RPI 2023 Off-season: We March Fourth Into the Off-season

[RPI fan 4 life]

One of our players in the transfer portal has a new home. T.J Walsh has transferred to Sacred Heart.

[Waite21]

Indeed it has been 38 years since we scored a point in the NCAA tournament. When we were sitting in Joe Louis Arena in March 1985, if anyone had said this was even possible we would have laughed in their face. After all we had been to virtually all of the games from the previous two seasons and watched RPI accumulate a record of 67-8-1 during that time. We were truly the Beast of the East and one of the elite programs of not only that season but perhaps of all time. We were winning games against everyone in all sorts of ways, some by scores that rivaled what the Big 10 did yesterday. We knew that every years could not possibly be like that but certainly we felt we would be competing almost every year in lake Placid and most years in the NCAA tournament even though they only selected 8 teams back then.
There has been so many reasons this could happen including all the changes made in college hockey over the years that many posters have mentioned so I won't mention them all here. But the most obvious and glaring cause is gone and although it may take some time to reverse all of what was done to diminish and almost destroy the program ( and many other aspects of the school), i hope to still be around to see the resurgence. There are still enough of us who continue to follow and post here who can remember the best of times and some of the glorious moments. I truly hope we are all still here to celebrate together. we may not be as far from that as some would think. We just saw the first round of the NCAA tournament with 6 boys who would have and could have been playing for us this past year - perhaps we were closer than it appeared?

I'll go along with the idea that we may have been closer than it appeared.

Let it be noted that RPI was the only team to beat Colgate twice during the ECAC regular season.

Colgate not only made it to Lake Placid this year but won the ECAC championship and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament. That 11-1 debacle last night against Michigan was not one they're likely to remember very fondly, but by the time the year 2060 rolls around, it still won't be possible for anyone to say that it's been 38 years since Colgate scored in an NCAA tournament game.

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 27 March 2023. There are 194 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 7 October 2023 for the start of next season.

[25+years]

I get the angst and the frustration. As a 33 year season ticket holder, I have not seen the success others here have. But I still come back every year and , when I can, I have added the women’s team to my schedule as well.

No one here or associated with the program can do anything at all about the past. We can’t undo what SAJ did or didn’t do. Dave Smith can only do so much. Especially if players leave looking for greener pastures which exacerbates the problem . I don’t blame them. I think there are many other programs in the same boat. But we should recognize that changing one or two things like firing Smith and getting a new coach will not solve this.

Look at Colgate. They are a decent team most years. Not outstanding. They have just made the tournament for the first time in eons with an end of the season flourish similar to what we did a few years back. But Vaughn has been there a long time and they built a nice rink. I respect what they have in Hamilton.

We won’t go from where we are to the cream of the crop all of a sudden, if at all, but we can aim for a decent program with good players, and an occasional star or two, playing a competitive system and look towards a better or new facility. I look forward to that.

[Wicked Slappaahs]

You are right, every team did have to deal with covid. Not every team was on the verge of turning their program around when it hit. And losing their #1 goalie when the season was cancelled was not a problem for every team. And not every team had to sit out a year. This is what happened. Not excuses. Not to mention the talented players that followed through the portal.
And I would love it if you could tell me how we avoid being a 10/12 win team under the current conditions. And if your solution is a new coach, I would love to hear who you have in mind.

All true. I read with interest the CHN interview done a few days ago with Mike Schaefer. He specifically refers to the culture they try to build in Ithaca and how detrimental the portal is. It's worth a read.

https://www.collegehockeynews.com/ne...hafer,-the.php

""Guys leaving your program, guys jumping in the portal — seems like kids don't know how to fight through adversity anymore. There's a lack (of) character and integrity. Schools decommit guys, kids decommit....."

Note: That I'm referring more to the portal conundrum in general, not the RPI kids who left during SAJ's Covid reign.

[DavidNardolillo]

""Guys leaving your program, guys jumping in the portal — seems like kids don't know how to fight through adversity anymore. There's a lack (of) character and integrity. Schools decommit guys, kids decommit....."

I still haven't figured out how I feel about the transfer portal--certainly there is some truth in what Schaefer observes, but there are also situations where a player is not a fit and they should be able to leave. Also can't think of a reason why a school should be able to prevent someone from leaving, morally, especially when the grant of an athletic scholarship does not bind a school for 4 years.

Even if the smaller schools are at risk, the portal hits everyone. A freshman at UMD, who was on the national development team is in the portal. Cornell has been a nationally relevant team for a while now, too.

[giwan]

All true. I read with interest the CHN interview done a few days ago with Mike Schaefer. He specifically refers to the culture they try to build in Ithaca and how detrimental the portal is. It's worth a read..

Unless you are getting several NHL type prospects its culture culture culture. It's not surprising. This applies thru the entire dept and more

[ambersuds]

Transfers out in 2022-23 are current to March 27.

	2021-22 transfer from	2022-23 transfer to	2022-23 transfer from
Air Force	0	0	1
Alas. Anchorage	0	12	0
Alas. Fairbanks	4	4	0
Alaska	0	0	3
American Int'l	7	6	3
Arizona St.	3	5	4
Army West Point	0	0	1
Bemidji St.	1	3	0
Bentley	2	3	6
Boston College	1	3	6
Boston U.	4	0	0
Bowling Green	3	3	2
Brown	2	1	7
Canisius	3	7	2
Clarkson	3	1	7
Colgate	3	1	0
Colorado Col.	3	0	7
Cornell	1	2	2
Dartmouth	1	1	4
Denver	2	2	0
Ferris St.	4	1	4
Harvard	2	0	0
Holy Cross	4	2	5
LIU	0	6	4
Lake Superior St.	4	1	6
Lindenwood	0	5	2
Maine	5	5	4
Massachusetts	3	4	8
Mercyhurst	3	4	4
Merrimack	4	5	0
Miami (OH)	3	1	7
Michigan	0	0	1
Michigan St	0	0	6
Michigan St.	5	6	0
Michigan Tech	4	3	0
Minn. Duluth	5	3	1
Minnesota	6	0	0
New Hampshire	2	2	5
Niagara	0	1	5
North Dakota	2	3	4
Northeastern	5	2	9
Northern Mich.	4	4	3
Notre Dame	2	4	1
Ohio St.	1	1	0
Omaha	2	2	2
Penn St.	1	2	0
Princeton	3	0	3
Providence	4	2	7
Quinnipiac	5	3	0
RIT	1	1	1
Rensselaer	6	3	6
Sacred Heart	1	1	4
St. Cloud St.	1	3	0
St. Lawrence	3	1	2
St. Thomas (MN)	1	5	4
UConn	3	4	0
UMass Lowell	4	3	4
Union (NY)	4	3	4
Vermont	3	3	4
Western Mich.	6	6	1
Wisconsin	1	2	6
Yale	1	0	3

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 28 March 2023. There are 193 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 7 October 2023 for the start of next season.

[DavidNardolillo]

The team has posted an interview of Garry Kearns '58 conducted by Richard Scammell '69. Unfortunately, the video needs some sound editing, as there is some sort of humming sound audible throughout the track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOausGlSHOE

[Ralph Baer]

The team has posted an interview of Garry Kearns '58 conducted by Richard Scammell '69. Unfortunately, the video needs some sound editing, as there is some sort of humming sound audible throughout the track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOausGlSHOE

Thanks for the link. It certainly does need some sound editing.

Either it is an old interview or they are standing in front of a picture of the HFH because that isn't its current look. Judging by Kearns' and Scammell's looks, it's probably old.

I didn't realize that Dale Watson was a left wing at Peterborough.

[DavidNardolillo]

Thanks for the link. It certainly does need some sound editing.

Either it is an old interview or they are standing in front of a picture of the HFH because that isn't its current look. Judging by Kearns' and Scammell's looks, it's probably old.

I didn't realize that Dale Watson was a left wing at Peterborough.

I am guessing that they are sitting in front of a green screen and a stock photo of the HFH was used for the background.

The team has also just uploaded additional history videos that talk about the Freakout (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PhCr8yUVA); the mascots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3QA0Gqoww4); and the Hockey Line (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-GJhuqaDqQ).

Unfortunately, the same sound issues persist in each video.

[Ralph Baer]

I am guessing that they are sitting in front of a green screen and a stock photo of the HFH was used for the background.

The team has also just uploaded additional history videos that talk about the Freakout (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PhCr8yUVA); the mascots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3QA0Gqoww4); and the Hockey Line (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-GJhuqaDqQ).

Unfortunately, the same sound issues persist in each video.

I found these easier to understand.
i do think the footage is old. Kearns doesn't look like he is in his mid-80's and Scammell in his mid-70's.

[Ralph Baer]

another one about the 1985 championship https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH0peQorIdI

[Waite21]

I am guessing that they are sitting in front of a green screen and a stock photo of the HFH was used for the background.

The team has also just uploaded additional history videos that talk about the Freakout (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24PhCr8yUVA); the mascots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3QA0Gqoww4); and the Hockey Line (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-GJhuqaDqQ).

Unfortunately, the same sound issues persist in each video.

Makes me feel old when I realize that videos about the Freakout, mascots, and hockey line, none of which existed when I was a student, are now being presented as long-ago history.

At least I was around when Garry Kearns was the coach and Rich Scammell was a player.