UConn v. UMass-Lowell RiverHawks (Friday 10/27/23 @7:15p @Tsongas Center & Saturday 10/28/23 @4p @XL Center). Both games on ESPN+

[scotty0330]

11 seasons is plenty of time and yes his results have been far from overwhelming. Bang for the buck is clearly not there. Still not sold on AD Dave making a move. But don’t see this working itself out when competition is only going to get better not worse

 

[zls44]

I don’t think people realize he is one of the highest paid head coaches in the country.

He has won nothing in 11 seasons.

In 10 of his 11 seasons he has failed to win a single postseason game. His entire postseason history is confined to a week and a half in 2021.

The power play is 2 for 36.

The power play is bad almost every year. It never changes. It never improves.

 

[mac2351]

I quickly checked some coaching salaries.

Cavanaugh makes more than Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State.

He makes about the same as Quinnipiac and North Dakota.

He makes less than Wisconsin ($700,000), Minnesota ($660,000), and Providence ($800,000).

I could not find anything for BC, BU, Penn State, or Notre Dame.

 

[zls44]

Cav and Toscano are tight. It doesn’t matter. He’s bulletproof.

 

[mac2351]

Then get Toscano to NIL some top talent in here.

 

[zls44]

He’s got 7 NHL draft picks!

 

[The Viking]

I will reiterate the fact we should just concede the power play by using our number 3 and 4 lines - they statistically can’t be worse than our current lines. Then when the PP is over we come at the opponent with our 1st and 2nd lines fully refreshed.

Why not try something different at this point.

 

[mac2351]

He’s got 7 NHL draft picks!

The only person who has a realistic shot at the NHL is Wood.

2 are the goalies, 1 is Capone (awful), 0 on the blue line.

The 3rd and 4th lines have a dearth of offensive talent.

And so far he has completely whiffed on his only forward transfer, Mahshie.

 

[ableton04]

Random thoughts after watching last night’s game in person:

• I keep saying it but it’s glaring - we just don’t have enough speed.
• Wood is falling into the year 2 Tage problem, where all he wants to do is shoot the same shot he likes. He needs to do more on this team.
• I’m impressed by Haider - he looked pretty good last night.
• We DESPERATELY miss Tverberg and have nothing approximating a replacement.
• As everybody else has pointed out, our power play is atrocious.
• The way we change lines is sometimes befuddling - so many times last night when just as we’re getting into their zone, 2 guys will go and change up. I know Cav is always aggressive with line changes but our timing feels really off this year.

 

[freescooter]

I Agee on the speed. We are just slow. Goalies are good. But there is not a scorer on the team. I kind of wonder if Wood really should have spent a year in juniors. He is big and talented but he isn’t that fast and he doesn’t seem to know the game.

 

[Viet Vet]

I'll be in Burlington for the UVM games. Both the HE writers and coaches picked Vermont to finish last in their preseason polls. Stay tuned.

If this season goes down the tubes, I can see a number of our promising underclassmen headed for the portal.

 

[DblCrossbar]

Do we have an opinion on goalie? Seems like we haven’t settled on one when historically Cav is not a fan of alternating but rather going ride or die with his preference

Yet he changed course and alternated all last season until Terness let up the first shot of almost every game in HE play and Sergeev got the nod. I suspect Cav will continue until there’s something that distinguishes the two or the matchup is better with one goalie vs another.

 

[DblCrossbar]

Power play is atrocious but despite not scoring on a full 2 min 5 on 3, there have been some signs of improvement. They are actually bringing the puck in the zone or chasing for possession to set up for a quality shot. This is much better than the first 4-5 games when they would take the first shot available and then lose the puck. At least they showed some patience. They need to move the puck faster to get the PK squad off its heels but at least there’s some poise now.

Not sure why Mashie isn’t just parked in front of the net to cause a ruckus. Seems that’s what he’s built for but has been invisible.

 

[DblCrossbar]

Lastly, I’m upset with the UConn Athletics marketing team. Because Tuscano is so small and is essentially sold out for every game - lest they release 50-100 the day of - for the few XL games played they should concentrate and over market them, especially to youth hockey teams and give them a package deal. The crowd size yesterday was pathetic and worse than the WolfPack. Gone are the novelty days of 5-6K rocking the place. Now there’s just a smattering of fans about the arena and it shouldn’t be that way.

 

[TMB4405]

Someone mentioned earlier how much we miss tverberg. That is so true. He would have helped immensely. That said the PP failures are a big reason we feel like the goal scoring is dreadful and that is a systemic and consistent issue for years and drives me insane. Also Wood better start finding the back of the net. Otherwise we will find it hard to score more than 1 or 2 goals a game and cant win that way.

 

[DblCrossbar]

Someone mentioned earlier how much we miss tverberg. That is so true. He would have helped immensely. That said the PP failures are a big reason we feel like the goal scoring is dreadful and that is a systemic and consistent issue for years and drives me insane. Also Wood better start finding the back of the net. Otherwise we will find it hard to score more than 1 or 2 goals a game and cant win that way.

Ryan was good at bringing the puck into the zone, and always a threat for a SH goal on the PK. Still, even with him in the lineup, the power play also sucked last year. The consistent failure to perform on the PP lies somewhere

 

[zls44]

The lack of team speed is glaring.

 

[UC15]

Well said…I did not see one youth hockey group there yesterday. Marketing to them should be a given. The athletic marketing team really has just mailed it in.

I think the weather definitely played a part in people not coming but you're right usually you see youth hockey teams running around the concourse yesterday didn't see one. I think the athletic department is consumed by football in the fall and making sure preparations for WBB & MBB are in place and early in the season hockey falls by the wayside

 

[Waquoit]

I remember an old Batman comic book that explained the question of why a supposed creature of the night was wearing a yellow oval in the middle of his chest. They said it was to draw fire to the most reinforced area of the Bat-suit. For some reason, that nuggett popped back into head watch the game yesterday. Again and again. UConn also had a huge game in another stat from the past where the Whale routinely excelled - SOP. Shots on Pad.

 

[Sea Goat]

Cav and Toscano are tight. It doesn’t matter. He’s bulletproof.

So Toscano has strings attached to his generosity? Does Toscano have some experience with personnel decisions in college hockey programs? Maybe he does. Could someone please illuminate.

What difference does an on campus rink make if your coach can't get done? Pecknold started out with an office in a broom closet. He never got (nor needed) protection.

 

[Sea Goat]

Lastly, I’m upset with the UConn Athletics marketing team. Because Tuscano is so small and is essentially sold out for every game - lest they release 50-100 the day of - for the few XL games played they should concentrate and over market them, especially to youth hockey teams and give them a package deal. The crowd size yesterday was pathetic and worse than the WolfPack. Gone are the novelty days of 5-6K rocking the place. Now there’s just a smattering of fans about the arena and it shouldn’t be that way.

It would help to win the games you should and split the tough ones. We split the games we should win and lose most of the tough ones. That's coaching!

 

[Sea Goat]

I think the weather definitely played a part in people not coming but you're right usually you see youth hockey teams running around the concourse yesterday didn't see one. I think the athletic department is consumed by football in the fall and making sure preparations for WBB & MBB are in place and early in the season hockey falls by the wayside

You want a crowd? Just win baby, win!

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

NIL is not yet having a major effect on recruiting. On a recent podcast, Mike McMahon indicated he heard only the top of top recruits are getting deals and they're in the ~50-60K range. It's not precluding a school like UConn from getting the 3.5-4-star recruits. Perhaps down the line it'll trickle down a bit more, but having no/little NIL is not preventing teams from being NCAA tournament caliber teams.

 

[mac2351]

NIL is not yet having a major effect on recruiting. On a recent podcast, Mike McMahon indicated he heard only the top of top recruits are getting deals and they're in the ~50-60K range. It's not precluding a school like UConn from getting the 3.5-4-star recruits. Perhaps down the line it'll trickle down a bit more, but having no/little NIL is not preventing teams from being NCAA tournament caliber teams.

McMahon has stated on his podcast and during the intermission of a Merrimack v St. Lawrence game last weekend that the best recruits are getting $100,000 or more. He said it will take hockey a few years for it to become as prevalent as it is in basketball and football. Not as a much money in hockey but definitely a major part of recruiting.

Also, Cavanaugh stated this summer he does not believe in paying players above what they are getting for their scholarship.

Another thing that does not help UConn’s recruiting is producing 1 NHL player in 11 seasons.

 

[ableton04]

Lastly, I’m upset with the UConn Athletics marketing team. Because Tuscano is so small and is essentially sold out for every game - lest they release 50-100 the day of - for the few XL games played they should concentrate and over market them, especially to youth hockey teams and give them a package deal. The crowd size yesterday was pathetic and worse than the WolfPack. Gone are the novelty days of 5-6K rocking the place. Now there’s just a smattering of fans about the arena and it shouldn’t be that way.

My wife and I were just talking about this problem - before COVID, they actually put an effort in. We had an in-game host on the mic between periods, there were giveaways, they were clearly marketing, etc. None of that was around last year, but I figured they were on hold for Toscano but so far there's nothing. I wonder if there was somebody super into hockey in the department who put the effort in and now they're gone?