clearly how players have been forced to play roles over their head and how costly the poor recruiting results have been. A few key scorers in the JR/SO classes (combined with maximized goaltending) and this is a different season...

Instead a few recruiting misses and things have really snowballed - both on the ice and in future recruiting...

[HockeyRef]

Does this forward group contend for a HE title and an NCAA Tournament bid? I think so...

Salvaggio - McNicholas - Poturalski (or talented JR)
Foegele (OTJ) - Blackburn - Grasso
Eiserman - Vela - Nazarian
BVR - MacAdams - Kelleher

Poturalski probably passes 80 points as a college senior with Foegele not far behind. I bet he brings out last season versions of his two linemates and Foegele does the same for Grasso, as well as maximizing Liam Blackburn's burgeoning talent.

A look at what might have been illustrates so clearly how players have been forced to play roles over their head and how costly the poor recruiting results have been. A few key scorers in the JR/SO classes (combined with maximized goaltending) and this is a different season...

Instead a few recruiting misses and things have really snowballed - both on the ice and in future recruiting...

I have been playing this very thing over and over again when it comes to still having Pots and Foegele; "what might have been". Man when I saw them in that AHL game at the XL Center was totally blown away with just what two years did for their game (of course totally different experiences than what they would've had at UNH not a slam). Still...

Given that they left (and were not replaced) we did miss Grasso there's no doubt. How much I am not able to say. Got into a discussion with another fan about stuff like the above and they said that what are you going to do if your best players leave all the time? My response? Recruit the next guy then to take their place. Pretty much the way to handle that? Here's hoping.

Sadly "what ifs" don't win league championships but it feels good to imagine!! 😉

[Dan]

My response? Recruit the next guy then to take their place. Pretty much the way to handle that?

Bingo. That's college hockey in a nutshell...

[Scott]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Uhhhh ... next season, ALL of the players on the roster will have been there on Souza's watch. Frosh from his first season as "HC in training" will now be seniors. Walking out on a team that's largely of his own construction, even if some of the older players no doubt originated in the Borek pipeline ... in the end, it's Souza's call now on who stays, and who goes. Unfortunately, the volume AND quality of the incoming recruits isn't going to make any of that easier. But if Souza has been "set up" - and I think most of us agree, this "plan" has had its major flaws, no doubt - then you have to admit Souza has played an unwittingly major role in setting himself up for any failure.

No disagreement here....if he has truly had any "hand" in trying to develop these players (which clearly has not shown up on the ice), then he's part of the problem. For his sake, I hope that he has an exit plan....

[Ray Dorn]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2017/2018 - Umile's Last Stand - The Grand Finale

Things sure have gotten bad. I do not want to be too negative before the season comes to an end.

My quick thoughts on last night's game: 1. Poor goaltending and 2. 20 minutes of penalties on UNH and only 2 minutes of penalties on Northeastern. Well deserved or poor officiating could be debated.

It was really more like a 3 or 4 to 1 game territorially same as the 1 to 1 game a few weeks ago. Northeastern was the better team that night.

Did anybody notice the coaches changed up the defense pairings last night?

[HockeyRef]

Things sure have gotten bad. I do not want to be too negative before the season comes to an end.

My quick thoughts on last night's game: 1. Poor goaltending and 2. 20 minutes of penalties on UNH and only 2 minutes of penalties on Northeastern. Well deserved or poor officiating could be debated.

It was really more like a 3 or 4 to 1 game territorially same as the 1 to 1 game a few weeks ago. Northeastern was the better team that night.

Did anybody notice the coaches changed up the defense pairings last night?

Personally I didn't thought I saw Boyd out with Chanter at one point? What did you see Ray? Yeah a ton of penalties against my UNH....hmmm