ORONO, Maine — Despite the University of Maine men’s hockey team’s 1-8 start, 12th-year head coach Tim Whitehead’s job is safe for the time being.
UMaine athletic director Steve Abbott said, “We are not on the verge of making any changes. We’re going to do what we can to get better and play more competitive hockey.”
The Black Bears’ first nine games include an 0-4 record in Hockey East, marking the program’s worst start in league play since the inception of Hockey East in 1984-85.
Whitehead has one year left on his contract after this season. He is the school’s highest-paid coach at $190,000 per season.
“Our focus right now is on supporting our coaches and players and trying to turn this season around. The season is still young,” said Abbott. “Everybody wants this team to get better. It’s a priority for all of us.”
Abbott refused to speculate on Whitehead’s future.
“We will evaluate the program at the end of the season just like we do with all of our programs,” said Abbott.
If Abbott decided not to bring Whitehead back for his final year, he would have to buy him out and that price tag would likely be his $190,000 salary.
Abbott has pulled the trigger in the past, terminating the contract of women’s basketball coach Cindy Blodgett with two years remaining after Blodgett went a program-worst 4-25 in the 2010-11 season to give her a four-year mark of 24-94.
Blodgett received a buyout of $109,772.
The hockey team is in the midst of a six-game losing streak and is 0-5 this season at Alfond Arena. Maine has been outscored 30-10 in its nine games.
The Black Bears are 34th or worse among 59 Division I teams in the four major categories: goals-per-game (1.11, 58th), power play (2.3 percent, 57th), goals allowed (3.33, 48th) and penalty killing (81.2 percent, 34th).
Maine, which has played only one game against a 2011-12 NCAA Tournament team (Boston College), has already been shut out four times and has scored one goal on two more occasions.
Despite the start, Maine has averaged 4,611 fans through its first five home games after averaging 4,454 through its first five last season.
The Black Bears lost players who produced 46.6 percent of their goals and 55 percent of their assists a year ago, and they have been hurt by injuries to returning forwards Kyle Beattie (concussion), Jon Swavely (torn quadriceps) and John Parker (broken foot).
Senior right wing and tri-captain Joey Diamond is the only player with more than 22 career goals and 47 points. He has 46 goals and 38 assists.
Maine had six freshmen and four sophomores in the lineup this past weekend in losses to Boston College (4-2) and New Hampshire (4-0).
The Black Bears are coming off a 23-14-5 season and an NCAA Tournament berth. Maine lost to Minnesota-Duluth 5-2 in the first round of the tourney.
Maine had missed the NCAA Tournament the previous four years after a string of nine consecutive NCAA berths.
Whitehead guided the fortunes of the Bears over the final six years of that nine-year stretch after taking over from Shawn Walsh, who died of complications from kidney cancer in September 2001.
During his first six seasons, Whitehead led the Black Bears to four Frozen Four appearances and a pair of NCAA championship game appearances.
Maine lost to Minnesota 4-3 in overtime in the 2001-02 title game in St. Paul, Minn., and to Denver 1-0 at the TD Garden in Boston in 2004.
Whitehead won the Spencer Penrose Trophy as the national coach of the year in Division I in 2002 and was a Penrose finalist in 2004. He has been a Penrose finalist six times in his 16 seasons as a head coach at UMass Lowell and Maine.
Maine reached the NCAA Tournament semifinals in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons before beginning its struggles with a 13-18-2 mark in 2007-08.
Whitehead piloted the Black Bears to an impressive 154-69-26 record in his first six years, but they are 86-91-20 since then.
Under Walsh, the Black Bears made 10 NCAA Tournament and seven Frozen Four appearances between 1987-2000. They won NCAA titles in 1993 and 1999.
“The hockey program is critically important to our university,” said Abbott. “It is a source of great pride to our students, alums and fans. It is a program known throughout the country.”
Maine will try to snap its losing streak with a pair of games at UMass Lowell this weekend.
The season will turn around, and Coach Whitehead will be named the Spencer Penrose Award winner yet again –just wait and see!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
chuckle
cute.
Bath salts?
Abbott refused to speculate on Whitehead’s future.
“We will evaluate the program at the end of the season just like we do with all of our programs,” said Abbott.
So until we get to 8 consecutive Tourney losses/non appearances like Mr. March had in basketball, then the word “evaluate” won’t really mean anything for quite a few years, correct?
Give Tiny Tim an extension now so we don’t lose more recruits because they think his days are numbered. ;)
The bottom line is that an alum wrote a check to oust Blodgett for 109K, so I’m fairly certain Abbott already has the 190K in hand, and will pull the trigger come March, which we all know is prime time month on the Orono campus :)
This trainwreck just keeps getting worse & worse. The University of Mediocrity @ Excuseville is in full display with this Larry MaHomey article mandated by his employer UMO because of all the flack the fans and internet freaks.
How come Mahomey doesn’t write a piece like Petey did about me and MBB in that regard? C’mon, MaHomey, you can do it, and Petery will help you I’m sure.
At least Mr. Mahoney is asking the questions. Honestly though, if you are going to write about all of the excuses, like player departures and injuries, then you really should have specifically cited the reasons why one would think his job was in danger. It isn’t just the record. The record is just the symptom of the coaching shortfalls, like the inability to consistently recruit, the poor systems in place, the inability to motivate the team, the lack of energy on the bench, the constant excuse making and the smug attitude. His win/loss record since he worked off the Walsh recruits, and especially since Standbrook left speaks for itself.
Abbott obviously needs to pull the trigger at the end of the season. He knows that. He talks to people every day. The stands may be somewhat full at the Alfond, but if you go to the games, you know that there isn’t support for Whitehead. You can’t sit through a home game without overhearing someone talking about how he needs to go. Last week the guy beside me heard me talking to my son about the names on the retired-number banner and out of the blue told me that it would be great to see Jim Montgomery behind the bench instead of Whitehead. He was an old-timer there to watch the game with his wife, he wasn’t some internet crazy.
The writing is on the wall; Abbott knows what he needs to do. It’s just too bad that Coach Whitehead doesn’t have the dignity to just step down.
Yeah my thoughts exactly on his win/loss record in the years since Grant left. The recruiting, goaltending, and level of play have all been lowered to average/subpar vs the once standard of excellence.
The numbers at the alfond are up because hockey fans are craving the game and this is the only show in town due to the NHL lockout……
superb analysis, JG! who are you??
Its called $190k pay check this year. Abbott needs to let him go know. Abbott needs some whiteheads and get them fast.
The “internet crazies” saw the writing on the wall years ago. Look at the down turn since Grants and Shawns recruits left town, its really all you need to look at. The trend has been downhill since 06-07. That’s plenty of time for Tim to put his mark on the program and its obvious what his mark is
F-
Excellent analysis, JG! May I add that the “internet crazies” were saying many of the same things five and six years ago? They weren’t crazy then and they aren’t now.
Whitehead’s record since the last Walsh-Standbrook recruit class left in 2004 has been pathetic, family advisors and scouts are telling players not to come to Maine — the only thing that has grown is his excuse list.
UML saw fit to dump him and since he doesn’t possess the “dignity to just step down”, he should be canned and an interim named — Corkum, Perron, Weinrich — come to mind. It’s time to show the college hockey world and the Maine fan base that UMaine is serious about its once proud program and its athletic cash cow!
It’s interesting you rag on Larry by saying “…if you are going to write about all of the excuses,…”, then conveniently leave out the rest of his explanation as to why and what’s left. He tells the whole story. Both sides. You and several others here like to blame Larry for Whitehead still being there. I don’t disagree with the rest of your letter. In fact, I support everything you say except killing the messenger. Firing Whitehead, or getting him fired, is NOT his job. If you are unhappy with Whitehead, you write to his bosses (AD, president, chancellor) to express you displeasure, not tell a newspaper reporter to do the dirty work for you, then blame him when it doesn’t happen.
It is time for Whitehead to go.
I used to love going to the games which entailed a 1.5 hour drive one way, dinner and the game. Now I have no desire to go watch a team which you know is not going anywhere. You can place blame on a lot of things but it is the coach that is ultimately responsible for this train wreck.
It is a very sad state of affairs at U Maine.
Winning doesn’t matter to the University anymore.
The wild rumpus has begun! Oh, the humiliation, the shame, the heartfelt condemnations by injured fans who insist “we” deserve better, “we” ought be in the final something or other every year. Until that wondrous time re-appears, wouldn’t it just make sense for them to stay home rather than go to watch a team that causes boils and apoplexy? In the college sports industry, like any other entertainment business, nothing drives a point home better than an empty theater.
are you F—ing kidding me .Ad talks like this is only bad season.Open your dam eyes abbott.whitehead wont be turning anything around and as soon as hes gone the better…
Since Whitehead will be there for the duration of the season I guess the next Maine game I watch in Orono will be 2013-2014 at the earliest. Anyone who isn’t happy that Tim is still the coach should boycott home games until a coaching change is made thats the only way to send a message how unhappy many of us are. Tim seems like a nice guy but lets be honest here he is a horrid coach look at all the to many men on the ice penalties and shorthanded goals this team gives up. I have never seen a team ever get called for two many men on the ice when pulling a goalie 2 times in a season like maine has and we are not even half way through the season!
MAINE HOCKEY SHAWN AND GRANT BUILT IT TIM WHITEHEAD RUIENED IT
HIRE JIMMY! FIRE TIMMY!
BOYCOTT THE ALFOND UNTIL A COACHING CHANGE IS MADE!
A boycott will only hurt the kids who are out on the ice in front of God and everybody, working their butts off.
Abbott should dismiss Whitehead now and appoint Jim Montgomery or Eric Weinrich as interim coach.
Weinrich would be a big big improvement !!
You don’t know that. Be careful what you ask for. I want someone like a Dean Blais or a Jeff Jackson, people who know what it’s like to coach and win at that level. Jim Montgomery in my mind is the greatest captain in any sport for any team. Ever. I love him with all my heart. But he’s not at a coaching level with Jerry York or George Gwozdecky. Aiming high? You bet.
I was thinking of Montgomery or Weinrich as a potential interim coach so a change could be made now. I would hate to see us muck through the season and end up looking poorly. Next spring start looking for someone like the people you mentioned. Jim Montgomery could bring someone else to the table. See attached.
http://bangor-launch.newspackstaging.com/2010/12/31/sports/ex-maine-coach-standbrook-assists-montgomerys-ushl-team/
No one can compare with Jerry York. A great coach and a greater person !
If Whitehead had any class, he would return his $5000 increase to his base salary that he gets every year regardless of his team’s performance. Nearly all other Orono employees continue to “enjoy” a pay freeze that has been in effect for several years now and that the System’s top administrators and the Board of Trustees want to continue indefinitely while their own performance continues to decline–as per the public’s rejection of Tuesday’s bond issue. But Whitehead will do no such thing, of course.
You guys aren’t being fair to Tim. No other hockey program has injuries or loses players to the NHL. Only at UMO, and that’s not Tim’s fault. With only a year left on his contract it’s time to give him an extension so that he doesn’t lose anymore recruits.
This is NOT Tim’s FAULT, so stop blaming my Dad.
lol i laugh to think what you guys will say when the next coach comes in and fails…
As a country we just elected to keep on an obvious failure of a president. What makes anyone think you know who will fire this failure? Empty seats may get the point across. I doubt the fans will do it and if they did he will not fire him. I predict 3 wins max this season and the same coach on the start of next season. Recruiting will suffer and players will transfer elsewhere to avoid ths travesty. What a shame.
The Bar is set very low these daze,fire him now !
The only way to get Maine back on top is to fire the reaseon they are losing…….Steve Abbott.
Sober up.
How sober are you? I haven’t had a drink in 35 years. Abbott was only hired because he was a lackey for the GOP.
enough already, just buy him out!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Whitehead needs to go. It’s long overdue.
Personally, this is exactly why Abbot also needs to go. He is an AD that refuses to address the issues of dwindling fan base, far less TV than what we used to see and a complete lack of competition for most of the athletic programs. Since he is in charge of the sporting community up there, he should actually be the FIRST to go, and they soon after, the Hockey coach, the Men’s Basketball coach and the Baseball Coach. Finally if the Women’s Basketball coach doesnt produce this year, he should be forewarned that he is next…..Sorry but Victories bring in fans and national attention. Fans mean much more money, and national exposure means more money as well. This is not Rocket Science, and it doesnt take a genius to figure it out.
Use your head the AD isn’t going to come out and say he’s going to fire a coach in the newspaper.
March 9 2013 @ UNH is Tiny Tim’s final game at “THE u”. Tomorrow is Nov. 9th, so that means exactly 4 mos from tomorrow the nightmare will be over.
The check is in the mail!
Lots of posters looking for Timmay’s head. I said previously and I still believe an interim coach is not the answer. Better to wait until season’s end and avoid the complications an interim coach can bring. Realistically, there is just not enough talent on this team to salvage the season anyways.
Lots of posters also question Abbott’s resolve. However, it seems as though the issue last season might have been $$ still owed and the recent firing of Blodget, both of which are less important a year later. It is much easier to can a coach with 1 year on their contract as opposed to 2 years. And no AD wants to be known as a hatchet man, firing coaches left and right.
This season may prove to be just the justification that Abbott needs to fire Timmay this March.
Time will tell. In the mean time, I am going to have to revise my pre-season estimate of 4-5 wins for UMO by year’s end downward. The over/under appears to be closer to 3.5. Good grief…
BB94, you make good points — but (you expected that, too, eh?) an interim coach coming in and doing well with the same team that did poorly under Whitehead only draws a huge underscore under why he had to GO!
And, making him disappear only shows the university support for the program — right now it looks as if the administration is satisfied with mediocrity and willing to just let things stay as they are. That is not acceptable!
“Our focus right now is on supporting our coaches and players and trying to turn this
season around. The season is still young,” said Abbott. “Everybody wants this
team to get better. It’s a priority for all of us.”
The season is not “young”, it’s over. This is what I can’t understand about Abbott, he doesn’t
get it when it comes to the nuts & bolts of what it takes to get to the NCAA Tourney (which is the only acceptable outcome year in & year out for hockey)
UMO is already 12 pts behind in the HE standings and is dead last, and it’s barely Nov.
They have zero shot of an at-large NCAA bid already, and now the ONLY way they could get into the NCAA’s is if they won the HE Tourney, which would require them making the HE playoffs (top 8).
If Abbott is holding onto the premise that this team is going to squeak into the HE Tourney & then run the table (on the road no less), then not only do we need a new hockey coach, we need a sane AD.
I was a huge fan of Abbott at the outset of his tenure, but comments like the one above are baffling, delusional, and very disconnected.