Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

maybe
i doubt that made their top players perform poorly on pp etc

capts killed BU as well last year

Let's just say there was some dissension in the ranks.

As for BU, weren't those captains stripped and then subsequently woke up?

[Craig P.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Feel free to identify the top coach who hasn't had a bad season despite a lot of talent.

(I won't be holding my breath waiting, that's for sure...)

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Notre Dame has officially announced T.J. Jindra as a member of their coaching staff, replacing Mike McNeill as the volunteer assistant. Absent from the roster is Brad Philips. From the internet chatter that doesn't likely come as a surprise.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Notre Dame has officially announced T.J. Jindra as a member of their coaching staff...

Very astute move, given their leadership/team chemistry issues last season. He was one of the best captains to ever wear a Notre Dame jersey.

68 days til the team takes the ice in a game.

[Third Family Member]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Notre Dame has officially announced T.J. Jindra as a member of their coaching staff, replacing Mike McNeill as the volunteer assistant. Absent from the roster is Brad Philips. From the internet chatter that doesn't likely come as a surprise.

My goodness. I don't know where to start. I go to Chicago, Ireland and New York for some shows and come back to learn that apparently some 25 collective hockey players at Notre Dame can't put together one complete thinking brain amongst them. I can't even think of where to begin with my sighs of disappointment but maybe Joe Lavin would be a good place to start.

That said, I totally approve of having TJ Jindra as a member of the coaching staff. It would be hard to come up with a nicer, harder worker, down to earth guy, and hopefully he will pass on some much needed leadership genes.

I'm off to Dayton and then Iowa for shows. I don't want to return to yet more disasters, so can someone lock up the beer and gun cabinets.

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

My goodness. I don't know where to start. I go to Chicago, Ireland and New York for some shows and come back to learn that apparently some 25 collective hockey players at Notre Dame can't put together one complete thinking brain amongst them.

Well, in all fairness only 9 were arrested. I'm not throwing the whole team under the bus. Yet. But be forewarned, the team standing is at the curb. And the bus is running...

That said, I totally approve of having TJ Jindra as a member of the coaching staff. It would be hard to come up with a nicer, harder worker, down to earth guy, and hopefully he will pass on some much needed leadership genes.

Jindra was quite upset to see Poulin leave as he was very loyal to him and the opportunities opened by Poulin bringing him to Notre Dame. But his dedication to the university and to the hockey program was even deeper, so when Jackson recognized in him the potential to lead the team in the direction Jackson knew they could go, he didn't hesitate to give Jindra the responsibility. I don't think Jindra accumulated even 50 points as a hockey player at Notre Dame. But it's arguable that he may have been the single most important captain in the history of the program. Any player who wants to lead this team out from under the dark clouds hanging over it since that lackluster day in Grand Rapids in 2009 would be wise to seek out Jindra's council, and take a lot of notes.

[SteveP]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Notre Dame has officially announced T.J. Jindra as a member of their coaching staff, replacing Mike McNeill as the volunteer assistant.

Very astute move, given their leadership/team chemistry issues last season. He was one of the best captains to ever wear a Notre Dame jersey.

A good selection by JJ, but one question. Will 3 seasons away as a player be enough for TJ to separate himself from the current players, especially the seniors?

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

A good selection by JJ, but one question. Will 3 seasons away as a player be enough for TJ to separate himself from the current players, especially the seniors?

I would say, since he'd never played with any of the 2010-11 seniors (Brian Brooke, Ryan Guentzel, Joe Lavin--who's only been at ND for less than a full season, Calle Ridderwall and Ben Ryan), there's no issue. I equate it to being a high school teacher right out of college. You may only be 4-5 years older, but you have a world of other experiences. (I'm assuming that's what you're referring to...the age proximity.)

Jindra is a gargantuan reason the team started improving at the halfway point of his first year as captain, then kept the ball rolling his senior year (his 2nd captaincy). He has experience on the worst ND hockey team and on one of the very best. He got his teammates to "buy into" Coach Jackson's line of thinking. That's what this rudderless team needs now. If this season's captains, whoever they may be, don't ask him for advice, shame on them.

*Segue*

As for this season's captains (and I don't mean the rotating taped-on "C" that we may see for the first month...but the letters that will eventually be sewn on), anyone want to speculate?

Captains shouldn't wear a letter solely based on their appeal to the crowd or their scoring prowess. I thought I would change my mind after all the happenings during the off season, but I can't seem to make any better guesses. How's that for a sell job?

I still want Joe Lavin as captain and Riley Sheahan as an alternate. As for any other alternates, Sean Lorenz, Billy Maday and/or Ryan Guentzel are my choices.

Some of you who know of my drool for Calle Ridderwall may wonder, "What about Calle?" Too obvious, and obvious doesn't always work. I don't see him with a letter on his jersey. That's not to impune on his possible leadership ability, it's just my gut feeling.

I even thought of Patrick Gaul for an alternate. Even though he hasn't seen much playing time, he makes the most of it. He's a quiet, yet hard worker.

Now, it's your turn to guess. Ya got 2 months.

[Savage]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Let's break it down, there are the senior skaters:
Lavin -- this should be a shoo-in as a big bruising senior blueliner, but after making the newspapers for the wrong reasons, that casts a bit of doubt. But hey, at least we know he bonds well with his teammates, right?

Ryan -- not exactly what you think of as captain: a role-playing second scoring line centre, but he seems to have the respect of his teammates from what I've seen.

Guentzel -- the kind of guy you want as a captain, but I question whether a 4th-line role player is an effective captain at this level.

Ridderwall -- I agree with you, just doesn't really fit the mold. Great player, good teammate, quiet kid who probably isn't the type who would be effective kicking other players' butts.

The juniors who have already made a contribution:

Maday -- I think of him as similar to Calle, but think he'd definitely work as an "A".

Lorenz -- One of my early choices for captain next year, which puts him in line for an "A" this year; it also fits as he was solid last year despite very little consistency with the waves of blueline injuries.

I generally like having one underclassman wear an "A", but the only three underclassman skaters who have really contributed thus far are Larson, Palmieri, and Sheahan -- the latter two I might automatically disqualify except that I didn't disqualify Joey Lavin. In either event, I think this could be Sheahan, or it could be scrapped a junior who hasn't contributed as much but is of the right qualities (Pat Gaul). But I'll pass -- Sheahan certainly makes the early list for next season, along with Lorenz.

So, I think my choices would be:
C: Joey Lavin
A: Sean Lorenz
A: Billy Maday
A: Ben Ryan

[IrishHockeyFan]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

A good selection by JJ, but one question. Will 3 seasons away as a player be enough for TJ to separate himself from the current players, especially the seniors?

I think its the best of both worlds. No attachment to the current players in terms of being a teammate, but a recent enough player to know what the current version of Jeff Jackson is all about. He is acquainted with some of the older players on the team from recruiting visits and the like.

While we are all heaping praise on Jindra (me included, and it is deserved) it is by no means the most important piece of the puzzle moving into the 2010-2011 season. Most of these guys know what they need to do if they are interested in making last season the anomaly in Jackson's coaching résumé. First on the list would be conditioning. Too many corner battles lost, and strength helps avoid that. Too many injuries last year and strength helps avoid that too. And finally, too many losing third periods, also something a stronger team doesn't often fall prey to.

I believe this played a huge part in last years failures, and that the season was impacted severely even at the time of the first game. I think I even posted before the season was even halfway over my suspicion. Those first few Jackson teams praised Tony Rolinski to the point of bringing him to tears at season ending banquets (that's always fun ) but rightly so. Those guys knew what it meant to be as well conditioned as all of your opponents -- if not better conditioned than most.

As for captains, my guesses would be along similar lines of logic everyone else is following. There are some strong reasons to see a number of these guys as captains, but there are also some reservations about them as well. Since I have two months, I'm going to take a little time.

[mwade]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Kyle Palmieri has signed a 3 yr entry level contract with Anaheim.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

While Palmieri seems to have the contrition down pat, I'm an unusually good judge of character and there's something about him that doesn't fit a Jeff Jackson-led team.

Kyle Palmieri has signed a 3 yr entry level contract with Anaheim.

Coach Jackson's train has left the station.

I feel better about the upcoming season already.

[WeAreNDHockey]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

Now, it's your turn to guess. Ya got 2 months.

OK, I'll go. Billy Maday. Don't know why. He generally plays smart hockey and knows where to be on the ice. He has a good balance between his skill and his work ethic. And besides, if I'm wrong won't we have moved on to the actual during the season thread? So no one will remember. I'll remind you if I'm right.

Sean Lorenz, Joe Lavin and Calle Ridderwall will be the alternates.

[Third Family Member]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

OK, I'll go. Billy Maday. Don't know why. He generally plays smart hockey and knows where to be on the ice. He has a good balance between his skill and his work ethic. And besides, if I'm wrong won't we have moved on to the actual during the season thread? So no one will remember. I'll remind you if I'm right.

Sean Lorenz, Joe Lavin and Calle Ridderwall will be the alternates.

My picks would be Ryan Guentzel for captain, thinking along the lines of a TJ Jindra type person. Hard worker, steady personality, team player. My choices for alternates are Joe Lavin, Bill Maday and Calle Ridderwall.

[Jeff_Jackson_for_Pres.]

Re: Notre Dame hockey off-season...beware the "I'ds" of March and other ponderings

A little birdie told me that yuenight_for_IRISHICER is back in the States.

May we expect more great hockey pics this season? Oh, and will she post a few choice pics from her year overseas?

Get your camera ready yuenight... The season starts in 54 days.