LSSU Lakers 2021 off-season thread

[Bill]

UAH has suspended their hockey program due to lack of a conference affiliation. No hockey there for 2021-22. They could bring back the program in the future if they find a conference, although this could be the end for them.

[Bill]

There will be a Laker Hockey Show next Tuesday (May 11) at 5:00 PM.

[LSSULaker889294]

There will be a Laker Hockey Show next Tuesday (May 11) at 5:00 PM.

It will be interesting to hear what Damon says about Calder leaving for North Dakota.

[Bill]

It will be interesting to hear what Damon says about Calder leaving for North Dakota.

I agree. It should be a very interesting first show of the off-season.

[Bill]

A few things from the show related to next season's team.

It sounds like Niko Esposito-Selivanov will no longer be on the team. He was on the roster this past season but didn't play. I think (but am not sure) it was academic related. I suspect he wasn't eligible.

The plans are for Logan Jenuwine to be on the team once the new season starts. Hopefully he has moved beyond whatever off ice issues kept him off the team. He's supposed to be a very good scorer so the Lakers could really use him in the lineup, especially with Ashton Calder moving on to North Dakota.

In discussing incoming players, Bryan Huggins name wasn't mentioned. John Forrest had pegged him as coming in next season during an interview with Matt Pocket during one of the broadcasts late this past season. Huggins is an 02 and a D so I suspect he may be coming in for 2022-23 instead. With the Lakers picking up D-man Jake Willets from Ferris, that would make sense.

[lakersparty]

It sounded like Whitten was optimistic the Lakers will be able to replace some of the scoring.

Another takeaway I got is that it's really going to be problematic with LSSU not offering graduate degrees. It's one thing for larger schools to promise some kind of elevated exposure (which I question sometimes because hockey is number 1 at a school like Lake State and you get the undivided attention whereas at some other schools you're not even in the top 3 sports on campus), but some of these kids might actually stay if they could get a grad degree at LSSU. It goes back again to the same old problem that the school's hockey program is in decent shape but the institution itself seems to hold it back because of low enrollment, no grad programs, etc. I really wish that could improve some day.

[Deman]

It sounded like Whitten was optimistic the Lakers will be able to replace some of the scoring.

Another takeaway I got is that it's really going to be problematic with LSSU not offering graduate degrees. It's one thing for larger schools to promise some kind of elevated exposure (which I question sometimes because hockey is number 1 at a school like Lake State and you get the undivided attention whereas at some other schools you're not even in the top 3 sports on campus), but some of these kids might actually stay if they could get a grad degree at LSSU. It goes back again to the same old problem that the school's hockey program is in decent shape but the institution itself seems to hold it back because of low enrollment, no grad programs, etc. I really wish that could improve some day.

When it comes to grad programs, you kind of said it: It's hard to justify creating these grad programs with already low enrollment. It's been an open secret at how the school has struggled with cashflow in recent years, right? It sucks, but unless the school/state does something to bring more students in with what they've got...

As far as transferring to schools where hockey isn't #1: In some cases the market is a lot bigger, or closer to hotbeds of hockey, so I can understand that. Some transfers have also happened in the past where they're originally from that area, kind of like what happened with James Roll & Niagra a few years back.

[LSSUfanMSUalum]

Another takeaway I got is that it's really going to be problematic with LSSU not offering graduate degrees. It's one thing for larger schools to promise some kind of elevated exposure (which I question sometimes because hockey is number 1 at a school like Lake State and you get the undivided attention whereas at some other schools you're not even in the top 3 sports on campus), but some of these kids might actually stay if they could get a grad degree at LSSU. It goes back again to the same old problem that the school's hockey program is in decent shape but the institution itself seems to hold it back because of low enrollment, no grad programs, etc. I really wish that could improve some day.

Thank you!! This is one of the very first things that came to mind when these new rules came to be, and I was waiting to see if this point would be raised. I think Crawford touched on it briefly on the show but he was also comparing predominately D1 schools to predominately D2 schools... One could make a strong argument that one or two of these seniors who were granted a 5th year would stay in the Soo if a graduate program existed, considering we have seniors transferring to schools without a very strong recent track record to get another year of play in. Further, they have practically 0% chance of bringing in a 'super senior' as a transfer due to the absence of grad program.

No matter how you spin it, or whether you are for against the new rules, I see this as a pretty clear disadvantage for Lake State. I did little-to-no research but I am wondering what other schools with D1 hockey programs have absolutely no graduate programs?

[LSSULaker889294]

It looks like the CCHA is releasing the conference schedule May 20 which is next Thursday.

[Bill]

Niko Esposito-Selivanov has signed to play pro hockey over in Germany.

[Deman]

The Mason Cup is back out of retirement!

[The Sicatoka]

Looks like Ashton Calder is transferring to North Dakota. That's a big hole to fill.

So what should North Dakota fans expect to see?

[LSSULaker889294]

Conference schedule released:
https://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hock...20210520f94lgr

Any word on non-conference opponents and when the games might be?

[Bill]

Conference schedule released:
https://lssulakers.com/sports/m-hock...20210520f94lgr

Any word on non-conference opponents and when the games might be?

I haven't heard anything new. As mentioned previously, Union is supposed to play the Lakers in the Soo on Oct 22-23.

Seems likely that we could have at least one non-conference series against somebody in early October prior to the start of conference play.

[davyd83]

Congratulations to Damon Whitten on a new six year contract!