On Wednesday afternoon, the University of Vermont announced longtime head coach Kevin Sneddon was retiring at the end of his contract, which just happens to be at the end of the 2019-20 college hockey season.
The Catamounts are in the midst of a dismal season. UVM has yet to win a conference game and its overall record stands at 3-18-4. Sneddon and Athletic Director Jeff Schulman can spin it however they want, but the fact is, a change had to be made.
Sneddon had some highlights during his 17-year run in Burlington, but the team had fallen on tough times of late. By all accounts, Sneddon is a well-liked person around the college hockey coaching fraternity. Hopefully, he’ll be able to land on his feet somewhere outside of coaching.
It should be pointed out that Sneddon was working with a budget and facilities that certainly could best be described as at the lower end of the spectrum in Hockey East. In addition to a new coaching staff, Schulman and the rest of the Vermont administration need to make a commitment to give UVM’s hockey program more resources.
Vermont has a solid history in college hockey that includes two trips to the Frozen Four. Notable NHL alums include Marty St. Louis, John LeClair, Tim Thomas and Patrick Sharp, who is now a face on NBC Sports Network’s coverage of the NHL. It is close to the Canadian border and should attract plenty of talent from our neighbors to the north.
Vermont will have plenty of qualified candidates apply. Here’s a look at what candidates would be at the top of my list, if I were Schulman and the rest of the search committee:
Ben Barr
Barr, 38, is the top candidate as far as I’m concerned. The 2004 RPI grad has coached under some of the top minds in the game: Nate Leaman at Union and Providence, Andy Murray at Western Michigan, and currently Greg Carvel at UMass. He’s recruited good players, is well respected throughout the industry, and is a young up-and-coming coach looking to prove himself.
Kris Mayotte
Mayotte is in his first season as an assistant coach at Michigan after working at Providence and St. Lawrence. He was on staff when the Friars won the 2015 NCAA Championship. A former standout goaltender at Union, the Pittsburgh, Pa., native has enjoyed stints working for USA Hockey at international events.
Eric Lang
Lang is in his fourth season as head coach at his alma mater, American International. He was the Atlantic Hockey Coach of the Year in 2018-19 as the Yellow Jackets advanced to the 2019 NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Lang, 44, did a good job as an assistant coach at Army prior to getting to AIC. With Lang, UVM would be hiring a coach who knows how to recruit under-the-radar players.
Ron Rolston
It’s hard to ignore a candidate who has been a head coach in the NHL. That’s what Rolston brings to the table after guiding the Sabres for parts of two seasons. He’s worked under two of the best coaches in Hockey East in Jerry York at Boston College and he’s at Providence currently. The Michigan Tech alum has been an assistant at Lake Superior, Clarkson, and Harvard, as well. Rolston, 53, also was head coach of USA Hockey’s NTDP.
Mark Dennehy
Dennehy would be a great hire for Vermont. He ran a class program and got the most out of the Warriors during his time at Merrimack before being unfairly and unceremoniously fired. Prior to Merrimack, he was an assistant at Princeton and UMass under Don Cahoon. Since being let go at Merrimack, he’s become the head coach of the Binghamton Devils, the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils.
Cam Ellsworth
Ellsworth spent seven years as an assistant under Norm Bazin before taking over the program at nearby Norwich prior to the 2018-19 season. The Leamington, Ontario, native played college hockey at Michigan Tech where he was a four year starting goaltender. He also has experience as an assistant in the USHL. Ellsworth would be a good fit.
Jerry Keefe
I’d have Keefe higher on this list, but I don’t see the Northeastern associate head coach leaving for Burlington. If Keefe leaves Northeastern, it will be for a NHL coaching job or for a more prestigious college coaching job closer to Boston.
Bill Riga
Riga has been on Rand Pecknold’s staff at Quinnipiac since 2008. Prior to that, the UMass Lowell grad was at Union and in the junior hockey circuit with the Boston Jr. Bruins. Riga gas done a terrific job in finding talent and helping get the most out of that talent once in Hamden. Few programs over the last 10 years have done a better job at maximizing potential.
Ben Syer
Syer is an often overlooked candidate when these jobs come up. He deserves at least a look. The Kitchener, Ontario, native has been on the Big Red’s staff since 2011. He was an assistant at Quinnipiac for several years before that. He comes from a winning program and he’s done well recruiting Canadians, which should be the lifeblood of the UVM program going forward.
Matt Greason
Greason played Division III college hockey at Trinity and has led his alma mater to unprecedented heights as the school’s head coach. The record and championships are impressive. He also spent time in between playing and coaching at Trinity with the NTDP. It’s a mistake to overlook Division III candidates. Whether it be playing or coaching at that level, Leaman and Bazin, two of the best coaches in Hockey, are products of Division III hockey.
Josh Hauge
Hauge is a name to remember for the future, even if he doesn’t get hired here. In his fifth season at Clarkson, he’s doing a great job with recruiting and coaching. He has experience in the USHL and NAHL prior. The Bethel alum is off the beaten path in Potsdam, but he’s worth considering.
Tim Whitehead
I’ve heard Whitehead’s name thrown about. While I have great respect for the former Maine and UMass Lowell head coach, I just don’t see him being a viable fit for the Catamounts at this time.
