BU 2020-21 Season: The Road to … Nowhere?

[Lemonade]

Just my opinion, but 2C is where BU is lacking.

Or any player that can win a faceoff....

[cridge]

BU ranked #11. IMO surprised they are that high. Need to keep hoping Denver loses and Umass or BC(as much as they are hated) win the conference.

[J.D.]

Who knows what the committee thinks but I haven't seen anyone even say BU is a bubble team. Widely expected that BU is a lock.

[Harry Cleverly]

On most nights in Hockey East BU is going to be on the wrong side of the coaching advantage. They have to rely on being more talented with individual players skill set. I would love to see what Leaman or Bazin could do with this roster.

I would agree that Leaman and Bazin are the two best coaches in Hockey East. Slight edge to Leaman, whose teams are better offensively, IMO. Bazin's teams play great team defense, as was on display at WBA.

What bothers me about BU's coaching ... 5 shots on goal in the first period; 2 shots on goal in third period. TWO. In a home playoff game.
BU was outshot in almost every game this season. And sometimes that shots attempted were extreme. Some of that is down to coaching. I don't think there is a lack of talent.

I was pleased when Albie was hired, and getting the opportunity. I was excited that he brought in Paul Pearl, who was an experienced head coach at Holy Cross, and well respected throughout the hockey community.

BU is still recruiting well. The team defense has been better this year. Commesso and Duplessis both performed well in goal. But something is still missing.
I don't think it is fair to lay it all on Albie. But something is still amiss.

[Scarlet]

Who knows what the committee thinks but I haven't seen anyone even say BU is a bubble team. Widely expected that BU is a lock.

What if UML runs the table and wins Hockey East? Anything could happen this season. It sucks because BU was in charge of their own destiny and now they have to rely on others.

[Lemonade]

I would agree that Leaman and Bazin are the two best coaches in Hockey East. Slight edge to Leaman, whose teams are better offensively, IMO. Bazin's teams play great team defense, as was on display at WBA.

What bothers me about BU's coaching ... 5 shots on goal in the first period; 2 shots on goal in third period. TWO. In a home playoff game.
BU was outshot in almost every game this season. And sometimes that shots attempted were extreme. Some of that is down to coaching. I don't think there is a lack of talent.

I was pleased when Albie was hired, and getting the opportunity. I was excited that he brought in Paul Pearl, who was an experienced head coach at Holy Cross, and well respected throughout the hockey community.

BU is still recruiting well. The team defense has been better this year. Commesso and Duplessis both performed well in goal. But something is still missing.
I don't think it is fair to lay it all on Albie. But something is still amiss.

I don't think the home ice was a factor at all. These are all basically neutral site games. In fact, playing on the smaller sheet is a negative for how BU's roster is built. The smaller confines are ideal for larger, grinding teams like a Merrimack or UML.

Coaching is a an area to look at but I am not sure how you draw up taking shots on a erase board. Players have to step up and deliver too. There is no coach saying don't take shots. Their strategy (not sure what it was) was surely lacking.

The difference between BU of .500 last year and this year at 10-4-1 was because of goaltending. Last year they didnt have it - this year they do. Now they have to add to that and figure out how to generate more offense. Being outshot 90% of the games is not a long term winning strategy. I am with you - something is missing and I think its an identity thing.

What is BU hockey and what do they do well? Can anyone answer that?

[defkit]

Not just Bellows. Wahlstrom as well. I had serious doubts about him. Trotz integrating both guys and the Islanders are on fire. Just a tremendous coach.

Agreed 100%. I actually originally put "(and Wahlstrom for that matter)" in my post but deleted it. I'm not ready to say they are going to be regulars in the NHL for the next 7 years, but they have made it further than I thought they would. I guess it does speak to the fact that all the USNTDP guys are so young and many still have a ton of development ahead of them.

[defkit]

I don't think the home ice was a factor at all. These are all basically neutral site games. In fact, playing on the smaller sheet is a negative for how BU's roster is built. The smaller confines are ideal for larger, grinding teams like a Merrimack or UML.

Coaching is a an area to look at but I am not sure how you draw up taking shots on a erase board. Players have to step up and deliver too. There is no coach saying don't take shots. Their strategy (not sure what it was) was surely lacking.

The difference between BU of .500 last year and this year at 10-4-1 was because of goaltending. Last year they didnt have it - this year they do. Now they have to add to that and figure out how to generate more offense. Being outshot 90% of the games is not a long term winning strategy. I am with you - something is missing and I think its an identity thing.

What is BU hockey and what do they do well? Can anyone answer that?

I have to disagree on the the coaching vs. players. Very few players are going to come into a playoff game and not give it as much as they can. Yes, I questioned Farrance efforts on a couple plays, but in general, these guys are out there skating hard, hitting, battling for pucks. What I see is that when they get it, they have no room or time to do anything with it. UML clogged up the passing lanes, played a forecheck that all but removed any sort of breakout, and just eliminated BU's ability to sustain pressure on offense. I actually think if we were playing a team that plays a little more wide open like BC or UMass, we would have looked better. So to me, it is up to the coaches to come up with an effective game plan and make adjustments along the way. I don't see that happening.

Like Harry, I was pleased that Albie got the job - I was 100% against Bennett, and am still glad they didn't go in that direction. But I think after one more season, if things aren't looking up, it may be time to think about a change. I agree that Albie can do a lot of great things for the program, I'm just not sold yet that he is a good head coach at the D-1 level.

[buoldtimer]

I have to disagree on the the coaching vs. players. Very few players are going to come into a playoff game and not give it as much as they can. Yes, I questioned Farrance efforts on a couple plays, but in general, these guys are out there skating hard, hitting, battling for pucks. What I see is that when they get it, they have no room or time to do anything with it. UML clogged up the passing lanes, played a forecheck that all but removed any sort of breakout, and just eliminated BU's ability to sustain pressure on offense. I actually think if we were playing a team that plays a little more wide open like BC or UMass, we would have looked better. So to me, it is up to the coaches to come up with an effective game plan and make adjustments along the way. I don't see that happening.

Like Harry, I was pleased that Albie got the job - I was 100% against Bennett, and am still glad they didn't go in that direction. But I think after one more season, if things aren't looking up, it may be time to think about a change. I agree that Albie can do a lot of great things for the program, I'm just not sold yet that he is a good head coach at the D-1 level.

I agree that Lowell shutdown BU on the initial rush, negating any speed advantage BU may have had. By my observation, BU didn't get setup in the offensive zone (all 5 players in the zone, D's at the points) until better than 10 minutes had elapsed in the first period. For the entire period, BU was only setup in the UML zone three times. One of the hallmarks of Albie's teams has been the absence of the grinding possession game that Quinn's teams displayed (Tkachuk, Greenway, etc).

[Mike799]

Regarding Albie’s job performance, it’s important to remember the obstacles created by BU administration. I often wonder if upper administration’s current goal is to phase out the level of importance of its hockey program so it can focus resources on other things

BU admins reaction to the pandemic is one of many examples of the above

[Harry Cleverly]

Regarding Albie’s job performance, it’s important to remember the obstacles created by BU administration. I often wonder if upper administration’s current goal is to phase out the level of importance of its hockey program so it can focus resources on other things

BU admins reaction to the pandemic is one of many examples of the above

Why would BU administration want to phase out the level of importance of the hockey program? With Agganis Arena, the resources already there and the level of interest it receives compared to other sports, that would make no sense. If anything, they would want to drive it forward.

Yes, it appears that the administration's response to the pandemic has been more cautious than other schools who have continued play. I'm fine with that. And I'm sure the parents of student/athletes would be too. The ones to feel badly for are the Ivy League athletes who have everything cancelled for more than a year with no spring sports again.
Kids want to play, and going through additional hoops to remain safe and make it possible to play is a small, smart price to pay.

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

Regarding Albie’s job performance, it’s important to remember the obstacles created by BU administration. I often wonder if upper administration’s current goal is to phase out the level of importance of its hockey program so it can focus resources on other things

BU admins reaction to the pandemic is one of many examples of the above

I would argue that at the uppermost levels of the University, the administration used Coach Parker's retirement as an opportunity to de-emphasize hockey as part of the BU community. Part of me thinks even if BU had won the National Championship in 2015, it wouldn't have been much of a boost to the University in the eyes of someone like Robert A. Brown. I've long maintained my opinion that Athletics is hardly a priority for him in terms of the experience and impact it has on the University community for students, alumni, faculty/staff.

I've been told multiple stories where prospective student-athletes were rejected by BU Admissions, yet were accepted and matriculated at Ivy League and other comparably elite institutions. To say that the top of the BU administration has an obsession with Admissions selectivity is quite the understatement; IMO they often use Athletics as a sacrificial lamb of sorts to reject highly qualified prospective student-athletes just to flaunt how difficult it is to be admitted to BU.

While BU's response to the pandemic has been, IMO, largely favorable, Athletics is one area where I feel BU has really clamped down on as part of its pandemic response. Between the stringent policies regarding the duration of student-athletes isolation (for a + test) or quarantining (if a close contact), subsequent availability to return to game action, the on-court mask mandates for the MBB & WBB programs (and visiting teams), there exists the perception that BU is using its Athletics programs as a platform to figuratively flex its muscles regarding how the University is handling the pandemic.

I applaud what the student-athletes, coaches and Athletics staff try to accomplish given the BUreaucracy they often have to navigate. It's a constant uphill battle for the coaches & Athletics administration to manage up to the top of BU's administration.

[buoldtimer]

I would argue that at the uppermost levels of the University, the administration used Coach Parker's retirement as an opportunity to de-emphasize hockey as part of the BU community. Part of me thinks even if BU had won the National Championship in 2015, it wouldn't have been much of a boost to the University in the eyes of someone like Robert A. Brown. I've long maintained my opinion that Athletics is hardly a priority for him in terms of the experience and impact it has on the University community for students, alumni, faculty/staff.

1. If that's the case, why did the administration make the high-profile hiring of Quinn as JP's successor?
2. Was the recruiting budget cut during Quinn's tenure?
3. Has the recruiting budget been cut while Albie's been coach (taking into consideration COVID based restrictions on recruiting)?

I have no direct knowledge of the administration's view of BU being a top-level hockey program. However, as I see how sparse attendance is among BU students, I think the BU community has de-emphasized hockey.

[Lemonade]

It would have been interesting to see attendance this season as the team is back to being successful. Regarding the BU student attendance I would say that’s due to this generations lack of attending any events as they prefer to stay home and stream and the large international student population where hockey isn’t a prioritized sport. Ivy League schools don’t draw either.

[Bomber]

Did anyone else watch the Big Ten and/or NCHC Finals last night? Breath-taking hockey all around. Lots of fans at the Ralph which had me concerned and jealous at the same time.

BU Hockey: One More Kick at the Can?