Besides being one of the nicest people you ever want to meet, University of Maine head coach Tim Whitehead is also clearly a man who’s comfortable in his own skin.

Here was Whitehead Friday night, just beginning to savor his team’s dramatic 5-4 comeback win over Harvard in the NCAA regional semifinals, one of the highlights in his young career at Maine. Then barely five minutes into the post-game press conference, someone asked him if perhaps his predecessor, the late Shawn Walsh, lended a hand from above in the Black Bear’s unlikely win.

“We certainly think he’s still around,” Whitehead said. “We can’t verify that. It was a hell of a comeback. We got some help from somebody, I’ll tell you that.”

Whitehead answered the question without hesitation, without rolling his eyes, shaking his head or offering so much as a sigh.

You really couldn’t have blamed the guy if he’d just passed the question off with a half-hearted answer. Already in the unenviable position of following a Maine legend who died too soon, the last thing Whitehead could have asked for following one of the high points in his own career was for someone to suggest that he might have had a little help from said legend.

But Whitehead isn’t preoccupied with out-running Walsh’s legacy at Maine. In fact, not long after Walsh’s name first arose, the current Maine coach was pitching the university’s plans to expand Alfond Arena and honor the former Maine coach with the Shawn Walsh Hockey Center.

“Now his name will be on our building along with Harold Alfond, and I think that’s very important for our team and the tradition,” he said. “It’s going to help carry his legacy, which should be there.”

The improvements will include new locker rooms for both the men’s and women’s hockey programs, a new weight room, and a hall of fame, meaning Whitehead will be virtually surrounded by Walsh’s legacy every day he goes to work.

That’s nothing new, though. There are still a handful of juniors and seniors on the roster who played for Walsh and/or were recruited by him before he died of cancer in September, 2001.

In some way, it is those juniors and seniors who keep reminding Whitehead it would be foolish to deny, if he so chose, the hold Walsh still has on the program.

“It’s one of those things where it doesn’t get said very often but I think it’s on everyone’s mind,” said senior Colin Shields, one of five seniors on the team..

“We’ve been through some tough situations as a team. I know Shieldsy and I were, three years ago when coach Walsh passed away,” said Whitehead, who is on his way to his second Frozen Four behind the Maine bench. “I think certainly the upperclassmen, the seniors and juniors, have things in perspective and I think that helps us. We understand that it is still just a game.”

“Coach’s name comes up a lot. I shouldn’t say a lot, but yeah, pretty often,” he added. “It’s a very important part of our program that Shawn’s legacy continues.”

It will continue, long after the last of the players who knew Walsh, such as Shields, have moved on.

“Shieldsy won’t be able to enjoy the Walsh Center, but hopefully he’ll contribute to it,” Whitehead joked Friday.

When it comes to contributing to Shawn Walsh’s legacy, Tim Whitehead already has.

Randy Whitehouse is a staff writer. He can be reached by e-mail at rwhitehouse@sunjournal.com

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