Boston College hockey 2021-2022

[PullTheGoalie]

IMO Cavanagh is the answer here. Also, I don't agree when posters write that York fell off badly after 2016. It was a tough situation, yes, but that 2020 team was almost surely going to the Frozen Four until Covid stopped the season. Cotton, Hutsko, Boldy, the Matilla's, Hardman, McBain, McLaughlin, Newhook, Giles, Knight. That's a really good squad.

[sigx15]

IMO Cavanagh is the answer here. Also, I don't agree when posters write that York fell off badly after 2016. It was a tough situation, yes, but that 2020 team was almost surely going to the Frozen Four until Covid stopped the season. Cotton, Hutsko, Boldy, the Matilla's, Hardman, McBain, McLaughlin, Newhook, Giles, Knight. That's a really good squad.

That 2020 team was gross and was on an absolute tear, had won like 10 in a row when the season shut down. Ultimate what could've been season. I remember watching Newhook in the 2nd half and thinking I hadn't seen anyone that good since Gaudreau at BC

[J.D.]

Even last year was a "good" team. York set the bar so damn high though we are comparing every season to his gold standard. Tough to meet those expectations. He has elevated the profile of BC hockey to an elite group of programs. Good luck to whoever has to follow that.

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Compare and contrast the USCHO article (released 1st) with CHN's article on Coach York's retirement.

The similarity? I dunno, a lot of that comes down to quoting the same statements.

[mookie1995]

was jrrrrry able to get to the top with "most ties", along with his "most wins" and "most losses", before the ncaa did away with ties, per se??

[J.D.]

If it is Cav, that's probably the safest hire. Knows BC, was here for all the national titles and has extensive HC experience now at UConn. It's easy to look at his record and be underwhelmed but I don't think that's fair to him. Before joining Hockey East, UConn was an absolute non factor in Atlantic Hockey. They were almost never a top the league/in contention for NCAA tournament like other programs in that league over the years (Mercyhurst, RIT, Air Force, AIC). He also didn't join the old Hockey East of the Big 4 era (BC, BU, Maine, UNH). A lot easier back then to get your program to be a mid tier team in the league behind those giants. Now he's in a league where UMass, Lowell, Providence and Northeastern are consistently good. He hasn't taken UConn to the level of those programs but he has done a very good job in slowly building UConn up and being there while they worked on getting a new rink done.

Nobody will ever replicate what York did but I think he would do a good job at BC in getting them back amongst the big boys. Or at least regularly in contention. I don't think it would be a homerun hire but I really don't think BC needs a homerun hire. A program that has faded into irrelevancy like Michigan State needs a homerun hire.

[buoldtimer]

Nobody will ever replicate what York did but I think he would do a good job at BC in getting them back amongst the big boys. Or at least regularly in contention. I don't think it would be a homerun hire but I really don't think BC needs a homerun hire. A program that has faded into irrelevancy like Michigan State needs a homerun hire.

Cav impresses me as a terrific hire. Out of curiosity, whom would you regard as a "homerun hire"?

[buoldtimer]

Jerry York was the best college coach of all time. In any sport. His decency as a man is as boundless as his coaching skill too. College hockey has been endlessly fortunate to have had him around it for so long.

How would you compare him to Herb Brooks? Setting aside the longevity comparison.

[chickod]

How would you compare him to Herb Brooks? Setting aside the longevity comparison.

I obviously don't have any "first hand" knowledge except what I have heard. I DO remember seeing Herb, though, at the 1974 Final Four (it wasn't called the "Frozen Four" yet) at the old Gahden ( Michigan Tech / Harvard / Minnesota / BU ) And obviously we remember the brawl in '76, which was definitely instigated by Brooks, who hated the Canadian players. Based only on that, tough to compare them on anything other than Xs and Os. Brooks seemed to be an OCD character, especially after being cut from the '60 Olympic team right before the games. If you asked the players, a majority would probably say that York was "better" to play for (and I use that term only because I can't think of another appropriate word).

[Although, I HAVE to relate this story...because BC used to be the same way. My roommate and I were at McHugh Forum at the BC/BU game, when BU trounced the Eagles...a woman in the row in front of us turned around and said "At least our players are AMERICAN!" It was funny...that's when "Yankee Doodle" was one of the songs the BC pep band played]

[J.D.]

Cav impresses me as a terrific hire. Out of curiosity, whom would you regard as a "homerun hire"?

Homerun hire would be someone like Mike Hastings or Rand Pecknold. Guys with more of a track record of winning as head coaches. But even then, that might not be fair to Cav just yet.

[J.D.]

Guys like Bazin and Carvel would also be homerun hires. Not saying either guy would even be interested but again, more of a proven track record of winning.

[DNAEagle]

The notion that BC fell off after 2012 is kind of silly, they went to the FF in 2014 and 2016, they tied or won HE in their down years after they lost 7 players to the NHL (in 2016 and most of them made it) and then in 2020 they had a stacked team but COVID got in the way. We are no longer in the Golden Age of BC hockey but JY was the reason we were there in the first place. I talked to Marty McGinnis about recruiting kids and he told me that the first question Jerry asked about any prospect was "is he the type of kid who will fit with the school and the team" If I had a son who was a top prospect I would want him to play for York. I heard York say in an interview "there is a lot of life to live after 35 and I want to help prepare them for life after hockey." Of all the possibilities it seems like Cav would be the obvious choice, he is a very good hockey coach and he is a proven recruiter, he has a tougher style than York but he knows how to win. He will represent the school and the program very well.

[buoldtimer]

Guys like Bazin and Carvel would also be homerun hires. Not saying either guy would even be interested but again, more of a proven track record of winning.

Regardless of who York's successor is, would you be pleased or displeased if he dismisses Buckley and/or Ayers? Who is the lead recruiter?

[sigx15]

Regardless of who York's successor is, would you be pleased or displeased if he dismisses Buckley and/or Ayers? Who is the lead recruiter?

This is a tough one to tell you the truth. Ayers has been a game changer recruiting the goalie position. It's basically been whatever goalie they recruit they get. His connection to the NTDP program has been big as well. I'd like to see him stay but who knows if he'd even want to if he didn't get the HC job.

I'm indifferent about Buckley although he's done a really good job since taking over for Marty McInnis who ended up being a bit of a trainwreck at the end.

I've heard Orpik is a big time draw for players & recruits at the moment. He's who I'd most want to keep involved in the program

[J.D.]

Regardless of who York's successor is, would you be pleased or displeased if he dismisses Buckley and/or Ayers? Who is the lead recruiter?

Ayers has been there the longest, have to believe he is. And I actually want the new guy to go in different direction. I haven't liked the configuration of the staff with Ayers as top guy. If they want to keep Buckley or promote Orpik to run the defense for now, ok. But I would prefer moving on from Ayers.