UCONN's hockey evolution ...

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Kudos to Yale returning to a national championship game for the first time in several decades, and to Quinnipiac's recipe for success on the ice. With the Braves', er Bobcats', 15 seniors, an average team age of about 25 years old, aggressive recruiting in a typically less targeted junior league (BCHL), a once inexplicable ECAC invitation to join Ivy and historically far more respected universities, and, apparently, pretty decent facilities, the unknown Hamden school (nationally, in Canada, and beyond, not in-state or now regionally) created an avenue for success. Good for the long-term safety school gradually achieving a bit more respect academically, and now on the ice to boot.

With only a few partial UCONN hockey scholarships until next season, once outdoor and still inadequate campus facilities, and playing in the XL/Hartford Civic Center for several years, our Huskies' skate certainly is uphill. However, Hockey East extended our Huskies an invitation expecting nothing less than the overall athletic program's aspirations for success.

The latter success won't come easily nor necessarily soon, but the University of Connecticut surely can and will set the bar as high as this year's Frozen Four exceptional blips for the Elis and Quinny and ongoing consistent Hockey East competitiveness (BiG?). First up, hiring a new head coach: interim David Berard or new blood (?).

 

[huskymedic]

Good discussions here: http://the-boneyard.com/threads/uco...-free-up-national-power-du-fires-coach.37059/ and in the "Olympic Sports Forums" on UConn Hockey/College Hockey http://the-boneyard.com/threads/uconn-hockey-2012-13.25021/ as well.

I'm good w/ Berand - has a HE history and had the boys playing well @ end of season. A big splash w/ a Gwozdecky type name would also send a message to schools about UConn's seriousness about becoming a long term player. It's all about recruiting.

 

[freescooter]

I don't knock QU. they did a great job, but I'm not sure their approach would work for everyone. Or rather be acceptable to everyone. Even though college hockey players tend to be older, Pecknold has taken it to the extreme. It allowed them to become competitive quickly and obviously they were successful. A lot of people thought that they would have a ceiling on how good they could be. But obviously it was much higher than most expected! In some ways think of their approach as a football or basketball team building by bringing in a number of JUCO kids. That is effectively what Pecknold did.

 

[huskymedic]

I don't knock QU. they did a great job, but I'm not sure their approach would work for everyone. Or rather be acceptable to everyone. Even though college hockey players tend to be older, Pecknold has taken it to the extreme. It allowed them to become competitive quickly and obviously they were successful. A lot of people thought that they would have a ceiling on how good they could be. But obviously it was much higher than most expected! In some ways think of their approach as a football or basketball team building by bringing in a number of JUCO kids. That is effectively what Pecknold did.

SEC Hockey?

 

[Yonick]

For UConn hockey to succeed we need to build a 4,000+ seat, on campus facility like QU did. Games at the XL center will be played before 13,000 empty seats. Students will go to hockey east games on campus. Traveling to Hartford just won't cut it except when students are on holiday and either a BC, or Notre Dame is scheduled.
I wonder why Manuel is taking too long to name a coach. Is he looking at QU's coach and needed to wait to their season's end. I know this guy passed on UMass last year. But, I do believe UConn might just present itself as a more attractive post than that at UMass.

 

[huskymedic]

For UConn hockey to succeed we need to build a 4,000+ seat, on campus facility like QU did. Games at the XL center will be played before 13,000 empty seats. Students will go to hockey east games on campus. Traveling to Hartford just won't cut it except when students are on holiday and either a BC, or Notre Dame is scheduled.
I wonder why Manuel is taking too long to name a coach. Is he looking at QU's coach and needed to wait to their season's end. I know this guy passed on UMass last year. But, I do believe UConn might just present itself as a more attractive post than that at UMass.

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/uco...power-du-fires-coach.37059/page-4#post-580782

 

[freescooter]

Yonick, I think ultimately you're right. UConn needs an on-campus arena for about 4-5000. But the Hockey East deal apparently came together fairly quickly, and as we've seen with the basketball facility, those things take time. Even in the best of situations, it won't be ready by 2014 when UConn officially begins playing in Hockey East. Freitas is substandard as a Hockey East home rink. So the XL was a reasonable, though hopefully short -term alternative. It also has the possibility, though far from guaranteed, of allowing UConn to "sell the product" to a larger market during the start up period.

 

[Danzz]

For UConn hockey to succeed we need to build a 4,000+ seat, on campus facility like QU did. Games at the XL center will be played before 13,000 empty seats. Students will go to hockey east games on campus. Traveling to Hartford just won't cut it except when students are on holiday and either a BC, or Notre Dame is scheduled.
I wonder why Manuel is taking too long to name a coach. Is he looking at QU's coach and needed to wait to their season's end. I know this guy passed on UMass last year. But, I do believe UConn might just present itself as a more attractive post than that at UMass.

While I am not a huge hockey fan I do know one of the top prep hockey coaches. He told me Uconn is in great shape and will be fine. Now that scholarships will be available, Uconn won't have to cut up the few scholarships they had. Dpending upon who they hire as coach, he wouldn't hesitate to push Uconn for the right player.