UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

[Jayden_Stoff]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Reynolds out for the season - http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/a...lds-out-season

Sucks big time. Sneddon is a class act guy and even he is saying it was a dirty play. How do *******s like that live with themselves? Any guesses if this has implications for exhibition games next year?

Oh, and I would guess that Lenz was out simply because based on who Sneddon wanted to see play. All the Freshman plus Kyle Mountain. A number of guys had to sit. I'm wondering how much I will see DeCenzo (who played top line center occasionally his Freshman year) and Kyle Mountain this year.

Of the freshman #5 - Hamilton, #1 - Santaguida, #22 - Shaw, and #20 - Bradley all impressed me. Hamilton, I think he will be the best play making D by the end of the season. Shaw, I hope he can dominate the crease on PP and I'm sure other teams are going to hate playing against him. Shaw, sick passes and play-making. Good speed too. Santaguida, pre-season hype seems to be correct. He didn't look out of place and I expect him to push Hoff for playing time.

Really sucks about Reynolds, if you haven't met him he's a class act off the ice (or was the time that I met him). Def deserves better. I know it's hard to tell in exhibition games but Brickley, Markinson, and Paliotta, and Massar all look ready for solid contributions this year. And I'll call it right now... minute this season is over, Paliotta is off to the AHL.

[catmandoo]

Looked to me like it might have been a knee injury. I hate to see that sort of thing, especially in an exhibition game.

Yes. That stinks. I heard it is a striained mcl or something like that and he should be ok in a few weeks. Anyone know why Lenz got scratched today? As far as yesterday's game it was really hard to tell because team they were playing was so bad but the two freshman d looked ok and I thought freshman forwards were just ok. Puskarich can shoot but in hockey eat tempo might struggle a little.

[Jayden_Stoff]

Needed to be helped off the ice?!?!? Yikes!!!

Looked to me like it might have been a knee injury. I hate to see that sort of thing, especially in an exhibition game.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Reynolds ... who needed to be helped off the ice ...did not.

Needed to be helped off the ice?!?!? Yikes!!!

[PuckVoice]

Don't know why other than to say it's a meaningless exhibition game and Sneddon wanted to get a look at his two new goalies. Plus, with another exhibition game today, there's still time for Hoffman to get some PT before the ND series.
BFP also indicates Sneddon has another two full seasons left on his contract. Didn't realize that was the case and, unless things improve, it might not be good good news. That said, I think the team will improve, and I'm psyched for the season. Go Cats Go! BFP indicates McCarthy and Reynolds both left the game with injuries. Hope it's nothing serious or that could really be trouble, especially with Fallon already banged up.

Hoffman is out for the weekend with an unspecified injury ... the word is it is precautionary rather than anything considered serious ... McCarthy and Reynolds were both hurt on the same play at different places on the ice. McCarthy came back later ... Reynolds ... who needed to be helped off the ice ...did not.

[UVM Cat in Texas]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Anyone have observations from the game. Any idea why Hoffman didn't get any playing time?

Don't know why other than to say it's a meaningless exhibition game and Sneddon wanted to get a look at his two new goalies. Plus, with another exhibition game today, there's still time for Hoffman to get some PT before the ND series.

BFP indicates McCarthy and Reynolds both left the game with injuries. Hope it's nothing serious or that could really be trouble, especially with Fallon already banged up.

BFP also indicates Sneddon has another two full seasons left on his contract. Didn't realize that was the case and, unless things improve, it might not be good good news. That said, I think the team will improve, and I'm psyched for the season. Go Cats Go!

[GreenCat]

Anyone have observations from the game? Any idea why Hoffman didn't get any playing time?

[UVM - Bruin]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

A couple things

- The Bruins waived Kevan Miller in the hopes of sending him down to Providence (http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2...ler-on-waivers). I would expect he might get claimed by another team.
- Anyone else going to Penn State game in Philly? Is the University doing an alumni reception before/after? Anyone know of a UVM friendly bar in town?

[jcarter7669]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Excerpt from an article in the VT Cynic

“The pace is different this year,” Coach Kevin Sneddon said, who is entering his 10th season leading the team. “I think this stems from an increase in our talent level. Our strength and conditioning coach deserves a lot of credit, Justin Smith. The guys are in shape and are ready to go. So practices have been at a much higher tempo than we’re used to seeing.”


Hopefully this is truly the case and they start fast because with 20 games in the season they need a fast start...

[jcarter7669]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

WCAX story on the Cats...

Of note, Sneddon singles out McCarthy and Brickley returning. Sounds like they had offers... it maybe that some of the "extra recruits" were also an insurance policy in case they did.


http://www.wca*****/story/23553156/u...clipId=9356212

[jcarter7669]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Bruins down to 23 Man Roster and UVM's Kevan Miller is still on it.

http://video.bruins.nhl.com/videocen...L%7CBOS%7Chome

Good for Miller... I will eat crow, I never thought he would make it... seems like sometimes not only do you need to be signed, but you need to be signed by the right team. Martin St Louis and Calgary for example. I always thought Sifers would still be playing in the NHL... And why did Perrin never end up a full time NHLer. Kudos to Kevan though... it looks like he is getting a shot, hopefully it works for him.

Other news... Thomas back in the NHL with the Panthers. Stalberg on the IR in Nashville. Would be nice to see Mitchell get a shot on a scoring line for Minny... but seems to be stuck as a career 4th liner

[4035]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Bruins down to 23 Man Roster and UVM's Kevan Miller is still on it.

http://video.bruins.nhl.com/videocen...L%7CBOS%7Chome

[Cat lover]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

[QUOTE=VTinNY;5774959]Most NHL drafted/watch list players will never set foot on the ice in an NHL game and many will not be good college players. The NHL loves anyone who is big and has "potential" to get better, but most don't get much better.

Ah the Arthur Femmenella concept.

[VTinNY]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

Rankings of recruiting classes always tend to assume that players on NHL watch lists/drafted are intrinsically much better players and that younger "true freshmen" will improve more than the older players. Both assumptions are flawed.

Most NHL drafted/watch list players will never set foot on the ice in an NHL game and many will not be good college players. The NHL loves anyone who is big and has "potential" to get better, but most don't get much better. And many of the one's that do have success in college will leave after 1-2 years, meaning the school has to roll the dice with another "top prospect". There is also plenty of recent proof that older "overage" players do improve over the course of their college careers, and in fact have the advantages of being more physically ready right from the start and will usually stay for 3-4 years. Nobody thought UML had any good recruiting classes over most of the last 7-8 years and they focused almost entirely on older players. Now they are genius after winning HE and going to a F4. Union, Merrimack and Ferris have also had significant success with mostly older players.

I'm not saying that younger prospects that are drafted in the rounds 1-3 or are otherwise coming off big seasons in juniors/USNDP aren't the cream of the crop. But there really aren't a lot of these players and BC, BU, Michigan, Minny etc. usually scoop them up (this year is no exception). I realistically don't expect UVM to win battles for those type of players, and going after some older players makes sense. I continue to think that this class will help the talent level this season and over the next couple year's. Puskarich is fast & skilled, Shaw is a load who knows how to score, and Bradley is a hard worker that makes his teammates better. They were overlooked by other programs for a number of reasons, but no reason they can't succeed with the Cats.

[jcarter7669]

Re: UVM Offseason Thread- Summer 2013

I think you are correct in your assessment of what Sneddon TRYING to do. My point is that if 7-8 of these forwards are playing regular time, we wont be alot better. No disrespect to the incoming freshman players but I am suspect on overage late commits but I hope I am proven wrong.

I would be interested in seeing the actual ages in relation to other teams. Just quickly, of the three I bothered to look at :

UVM avg age - 21.17

UML avg age - 21.93

MC avg age - 21.78

I didn't look at solely freshman, but that would be interesting... maybe next time I have some free time I will figure out the comparison...I would be interesting to see.