UMaine hockey begins summer workouts with a goal of improving depth

This past season, the University of Maine men’s hockey team earned its first trip to the Hockey East semifinals and the NCAA Division I tournament since the 2011-12 campaign.

UMaine lost to Boston University 4-1 in the Hockey East semifinals and to Cornell 3-1 in the first round of the Springfield (Mass.) Regional. It was a quick exit from the postseason.

UMaine head coach Ben Barr felt the one piece missing from that team was depth. Barr and assistants Alfie Michaud, Jason Fortier and Eric Soltys have been working since to add that piece.

On Monday, they began assessing their work as the team started optional workouts on campus with 10 newcomers along with fifth-year senior co-captain Lynden Breen, who is coming off a minor knee surgery in May.

The other veterans will return this weekend for the six-week camp.

“It always comes down to depth,” said Barr, who will begin his fourth season in the fall. “If you look at the last couple of games we lost, our (lack of) depth was exposed.”

Barr said the goal is to be a four-line team instead of relying on three lines like last season.

“If we can get to be a four-line team, which we feel we will have this coming season, it’s going to be tough to beat us,” said Barr. “We had three (reliable) lines last season. We couldn’t put the fourth line out there (regularly). We only had two lines that could play two years ago.”

The Black Bears were 23-12-2 last season and finished third in Hockey East after being picked ninth in the league’s preseason coaches poll. Breen, who skated on Monday, said they will have a little more depth than that team and that will lighten the load on the top two lines and on the team’s defensemen and goalies.

“We will go into games knowing every guy is going to step up, especially with the crowd we have here and the buzz buzz that’s been around Orono and the state of Maine,” said Breen. “With what we have coming in here, It’s going to be special.”

Seven forwards have departed, including three of the top eight scorers, but six new ones are coming in, including four transfers in Ross Mitton, who was Colgate University’s leading scorer; Taylor Makar (UMass), Charlie Russell (Clarkson) and Owen Fowler (UMass Lowell).

The two incoming freshmen are Thomas Pichette and Oskar Komarov from British Columbia Junior Hockey League teams Penticton and Langley, respectively.

The entire defense corps returns and they have added Merrimack College transfer Frank Djurasevic, who will be a sophomore, and incoming freshman Brian Morse from Chilliwack of the BCJHL.

Albin Boija won the goaltending job as a freshman last year and had an impressive season. He will be joined by incoming freshmen Patriks Berzins and Gage Stewart.

“Adding the transfers we’ve added is a different element than we’ve had. Ross, Taylor, Frank and Owen are proven players. It’s a different dynamic than we’ve had before,” Barr said.

Mitton brings 130 games of college experience with him; Makar played in 85 games at UMass; Djurasevic appeared in 35 games as a freshman a year ago and Fowler played in 33 games two years ago but missed all of last season due to injury.

Russell dressed for seven games at Clarkson before going back to the United States Hockey League.

“They are all high-character kids and, hypothetically, they will have less of a learning curve (than the freshmen),” said Barr, who also believes his incoming freshmen have the potential to contribute.

Barr said another advantage of depth is that players will have to compete for playing time.

Breen said meeting the new players has been a treat.

“They are great players and great guys. They have brought me a lot of excitement as well, especially with me coming back for a fifth year. I’m going to leave everything out there on the ice. It is my last crack at it. There is still a sour taste in my mouth about how we finished last year. Every year, we have taken a step (forward) and, this year, it will be the biggest step we’ve ever taken,” said Breen.

Breen said they have always played with an underdog mentality and it is important for them to continue to play with that mindset even though the expectations will be higher and they are likely to start the season nationally-ranked.

“No matter what we did last year. On paper, we aren’t going to line up as talented or as decorated as teams that have 12 to 15 (NHL) draft picks,” said Breen, whose Black Bears had one NHL draft choice last year (Bradly Nadeau) while Hockey East rivals and Frozen Four participants Boston College and Boston University had 14 apiece.

UMaine will have just one again this year in Makar.

But players are developed the right way at UMaine and the chemistry and culture are special, Breen said. That enables them to compete with draft choice-heavy opponents.

“That’s why I love playing here. We do it right. This is the place you want to be if you want to win,” said Breen.