BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Well, Quinn became Associate HC and primary recruiter in the fall of 2004. Eventually, the players he recruited won a National Championship. I guess you could ask, "where are the other championships? He was at BU for five seasons". True, but his players did win an NC, which counts for plenty. On the negative side, Trivino, Nicastro, Saponari and Glass were his recruits. It's hard to see that factor as positive. Perhaps, if he'd been at BU during that period, he may have had a positive influence on their behavior. Strictly idle speculation.

It's difficult to say that BU's recruiting hasn't suffered during his absence.

Did he bring in Chiasson, Megan, Coyle, etc as well? Not sure, just asking.

Trivino was a good player. Not sure if his booze problems presented themselves while he was being recruited. Not sure what anybody saw in Saponari unless he had a better ability to hit wide open nets before he came to BU.

Regardless I agree we're suffering from what appears to be a few classes of lunchbucket players who are playing hard but aside from O'Regan don't seem to be killing it in the talent department.

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

BU's lack of depth at forward is magnified by the midseason departures of Cisse and Wesley Myron a year ago, Gill's unexpected offseason departure, and Jarrid Privitera not coming following his brother's departure. Their presence on this year's team would've likely meant we wouldn't be seeing Moscatel, Ronan, TJ Ryan, Dillon Lawrence, Tommy Kelley in the lineup.

Having said that, it's also possible that if Gill, Cisse, Myron, and both Priviteras were on BU's roster, Moscatel may not have used his last year of eligibility, plus Lawrence and Kelley may have played a year of Juniors before coming here. Plus Nick Roberto may not have come following decommitting from Maine (although I think Nieto's expected departure opened up a spot for Roberto).

Granted Gill, Cisse and Myron aren't exactly Gaudreau, Arnold and Hayes, their presence in the BU lineup would've "normalized" the depth a bit.

[buoldtimer]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

BU's lack of depth at forward is magnified by the midseason departures of Cisse and Wesley Myron a year ago, Gill's unexpected offseason departure, and Jarrid Privitera not coming following his brother's departure. Their presence on this year's team would've likely meant we wouldn't be seeing Moscatel, Ronan, TJ Ryan, Dillon Lawrence, Tommy Kelley in the lineup.

Having said that, it's also possible that if Gill, Cisse, Myron, and both Priviteras were on BU's roster, Moscatel may not have used his last year of eligibility, plus Lawrence and Kelley may have played a year of Juniors before coming here. Plus Nick Roberto may not have come following decommitting from Maine (although I think Nieto's expected departure opened up a spot for Roberto).

Granted Gill, Cisse and Myron aren't exactly Gaudreau, Arnold and Hayes, their presence in the BU lineup would've "normalized" the depth a bit.

Just asking, was Kelley considered a "get", or as "just another guy"?

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

To me its more talent than depth, unless we're using those interchangeably. BU has enough guys who won't embarass themselves out there, but what we're missing is top of the line talent. Over the long haul, talent will win out ("hard work beats talent unless talent works"). The Bruins-Blackhawks Stanley Cup is great example. Once Bergeron went down the two best players on the ice played for Chicago. It took awhile, but eventually those guys killed the B's while people like Lucic still struggled to hit an open net.

I like how hard the team works, but watching BC forwards continually weave around BU players and then zip tape to tape passes to a wide open player on the goalie's weak side was disturbing to say the least. I don't see that getting better with the people we have now, so these high profile recruits had better be able to skate, shoot, and pass with the best of 'em and not be 3rd line grinders.

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Just asking, was Kelley considered a "get", or as "just another guy"?

I believe more of the latter. I also believe the original plan was for Kelley to play Juniors this year, then arrive at BU in Fall 2014. IMO, 2 trickle down effects of a program hit hard by unexpected early departures or dismissals are:

- players are brought in a year early out of need
- its often too late in the recruiting cycle/process to adequately replace unexpected departures

Another way of looking at BU's lack of depth is the current Senior class started out as the following in Fall 2010: Cisse, Clendening, Coyle, Gill, MacGregor, Nieto, Noonan, Ronan.

[buoldtimer]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

To me its more talent than depth, unless we're using those interchangeably. BU has enough guys who won't embarass themselves out there, but what we're missing is top of the line talent. Over the long haul, talent will win out ("hard work beats talent unless talent works"). The Bruins-Blackhawks Stanley Cup is great example. Once Bergeron went down the two best players on the ice played for Chicago. It took awhile, but eventually those guys killed the B's while people like Lucic still struggled to hit an open net.

I like how hard the team works, but watching BC forwards continually weave around BU players and then zip tape to tape passes to a wide open player on the goalie's weak side was disturbing to say the least. I don't see that getting better with the people we have now, so these high profile recruits had better be able to skate, shoot, and pass with the best of 'em and not be 3rd line grinders.

Amen to that.

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

To me its more talent than depth, unless we're using those interchangeably.

A highly successful, sustainable program needs both. Some years one has high-end talent but no depth; other years you have a deep team but not enough game-breakers.

Last year's BC team is great example of the former. 2 years of subpar recruiting (by BC standards) resulted in not enough depth behind Gaudreau, Mullane, Whitney, Arnold and Hayes. Those "subpar" players who were playing 2nd/3rd line minutes last year are now 4th liners or out of the lineup b/c of the influx of talent from this year's BC Freshmen class. When last year's BC defense got decimated by injuries, they didn't even have 5 healthy d-men on some nights. This year, with their glut of talented Freshmen d-men, 1 of their regulars (Doherty) is the 7th d-man; another (Sullivan) cut from the team.

We've seen some BU teams the past decade or so that had forward depth, but amongst the 3rd/4th line grinder types. Those types of players are valuable if they're playing within their role. However, a lack of talent/skill is exposed when a team has those types playing 1st/2nd line minutes and on the PP out of need.

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

I believe more of the latter. I also believe the original plan was for Kelley to play Juniors this year, then arrive at BU in Fall 2014. IMO, 2 trickle down effects of a program hit hard by unexpected early departures or dismissals are:

- players are brought in a year early out of need
- its often too late in the recruiting cycle/process to adequately replace unexpected departures

Another way of looking at BU's lack of depth is the current Senior class started out as the following in Fall 2010: Cisse, Clendening, Coyle, Gill, MacGregor, Nieto, Noonan, Ronan.

I can appreciate the difficulty but all schools deal with this. Players leave early all the time be it to go pro, over sexual assault beefs, etc. You've got to constantly refresh. I can understand a down year, but that's it. I don't think any of the accelerated arrivals would have been world beaters have they been able to play for their former teams for one more year.

[claver2010]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

A highly successful, sustainable program needs both. Some years one has high-end talent but no depth; other years you have a deep team but not enough game-breakers.

Last year's BC team is great example of the former. 2 years of subpar recruiting (by BC standards) resulted in not enough depth behind Gaudreau, Mullane, Whitney, Arnold and Hayes. Those "subpar" players who were playing 2nd/3rd line minutes last year are now 4th liners or out of the lineup b/c of the influx of talent from this year's BC Freshmen class. When last year's BC defense got decimated by injuries, they didn't even have 5 healthy d-men on some nights. This year, with their glut of talented Freshmen d-men, 1 of their regulars (Doherty) is the 7th d-man; another (Sullivan) cut from the team.

We've seen some BU teams the past decade or so that had forward depth, but amongst the 3rd/4th line grinder types. Those types of players are valuable if they're playing within their role. However, a lack of talent/skill is exposed when a team has those types playing 1st/2nd line minutes and on the PP out of need.

BINGO.

This year's FR class has been a game changer. Their skill is obvious but their ability to play at this level at such a young age is huge. 6 of the top 11 on the team in points are FR, and the youngest player in the NCAA is 3-0-1 with a sub 2 GAA with those 4 games being against 2 in the top 10 and all in top 22.

Last year, as you said players were being put in roles that they either weren't ready for or simply couldn't do.

[Rogie21]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Did he bring in Chiasson, Megan, Coyle, etc as well? Not sure, just asking.

Trivino was a good player. Not sure if his booze problems presented themselves while he was being recruited. Not sure what anybody saw in Saponari unless he had a better ability to hit wide open nets before he came to BU.

Regardless I agree we're suffering from what appears to be a few classes of lunchbucket players who are playing hard but aside from O'Regan don't seem to be killing it in the talent department.

FWIW--Chiasson, Megan, Coyle, Nicastro and Cisse were all recruited while Quinn was Associate Head Coach. He also recruited Trivino's junior A teammate Ethan Werek, a high-end kid who switched to the OHL. BU began recruiting Nieto while Quinn was there, but he didn't commit until the next fall.

Trivino was a hot commodity in Ontario with many schools chasing him. Can't imagine BU or the Islanders who made him a 2nd round choice in 2008 knew about drinking issues at the time. Saponari was a good, not great scorer with the U18s, 3rd best with 36 points. Putting aside the situation leading to his departure, I'll recall that in his first BU game, he quickly got in the face of the North Dakota player who was shoving Millan. Also his screening Miami's goalie that allowed Cohen's blooper to find the net.

[Rover]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Apologies if this has already been posted, but BU article in ESPN:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/notebook/_/pa...ries-more-game

[ericredaxe]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

Well, Quinn became Associate HC and primary recruiter in the fall of 2004. Eventually, the players he recruited won a National Championship. I guess you could ask, "where are the other championships? He was at BU for five seasons". True, but his players did win an NC, which counts for plenty. On the negative side, Trivino, Nicastro, Saponari and Glass were his recruits. It's hard to see that factor as positive. Perhaps, if he'd been at BU during that period, he may have had a positive influence on their behavior. Strictly idle speculation.

It's difficult to say that BU's recruiting hasn't suffered during his absence.

Did you mean to quote me on this? I wasn't being critical of anything Quinn did or has done....

On the subject of recruiting... how many / which of this years freshman were considered "prime" guys to get? I had thought this was supposed to be a great recruiting class (and maybe they will still prove to be as they mature and develop).

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Did you mean to quote me on this? I wasn't being critical of anything Quinn did or has done....

On the subject of recruiting... how many / which of this years freshman were considered "prime" guys to get? I had thought this was supposed to be a great recruiting class (and maybe they will still prove to be as they mature and develop).

I believe Baillargeon, Collier and Somerby may be the only ones who fit the "prime" description. IIRC Baillargeon was originally recruited for 2012-13 but was asked to play another year in the USHL. Conversely, I think there was some back & forth between all involved parties as to whether Kurker and/or O'Regan would play a year in Juniors and delay their arrival til this season.

Roberto fell into BU's lap via the coaching change at Maine plus roster spot available from Nieto turning pro. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up being the best of the bunch 3 years from now.

[ericredaxe]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

I can appreciate the difficulty but all schools deal with this. Players leave early all the time be it to go pro, over sexual assault beefs, etc. You've got to constantly refresh. I can understand a down year, but that's it. I don't think any of the accelerated arrivals would have been world beaters have they been able to play for their former teams for one more year.

All teams do deal with departures yes… but without doing any research I'd guess that the teams consistently at the top of the rankings have less of an issue with it. It certainly seems to be less of an issue with our friends up the street. Are teams that have fewer departures getting kids in who are more committed to the college route? Are the coaches and university doing something different that makes them want to stay? Probably it is a little of both.

Can you imagine what would have happened in 2009 if Gilroy and Wilson had left early? We kept everyone in 2009 and look what happened.

Also, I don't think you should look at it as an extra year in the juniors making the kids world beaters…. but rather look at what happens with the overall dynamic of the team. Take a look at last season for an example. Hypothetically what would the team have looked like if we were consistently dressing Coyle and Clendenning instead of our 12th forward and 6th d-man? I'd guess there would have been quite a difference. Now do that for a few seasons in a row and the difference might be quite dramatic.

Hopefully the departure thing is something that changes as we move forward.

[buoldtimer]

Re: BU 2013-2014: Ready to Quinn

I believe Baillargeon, Collier and Somerby may be the only ones who fit the "prime" description. IIRC Baillargeon was originally recruited for 2012-13 but was asked to play another year in the USHL. Conversely, I think there was some back & forth between all involved parties as to whether Kurker and/or O'Regan would play a year in Juniors and delay their arrival til this season.

Roberto fell into BU's lap via the coaching change at Maine plus roster spot available from Nieto turning pro. I wouldn't be shocked if he ends up being the best of the bunch 3 years from now.

Conceding that it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but Collier has a steep hill to climb.