LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

Got to see him play this year. Solid player. Another year of junior would be very beneficial, but in order to get a kid like this, sometimes you've got to take him a year early. Nice pick up for LSSU.

Yep. Somewhat similar situation with Lakers D-man Owen Headrick. Ideally the Laker coaches would have liked to see him play another season of Juniors (probably in the USHL or BCHL), but he wanted to come in this past season so rather than lose him to Erie of the OHL (he was an Erie draft pick), they did bring him in. Even then, Erie was reportedly after him pretty bad after the holidays.

[RapidsCity]

Yep. Somewhat similar situation with Lakers D-man Owen Headrick. Ideally the Laker coaches would have liked to see him play another season of Juniors (probably in the USHL or BCHL), but he wanted to come in this past season so rather than lose him to Erie of the OHL (he was an Erie draft pick), they did bring him in. Even then, Erie was reportedly after him pretty bad after the holidays.

If their reasons are for academics, then coming early is the best thing. If it's hockey, another year of maturing as a player would be good. You'd no doubt get a better freshman and a better senior that way. Wishing nothing but the best to both of these guys!

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

New WCHA playoff format this coming season. I like it! http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1516/201605/may17wcm.php

Also the schedule will be released this Thursday at 2pm EST.

[jnacc]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

New WCHA playoff format this coming season. I like it! http://www.wcha.com/men/pres1516/201605/may17wcm.php

Also the schedule will be released this Thursday at 2pm EST.

Its nice to finally be in a conference that is ahead of the curve on at least one issue...all of college hockey should follow this model.

[laker_one]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

Its nice to finally be in a conference that is ahead of the curve on at least one issue...all of college hockey should follow this model.

I love this move. The Horizon League used to do this in basketball. I saw some fantastic games in a packed house here in Valparaiso. But I guess after a few trips to Valpo, the rest of the league voted to move the tournament to Joe Louis Arena starting this year. Attendance at the final was about 4,300, which isn't really that bad considering none of the Detroit-area teams were playing. That's a little less than what we had for championship games here, but 4,300 people in the Joe does not make for much of an atmosphere.

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

2016-17 schedule is finally here: http://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hockey/2016-17/schedule

Kind of a bummer that there is just one home non-conference series. Also very interesting to see the Lakers and Wildcats play two home and home series two weekends in a row.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

2016-17 schedule is finally here: http://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hockey/2016-17/schedule

Kind of a bummer that there is just one home non-conference series. Also very interesting to see the Lakers and Wildcats play two home and home series two weekends in a row.

I'm not crazy about the back to back series with Northern, but I guess that's probably the only way the two could come together on their schedules for the upcoming season. A bit surprising we don't see an early exhibition game against a Canadian school but maybe they are still trying to arrange one.

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

A bit surprising we don't see an early exhibition game against a Canadian school but maybe they are still trying to arrange one.

I hope it happens. I would like to see a blue/gold game on Friday, October 7 and then have an exhibition game against a Canadian team the next day.

[PerkyforPrez]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

I'm not crazy about the back to back series with Northern, but I guess that's probably the only way the two could come together on their schedules for the upcoming season. A bit surprising we don't see an early exhibition game against a Canadian school but maybe they are still trying to arrange one.

The two series with Northern may help keep the cost down for the schools but it is not good for the traveling fans. I'm disappointed with Jeff Jackson and Notre Dame all the trips we have went on down there and no returning the favor.

I hope we at least get one Canadian tune up game as well as you guy's.

I am thinking the Lakers could be around .500 this year and even better in 17-18.

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

The two series with Northern may help keep the cost down for the schools but it is not good for the traveling fans. I'm disappointed with Jeff Jackson and Notre Dame all the trips we have went on down there and no returning the favor.

I hope we at least get one Canadian tune up game as well as you guy's.

I am thinking the Lakers could be around .500 this year and even better in 17-18.

A lot of scheduling is done 3-4 years out. It's possible that between Notre Dame and the Lakers, they just haven't been able to find accommodating dates yet. I'd give Jackson another season (2 at most) to see if the Irish will visit the Lakers before I get too disappointed. It could even be that they've agreed to play next season.

I hope we get up to around the .500 mark (or better) this season although overall it will still be a fairly young team, especially at forward. Probably only 1 Senior and a couple of Juniors as upperclassmen at that position.

[sm2pk]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

Not a weak looking schedule .

[gfmorris]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

It's too bad that your games here are in October. It might still be hot.

GFM

[LSSULaker889294]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

Looking at the schedule image it shows October 1 and October 7-8 as TBD. So it looks like they are still in the process of getting a Canadian School to play on one of those weekends.

http://static.psbin.com/t/d/jbuzwbls...naloption2.jpg

November is definitely looking like the toughest part of the schedule. Another schedule oddity I found is after the November 4-5 series at home against Mankato, the Lakers don't play at home for 4 weeks (December 2-3 against BGSU) and then once again don't play at home for another 5 weeks (January 6 against NMU). So that is just two home series in a 9 week span which I'm sure Damon isn't too happy about.

Does anybody know if Nebraska Omaha will make a return trip to Abel Arena in 2017-18?

[Bill]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

Looking at the schedule image it shows October 1 and October 7-8 as TBD. So it looks like they are still in the process of getting a Canadian School to play on one of those weekends.

http://static.psbin.com/t/d/jbuzwbls...naloption2.jpg

November is definitely looking like the toughest part of the schedule. Another schedule oddity I found is after the November 4-5 series at home against Mankato, the Lakers don't play at home for 4 weeks (December 2-3 against BGSU) and then once again don't play at home for another 5 weeks (January 6 against NMU). So that is just two home series in a 9 week span which I'm sure Damon isn't too happy about.

Does anybody know if Nebraska Omaha will make a return trip to Abel Arena in 2017-18?

They may still be trying to line up a NC series for Oct 7-8.

[davyd83]

Re: LSSU Lakers 2016 off-season thread

The double w NMU was a result of schedule shuffling due to the playoff change.