UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

[e.cat]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Dan and Chuck. Obviously, Souza started three years ago as a recruiter. I doubt any reasonable person will hold him responsible in terms of job security as the head coach for that period of time. He will be judged as the head coach as of last July or whenever the actual contract was done.

He should be held responsible for his performance as a recruiter for the period of time in that position.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

My point was not to look back, but look forward. The critical issue is what sort of information we can gain this season. To me, its evaluation of freshmen, to see what it tells us about the recruiters' eye, and also the on-the-ground recruiting to see if those results show a change in perception. What happened the past three years is sunk costs.

I'm intrigued by 1932's comments about Engaras being third line.

Fr.Crookshank--Jr.Blackburn --So.Kelleher
Fr.Pierson ------Sr.Nazarian------So.Grasso
Jr.BVR-------Sr.Vela-----------So.MacAdam
Fr.Esposito----Sr.Miller -------Fr.Engaras
Fr.Cipollone----Sr.Cefalu-----So.Sato
Jr.Sacco

I would have expected Engaras and Pierson to flip, so wonder what, if anything, caused 1932's comment.

[Dan]

I'm intrigued by 1932's comments about Engaras being third line.

Fr.Crookshank--Jr.Blackburn --So.Kelleher
Fr.Pierson ------Sr.Nazarian------So.Grasso
Jr.BVR-------Sr.Vela-----------So.MacAdam
Fr.Esposito----Sr.Miller -------Fr.Engaras
Fr.Cipollone----Sr.Cefalu-----So.Sato
Jr.Sacco

I would have expected Engaras and Pierson to flip, so wonder what, if anything, caused 1932's comment.

He made that statement directly after wondering allowed if UNH was playing their scorers in de facto lower line roles to manipulate match-ups. I took his statement to mean he expected Engaras to be a top six forward shortly and play on one of UNHs top lines - but as a member of the third line on the chart. I don't think you're fooling anyone and opponents will still play match-ups as they see fit - but it may be UNH's hope to avoid matching their top lines against other teams first unit. I may have interpreted him wrong...

---

My last comment on this issue for now - I understand nothing can be done to change the past but I think we dismiss it at our own peril. It happened.

That said - my expectation is we better darn well hope Souza is successful and makes the necessary changes, because I don't doubt that the UNH administration is looking at him the same way ecat is.

Which means, if Souza is not the guy, I see the best case scenario as a two year free pass to get his feet wet, two years to show improvement and then 1-2 years where he's under the gun.

In that case you're looking at UNH being a sub-500, irrelevancy for over a decade and potentially the death of UNH hockey as we once knew it. That's why I'm urgent about pointing out the risk in this entire hire/transition scenario. It needs to work out or they need to act quickly. Otherwise...

That doesn't take into account the fact that Scarano has rarely, if ever, (at most he's done it once, in 20+ years) fired a coach strictly for performance reasons. Meaning the worst case is any irrelevancy won't matter to him at all. The women's coach is entering her fifth season at UNH with a .388 winning percentage - and she was a well-under .500 coach at Yale. Her track record was a sunk-cost, but it was also quite predictive as her time at UNH has been entirely predictable...

There is not a program at UNH that has ever had more success or national standing than that one. Odds it ever happens again?

---

Looking forward to seeing the blue jerseys at CC...

[msprice]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

https://triblive.com/sports/penguins...gainst-canucks

Casey DeSmith gets the start again.

[e.cat]

He made that statement directly after wondering allowed if UNH was playing their scorers in de facto lower line roles to manipulate match-ups. I took his statement to mean he expected Engaras to be a top six forward shortly and play on one of UNHs top lines - but as a member of the third line on the chart. I don't think you're fooling anyone and opponents will still play match-ups as they see fit - but it may be UNH's hope to avoid matching their top lines against other teams first unit. I may have interpreted him wrong...

---

My last comment on this issue for now - I understand nothing can be done to change the past but I think we dismiss it at our own peril. It happened.

That said - my expectation is we better darn well hope Souza is successful and makes the necessary changes, because I don't doubt that the UNH administration is looking at him the same way ecat is.

Which means, if Souza is not the guy, I see the best case scenario as a two year free pass to get his feet wet, two years to show improvement and then 1-2 years where he's under the gun.

In that case you're looking at UNH being a sub-500, irrelevancy for over a decade and potentially the death of UNH hockey as we once knew it. That's why I'm urgent about pointing out the risk in this entire hire/transition scenario. It needs to work out or they need to act quickly. Otherwise...

That doesn't take into account the fact that Scarano has rarely, if ever, (at most he's done it once, in 20+ years) fired a coach strictly for performance reasons. Meaning the worst case is any irrelevancy won't matter to him at all. The women's coach is entering her fifth season at UNH with a .388 winning percentage - and she was a well-under .500 coach at Yale. Her track record was a sunk-cost, but it was also quite predictive as her time at UNH has been entirely predictable...

There is not a program at UNH that has ever had more success or national standing than that one. Odds it ever happens again?

---

Looking forward to seeing the blue jerseys at CC...

Nailed it!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

https://triblive.com/sports/penguins...gainst-canucks

Casey DeSmith gets the start again.

Watching! He's made some killer saves...his third straight start with a .935 ave coming into this game.

[Snively65]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

There has been an inordinate amount of discussion about recruiting, or lack thereof, on this thread, but I am wondering if Souza can coach? And, I do not mean "coaching up" individual players over time, although that is important, but coaching an in-game strategy that leads to goals, etc. I felt that Umile's in-game coaching deteriorated over the last few years, and hope that Souza does not simply imitate Umile behind the bench. And, I do not mean wearing a turtleneck and whistling for line changes. I guess that I will see for myself at Tsongas on November 9th.

[e.cat]

there has been an inordinate amount of discussion about recruiting, or lack thereof, on this thread, but i am wondering if souza can coach? And, i do not mean "coaching up" individual players over time, although that is important, but coaching an in-game strategy that leads to goals, etc. I felt that umile's in-game coaching deteriorated over the last few years, and hope that souza does not simply imitate umile behind the bench. And, i do not mean wearing a turtleneck and whistling for line changes. I guess that i will see for myself at tsongas on november 9th.

fyp!

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

There has been an inordinate amount of discussion about recruiting, or lack thereof, on this thread, but I am wondering if Souza can coach? And, I do not mean "coaching up" individual players over time, although that is important, but coaching an in-game strategy that leads to goals, etc. I felt that Umile's in-game coaching deteriorated over the last few years, and hope that Souza does not simply imitate Umile behind the bench. And, I do not mean wearing a turtleneck and whistling for line changes. I guess that I will see for myself at Tsongas on November 9th.

What would show you that he can, what would show you that he can't? Players have to execute after all...He ran the PK last year, am I right? And they seemed to be pretty darn good at it. So, I'd say Mike Souza has a clue.... I am not sure that anyone can judge the coaching ability of a coach solely on win/loss records.

I mean... It depends on soooo many variables. Having the horses to do the work, are those horses "coach able" come to mind for me initially, as well as the coach's ability to relate to those players, which, from my observations, Coach Souza is able to do.
Buy in from the players is so incredibly important as well. Souza himself knows what it takes to put the puck in the net and I've no doubt he is capable of imparting that knowledge to his players. Hopefully they get on track with this important task sooner than later.

Coaches don't do the skating...players do.

[Scott]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Do any other STH's have ANY CLUE from the UNH ticket office as to when the he11 we are going to receive our tickets? Criminy, we're two weeks into the regular season now!! I've e-mailed with no response.... ***???

[Dan]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

What would show you that he can, what would show you that he can't? Players have to execute after all...He ran the PK last year, am I right?

Do you have confirmation or direct knowledge of this? This is the second time you assumed he coached the PK - and that is the first time I have heard this hypothesized, it seemed a pretty common thought amongst the board that he ran the PP. I certainly know he was getting all the credit for the PP when it was clicking over 20% in his first two years (with better PP talent)...

Coaches don't do the skating...players do.

Better get better at attracting players or none of those other skills will matter. That said, there are 1000s of examples in sports history of coaches inheriting rosters and getting much more or less out of the group than the previous coach. Coaches aren't absolved when players don't play well. Souza will either get the most out of the group or he wont. That will be subjective, of course, but we can't keep playing it both ways. If Souza has all these great qualities and is an excellent coach and recruiter than they need to translate into top recruiting classes, players that develop/execute and wins.

Location, facilities, parity, assuming he's coaching whatever unit is producing, etc, etc. We can twist ourselves into knots trying to give this guy a pass or we can evaluate the program as it exists now and over the course of the season and next year. As the HC, if they don't win, its his fault one way or another. Just as Im sure he'll enjoy the victory tour if he delivers, whatever the ultimate reason for that success...

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Do you have confirmation or direct knowledge of this? This is the second time you assumed he coached the PK - and that is the first time I have heard this hypothesized, it seemed a pretty common thought amongst the board that he ran the PP. I certainly know he was getting all the credit for the PP when it was clicking over 20% in his first two years (with better PP talent)...



Better get better at attracting players or none of those other skills will matter. That said, there are 1000s of examples in sports history of coaches inheriting rosters and getting much more or less out of the group than the previous coach. Coaches aren't absolved when players don't play well. Souza will either get the most out of the group or he wont. That will be subjective, of course, but we can't keep playing it both ways. If Souza has all these great qualities and is an excellent coach and recruiter than they need to translate into top recruiting classes, players that develop/execute and wins.

Location, facilities, parity, assuming he's coaching whatever unit is producing, etc, etc. We can twist ourselves into knots trying to give this guy a pass or we can evaluate the program as it exists now and over the course of the season and next year. As the HC, if they don't win, its his fault one way or another. Just as Im sure he'll enjoy the victory tour if he delivers, whatever the ultimate reason for that success...

I am not giving anyone a pass...just pointing out what things go into evaluating a coach. And I thought that he did indeed coach the PK. Anyone know for sure? If I'm wrong I stand corrected.

Ps...I agree with your last statement...that ultimately, it comes down to the decisions made and implemented by the HC....I'm looking for a change this season but I also know it's not to be measured in 2 games.

[Dan]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

I am not giving anyone a pass...just pointing out what things go into evaluating a coach. And I thought that he did indeed coach the PK. Anyone know for sure? If I'm wrong I stand corrected.

Ps...I agree with your last statement...that ultimately, it comes down to the decisions made and implemented by the HC....I'm looking for a change this season but I also know it's not to be measured in 2 games.

I often speak in generalities (about what is said by many on the UNH threads) - it was just your post that jogged my thought process. I too would love a specific answer on his special-teams responsibilities - though I think the key to the 24% PP two years ago was more likely a product of Poturalski/Kelleher than whoever was doing the coaching. And the PK last year was more a result of UNH's improved defenseman and UNH's depth PK type forwards. Everything comes back to talent - thats why, to answer Snively's question, I harp so much on recruiting in lieu of other discussions...

[UNH1932]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Do any other STH's have ANY CLUE from the UNH ticket office as to when the he11 we are going to receive our tickets? Criminy, we're two weeks into the regular season now!! I've e-mailed with no response.... ***???

Scott

I will find out for you tomorrow morning as the ticket manager left for a new job a few weeks ago.

I presume they have not found the replacement yet. We are a little over a week out so they should be in the mail.

[UNHProf]

Re: UNH 2018-19: Souza The Opportunity

Just watched the Souza press conference. I'm not sure what I expect him to say, but the "... I'm pretty happy with how we played" line was pretty jarring. While there were certain aspects of the game that were well played (Goaltending, PP on Sat.), all and all, there wasn't a lot to be really happy about.