Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

[Lostdutchman]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Hey, remember when you had brains? Did you see the St. Cloud game? I remember the UND fans being scared to death we'd win. NACHO teams don't impress me. Not one bit.

[Lostdutchman]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Hey, remember when you had brans. Oh, wait, that never occurred. But I was at the St. Cloud game and Tech beat them to death. Pure luck, and nerves kept Tech from playing UND. And, hey, remember all the UND fans starting the game hoping Tech would win, and then switching after the first period, and hoping against hope that Tech would lose? I do. I talked to them. Nobody in the NCAA scares me for next year, especially the NACHO teams, who will again probably feed off each other, and do well in the pairwise, when they didn't do so well in the NCAA. Post something positive or stay off. Mel Pearson is the man, and the whole country involved with college hockey knows it. Too bad a rotten call helped St Cloud win. I'd have loved to see Tech beat UND. And they would have.

Remember when you guys thought you were good and then lost in the first round of the NCAA tourney to the 6th place team in the NCHC when you had the lead with less then 35seconds left in the 3rd period... Hahaha that' was funny! Then Mankato lost to RIT(38th in pairwise) in the first round.. I guess when I said that the WCHA was a powderpuff conferance I was right but hey since their are no good teams in the conference anymore after all the good ones left you guys should be able to be on top with any scrub teams you can throw together!

[Pure Mel]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

April 15th.

Once you sign an NLOI do you need to go to that team in a certain amount of time? Or no real requirement around this?

[Bill]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Once you sign an NLOI do you need to go to that team in a certain amount of time? Or no real requirement around this?

I'm not sure, but wouldn't think so beyond any age limits that apply. A kid can sign an NLI later this month for a future season beyond the next one.

[JTWRJW]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Becker is a potential recruit that just completed his junior year at Mahtomedi HS in Minnesota.

Williamson is a 16 yo that is playing in the BCHL with Vernon.

Thanks. Any details on Morgan?

[Shirtless Guy]

Thanks. Any details on Morgan?

I don't know much about Morgan, someone else mentioned him as a potential target for MTU.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Resub

[mtu_huskies]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Looks like Mel & Co. will need to cut a few players, either from the current team or from the recruits, in order to bring in the top new freshman talent. Tech rostered 30 players this season (31 if you include Joe Schuldt who was at Tech but wasn't rostered). With six players leaving, we have only 5 slots to fill in order to keep a roster of 30. I would guess they're planning to roster Schuldt, Birks, Blacklock and Evan Anderson for 2015/16. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the following:

Not sure what will happen with committed 20 year olds: Cope, Kauppila (maybe come to Tech but are not rostered, like Schuldt this year?)
High end 19/20 year-olds likely to come for 2015/16: Jackson, Boeing, Lucchini, Hannoun, Reinke
Eligible 18/19 year-olds that will probably wait another year: Redmond, Gould, Watson, Brown, Gerrie, Rostagno, Gingell
16/17/18 year-old recruits (2016/17 at earliest): Ford, Newsome, Becker, Morgan, Williamson

Seems like it would be nice to bring in Gavin Gould and maybe Carter Watson, but they'd need to bump someone, and that's if Cope and/or Kauppila aren't rostered.
Lots of tough decisions this summer for the coaching staff. Looks like we have only 5 slots for 7 committed players.

I thought Mel said on his show earlier in the year that his ideal roster size is 28 and we had a larger than ideal roster this year. With all the commits, I'd guess we stick with replacing everyone that leaves, but eventually it sounded like he wanted to get to the ideal size of 28.

Regarding non-rostered players you talk about, Schuldt was on the roster until he left school. I thought you could have as many on roster as you want, the coaches just need to figure out how to split up the scholarships.

[Huskiefan906]

I thought Mel said on his show earlier in the year that his ideal roster size is 28 and we had a larger than ideal roster this year. .

Big challenge this year is to keep all the centers happy if injury does not eliminate playing time questions.

Who is our projected no. 1 center.
With the depth on the wings do we play our best returning center Steman on the third line to allow rolling all 4 lines again. I think Neville centers our 4th line with Eick again.

Centers competing for playing time in 15-16
Steman
Blacklock
E. Anderson
Hannoun
Jackson
Neville

With the depth at wing, it does not seem like the remaining centers out of the top 4 move to wing.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Big challenge this year is to keep all the centers happy if injury does not eliminate playing time questions.

Who is our projected no. 1 center.
With the depth on the wings do we play our best returning center Steman on the third line to allow rolling all 4 lines again. I think Neville centers our 4th line with Eick again.

Centers competing for playing time in 15-16
Steman
Blacklock
E. Anderson
Hannoun
Jackson
Neville

With the depth at wing, it does not seem like the remaining centers out of the top 4 move to wing.

I like the idea of throwing a guy like Blacklock out there on the #1 line, with a couple upperclassmen.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I like the idea of throwing a guy like Blacklock out there on the #1 line, with a couple upperclassmen.

I have a hard time believing those 6 won't find regular playing time but I guess you realize we're only losing 4 forwards and we're essentially adding 6.

You look at the returning forwards and it seems like Heinonen, Eick, Steman, Neville, Petan, Gould, Sturos, L'Esperance will be regulars if healthy (8)

That leaves the following returning players: Gillies, Baltus, Vallis, P. Anderson, of those I think 3 have a chance to be regulars and Gillies will be (1)

Then we have the 2 redshirts and 4? true freshman forwards E. Anderson, Blacklock, Jackson, Boeing, Hannoun and Cope. You'd think 5 of them were brought it to play alot but there are only 3/4 spots left when the team is healthy. Its going to be a tough line to crack on offense.

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I have a hard time believing those 6 won't find regular playing time but I guess you realize we're only losing 4 forwards and we're essentially adding 6.

You look at the returning forwards and it seems like Heinonen, Eick, Steman, Neville, Petan, Gould, Sturos, L'Esperance will be regulars if healthy (8)

That leaves the following returning players: Gillies, Baltus, Vallis, P. Anderson, of those I think 3 have a chance to be regulars and Gillies will be (1)

Then we have the 2 redshirts and 4? true freshman forwards E. Anderson, Blacklock, Jackson, Boeing, Hannoun and Cope. You'd think 5 of them were brought it to play alot but there are only 3/4 spots left when the team is healthy. Its going to be a tough line to crack on offense.

Yeah, I agree. It is going to be tough, but these freshmen, true or RS, are some very talented players, and I believe that a few of them will definitely prove that they are good enough to play every day, at a high level. There will be some older players that don't get regular time, because they have gotten pushed by freshmen, and that is a good thing. The competition is only going to make these guys push harder and make the team better.

Out of the 6 centers that were listed, I see Steman, Blacklock, E. Anderson and Neville being the 4 guys that come out on top, and get the most playing time. With Jackson and Hannoun getting in there regularly for one reason or another. Out of those 4, I'd rather put a high-end talent freshman like Blacklock or Anderson on the first line with Petan and Gillies? and put Steman on the 3rd line to spread the talent out among 3 lines. I'd not be surprised if the 2 "top line" centers are freshman next year. Also, I think Neville is a very good fit for a 4th line, it is nothing against him as a player, I just think he is very effective in that role.

[mtu_huskies]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I would've thought we'd hear about Blake Pietila signing with the Devils. Could his injury be holding that up?

[eye4talent]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I would've thought we'd hear about Blake Pietila signing with the Devils. Could his injury be holding that up?

No reason to rush anything when he can't play the rest of the year. I'm sure his agent is doing his due diligence. He could wait until August and become a free agent. Similar to what Kevin Hayes did with the Blackhawks last year. Waited to become a free agent and signed with the Rangers.

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

No reason to rush anything when he can't play the rest of the year. I'm sure his agent is doing his due diligence. He could wait until August and become a free agent. Similar to what Kevin Hayes did with the Blackhawks last year. Waited to become a free agent and signed with the Rangers.

The more times a player does that the more likely teams are to sign players between their jr and sr year...not good.