Boston College hockey 2021-2022

[sigx15]

I would like to see Orpik remain as a fresh young face and a defensive specialist. Within the last couple of years, the PP was consistently awful and not sure if Buckley or Ayers is responsible for that.

The Power play should be improved regardless of whether they bring in someone to replace Buckley or Ayers with Brown coming in as head coach. He ran the PP for BC for many years even though he coached the defense while Cav coached the PK. Frankly both the power play and the penalty kill have been mediocre/trash for a while. I looked at how those have mattered in years they've made the frozen four/national championship by ranking in the country since 05-06 (that's as far back as CHN goes) vs. where they are now, see below

'05-06 = 45th PP, 10th PK
'06-07 = 9th PP, 4th PK
'07-08 = 7th PP, 23rd PK
'09-10 = 7th PP, 14th PK
'11-12 = 10th PP, 3rd PK
'13-14 = 5th PP, 1st PK
'15-16 = 9th PP, 4th PK

Here's where they've been since Brown has left...
'18-19 =27th PP, 25th PK
'19-20 =15th PP, 28th PK
'20-21 = 41st PP, 7th PK
'21-22 = 30th PP, 49th PK

[eaglekeeper]

I think we all agree that BC needs to get bigger on defense. It will be interesting to see who GB brings in on defense.

It was unexplainable why Warren was not on the first team PP. All things considered I think GB is stepping in at the right time. This team should be a FF team in 2024 with the returning 4 year type of talent mixed in with the 1st and 2nd round projected draft picks coming in the next two years. I expect GB will be an excellent recruiter as well.

Go Eagles!

[theprofromdover]

Just saw Brownie’s press conference. All assistants are staying and he’s reached out to all incoming recruits.

[J.D.]

Ya I don't love that but at the same time he coached with Ayers so he knows what he's getting. Brown can get settled with the current staff and truly evaluate over the next year or two.

[Chuck Murray]

Ya I don't love that but at the same time he coached with Ayers so he knows what he's getting. Brown can get settled with the current staff and truly evaluate over the next year or two.

I'm sure Ayers knows the score now on his future at BC. Valued assistant, but never more than that, which is understandable but if Ayers is like most D-1 coaches, he is going to want to get a shot at a HC job at some point, somewhere. His situation will likely resolve itself at some point, fairly soon ...

[J.D.]

I'm sure Ayers knows the score now on his future at BC. Valued assistant, but never more than that, which is understandable but if Ayers is like most D-1 coaches, he is going to want to get a shot at a HC job at some point, somewhere. His situation will likely resolve itself at some point, fairly soon ...

It could end up actually being a Greg Brown situation all over again. Brown waited his time and eventually bolted with Quinn to the NHL and then landed up with HC job in USHL. I have no idea what a USHL HC makes but I would imagine Ayers will start looking around for HC jobs elsewhere now. Unless of course he is just totally content in his role right now. I don't know him so not sure on that. For college jobs maybe he waits out what happens with Souza. But at the same time perhaps trying to get a USHL HC job might be more beneficial in that pursuit.

[DNAEagle]

BC has had a run of terrific goalies, Knight, Woll, Demko, all now playing in the NHL. Have to think that Ayers had more than a little to do with it. I have heard the Ayers fits the mold and is a down to earth and a very good guy. Good to hear that he is keeping the group together and that they will be staying on. At some point they will all want a HC job, I hope they get there shot somewhere but not for a few years. Everything I hear from former players and coaches is that Brownie is the right guy and Leaman was not. A little over 4 months to hockey season, in the meantime enjoy watching Johnny Hockey and Krieder lead their teams in the next round of the playoffs.

[Chuck Murray]

I don't know him so not sure on that. For college jobs maybe he waits out what happens with Souza. But at the same time perhaps trying to get a USHL HC job might be more beneficial in that pursuit.

Sadly for Ayers (and for those of us who like him), the Souza situation at UNH has probably "poisoned the well" for the next UNH hire being an alum. It's just gone so badly, and with a new AD on the way, you've gotta think that person will want to make a splash with a signature hire to start fresh again.

I suspect the question really will be, does UNH get an outsider as their new AD, or do they just ring up Commish Nigel or the missus to see if they want to return to Durham, which could be good news (short term) for MS7, and even better news (long term) for Ayers. 'Cuz I don't see Souza righting the ship regardless of whether he's got one or five more years to get it done.

[NCAA watcher]

It could end up actually being a Greg Brown situation all over again. Brown waited his time and eventually bolted with Quinn to the NHL and then landed up with HC job in USHL. I have no idea what a USHL HC makes but I would imagine Ayers will start looking around for HC jobs elsewhere now. Unless of course he is just totally content in his role right now. I don't know him so not sure on that. For college jobs maybe he waits out what happens with Souza. But at the same time perhaps trying to get a USHL HC job might be more beneficial in that pursuit.

Ayers played for Dubuque, and Brown just left Dubuque, so maybe there is a natural fit to expand the portfolio outside of the BC shadow.

[J.D.]

Ayers played for Dubuque, and Brown just left Dubuque, so maybe there is a natural fit to expand the portfolio outside of the BC shadow.

That's interesting, will have to keep an eye on that.

[sigx15]

We'll see what happens in the future but I wanted Buckley gone to bring in a coach to work with the forwards. Maybe this is the right move for now to keep all the recruiting in tact and to make sure kids don't transfer but I'm not a fan of it. I wanted Brown as the coach but I'm hopeful in a Buckley leaving the staff next summer and Orpik being here for the long haul. It doesn't make any sense to have Brown, Orpik and Buckley all on the same staff

[J.D.]

Ya that's where I am at

[sigx15]

Ya that's where I am at

It just put the program in a weird spot. Ayers is probably gone next year or the year after to a head coaching position somewhere and then they have to replace him with another goalie coach. Then they're moving Orpik or Buckley to coach forwards which I really don't like the idea of or they make a 2nd coaching change at the same time which would also suck. Maybe they know Orpik isn't coming back after next year and they'll hire an offensive guy then? Idk, I just don't like it

[J.D.]

It just put the program in a weird spot. Ayers is probably gone next year or the year after to a head coaching position somewhere and then they have to replace him with another goalie coach. Then they're moving Orpik or Buckley to coach forwards which I really don't like the idea of or they make a 2nd coaching change at the same time which would also suck. Maybe they know Orpik isn't coming back after next year and they'll hire an offensive guy then? Idk, I just don't like it

The lack of AD could be complicating things. Even if Brown wanted his own guys maybe he was told he'd have to wait to discuss with new AD. It's not the worst thing in the world for Brown to get settled and then take a hard look at everything within the program over the next year. That's probably one advantage Pandolfo had at BU. He had that year to take everything in. An AD will be in place soon and Brown can decide if he wants to pursue staff changes. I also don't know how contracts work for assistants. I am assuming they don't get deals that are tied to the HC deal. Do they operate year to year? Do some have multi year deals?

[Chuck Murray]

It was never going to be easy to replace Coach York, and there was inevitably always going to be some degree of instability in the aftermath of his departure. BC Hockey has been on a smooth ride without any real turbulence for almost 30 years now, so now that the source of that stability (York) has finally stepped away, it's totally normal for there to be some uncertainty and lots of questions as to what the next few years are going to look like.

I suspect Coach Brown will settle things in short order after a year or two of staff transition.

I do not see a "Count Cedorchuk" post-Ceglarski disaster on the horizon, so be happy. :-)