UNH Recruits: 2012-2018

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

@UNHRecruitsCHC: #UNHRecruit #LiamBlackburn named BCHL 2nd Team All Star: http://t.co/e0uguZqKO6 @Burnsnasty

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

player	team	bio	GP	G	A	PTS
Jason Kalinowski-RW	CR/Bloomington (USHL)	5'11 189 7/2/95	50	2	9	11
Marcus Vela-RW	Langley (BCHL)	6'1 198	50	20	26	46
Liam Blackburn-LC	W.Kelowna (BCHL)	5'10 167 8/6/96	55	22	51	73
Brendan Van Riemsdyk-LW	Middlesex (USPHL)	6'4 183 1/28/96	47	29	12	41
Joseph Masonius-LD	Team USA	5'11 190	24	0	10	10
2016
Ara Nazarian-C	Des Moines (USHL)	5'8 182 6/19/96	60	12	16	28
Patrick Grasso-RC	Des Moines (USHL)	5'7 160 5/29/96	60	9	25	34
Charlie Kelleher-RC	Jr.Bruins (USPHL)	5'8 155 2/4/97	37	11	21	32
Chris Miller-RW	Jr.Bruins (USPHL)	5'7 165 6/1/95	33	8	12	20
Jake Ryczyk-RD	Sioux City (USHL)	5'11 170 3/19/98	55	6	12	18
Liam Darcy-LD	Berwick Adademy	5'11 170 2/26/97	-	-	-	-
Nick Nonis-LD	Powell River (BCHL)	6'2 188 12/19/95	56	1	6	7
Justin Fegona-RW	St.Andrews College	5'6 160 5/29/97
2017
Joey Cipollone-LC	Selects U18	5'10 175 3/29/97	24	18	33	51
Eric Esposito-RW	Loomis-Chaffee	5'10 170 8/23/98	27	18	14	32
Jason O'Neill-LC	Skipjacks U18	5'11 170 3/23/97	29	16	24	40
Aaron O'Neill-RC	Green Bay (USHL)	6' 160 5/5/97	41	1	1	2
2018
Joel Farabee-LW	Selects U16	5'6 130	28	8	25	33

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

The NLI signing period begins on Wednesday April 15th. The only UNH recruit that signed an NLI during the early signing period last November was Liam Blackburn. Even he is not guaranteed to enroll next fall though it it is highly likely. Any other list of enrollment dates, including the one on my blog, are best guesses.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

"UNH Recruits Update: April-20-2015"

In the Player Spotlight: Marcus Vela, Liam Darcy, and Mike Robinson.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

"UNH Recruit Ara Nazarian Signs National Letter of Intent"

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

"UNH Recruit Ara Nazarian Signs National Letter of Intent"

Great news! Thanks for posting, Mike.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Great news! Thanks for posting, Mike.

More interesting news, than great news. Nazarian is a recruit who excites me, long term, but one who seemed pretty much pegged for another year in the USHL and a 2016 arrival.

What does this mean for the rest of the class? It has been speculated by most, that UNH would add four forwards - replacing Downing, Willows, Thrush & Camper - which would give them 16 forwards. Blackburn signed early, Nazarian has signed and Cefalu (NLI/Walk-On) has announced that he is attending UNH this fall so that makes three. If they're going to stick with four, it had better be Vela - he is more talented/advanced than any other forward recruit in the pipeline save for, maybe, Blackburn.

Did UNH make the decision to take Nazarian ahead of BVR and Cefalu ahead of fellow 20 year olds Miller & Kalinowski (who despite their age are eligible for another year of junior hockey). I would have no complaints about those decisions - or are they planning to bring in five or six forwards (5-6 forwards in the seats is a LOT)?

My biggest concern for Nazarian is he gets the McNicholas treatment and matriculates 'ahead of schedule', but never really gets a shot. My biggest concern for UNH is that they stick to bringing in just four forwards and the fourth is one of Miller/Kalinowski. As I've stated before, I really think UNH needs to get its best talent into the program ASAP so they can grow together and give UNH the best chance to turn the corner quickly. Vela needs to be a part of this class for that to happen...

[Felger]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

More interesting news, than great news. Nazarian is a recruit who excites me, long term, but one who seemed pretty much pegged for another year in the USHL and a 2016 arrival.

What does this mean for the rest of the class? It has been speculated by most, that UNH would add four forwards - replacing Downing, Willows, Thrush & Camper - which would give them 16 forwards. Blackburn signed early, Nazarian has signed and Cefalu (NLI/Walk-On) has announced that he is attending UNH this fall so that makes three. If they're going to stick with four, it had better be Vela - he is more talented/advanced than any other forward recruit in the pipeline save for, maybe, Blackburn.

Did UNH make the decision to take Nazarian ahead of BVR and Cefalu ahead of fellow 20 year olds Miller & Kalinowski (who despite their age are eligible for another year of junior hockey). I would have no complaints about those decisions - or are they planning to bring in five or six forwards (5-6 forwards in the seats is a LOT)?

My biggest concern for Nazarian is he gets the McNicholas treatment and matriculates 'ahead of schedule', but never really gets a shot. My biggest concern for UNH is that they stick to bringing in just four forwards and the fourth is one of Miller/Kalinowski. As I've stated before, I really think UNH needs to get its best talent into the program ASAP so they can grow together and give UNH the best chance to turn the corner quickly. Vela needs to be a part of this class for that to happen...

Especially with that minus 17

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

@UNHRecruitsCHC
"UNH Recruit Marcus Vela Signs National Letter of Intent" post on http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/20...-national.html … @MVela_97 @LangleyRivermen @bchllive

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

@UNHRecruitsCHC
"UNH Recruit Jason Kalinowski Signs National Letter of Intent" posted on http://unhhockeyblog.blogspot.com/20...ski-signs.html … @JasonKalinowsk1 @RidertownUSA @USHL

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

So ... are Blackburn and/or BvR coming this Fall, or will they be delayed until Fall 2016?

[Dan]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

So ... are Blackburn and/or BvR coming this Fall, or will they be delayed until Fall 2016?

With Vela (thank goodness!), Kalinowski, Cefalu and Nazarian all signing I'd doubt that BVR comes this fall - they're up to 17 forwards for next year already and consensus is he still needs some development.

If Blackburn did sign during the November, early signing period - he's coming. Certainly unforeseen situations (injury/MJ) can arise, but you don't sign an NLI unless the absolute expectation is your coming in the fall. The aid agreement all of these players (and the school) signed was for the 2015-16 school year (you cannot sign for future years), which begins this fall.

So it looks like Miller is the odd man out - I can't imagine they'd bring in six forwards - and the forward class is Blackburn, Vela, Nazarian, Cefalu, Kalinowski.

CHC - the NTDP tweeted about many of their NLI signees during the recent U18 Tournament, bunt mentioned nothing about Masonious. Have you heard anything? Hopefully, UNH is just waiting until he returns stateside...??

[C-H-C]

With Vela (thank goodness!), Kalinowski, Cefalu and Nazarian all signing I'd doubt that BVR comes this fall - they're up to 17 forwards for next year already and consensus is he still needs some development.

If Blackburn did sign during the November, early signing period - he's coming. Certainly unforeseen situations (injury/MJ) can arise, but you don't sign an NLI unless the absolute expectation is your coming in the fall. The aid agreement all of these players (and the school) signed was for the 2015-16 school year (you cannot sign for future years), which begins this fall.


So it looks like Miller is the odd man out - I can't imagine they'd bring in six forwards - and the forward class is Blackburn, Vela, Nazarian, Cefalu, Kalinowski.

CHC - the NTDP tweeted about many of their NLI signees during the recent U18 Tournament, bunt mentioned nothing about Masonious. Have you heard anything? Hopefully, UNH is just waiting until he returns stateside...??

Masonius' NLI Status is likely to be resolved today. Assuming NLI offer was issued on 15th, he would have the rest of today to sign. Team USA U18 has today off and plays the Czech Republic tomorrow.

BvR coming in Fall 2016 would not be a surprise if that's how it plays out.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

Certainly unforeseen situations (injury/MJ) can arise, but you don't sign an NLI unless the absolute expectation is your coming in the fall. The aid agreement all of these players (and the school) signed was for the 2015-16 school year (you cannot sign for future years), which begins this fall.

The general practice among other teams is to have players sign LOI, even if they are scheduled for later years. Since UNH got burned with these issues, they have ceased announcing LOIs, and instead just issue a press release mid summer. Other teams are far more proactive in announcing signings, even if the signing is (as you point out Dan), ceremonial because the LOI will not extend into the following year for a deferred player. I think psychologically it keeps the player bound to the program and makes them feel the program has committed to them, even if that commitment would expire.

July 30, 2014

Notre Dame, Ind. - Notre Dame hockey coach Jeff Jackson today announced that Anders Bjork (Mequon, Wis.) has signed a national letter-of-intent to join the Irish hockey program for the 2014-15 season.

Bjork, the son of Irish hockey All-American Kirt Bjork `83, brings the list of signees to 13 with 10 of them set to join the Irish for the coming season. Expected to join the team this fall along with Bjork are forwards Bo Brauer (Edina, Minn.), Dawson Cook (Cadillac, Mich.), Jake Evans (Toronto, Ont.) and Connor Hurley (Eagan, Minn.); defensemen Nathan Billitier (Spencerport, N.Y.), Tony Bretzman (Mendota Heights, Minn.), Jordan Gross (Maple Grove, Minn.) and Luke Ripley (Kitamit, B.C.) plus goaltender Cal Petersen (Waterloo, Iowa). Cook, Gross and Petersen signed letters-of-intent in the fall of 2013 but deferred until this coming season.

Also signing letters-of-intent this year are defenseman Bobby Nardella (Melrose Park, Ill.) and forward Joe Wegwerth (Brewster, N.Y.) who are expected to join the Irish along with forward Andrew Oglevie (Fullerton, Calif.), a 2013 signee, for the 2015-16 campaign.

[Dan]

Re: UNH Recruits: 2012-2016

The general practice among other teams is to have players sign LOI, even if they are scheduled for later years. Since UNH got burned with these issues, they have ceased announcing LOIs, and instead just issue a press release mid summer. Other teams are far more proactive in announcing signings, even if the signing is (as you point out Dan), ceremonial because the LOI will not extend into the following year for a deferred player. I think psychologically it keeps the player bound to the program and makes them feel the program has committed to them, even if that commitment would expire.

Interesting - I've doubted that rumor because I've never seen a school or coach comment on future recruits (which Notre Dame does here). This seems to be a practice that is based on some pretty 'creative' compliance rulings well outside the intended spirit of the document. Additionally, I see ZERO benefit to the player to ever sign an NLI unless you are enrolling in the next school year. By definition the NLI is a documented agreement between school and prospect of athletic aid terms for the upcoming year - so, as stated above, any deferral means a renewal must be signed the next year anyway.

Over the course of that year, the school could completely change its mind on the sum of the athletic award or whether a renewal would even be issued. If a student-athlete signs an NLI and 'fails to enroll', the NLI remains binding to the student athlete - meaning that if the student-athlete were to change his mind he could, but would be bound to NCAA transfer rules...

http://www.nationalletter.org/docume...Guidelines.pdf

Based on the above, if a student signed early and changed his mind he would be forced to serve a year in residence and lose a year of eligibility. Am I incorrect in my understanding that - for example - UNH could have signed Vecchione, THEN told him he was deferring, forcing him to either wait to come to UNH or look for a different school, but lose a year of eligibility??? Meanwhile, no school can contact Vecchione because he is signed to UNH.

If some schools have started to rule that this practice is NCAA compliant then more will certainly follow shortly, but I've never seen anything to indicate UNH recruits this way. So I'd still strongly assume that all recent NLI signees will be in Durham this fall. If anything, I've noticed UNH prefers to avoids the early signing period whenever possible - allowing them to evaluate recruits all winter and make a decision on who to sign/defer in the spring.