UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

[Rover]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Dick Umile tells WMUR he will be back for his 25th year at UNH next season. Great news. Wildcats are going to be GOOD. #WMUR @UNHWildcats

— Jamie Staton (@JamieStatonWMUR) March 25, 2015

Has there EVER been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (Parker, York, Walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

[all bear]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

has there ever been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (parker, york, walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Has there EVER been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (Parker, York, Walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

Heck...no better time than the present...

[wildcatdc]

Has there EVER been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (Parker, York, Walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

Oldest coaches to ever win A championship, not necessarily their FIRST championship:

NCAAB: Jim Calhoun, 68
NFL: George Halas, 68
NBA: Larry Brown, 63
NCAAF: Bobby Bowden, 69
MLB: Jack McKeon, 72
NHL: Scotty Bowman, 68

Jackie P win his LAST of THREE at 64.

Coach turns 67 on December 21st.

Draw whatever conclusions you'd like.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Has there EVER been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (Parker, York, Walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

Objectively speaking, I would be the first to admit the odds are stacked heavily against Coach Umile.

Having said that ... he's been close a few times before (twice very close, and once really really close), he's apparently got a lifetime contract, and he's run a clean and very competitive program that *feels* like it may now be trending back in a positive direction. He also hired a younger assistant for the first time ever. So I'm willing to get on board for another year with the current regime in place, and hope the momentum built in the latter stages of this past season can continue when the 'Cats take to the ice again next Fall.

I'm a sap for a great story too, and Coach Umile returning the program back to the top of D-1 as he approaches 70 would be a pretty darned good one for the annals of college hockey lore. I'm not expecting it to happen by any means, but I'm rooting and hoping for it to happen. And then Coach Umile can ride off into the sunset, while UNH goes on its search for its own version of Coach Bazin from among the ranks of its former alums in the coaching racket.

That's my plan, and at least for the coming season, I'm sticking to it.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Well since Umile is going no where until he wants, we should all try to find a positive spin.

[scoreboard]

Well since Umile is going no where until he wants, we should all try to find a positive spin.

Absolutely, and be thrilled when UNH actually gets back into the NCAA's after missing the tourney 3 of the last 4 years. Things are looking up! Hope UNH doesn't lose a lot of money by hosting the regionals this year. I looked at the availability of seats online earlier today and not a lot of seats blocked out except for the participants seating area.

[Snively65]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

So, Umile will turn 69 midway through the next season that the Cats have any real chance of making the NCAAs, when this year's freshmen are seniors, assuming that the next three recruiting classes are as good as this past year. But, there is always a chance that we can get back in as an auto bid, as Hockey East appears to be on a greater parity track the next three years, and we did come in second in OOC wins as a conference this past season.

[HockeyRef]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

So, Umile will turn 69 midway through the next season that the Cats have any real chance of making the NCAAs, when this year's freshmen are seniors, assuming that the next three recruiting classes are as good as this past year. But, there is always a chance that we can get back in as an auto bid, as Hockey East appears to be on a greater parity track the next three years, and we did come in second in OOC wins as a conference this past season.

Actually he's going to be 67 next season, do I have that right? No matter...I'm thinking he wants to see where this team goes but to be honest..I'm speculating two years max for him..and I think that has been echoed here before. Not worth getting on a 'retirement watch' ask Michigan. Proud of the work he and his staff did this season...that's enough for me. For now. Fast forward to next season, this time of year, hoping we are in a Regional..

[Lake Whitt]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Has there EVER been a situation where a guy won his first national championship after coaching for 25 years? Seems to be the good ones (Parker, York, Walsh, etc) started bagging titles much, much earlier in their careers, not when they were pushing 70 years old for their first one.

It's a lot easier to win one when you don't have to follow that pesky rulebook.

[Chuck Murray]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

It's a lot easier to win one when you don't have to follow that pesky rulebook.

I think all of us could appreciate a little "retroactive financial aid" in our lives from time to time.

[C-H-C]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Justin Loring of The New Hampshire is reporting that Matt Willows has signed an ATO with the AHL's Worcester Sharks.
http://www.tnhdigital.com/mens-hocke...-to-minnesota/

[HockeyRef]

Justin Loring of The New Hampshire is reporting that Matt Willows has signed an ATO with the AHL's Worcester Sharks.
http://www.tnhdigital.com/mens-hocke...-to-minnesota/

Pretty cool! He trades his #9 for #15! Already asked my friend for free tix at the Monarchs to see him play April 18th...Best wishes Matt Willows!!

[Greg A]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Well since Umile is going no where until he wants, we should all try to find a positive spin.

I'd agree with that. UNH is certainly not on any fast track to the FF but, from what we saw the last couple of months, they are improving after some less than stellar seasons. I was going to say dismal, but dismal defines programs like UMass and Wisconsin. My take is that there is a lot of parity in college hockey now, it is not like it was 15-20 years ago when you had a half dozen schools every year that were ticketed for the NCAA's and the FF. Yale won two years ago, Union last year, this year it could be anyone, really, except maybe RIT. What it takes to get back now is not as much as it did back in the day. Two good lines, some solid if not spectacular defense, and a good goalie and, voila, you are back in the hunt. Really, all I want for Umile, who I respect immensely, is for him to finish out well. It always bothered me that a great coach like Charlie Holt finished on such a sour note (5 wins his last year). It is up to Umile and his staff to make sure that doesn't happen to him.

[NCAA watcher]

Re: UNH Wildcats TD Garden and Beyond 2015

Really, all I want for Umile, who I respect immensely, is for him to finish out well. It always bothered me that a great coach like Charlie Holt finished on such a sour note (5 wins his last year). It is up to Umile and his staff to make sure that doesn't happen to him.

At this point with recruiting baked in three years in advance, we know the players who will finish out Umile's career. The issue is at what point the 99s and 00s get an idea of who they would play for.

Re: Pesce

Berenson: "(NHL teams) are going to try and sign all juniors they can; they don’t care if they are ready."