Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

[BBDiehard14]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

We had two who were drafted on this season's team, one who didn't do squat, and the other with just marginal numbers. So no, until they produce on the ice, it isn't progress.

What did they have around them? When Maine had Hutton/Shore, there was less pressure on guys like Byron and Vesey, but opposing blueliners focused their energy on them last year. With more skilled guys such as Pearson, Pappalardo, Fossier, etc. coming in, defenses won't focus on taking just one guy away. Robbins showed flashes too as a freshman.

[walrus]

What did they have around them? When Maine had Hutton/Shore, there was less pressure on guys like Byron and Vesey, but opposing blueliners focused their energy on them last year. With more skilled guys such as Pearson, Pappalardo, Fossier, etc. coming in, defenses won't focus on taking just one guy away. Robbins showed flashes too as a freshman.

You have never seen the incoming recruits play. How do know what they can do? After 3 years of recruits that have showed little, Robbins being an exception, I believe the incoming guys are good when I see it.

[Drew S.]

You have never seen the incoming recruits play. How do know what they can do? After 3 years of recruits that have showed little, Robbins being an exception, I believe the incoming guys are good when I see it.

Only two of those classes are Red's and I don't think he had the time or scholarship money with either one to get who he wanted. Let's see how they go this year before we completely write them off.

[rufus]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

What did they have around them?

Who will they have around them next year?

Out of the top scorers on the team, you're losing 4 of the top 6 scorers on the team(all TIMMAY recruits, BTW), and the same defense and goaltending, for the most part.

Besides Robbins, none of the freshmen this season showed much offensive ability, and it took him over half the season to start producing. For this team to do anything, your 3(or 4) draft picks have to come in and put up points straight from the get-go. You really see that happening?

You expect these mid-level draft picks to carry the team on their shoulders?

[BBDiehard14]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Only two of those classes are Red's and I don't think he had the time or scholarship money with either one to get who he wanted. Let's see how they go this year before we completely write them off.

Bingo

[walrus]

Only two of those classes are Red's and I don't think he had the time or scholarship money with either one to get who he wanted. Let's see how they go this year before we completely write them off.

You can question whether the incoming guys can carry a team without writing them off. They may good even great but no one has seen them yet they are putting the weight of the world on their shoulders. On paper these guys should by good but the team is still going to be in the 8,9,10 range unless some goalie is the next coming.

[BBDiehard14]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

You can question whether the incoming guys can carry a team without writing them off. They may good even great but no one has seen them yet they are putting the weight of the world on their shoulders. On paper these guys should by good but the team is still going to be in the 8,9,10 range unless some goalie is the next coming.

Some guy named Alfie Michaud joining the coaching staff will make the goaltenders better.

[Runsub5]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Who will they have around them next year?

Out of the top scorers on the team, you're losing 4 of the top 6 scorers on the team(all TIMMAY recruits, BTW), and the same defense and goaltending........

Losing their best defenseman, also a Tim recruit.

[rufus]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Some guy named Alfie Michaud joining the coaching staff will make the goaltenders better.

Alfie wasn't the superstar goaltender you seem to think he was. He was better than average, but he was no Jim Howard, or even a Mike Morrison. But he put together the two best games of his life at exactly the right time. Just look at his record. He also had Grant coaching him. Whether he can bring Grant's knowledge to the team with him remains to be seen.

Will he be an improvement over Ray Jean? Probably. But the skype coach was supposed to have pretty solid credentials also, and that didn't help out much.

[walrus]

Some guy named Alfie Michaud joining the coaching staff will make the goaltenders better.

I hope you are correct but until it happens color me skeptical.

[rufus]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Losing their best defenseman, also a Tim recruit.

Exactly. Even if the goalies improve, who's gonna improve the defense in front of them? Even with Ouellette in the pipes and Ben Hutton, they were a barely .500 team, and so far, none of our goalies have even come close to looking like Ouellette.

Losing their best defenseman, also a Tim recruit.

Also one of the top six scorers, only D-man with more than 10 points.

[chickod]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Alfie wasn't the superstar goaltender you seem to think he was.

But most good coaches were not "great" players. Herb Brooks was not a "great" player. Neither was Scotty Bowman, Mike Babcock, or Sean Walsh, Jack Parker or Jerry York for that matter. Conversely, Ted Williams was not a good manager. And there are countless other examples. So Alfie's "accomplishments" as a goalie have ZERO to do with how good a coach he will be. Players for whom things came easy due to their enormous talent generally have no patience for those who are less talented. They can't understand why something that was so easy for them is so difficult for others. Players who had to work hard to accomplish everything typically make better coaches, since they are detail-oriented, persistent and tenacious. I have no idea what kind of a coach Alfie will be, but how he was as a player has NOTHING to do with it.

[rufus]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

So now Alfie's Jerwy York. Before he's even set foot on the ice.

I'm with Wally. Nothing's gonna make a difference until we see it on the ice. You can speculate and hope, and say, "but NHL draft picks!!!!!" all you want, but unless and until they show it on the ice it don't mean squat.

[chickod]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

So now Alfie's Jerwy York.

Well that's hyperbole for you. All I said was that the fact he wasn't a "superstar" doesn't mean he can't be a good coach. They're mutually exclusive at best, and being a "great" player is NOT a prerequisite for being a good coach.

[walrus]

Re: Maine Black Bears - Return to the Glory Years or On to Oblivion?

Well that's hyperbole for you. All I said was that the fact he wasn't a "superstar" doesn't mean he can't be a good coach. They're mutually exclusive at best, and being a "great" player is NOT a prerequisite for being a good coach.

Everything in the past, is the past. Alfie may be a great coach but his playing at UMaine won't make it so. I know from talking to him before a game a year or 2 ago that he loves his experience in Maine so that should help.