Maine Black Bears Head Coach Ben Barr Talks About Coaching the Makar’s

Maine Black Bears Head Coach Ben Barr Talks About Coaching the Makar’s

all right on today’s episode of Locked on Avalanche very special guest head coach of the main blackbears Ben bar why is Ben bar joining an avalanche podcast well you’re gonna have to listen to our intro music to find out new episode of lock on Avalanche coming at your locked on Avalanche your daily podcast on the Colorado Avalanche part of the locked on pod podast Network your team every day all right everybody Welcome to the locked on Avalanche podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day thank you for tuning in making it your first listen of the day always appreciated I’m your host Chris S with me as always Mr Shaggy Von Doom and joining us today Mr Ben bar the head coach of the main black bears Ben thank you so much for doing this appreciate it thanks for having me guys I happy to be here uh I know there’s a lot of people probably wondering why we have the head coach of the main black bears on when uh there’s a team in the state of Colorado who won the National Championship in college uh that’s in the same state that the Avalanche play there’s two reasons why uh Ben is on today one is we are like extended family I think so it’s like you’re contractually obligated to do this I don’t know if you knew that or not it’s like the fine print in your contract uh but the the other part and the bigger part is you have uh an inn with the ma family you you know them very well you’re responsible in some form for bringing kale to UMass and obviously people keep in on track of what’s going on with the Mars and the Avalanche they know Taylor marar uh went into the transfer protocol and will be playing for you at Maine next year so how’d you do it well I mean it’s I’ve been asked this question you know just having been with kale for two years at UMass and we really didn’t so our staff this was now going back eight years when we got to you Mass kale was actually already committed there and um you know he was a young kid and you know we knew he was good but the first year we were there um you know he was already committed and he was playing for Brooks in in the Alberta Junior League and obviously he you know he became you know one of the top you know prospects for for his draft year that year and you know ended up going I think what it was fourth overall or whatever so yeah you know we were we were a little bit worried that because our team at UMass was not good at the time and um you know that first year which we knew like anytime you you go and take over a program that you know has had some struggles you know was going to be a long year and um you know in our in this day and age like for a kid of that stature to to stay committed to to a team that you know finished last in hockey that the year before he came and he you know he became you know a top five pick and um you know that that really kind of tells you you know the type of you know how he’s built in his family and and the kind of people they are um you know so that whole first year we’re sitting there losing I think we lost every game after Christmas and um you know so we’re just going man this is you know I think 99 kids out of 100 would have you know in his shoes would have chosen to go somewhere else and um you know he he didn’t and he wanted to kind of Blaze his own path and he’s always been that type of kid and um you know the Mars are that type of family they’re they’re just extremely I don’t know if the word is you know loyal or maybe consistent and you know everything he said he was going to do from the day that you know coach Carville myself and Jared de Michaels now at Michigan State um got there he did and uh it’s you know and I think it kind of speaks to how you know his development and you know how he’s able to kind of you know block out a lot of the noise and and and and he’s just that I think you know it’s talented as he is he’s also as mentally talented as anybody to be able to you know show up every day he’s always true to what he says he’s going to do he’s an unbelievable person and so we were just super fortunate to you know to have to be able to work with him for two years um you know at UMass and he really you know we had obviously some some other really good players too but you know when it’s okay for a kid like kale M to go to UMass then it becomes okay for anybody to go to and you know so you know he came there his second year when he won the Hobie and you know and then he then he went right into the NHL playoffs after that this was 2019 I believe you know we lost the national championship game and um you know then two years later we won and uh we w we won the whole thing and it was kind of you know he kind of set the stage for that and um you know with the players we we were able to you know to recruit after he was there and um you know obviously they’ve continued to do the same thing coach Carville there at UMass and um but yeah so you know when Taylor decided you know to take his last year at another school um you know I think again it really comes down to the relationships for for for them and their family and you know I I uh you know was there when we recruited Taylor this and I wasn’t there when he got there I left to become the head coach up here at Maine his freshman year so um you know he decided to to go somewhere else you know obviously we were you know you know a team that I think he’s he can come in and help us tremendously so um you know and and they’re not a a family that’s looking for the next best thing they’re more you know just trying to to trust that you know what whatever uh is said about you know Taylor’s opportunity whether it’s here or somewhere else and that that’s what they’re looking for and um you know it’s an e easy decision for us and you know hopefully an easy decision for him and we’re we’re excited to have him here next year yeah I want to uh get to Taylor in a little bit um but starting with kale what I mean he was already committed to UMass when when you got there you said what um you you know maybe you don’t know the answer to this because he was committed but like what Drew him to UMass I mean because because like you said they were a struggling team he’s a top prospect so to speak um what made him want to go there well I mean I think when he committed um it’s not like you know UMass was a bad place to go right um you know you obviously you know playing hockey East and you know there’s a lot of great things about UMass you know the program you know was struggling maybe a little bit when he committed but it wasn’t uh bottom of the barrel yeah I mean and he was a young kid and he was and he wasn’t very big and he you know he was he was just a kid looking to play college hockey when he committed I I think you know and I can’t speak to to that but um you know coach moletto and and Coach gasparini were there before us at UMass and did a good job great job recruiting him and but he you know as as you’re this happens with a lot of young kids as their stature grows before they get to school and especially now you know the rules have changed tremendously the last few years um you know it it just becomes harder you know there more people are are in your ear there’s more people that that think they um you know might know you know might have a better option or might know what’s better for for this person or that person and you know I he gave us you know we spent a lot of time obviously um trying to get to know him that first year before he came and um I think he trusted that that we would be able to help him you know help our team turn around for one we were able to recruit some other really good he wasn’t the only you know good player that came in that year when he was a freshman so you know he saw that there was other players around him which I think was really important but um you know I I just I I think it you know he’s just he’s just wired a little bit differently it never was really a conversation it was more in our heads that hey like we you know how are we G to get kale to come here and for him it was just this is what I decided to do I’m you know like he said when he came I’m I’m going to go there for two years obviously after after the first year um he very easily could have gone to Colorado and signed and turned Pro and he was you know he’s like there’s still room for me to get better here and he did the same thing in junior hockey um you know he he maxes out his his potential at any given level and it’s allowed him to obviously you know go into a a situation prepared and he was an instant you know I mean he walked into Colorado and was was every bit as good for them as he was for us at UMass which is you know pretty incredible but he he’s able to to be honest with himself and I think that was the was the you know really what what makes him a special player and also a special person but yeah I think you know I I I don’t know you know what I I don’t want to you know speak for him and you know but he just he’s just one of those kids that this is what I’m going to do and I’m not going to do what everyone else tells me I should do uh I’m going to do what I think is best for me and it turned out to be you know really good for for both parties obviously yeah and when it comes to kale marar freshman Kale marar did was it one of those was there a key aspect that you saw develop out of kale mcar or was this a confidence on his intangibles that you were talking about being wired differently was there a key asp that he developed at his time at UMass or was it just more confidence in his play and relying on his intangibles I think it’s just more like you know there’s not a lot of you know he’s a human being and and you don’t and he’s not the type of person if you if you’ve been able to talk to him or or listen to some of his some of his uh interviews he’s as humble as they come and um you know he so he came in as a freshman and he was obviously very good for us but um you know I think he’d be the first to tell you you know there were things that he knew he could get better at and you know he went from you know obviously he played a lot as a freshman because our team was in a in a transition period And so that was a great so he realized that that was a really good opportunity for him um you know but at the end of the year you know he took a few days and you know obviously listened to you know talked with his family we he spoke with us the co our coaching staff and you know in Colorado and just said hey I I think I can go back back and be way better and then he went from you know I don’t have stats in front of me but went from a you know a 20-point guy which as a freshman defenseman is really really good in college hockey but then he went to you know I don’t know what he had the second year but you know 50 plus points he went to the national championship game and he won the Hobie Baker so you know like it’s and it’s kind of been the same Evolution you know at at in the NHL level you know he he went in and he was very good right from day one and but he just seems to get better and better and you know has become one of the best if you know the be not if not the best defenseman in the NHL which is the same thing he did in junior the same thing he did in in uh in the NCAA and and it’s he’s doing the same thing in the NHL which is pretty incredible uh you’ve you’ve mentioned many times already just his makeup like you know his his loyalty like he is uh a humble guy and um he he had the opportunity to go play in the Olympics right and and turn that down because he didn’t want to miss the the couple weeks at the Olympics go with with UMass was that surprising to you or was that is that like no that’s just how he’s built like he’s committed to us and I mean like you know were you guys kind of like saying like it’s okay if you want to go play the Olympics like but wink wink not really or like how did that whole thing go down and because I’m just amazed like someone said no to Team Canada yeah it it’s actually a a really I I have a funny experience from that and you know I’ve probably said this in other you know in other uh interviews or whatever but so he he was playing for the World Junior Team um and he they won Gold um that Christmas or whatever and then the Olympics was was starting right after that um so he missed uh I don’t know like maybe two or three games uh with us while he was playing with the World Junior Team and he was slated to come back and join us so they won and we were playing in Vermont um like a day or two after they won and um so he flew into Montreal and I was an assistant coach I like I’m gonna go pick up kale and bring him from because Montreal was the closest airport to uh Burlington Vermont uh that we could get him there in time so anyway I went and picked him up and we knew we had known that he was going to get asked while he was gone we heard that he was going to get asked to play in the Olympics and that was going to be another three or four week commitment for him and he was gonna miss another so he would have missed like a third of the Season or something and so he decided we didn’t we have no say like Kale’s gonna do what he believes he should do and rightly so you know it’s that you know he he’s earned the you know the the honor of playing in the World Juniors and then if he if he wants to go to the Olympics obviously we’re g to take grads and go ahead and do it you know as much as it would have would have been tough for our team um so he decided not to do it and we thought we were like man I don’t this is that’s wild and he just feels like he’s like I don’t want to let my team down I feel like being away from my team is that long is really tough and you know we were you almost kind of feel guilty as a coach when a kid says that and comes back to your team um but anyway I picked them up in Montreal and I think we had a couple hour drive to get to Vermont and I was listening to the NHL Network while we were driving and they and the majority of that trip they were talking about the fact that kale was not turn down uh the Olympics in Team Canada and in like a negative way yeah oh and UMC because you know you know it was the you know the pride of the country I get it you know that’s people’s job to to talk about those things and you know I was going to turn it off and he’s like no it’s all right you know like uh and he just takes it all in and you know I I think it’s he’s able to like I don’t know if he if he finds a way to kind of use those things as as motivation or strength or whatever and but I mean it was really really it was a really interesting experience you’re sitting there driving and they’re bad mouthing your player right next to you and he’s like no leave it on and that’s I think that’s that quiet confidence he’s got he he’s he’s taking they call it receipts now right I think well yeah I think he just I mean he he was never you know as a young young kid he was never the guy that everyone was hey you’re going to be the next you know the next great NHL defenseman and right you know so he I think he uses and now he’s become that and so I don’t I don’t want to speak for him but he you know just you know having the experience around him there for a couple years is like it’s pretty incredible to not allow those things and I’m sure there were times where things did bother him and you know because he you such a high-profile player but he never he never let it show and um you know it was really just kind of incredible to be there you know watching you know a kid you know go about his business like that yeah he’s 19 years old or whatever and um so you know and he’s not and he’s not a you know I’m gonna show you know he would never say those things you know like I you know like I you know I’m I’m taking receipts or he would he’s not that’s not how he’s wired it was it was just interesting to you know to have that experience and and hear that and that’s wild and and watch him you know continue to grow and and not let any of those things bother him yeah to go from all that to be one of the first players announced for the four nations game coming up in the NHL and a marquee player with all that hardware and going into the Olympics he’s going to be one of those that are highly touted so it’s interesting to see all that come full circle yeah yeah and and good for him you know like he’s just he’s the classiest you know one of the classiest kids I’ve ever been around and he deserves everything all the aades all the you know all the attention he gets and he does it the right way and he’s he’s just he’s a consant teammate and consant pro all right let’s get our uh first break in here and then we come back we’ll finish up with kale and then turn our attention to Taylor more immediacy with the main black bears and what he can bring to uh the team for this year uh all right we’ll get to that coming up next all right let’s hear from FanDuel and we love sports we love them so much that we never want them to stop but as the playoffs are now over in the NHL we’ll get fewer games and the sports aren’t sportsing like we want them to so FanDuel Let’s us keep Sports going whenever we want and all we have to do is open up the app and dream up bets anytime that we’re in the mood and this summer FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily that’s right there’s something for everyone all day every day all summer long so head over to fanduel.com and start making the most out of your summer that’s FanDuel official sports betting partner of Major League Baseball all right so uh few more things with with Kale like we’re talking about his uh time at at UMass um it must have been chaotic for him go you know that that that national champion sh game that they lose and then he finds himself thr into the playoffs with the Avalanche do you remember that time like do you remember I’m sure you guys were watching uh his his first game and then that first shift first goal first shot uh parents in the arena against Calgary his his hometown do you remember watching that and any of the emotion that was being felt was a big watch party going on for that or or or no um I remember almost it like just that time because it was you know obviously our team lost the national championship game um you know I think there’s for kale probably even more so you know some of the things that people don’t know so we played the way the Frozen Four works as you play I think it’s um Thursday are the semifinals and we played in the second semifinal and we went to I think it was double overtime we played we were playing Denver and um uh oh so so we didn’t yeah so so we won that game in double overtime and we didn’t get out of I don’t think the game started until after 8:00 it might have you know it might have been 9 so and then after that you have a um you the way it works at the Frozen 4 is I think it’s like a a 45 minute cooling off period and then you the team has to stay and um and do intervie do press conferences interviews the coaches then the whole team stays though so anyway it must have been one o’clock in the morning morning when you know when we got out of that ring it might have been 1:30 and then you have a day off between that and the national championship so you think you’d be okay but the day off is the Hobie Baker ceremony so that started the next morning for kale at like 8 or 9 in the morning I don’t remember but that’s like a whole day thing so the ceremony itself is like you know at 300 or 4 or something in the afternoon and you know was like an hour long but he he has appearances and all I mean it was so he must have slept a couple hours that night and then he won the homie Baker and had to go through that whole thing we played the next day um obviously was we lost it was a disappointing game obviously it’s an emotional let down to lose a national championship game um and then I was I remember this so clearly obviously because we were you know in the Frozen four but I had my wife was there in the in a hotel and we had our one-year-old we we had a one-year-old son so we were like it was the first time I think we’d ever had him out of the house and you know in a different place so we were up at like 5: in the morning the Sunday after we lost and I remember we were in the lobby just letting him walk around we had to get out of the room and he had he was leaving to get on a plane and go play um I think that night I don’t remember it could have been the next I think it was I think but I I think it was that night and I remember seeing him and his family leave and you know obviously it was you know it was knowing that you know he was done and and going we were all happy for him but it was also kind of a sad time for us and I I just remember thinking to myself I don’t I I don’t think if I was him I would want to play that first game because you’re going into I think in the playoffs I think it was was it the play or maybe it was yeah was the first round of the playoffs he’s going in playing his first game in the playoffs on like three days of no sleep and and then he goes and in score you know so I just remember I was just like if I was him and he I remember saying this to his dad he like is he really you to play he’s like oh yeah he’s been waiting his whole life for this this isn’t he’ll be fine and prepared yeah yeah and I just was you know because like you know it was all the things you wouldn’t want to do preparing for that first NHL game having played two games in three days you know the national championship and not slept at all and waking up early after that and leaving first thing in the morning to get on a plane and so yeah I remember everything about that just because of you know the circumstances and you know the circumstances of our team of my life personally and it was uh it was just incredible to watch I I think it takes a different his rea the father’s reaction when he scored that goal um what you just described kind of like makes me think of it in a different way like his reaction was just like it’s so genuine but it’s like all the stuff that that the not sleeping for three days I think the Dad’s reaction was like I can’t believe he’s doing this with on on No Sleep uh just everything he’s been through the past week um I think it was just this this emotion of like I don’t like relief and and I can’t believe he’s doing this on his dad’s face it’s because the goal was great but the reaction of the family members is is just as good yeah I mean and and it’s and it’s 100% genuine with them I mean you know Laura and Gary parents are just most down to earth people which is why I think their kids are are like that obviously and um and that hasn’t changed at all you know which you know you fast forward um you know four years and you know Taylor goes into the the port the transfer portal and you know we’re the first call and it’s just like hey would you yeah I would you know like a lot anyone would take Taylor as a senior as a one you know he’s he’s an impactful player at our uh and it’s just that’s just the way they are they’re just um you know they they make their mind up and they stick to what they’re going to do and they work hard and and they’re honest and and they’re cleare eyed and uh yeah so like that I think what you just said is 100% accurate and um but it’s almost like never been a doubt with him because he’s just been so committed to what he’s gonna do and and that starts with the family it’s not just kale it’s everyone around him and it’s h it’s really cool to see oh I can’t hear you Kyle fix your fix your mic I want to get to um Taylor in in a second but I just gota like did you ever think you’d see him on the front of a video game are things like that like surreal like I mean because you you coach guys that make their way to the NHL and you seen guys come and go and and but getting on the on on the front of a video game is just it just brings like the the the childhood nature back to it and it’s like yeah he’s that good where you know EA is putting him on the cover of a of a freaking video game yeah and the answer is yeah you know being there with him the second year I probably yeah it doesn’t super really surprise me seeing what he did and you know his growth but it’s um you know in our world like you know as coaches and sometimes it’s the same as parents it’s like or players I’m sorry like you get you know you have those those special you know scenarios where things come together and like for me like I might not be having this conversation with you today if you know if we don’t get a chance to to coach a player like that and that’s you know and and I think every coach probably would tell you tell you similar things you know so it’s um you know you just you feel fortunate to be at the right in the right place at the right time around a certain group of people and you know someone like that and a family like that is um you know it you know just it just makes you appreciate being um being in their presence and you know then obviously you get you know other opportunities present themselves because of it and uh so sometimes you kind of like yeah you know we had a chance to coach you know one of the best players in the world and you know one of the best that you know at his age has probably ever ever played you know at that you know if the if things continue to go this way and you know and because of that I you know I benefit from it personally and you know as of other people and other players and coaches that have been around them so it’s uh it’s pretty cool and pretty humbling yeah and and you got me now right yep yeah awesome I want to I want to kind of hit on Taylor a little bit because I mean we we’ve talked about kale and when Taylor was drafted everybody’s like oh he’s related to kale well I want I want to give Taylor some shine like talk to me about what Taylor M could bring because you’ve talked about the family and how they’re constructed and how they kind of set their mind to things talk about Taylor a little bit give me some of what he’s going to be bringing to Maine and some of his intangibles and what is his how is he made up in comparison to kale and what is he going to bring to this development camp for the Colorado Avalanche yeah I mean you know I I know him as a you know as the kid that was finding his way in the Alberta Junior League and then I I left before you know he got to UMass you know I was involved in recruiting him but um you know he’s a totally different player uh then kale obviously has a big Power Forward um so you know he’s a he’s a totally different players a different person you know very high character uh just like kale so I think he brings a lot of those intangibles um you know he was a pain to play against for for three years every time we played them here you know every time we played UMass at Maine and you know so I I think he’s he feels a need for us that we that I think we didn’t necessarily have enough of last year um and we came up short in the NCAA tournament obviously um you know so I I think he’s a guy that can play anywhere he can play up and down your lineup um I think he’s potentially a player you know and obviously you know a lot of it’s going to depend on you know what kind of year he has this year for us um but I I see him as one of those players that and I’ve coached quite a few guys that that their game translate you wouldn’t necessarily peg him as though that that guy’s going to go and be have a long NHL career um but his game is going to translate at that that level I I mean I was at Providence and we had guides like Brandon tanov and nol aari and and um I see him as a as as a player similar to that um those guys were not necessarily super um highly touted guys they play but they just they were so effective at what they do big bodies that can skate and play hard can make plays um but do a lot of the little things that uh you know the coaches look for so you know that’s you know hopefully that’s you know he has a great year with us and and then he turns himself into an NHL player I think he he has the tools and the body to do it and I think he has the makeup to do it um so we’re looking forward to seeing what we can get out of him yeah I think when he was drafted I think it was seventh round and I think a lot of people just saw the name and they were like oh there’s maybe some nepotism going on here and but as the years have gone on I feel like he’s risen up the the ABS Prospect ranking and like what you’re saying like he’s he’s put in the time he’s put in the effort like sure I think now he has an opportunity to to crack this team at some point um that remains to be seen obviously but but I I three years ago would have been like I I don’t know I don’t know that much about him but you know seventh round picks usually don’t pan out they do but it seems like he’s making the case for himself to make it difficult for the the gav’s front office to at least not give him an opportunity so yeah I think it’s going to happen sooner or later I I agree and you know I I remember when he got drafted too and there was a lot of you know that like what you just said it was oh well you know it’s his name and and I remember thinking to myself like I think that is a fantastic you know like the amount of the amount of six or seventh round picks that probably make it at the end of the day to have long NHL careers are probably you know so you’re so you’re better on a kid that you know is of Super High character um has the body and the tools to do things might not you know might be a different development path than than kale obviously which you know would be the case for you know 99.9% of everyone that plays hockey right you know but I I think it was um I think they have a a really good prospect there and a and a guy that you know eventually can find his way there and uh it’s not going to be the same path as as his brother obviously but um you know he’s an extremely effective player you know at our level you know he might not be the guy that um you know is putting up huge numbers every year though I think he he will put up you I think this will be a really good year for him um but you know I I I don’t think there’s any team in the NCAA that wouldn’t like to have him on their team and that says a lot about him absolutely um real quick and then I want to get to to Maine this for this next season and we all know about the the transfer protocol and stuff like that but I I just want to know like how how it actually works because I know guys say they’re entering it and then what happens do they reach out to you do you have to say like okay here’s the list of guys and you’re pretty much like going recruiting again is it a combination of those two like how does it work I think we’re all trying to figure out how how it works really okay so you’re just as confused as we okay I mean no like we know how it works but how it how it plays out is is Ever Changing you know and and like you know I don’t know how many it’s been like three or four years now where it’s been a thing yeah um you know in the first year there was a handful of guys and you know then you know every year it’s been more and more um you know I think it’s like a lot of things in Not Just Hockey but just in in in general in the world these days like I think it was put in for the right reasons and the reasons it was put in was you know if we recruit a player and bring him to Maine or UMass or Boston College or whatever team you know you might be coaching a lot of times like it’s not a good fit for whatever reason everyone makes mistakes kids make you know kids go to the wrong school we recruit the wrong players or or we don’t Jive you know as people whatever the case may be and it’s not fair to to hold that you know if that kid wanted to go somewhere else it’s not fair to say you have to sit out a year to do that so you almost had him hostage so now it’s gone so far the other way where every year is now like free agency and yeah so you have so you have free agency with no contracts and then with nil type stuff like with name image likeness you you can you know you really don’t have salary caps so it’s like so it’s really it’s like a perfect storm and you know I think if you asked even the team that you know are you know the the highly resourced teams that have the ability to go and get anybody they want whenever they want I don’t know if it’s a good thing for it hasn’t helped our sport you know I started at Union College back in 2008 and and that team won the national championship in 2014 I think it’s G to be hard for that for something like that to happen again and that and I don’t think that’s a good thing and um but I don’t know where it goes from here um you know as far as how it works like I think the one thing that’s really that that is that has been good is it’s forced programs and and coaching staffs it forces us to be re you know to keep growing and being good at what we do so it really holds a mirror to us where you know when I started coaching you know you had all the leverage on the student athletes and now you have zero you know so they have to believe that a they’re in a program where they’re going to keep getting better they have a chance to win and and you know you have to be able to push them out of their comfort zone and and make them better without being that guy that’s just gonna you know the the old school guy that’s just going to try to break everyone down all the time so I mean there’s there’s good things that come out of it I think it’s making you know the programs that are going to have success it’s going to make them better and it’s it’s it’s making us better as coaches and and um you know administrators the other side of it is is like you know it’s also you know it’s easy to push players into the transfer so it was set up for a for a player to find a better situation now it’s you know it’s taken the onus away from developing a guy necessarily that maybe had a rough start or a rough year so it’s a double-edged sword you know like I I don’t know where it’s gonna like I think everyone knows that it’s that’s a little bit out of control right now and it’s not and the players get blamed for it and a lot of times it’s not the players you know like uh you know hypothetically you could play for four different teams now it started off with you could transfer one time now it’s unlimited so they just keep taking off the the the regulations of it and you know it’s and it you know ultimately it’s because of you know things that are happening in the courts and um you know how do you pull it back I mean you’re you’re I don’t I don’t think you do yeah that’s that’s the thing I don’t know I you know that’s that’s above my pay grade to try to figure that out and yeah but I don’t think you can and and that’s so it’s how do you navigate it like you have to find a niche and you have to be really really good at bringing in people into your program that you know are the right people not just the right players because um if you don’t it it be it’s like a house of cards every year and you can lose your whole team and you’ve seen that happen a couple teams that you know in NCA were like you know if we were playing today they there might not be enough players to play and so it’s it’s really interesting times for not just in hockey in all you know in the NC in general and uh you know we’ll see where it goes yeah that that transfer portal it’s right for the right reasons right for the wrong reasons and it creates that separation that’s hard to get back together and I’d like to see that get regulated I completely agree absolutely yeah it’s I mean hockey such a small there’s only 64 teams and um you know it’s really created a Divide from the you know the teams that have all the resources and you know obviously if you’re you know like in the league is a big part of it so it’s it it yeah it’s not in the big picture of things it’s it’s tough to to you know the it’s not the rules of the NCAA are not necessarily set up for one individual sport it’s set up for you know probably the the sports that are driving the revenue and um you know a lot of that’s you know football and basketball and you know so that’s the tough job the NCAA has to to try to find a set of rules that works for everybody and you know it’s it hasn’t I don’t think it’s been a good thing for you know for college hockey was just because we’re such a small community and it’s a small so you’re you’re you’re really putting some smaller schools that have been traditional powerhouses or have been you know really good teams in the past in really tough spots and that’s probably not good in the big picture but we’ll see where it goes all right and as far as you guys uh for this year you got there and you you kind of really turned things around uh things are looking pretty good for you like what what what’s the expectation for this season had a really good year last year um lost two was it Cornell I think in the in the first round um so I’m I’m guessing the expectation is push beyond that right yeah I I think you know the first time this will be the first time where our team really believes that we can go the distance you know and um you know we in three years we went from one of the worst teams in the nation to a you know we were a top 10 team the whole year for the most part last year and um we have a a really good core return and we were able to you know add some really good pieces like Taylor and some of you know and some of these you know we have three or four other transfers that you know that we were able to really um you know really we think improve our team so um you know I I think we have the you know last year was was definitely a year of growth we went from really bad three years ago to average to to pretty good last year now how can we become great you you know and I I think our team believes we can do that this year and now we have to go and put the work in and and you know get over you know more of mental hurdles that you know when you’re trying to turn change a culture a little bit in a program so um you know our guys come back next week and I know they’re all super excited to to continue this um you know this thing that we have going here and you know we’re not a young team anymore you know we’ve been pretty young you know over the last three years growing this thing and now we have some guys that have been through it now and that’s um you can’t teach experience you can’t create experience and and now we have it and we have to find a way to take it to the next level which um that’s our job and I believe you guys just dropped the schedules for next year so I believe you guys are October 5th AIC if I’m not mistaken yeah first game’s October 5th and um playing Union uh we’re not we played Union last year we don’t play Union play we play at RPI this year so Chris okay you’re if you’re around let me know and uh we’ll get you over there and uh yeah we have the the next year unions got their new Arena that should probably be be be built by then so yeah yeah so hopefully right next to a casino which play there yeah um I know we can get you at that at that at those games yes I hope so yeah yeah no we have hopefully we get you know we I would love to you know my wife is you know ter is obviously from um from Waterville e so yeah and I got a spend a lot of time in the capital region so we’re always trying to play those teams if we can and um you know but uh yeah next year’s schedule should be pretty challenging we have Denver coming for two at home and and qu Pi coming for two at home outside of the hockey schedule so uh really challenging and you know hopefully we’re um we’re we’re up to taking it to that next level now I gotta mention this because this stuff like this just fascinates me so last year um the the Nido Brothers uh you probably know where I’m going with this so uh Bradley who is not there anymore he went to Carolina he’s on the Hurricanes right um so him and his are they twins they’re not twins no Josh Josh is two years older than Bradley okay so they they you guys were playing in early December I don’t know who did it first did Bradley get the hattick in the first game or was it Josh that got the hatrick in the first game I think it was Josh and then so Josh gets a hat trick yeah the three primary assists come from Bradley the very next game which was that that the next day too H there’s a day in between we played Friday Sunday yeah the very next day Bradley gets a hattick the three primary assists from Josh never happened before probably will never happen again like did you know that I mean I know you probably knew that they were you know had hat tricks back to back but did the assist part did you know that right away too or was that like someone tell you that well after the game if you watch them play and you know they they were committed to us for a couple years before they came last year and um you know they were playing out in Penton in the bchl and if you watch them play out there they I mean they were they led the league in scoring by a wide margin their last year and like everything they did was together and it was you would think they were twins I I likened it to you know the sadin with you know when someone asked me like halfway through the year it was they do things that you don’t you know they’re just do because they just spend so much time on the ice together like outside of practice and they’ve been doing it together for I mean they played two years of jun they’re not the same age so they didn’t always play together growing up but um it feels like they did because like they always knew where each other W were and I mean that weekend that you mentioned was uh was really cool but they did that all the time they didn’t always have hattricks but like you know we had a playoff game at home against UNH and you know we scored five goals and I think they were in all five all five of the goals you know it was just like I mean the bond that they have and um was really was really incredible obviously you know it’ been great to have Bradley back another year but we were super excited for him and he and he played his first game after the season in Carolina and um you know he’s gonna be you know I I I I can never predict that like how long you know how guys are going to do at the next level because it’s all about opport opportunity but I’d be shocked if he doesn’t become a you know a star there and I think Josh will do the same thing eventually Josh is smaller so he’s not always going to get the benefit of the doubt he’s a couple inches shorter but he is um you know every bit the player Bradley is and um is he signed with anybody or or no no he’s he’s coming back so you know as a smaller guy it’s you just you know it’s GNA be you know getting his chance will be harder than it is for br and Brad was a first- round pick so um but I I have no doubt he’ll get his chance someday whether it’s after this year or next year whatever that is and um you know he’s a he’s a a special special player in his own right and but it’d be good for him actually to probably um for both of them to I mean it was almost like having another player on the ice when they were playing together so um you know maybe this year A Part will be uh will help them grow in other ways too sounds like some nord’s era stazy Brothers right it’s what it felt like it was pretty cool watching them last year as freshman I mean I think they both had close to 50 points and you know that doesn’t happen very I mean unfortunately we had so many so many of those guys freshman in hockey East last year that did that so uh you know sometimes they got overshadow those guys on BC and you know obviously celebrini and on Buu but um you know what they did in their own right was was really special well I know like the way the ABS have been operating for the past couple years Kyle knows is like they’re they’re looking for those guys that are graduating that went undrafted and then go into sign them um and they pretty much have their pick well not their pick but you know what I mean like they they’re they can go shop themselves around the ABS are heavily invested in guys like that so yeah there’s a lot of value there and you know those college guys that are you know three or four years in and that have been huge producers and that are free agents so um you know it’s hard to predict that stuff because you know that to get that opportunity at that level is is everything and there’s so many good players in so few spots but uh it’s hard for me to you know to not see Josh eventually getting that even though he’s not your you your prototypical size of a NHL it’s hard for me to see him not get that opportunity someday right all right well um really appreciate you doing this I I I haven’t I have not been to a game up in in Maine and I heard it’s a time to to se it it is the coolest place to play in in college hockey I really believe that I’ve been everywhere and yeah you guys guys ever want to come up let me know and you’ll have a great time I I think I might take you up on that sooner or later so um all right really really appreciate you uh coming on and doing this Ben so uh yeah follow the main black bears for this season because it could be a special one for them so thank you again Ben thank you so much for doing this thanks guys appreciate it take care all right he’s Ben bar from the main black bears we got Mr Shaggy Von Doom Kyle Sullivan and I am Chris melli it’s the lockon Avalanche podcast and and we’ll see you guys later [Music]

The Maine Black Bears hockey head coach Ben Barr has a deep history with the Makar family. He coached Cale Makar when Cale was a college student athlete at UMass and will now coach Cale’s brother Taylor after Taylor transferred to Maine in the offseason.

Ben talks to us about how the Makar’s operate from on the ice to off of it, and when you get to know the family, it’s no surprise how down to earth and hard working they are.

Ben also talks about the transfer portal in general, and how schools are still kind of figuring out how to navigate it and how to best use it. Has it gone too far?

Tune in, subscribe and enjoy!

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