RPI 2022-23: Return of the Schmidt and the Fans

[sk8tronthepond]

let the data speak….well said sir.

I guess I should have been more specific. I was referring to the Division 1 sports, which there are only 2. I was not referring to the Division 3 sports, except when I said it would only be a matter of time before they too are affected.

[giwan]

I agree with everything you wrote, but I think the Michigan Tech example, while a good one and relevant to RPI, has an intersection with the conference realignment that began 10 years ago when the Big 10 was formed. The "smaller" teams in the WCHA that tended to be in the bottom half of the standings, including Michigan Tech and Minnesota State-Mankato, were hung out to dry by the big WCHA teams that left to form the Big 10 and NCHC. You can compare the W-L records from 2013-14 (the first year of NCHC and Big 10) to present to the prior 10 seasons. It seems like resetting the level of league competition helped provide immediate benefits to the W-L record and Tech deserves credit for getting the program into position to capitalize on it. Maybe some Tech fans on here will chime in and give us the other ingredients that were involved.

Tech and RPI fan here. I have insight into both programs with personal connections and getting inside info. Yes there was a change in conferences more than once for MTU. Don't see that happening for RPI though stranger things have happened.

For Tech a new coach (alum) was hired, and they did still play with some of the big teams. What I believe was key is there was a meeting of the minds if you will that included a top AD, the new coach hire and I believe very key the Tech President. They had to invest in the program, and I mean money ie a bigger budget for recruiting and pay for all the coaches etc. The facilities are 43 years old and are top-notch, kept sparkling clean, and updated regularly. The AD made sure to pour support to the program and dug in every corner for donations of dollars. The Pres did the same with support and regularly went to games, home always and some away. The Pres box always had potential donors in it. It was truly a GROUP effort and people REALLY noticed the backing from the Pres. as the previous Pres never showed up.

Then the conference changed and changed again. The first was essentially the "big" teams left the next change was leaving the teams that were regularly bottom of the new conference. This helps as losing to a team that was weak wreaks havoc on your pairwise. Then a coaching change again, not an alum, hired from within and Tech hockey still seems relevant on the national stage. Tech has a good shot at making the NCAA tourney current pairwise 11.

Remember the rest of Tech sports are DIV II. The women's BB team is regularly ranked and typically goes several rounds into the national tourney. Then men's BB team recently lost a long-time excellent coach that had them nationally ranks several times. The football team has recently been middling though it does play in the toughest DII conference in the country and at times gotten into the National Tournament as well. Tech is in a small city with great fans and there is a lot of support from local businesses' regularly. Same with those fans, how many colleges have an independent fan group that sets up lodging and busing deals for students to travel to at cost for the students, ie Mitch's Misfits. The band is great, and creative, and travels to events/some away games ie GLI, and Desert Classic. There are a few free classes for students to learn about hockey, its history and strategy. I do not mean classes for credit. The atmosphere at a game truly is fun.

What I see missing from RPI is this GROUP effort. Being there, backing everything and everyone, obviously, this was/is lacking from SAJ and her lackeys. The Houston Fieldhouse has seen better days as well. They do try to keep up with certain aspects for the players though I see some things missing. Can it still work yes sure if you can create a better atmosphere. Hard to do when not winning.

There are some things I did not touch on this was long-winded enough. Good Luck

[sk8tronthepond]

Tech and RPI fan here. I have insight into both programs with personal connections and getting inside info. Yes there was a change in conferences more than once for MTU. Don't see that happening for RPI though stranger things have happened.

For Tech a new coach (alum) was hired, and they did still play with some of the big teams. What I believe was key is there was a meeting of the minds if you will that included a top AD, the new coach hire and I believe very key the Tech President. They had to invest in the program, and I mean money ie a bigger budget for recruiting and pay for all the coaches etc. The facilities are 43 years old and are top-notch, kept sparkling clean, and updated regularly. The AD made sure to pour support to the program and dug in every corner for donations of dollars. The Pres did the same with support and regularly went to games, home always and some away. The Pres box always had potential donors in it. It was truly a GROUP effort and people REALLY noticed the backing from the Pres. as the previous Pres never showed up.

Then the conference changed and changed again. The first was essentially the "big" teams left the next change was leaving the teams that were regularly bottom of the new conference. This helps as losing to a team that was weak wreaks havoc on your pairwise. Then a coaching change again, not an alum, hired from within and Tech hockey still seems relevant on the national stage. Tech has a good shot at making the NCAA tourney current pairwise 11.

Remember the rest of Tech sports are DIV II. The women's BB team is regularly ranked and typically goes several rounds into the national tourney. Then men's BB team recently lost a long-time excellent coach that had them nationally ranks several times. The football team has recently been middling though it does play in the toughest DII conference in the country and at times gotten into the National Tournament as well. Tech is in a small city with great fans and there is a lot of support from local businesses' regularly. Same with those fans, how many colleges have an independent fan group that sets up lodging and busing deals for students to travel to at cost for the students, ie Mitch's Misfits. The band is great, and creative, and travels to events/some away games ie GLI, and Desert Classic. There are a few free classes for students to learn about hockey, its history and strategy. I do not mean classes for credit. The atmosphere at a game truly is fun.

What I see missing from RPI is this GROUP effort. Being there, backing everything and everyone, obviously, this was/is lacking from SAJ and her lackeys. The Houston Fieldhouse has seen better days as well. They do try to keep up with certain aspects for the players though I see some things missing. Can it still work yes sure if you can create a better atmosphere. Hard to do when not winning.

There are some things I did not touch on this was long-winded enough. Good Luck

Thank you. Great post. Exactly what I was referring to.

[Puckfan90]

No one from the men's team yet, but just saw that Maddy Peterson and Julia Blitz both just joined the transfer portal as Seniors, each with 1 year of eligibility left. Time for a change for them with Amanda Rampado graduating, perhaps? They're currently tied for 6th and 10th in scoring respectively this year with 6 and 4 points so far.

[AspyDad]

but IMO they were not as good later.

Reilly and Burgess are better than anything that's been recruited lately. Both good players that were brought in late in SAs tenure.

[AspyDad]

I appreciate the Tech comparsion but if we moved down to the Atlantic would we be top tier...most likely mid pack...at best?!

[blue1924]

Reilly and Burgess are better than anything that's been recruited lately. Both good players that were brought in late in SAs tenure.

I would argue that Ture Linden accomplished more than Burgess did in his time at RPI. Wasn't as star studded of a recruit, but certainly developed to be a better player by each's final year here.

[DavidNardolillo]

I would argue that Ture Linden accomplished more than Burgess did in his time at RPI. Wasn't as star studded of a recruit, but certainly developed to be a better player by each's final year here.

Ture was a better player in the end and a good leader. To be fair to Burgess, two serious knee injuries totally devastated his RPI career. It was nice to see Todd enjoy a good final season at RPI and see him get a chance to be in the NCAA playoffs with MSU Mankato. He's also been a fairly productive player as a pro.

Reilly was a great player. I am not sure that we've had a more talented defenseman since, but we had better depth that we lost to COVID transfers, and we would have had a much better season last year and this year.

[rpi82]

Burgess had two magical months but other than that, largely I suspect due to injuries, was not a significant force on the ice. Linden was definitely a better overall player for his overall RPI tenure and I think Muzzati has the potential to be better than both. I also think Smolinski will give us Reilly-esque performance or if we get lucky, better.

[Engineers]

Burgess had two magical months but other than that, largely I suspect due to injuries, was not a significant force on the ice. Linden was definitely a better overall player for his overall RPI tenure and I think Muzzati has the potential to be better than both. I also think Smolinski will give us Reilly-esque performance or if we get lucky, better.

Fingers crossed muzzatti and smolinski stay at RPI. If they enter the portal this program is in trouble. We have virtually nobody coming in next year for talent other than hotson.

[Engineers]

Reilly and Burgess are better than anything that's been recruited lately. Both good players that were brought in late in SAs tenure.

Prapevessis and kasdorf

[rpi82]

Fingers crossed muzzatti and smolinski stay at RPI. If they enter the portal this program is in trouble. We have virtually nobody coming in next year for talent other than hotson.

Good Lord! I hope no one but us reads this board. We seem to have adopted the Joe Btfsplk (look it up) outlook on the world. Yes, we lost players because we had, unquestionably, the tightest (no practice followed by no fans) and longest response to the pandemic of any D-I program in the country. It sucked for us and was probably worse for the players. No team and no coaching staff in my memory had a comparable experience. Even the biggest Seth fans have to admit that. Yes, we took some hits at the end of each aborted year. But we've got to snap out of it. We are back to playing with no restrictions, have a new administration and no reason to believe that we'll be at an administrative disadvatage going forward. We need to develop a new perspective. I'm sure the players that left have a variety of views on their time in Troy, but those that I've seen quoted (including the two best, Linden and Savory) seemed happy with the team and coaches. Muzzati and Smolinski have steadily improved as members of our program. So have many of the in-bound transfers. Let's build on that rather than focusing on the negatives over and over.

[DrDemento]

Good Lord! I hope no one but us reads this board. We seem to have adopted the Joe Btfsplk (look it up) outlook on the world. Yes, we lost players because we had, unquestionably, the tightest (no practice followed by no fans) and longest response to the pandemic of any D-I program in the country. It sucked for us and was probably worse for the players. No team and no coaching staff in my memory had a comparable experience. Even the biggest Seth fans have to admit that. Yes, we took some hits at the end of each aborted year. But we've got to snap out of it. We are back to playing with no restrictions, have a new administration and no reason to believe that we'll be at an administrative disadvatage going forward. We need to develop a new perspective. I'm sure the players that left have a variety of views on their time in Troy, but those that I've seen quoted (including the two best, Linden and Savory) seemed happy with the team and coaches. Muzzati and Smolinski have steadily improved as members of our program. So have many of the in-bound transfers. Let's build on that rather than focusing on the negatives over and over.

We would not be us if we were not complaining about something.

[sezenack]

Burgess had two magical months but other than that, largely I suspect due to injuries, was not a significant force on the ice. Linden was definitely a better overall player for his overall RPI tenure and I think Muzzati has the potential to be better than both. I also think Smolinski will give us Reilly-esque performance or if we get lucky, better.

Agree with this. I never thought Burgess was a special player outside of two months. Best year, he had 20 points on the season. Plenty of players have hit that mark. Reilly was good the first 3 years, and then took the step to be elite his senior year. Wish he had been able to get a cup of coffee with the Pens.

I'd argue though that Savory was just as good as Reilly, and he was recruited by Smith. Real shame that we didn't get to see his full tenure here because of the admin. Also a real shame that we didn't get Babichuk for more than a year for the same reason. He could have been just as good as Nick Bailen.

Smolinski and Muzzatti are the two main building blocks from this freshman class. Both have NHL potential. I also like Evans a lot, but he's not quite at their level

[sezenack]

I appreciate the Tech comparsion but if we moved down to the Atlantic would we be top tier...most likely mid pack...at best?!

From giwan's post, it seems like the main driver was the new president, AD and coach getting on the same page, and the president and AD providing the resources and support to allow the program become relevant nationally again. The conference realignment seemed to be more secondary. It seems like Marty is going to be giving us the resources and support we need, but I'm trying not to get too hopeful until it actually happens