UNH Recruits: 2012-2018

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

I really enjoy reading the posts here so I decided to finally get an account. What is everyone's take on the age of the goalies coming to UNH? Both Adam Clark and Danny Tirone will be over 21 when they come to UNH. Also Jamie Regan was 20.5 when he arrived in Durham. Should we be concerned about the fact that none of the three of them were able to make it on to a D1 team before they were over 20.5? I'm worried that we wont have the top tier goalie we need to get a national championship with goalies that have been past on for 2-3 years before finally being recruited.

If we had the goalie of the future with either of the two that aren't on campus I thought we would have to get him on campus sooner even to just back up Desmith to stop other teams from stealing our recruit with the possibility of being on their campus a year earlier. Desmith will be a Junior for fall of 2013 and I've always been more comfortable with the new starter being a junior like in years past (Digirolamo, Foster, etc) Are my worries valid?

Adam Clark was ranked #32 among North American goalies on the NHL CSS midterm rankings. He has a chance of being the first UNH goalie drafted by an NHL team since Brian Foster. In general, goalies take longer to develop so having older goalies may be a positive. As for Danny Tirone, if he develops quicker than expected next year in either the USHL, BCHL or EJHL, he might be brought in a year early (though, that would mean 4 goalies on the roster for 2014). Coach Tortorella was a goalie at the University of Maine and Mike Buckley, the UNH goalie coach, has an impressive resume. Let's see if their long-term strategy pays off.

[CrazedUNHfan]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Thank you for easing my mind. I know goalies are very tough to predict and take a long time to develop. That is why I like having a junior starter. Desmith has been great but has definitely shown some growing pains this year. I think next year we will have a lot more consistent goaltending and I am excited to see what he can do as a junior. I am always worried about older players because if they weren't able to stand out and sign on when they were playing against players more their age I never expect them to be able to succeed when they have to in college. But based on what you said I can relax about life after Desmith and be excited for the competition for starter when he leaves.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Thank you for easing my mind. I know goalies are very tough to predict and take a long time to develop. That is why I like having a junior starter. Desmith has been great but has definitely shown some growing pains this year. I think next year we will have a lot more consistent goaltending and I am excited to see what he can do as a junior. I am always worried about older players because if they weren't able to stand out and sign on when they were playing against players more their age I never expect them to be able to succeed when they have to in college. But based on what you said I can relax about life after Desmith and be excited for the competition for starter when he leaves.

Your initial question peaked my curiousity so I looked up how old some of the outstanding UNH goalies were when they enrolled as Freshmen. Here's what I found:
Ty Conklin - 22 years, 6 months *Enrolled as a Sophomore.
Mike Ayers - 20 years, 8 months
Kevin Regan - 20 years, 2 months
Brian Foster - 19 years, 7 months

Next, I looked at how old they were when they played their first 20-game season (minimum of 20) with UNH:
Ty Conklin - Sophomore, 22 years, 6 months
Mike Ayers - Sophomore, 21 years, 8 months
Kevin Regan - Freshman, 20 years, 2 months
Brian Foster - Junior, 21 years, 7 months

The pattern seems to be to wait until they are at least 21 (except for Regan) before allowing them to play half the regular season games.

[UMLFan]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

I think a very good commit for you...

Judd Brackett @Canuckscout 2m
Congratulations to Ara Nazarian (Malden Catholic) on committing to UNH #HockeyEast @NizNasty2point2

[SteveS.]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

I would love to see UNH go for Mason Jobst a local Indianapolis kid who plays for Muskegon. Small for a center but fearless in the corners, very much akin to the BC waterbug forwards. He is not on one of the top lines at Muskegon this year so his production is not what it should be. If he get put on a scorers line you will see his stats triple, should be close to a 'point-a-game' player has a real nose for the puck and is always around the net for scoring chances. He is flying under the radar right now but at 19 he can play another year for Muskegon and really show what he can do, his stock will go up.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

"Ara Nazarian Commits to UNH"

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Your initial question peaked my curiousity so I looked up how old some of the outstanding UNH goalies were when they enrolled as Freshmen. Here's what I found:
Ty Conklin - 22 years, 6 months
Mike Ayers - 20 years, 8 months
Kevin Regan - 20 years, 2 months
Brian Foster - 19 years, 7 months

Don't forget Conklin transferred to UNH and first played as a sophomore, having spent his first year of eligibility with Alaska-Anchorage IIRC.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Don't forget Conklin transferred to UNH and first played as a sophomore, having spent his first year of eligibility with Alaska-Anchorage IIRC.

I couldn't find any record of Ty Conklin actually playing for the University of Alaska-Anchorage (e.g., https://admin.xosn.com/pdf8/835210.p...B_OEM_ID=13400 )

[carltonbarrett]

"Ara Nazarian Commits to UNH"

A very good player indeed, but still a rung or two below the type of player that UNH needs to take them to the promised land.

[scoreboard]

A very good player indeed, but still a rung or two below the type of player that UNH needs to take them to the promised land.

Really? Look at the FF teams this year. Very few draft picks amongst them compared to some other programs. They just play very good hockey. Who knows what the future holds.

[carltonbarrett]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Yeah true, but all those FF teams have a bunch of undrafted 23 and 24 year olds on their rosters, and I don't see UNH going down that path, do you?

[scoreboard]

Yeah true, but all those FF teams have a bunch of undrafted 23 and 24 year olds on their rosters, and I don't see UNH going down that path, do you?

I don't. No need to make your comment though. If I read correctly he is a sophomore in high school. Plenty of time to develop and it looks like he's doing fine so far. Congrats to him for joining the Wildcat family.

[UNHhockey29]

I couldn't find any record of Ty Conklin actually playing for the University of Alaska-Anchorage (e.g., https://admin.xosn.com/pdf8/835210.p...B_OEM_ID=13400 )

He didn't play there but attended for like 6 weeks or something silly so he had to follow the transfer rule.

[carltonbarrett]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

He's a very good player, I am not suggesting otherwise. I just feel that UNH is trying to recruit In the same circles as BC, BU, Nodak, DU, etc and again, while this kid is good, he wasn't being hounded by all the WCHA schools and eventually UNH is going to have to start landing more of those types. The Kelleher kid is more along those lines, you just need a few more of those types. The proof is in the pudding....

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

He didn't play there but attended for like 6 weeks or something silly so he had to follow the transfer rule.

That explains it. So, Ty Conklin was a 22 year, 6 months old sophomore when he first played goalie for UNH.