University of Maine Men’s Hockey coach Dennis “Red” Gendron feels right at home in his second season as head coach of the Black Bears and is anxiously waiting for the season to begin. The move back to Orono was something that Gendron was excited about from the beginning.
“I first came here in 1990 as an assistant under Shawn Walsh, he gave me my first coaching opportunity,” Gendron said. “I earned my master’s degree here as well. I feel a lot of my growth as a coach and an educator happened here. So, to be back here again feels like home. I love it here, I love Maine.”
The Black Bears made progress in Gendron’s first year at the helm, improving their record in Hockey East from 7-12-8 in the 2012-13 campaign to 9-8-3 last season. They also improved their overall record in that span from 11-19-8 to 16-15-4. Gendron doesn’t expect the growth and improvement to stop there.
“The goal of this team is and always has been to win the national title. We want to win Hockey East, get to the frozen four, and win the title,” he said. “That goal is always attainable, it just takes sacrifice.”
Per NCAA rules, Gendron is only allowed two hours of ice time a week with his players until the regular season officially begins on Oct. 5. Other than that, it’s up to the players holding captain’s practices to get the team in shape and ready for the beginning of the season. When that comes, Gendron will face the task of constructing lines for the season and other team preparations.
“When the season starts, it’s like putting together a puzzle. You’ve got to find out who’s going to play the best together up front, which two are best together defensively. Everything has to be put together the right way so we can play our game,” Gendron said.
What’s promising for Gendron and his Black Bears is the number of impact players they have returning this season. Those players include third-year forwards Devin Shore and Steven Swavely, as well as third-year defender Ben Hutton. All three are expected to flourish in their roles on the squad this year, but Gendron holds everybody to the same standard.
“Everybody will do well, I know that,” he said. “Individuals will find their roles as the season goes on, but I expect to remain competitive with everybody. Those guys know what’s expected out of them on the ice, and the younger guys know too. Freshman and other young guys aren’t different from the older guys. Regardless of year, you’re expected to produce.”
It’s always an uphill battle for success when you are in the competitive Hockey East Conference. Week after week you’re playing some of the best talent in the entire country, including Boston College, UMass-Lowell, Notre Dame, and Providence College.
The level of competition is extremely high. However, Gendron doesn’t feel the need to devote his time in studying opponents.
“We try hard to simulate game speed in practices, but in the end it all comes down to what we’re doing. I don’t have the time, or the inclination to study our opponents outside of the film study sessions we do each week before we face a new team. We can spend time simulating their style, but at the end of the day all that matters is how we prepare this team and how they play our game on the ice,” Gendron said.
With their goals in mind, they are making strides to improve and be more competitive in Hockey East and the rest of the country. It’s no easy task, but Gendron knows what it’s going to take for him and his team to reach their goals by the end of the season.
“It’s going to take total commitment,” he said. “There’s been parody amongst college hockey over the past few years. You can’t just show up and win. Last year a team that gives no athletic scholarships won the title. Everybody needs to buy in and be totally committed to win in this sport.”
Our first chance to see how the Black Bears hard work in the offseason will pay off is on Oct. 5, when they play New Brunswick at the Alfond Arena in Orono. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m.