LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Mel made a huge leap this year compared to last, winning 15 more games and counting.

Must have been all the things they added, not subtracted of course 😉

Actually all of their top scorers were upperclassmen. Their top freshmen scorer was in 8th place on their scoring stats.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Nice article on future Laker Owen Headrick.

http://anishinabeknews.ca/2015/03/25...h-playoff-run/

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Despite what has been stated on you-know-who's Twitter account, it looks like Gorowsky made his own decision to go elsewhere:

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=14425

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

I don't blame the guy for going somewhere else. There is always that possibilty that Whitten never would have even tried recruiting Gorowsky and would you really want to go play for a team that the new coach may not even have contacted you to play for him .

[davyd83]

Bill you have the finger on the pulse, yet again, of all things Laker Hockey. Thanks for sharing this information.

Hans is a great player who will fit in well with the team and coaches in Huntsville. We will miss him at Lake State, but you certainly can't blame the young man one bit for his decision. He was fortunate to have teammates experience the coaching dynamics at Lake State and likely made a very wise choice.

Best of luck Hans. I wonder if there will be others?

He's a great player? How many times have you seen him play? He'll fit in well in Huntsville? How many times have you talked to him and his new team mates in Alabama to know this? Have you spoken to the UAH coaches about him? What role do they envision him filling? 3rd line? 2nd line? PP? PK?

[RapidsCity]

Thanks for the great questions davyd83. I'll try to answer them to your satisfaction. Yes, several, yes, several, no I do research, important one, know once season starts, know once season starts, know once season starts, know once season starts.

First, there are a lot of 50 point NAHL players that turn out to be 8 point college players. There is a reason he didn't make it to the USHL. If he was "great," he'd have played at a higher level. As for the kid recommitting after Jim was let go, it could be that UAH was #2 on his list and decided to go there. Damon may or may not have recruited or tried to retain him. Maybe he didn't feel the kid was a sure thing. If he was a sure thing, why couldn't he make the USHL and why not one of the teams in his home state. My guess is Minnesota didn't have him on their radar and no one from Mankato, Bemidji, St Cloud or Duluth thought enough of him to make him a better offer than Huntsville or LSSU. Those were likely his two best options to see ice time.

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

We all believe Whitten wants a different style of players than Roque wanted . Why would you still want to come to Lake State if recruited by Roque for your style of play and the new guy is coaching the ship who is not looking for Roque style players.

[Tooth Squid]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Despite what has been stated on you-know-who's Twitter account, it looks like Gorowsky made his own decision to go elsewhere:

http://nahl.com/news/story.cfm?id=14425

Me thinks you should ask Rob Profit his views on the state of LSSC hockey. I believe you'll find out that the pipeline from AK to SSM is now officially or unofficially dried up. Thanks DW.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Me thinks you should ask Rob Profit his views on the state of LSSC hockey. I believe you'll find out that the pipeline from AK to SSM is now officially or unofficially dried up. Thanks DW.

Damon/Pete/Rich have made no secret of the fact they want to hit the USHL and BCHL harder as their prime recruiting grounds. As far as the Fairbanks (NAHL) to SSM pipeline goes, it has yet to produce any top Laker players.

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Damon/Pete/Rich have made no secret of the fact they want to hit the USHL and BCHL harder as their prime recruiting grounds. As far as the Fairbanks (NAHL) to SSM pipeline goes, it has yet to produce any top Laker players.

I agree, Alaska Fairbanks usually nabs the better or higher skilled Ice Dogs.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

To go a little further on the geographic recruiting footprint, with Southern and Eastern Ontario being within a day's drive, no doubt the coaching staff will continue to give leagues in those areas hard looks. And I think the NAHL will continue to be closely looked at also. But with the USHL and BCHL being the prime sources of Div 1 talent these days, they really needed to get more focus from the Lakers and I think Damion and staff are doing that. Even Jim Roque had starting recruiting the BCHL again after about a 10 year lull of not having any players from there.

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

It make sense to totally shut down the pipeline coach Roque and local scouts have created over the years, and the players once committed to Lake State, because of Whitten's high end recruits he is promising for his high tempo style he is promising.

Thanks Bill, your 15 year track record of statements and deep insight on all all things Laker hockey and these recruiting matters, speak for themselves. ��

Did the coach tell you that he shut down the pipeline or are you taking a stab in the dark ?

[RapidsCity]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Recruiting NAHL players who will move up to the USHL before coming to college can be very beneficial. Recruiting NAHL players who weren't good enough for the USHL or even the BCJ won't often get you a top player. More likely third or 4th liners, 5th or 6th D or depth players. Occasionally you will find a late bloomer. But the NAHL, like the OPJ, is not and should not be your prime recruiting ground.

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Thanks for your great question Perky. No stab in the dark here, judging on the two players no longer at or coming to Lake State, talking to their scouts, and Bill's insight on all things Whitten's recuiting, I believe that speaks for itself.

Is Beef Angus still on the team ?

I think he has potential with his wheels.

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2015 off-season thread

Thanks for your question. Yes and would be a good fit on that vaunted Whitten power play unit. With his promised high end recruits from other leagues along with his promised high tempo style, we will never truly know how Mr. Angus would have fit in.

Sorry but I'm a little confused. I think you said yes that Beef is still on the team but we will never know how he would fit in. Am I missing something ?