Ohio State Buckeyes 2022-2023 ... The Drive For Duluth

[pgb-ohio]

You know, I could really sink my teeth into a BC or BU series!

Much longer drive for the road series, but they'd be fun opponents for sure.

Two of the best moments in our program's history have been the NCAA wins over BC. Off the top of my head, I can't remember if the Buckeye Women have ever faced off with BU.

[Hockeybuckeye]

Much longer drive for the road series, but they'd be fun opponents for sure.

The travel would be difficult for fans but it brings me to a point I was going to make, that the cost and means of travel probably wouldn't be an issue for teams of larger well funded schools. Look at how far we go to Duluth?

[pgb-ohio]

The travel would be difficult for fans but it brings me to a point I was going to make, that the cost and means of travel probably wouldn't be an issue for teams of larger well funded schools. Look at how far we go to Duluth?

As we both experienced a couple of months ago!

But I believe the main point you're making is that as long as you can fly, all of the schools in Women's D-1 are reasonably accessible. Which of course should be appreciated; not taken for granted. When that's the case, you can put together the strongest possible schedule. Or follow any other scheduling philosophy you wish.

That said, I still believe that having one series that's within fairly easy driving distance is a nice addition to the schedule. For the benefit of fans, if nothing else. Though I suppose there countless different opinions as to what constitutes "fairly easy driving distance." For me, Mercyhurst, Penn State and Robert Morris would all qualify. Easy three day weekend in all cases. Or even two days if you're willing to drive back to Columbus after the Saturday game.

[Hockeybuckeye]

You are correct Mr.PGB in your assumption of what I was trying to convey and your three choices are completely logical when it comes to travel for the fans of both teams.
But I just can't shake the feeling of how great a BC or BU series would be, I thoroughly enjoyed last season watching them play in their Beanpot!
We would hopefully have enough alumni in the Boston area to make a presence at the games if we could reach out to them to fill in for us local fans who couldn't attend.
I realize the BC fans may not be as enthusiastic as I am to play each other at this juncture as obviously it would bring them no joy to see Barnes and Bilka suited up as Buckeye playing against them but that's not our fault, we didn't poach them, they left BC for their own reasons.

[Hockeybuckeye]

I have a question for you Mr.pgb.
We discussed in person the issue of the blue line cameras in our barn always getting knocked askew by the spectators walking past them. It seems like every game I do my best to straighten the one in front of where I sit.
Now that the rink is undergoing it's off season maintenance is anyone going to make it happen that the cameras get some kind of protective enclosure or move them to the top of the glass? Who's responsibility is it?

[osualum86]

You are correct Mr.PGB in your assumption of what I was trying to convey and your three choices are completely logical when it comes to travel for the fans of both teams.
But I just can't shake the feeling of how great a BC or BU series would be, I thoroughly enjoyed last season watching them play in their Beanpot!
We would hopefully have enough alumni in the Boston area to make a presence at the games if we could reach out to them to fill in for us local fans who couldn't attend.
I realize the BC fans may not be as enthusiastic as I am to play each other at this juncture as obviously it would bring them no joy to see Barnes and Bilka suited up as Buckeye playing against them but that's not our fault, we didn't poach them, they left BC for their own reasons.

If we are talking about playing someone from Boston, my vote would be to do a home and home with Northeastern. They would be a great opponent, and I would love to make a trip up there to see a game at Matthews Arena. I also wouldn't mind seeing Robert Morris or Mercyhurst on the schedule again as those are reasonable drives for us. Penn State would not be bad either, and Pegula Ice Arena is obviously a great place to see a game. Unfortunately, we only have 6 non-league games available.

[osualum86]

In today's system she doesn't need to fill her vacancies all with freshmen. She uses the means available with the portal and she's VERY good at it.
She signed the 4 freshmen she wanted - all top tier players!

Hockeybuckeye, you will have to excuse the trolls. Guess they expected Coach to just stick with 10 forwards (6 + the 4 recruits), 4 Ds, and 4 goalies and have NO depth whatsoever. #SMFH

They must not be aware that we lost 12 players after the 22-23 season (5 fifth year seniors, 5 players went into the transfer portal, and 2 seniors who decided not to stay for their extra year).

The fact that the trolls have to come here and denigrate Coach Muzerall every time she brings in another transfer says more about them than it does our Coach.

We lost 12 players from last year's team. She has brought in 10 new players to replace them. Apparently, that is a problem for some.

[Hockeybuckeye]

We lost 12 players from last year's team. She has brought in 10 new players to replace them. Apparently, that is a problem for some.

The portal allowed us to reload and not rebuild with a freshman heavy roster. You live or die by the portal and we seem to live very well by it to the dismay of others.
I think it speaks well of our coach of how dynamic her personality is in getting the players that she does!

[robertearle]

We lost 12 players from last year's team. She has brought in 10 new players to replace them. Apparently, that is a problem for some.

The roster page for 2022-23 at the OSU web site lists 13 forwards. I count 17 for 2023-24, and that is accounting for the two transferring out. Do I have that wrong somehow?

[Hockeybuckeye]

The roster page for 2022-23 at the OSU web site lists 13 forwards. I count 17 for 2023-24, and that is accounting for the two transferring out. Do I have that wrong somehow?

From Osualum86's post.

They must not be aware that we lost 12 players after the 22-23 season (5 fifth year seniors, 5 players went into the transfer portal, and 2 seniors who decided not to stay for their extra year).

[robertearle]

From Osualum86's post.

They must not be aware that we lost 12 players after the 22-23 season (5 fifth year seniors, 5 players went into the transfer portal, and 2 seniors who decided not to stay for their extra year).

I am not aware of "seniors who decided not to stay for their extra year". I know that there's a name listed on the portal web sites who doesn't even appear on the roster - Alaina Giampietro. I didn't include her either way, staying or going.

The roster page for 2022-23 at the OSU web site lists 13 forwards. I count 17 for 2023-24, and that is accounting for the two transferring out. Do I have that wrong somehow? We could just list the names?

[Hockeybuckeye]

At least the way MJ runs the program he's never used it

Watts are you talking about? Want to re-think that statement? LOL!

[robertearle]

Hockeybuckeye, you will have to excuse the trolls. Guess they expected Coach to just stick with 10 forwards (6 + the 4 recruits), 4 Ds, and 4 goalies and have NO depth whatsoever. #SMFH

They must not be aware that we lost 12 players after the 22-23 season (5 fifth year seniors, 5 players went into the transfer portal, and 2 seniors who decided not to stay for their extra year).

The fact that the trolls have to come here and denigrate Coach Muzerall every time she brings in another transfer says more about them than it does our Coach.

We lost 12 players from last year's team. She has brought in 10 new players to replace them. Apparently, that is a problem for some.

Looking at instagram accounts for a few minutes, it's apparent that Brooke Bink is one of the "2 seniors who decided not to stay". (I wasn't able to suss the other; many of the accounts for the other 'candidates' are 'private'.)

So here's my question: chicken or egg? Did Bink and the other decide to not use their fifth year, which caused Muzzerall to need to go looking for replacements? Or did Muzzerall sign up a pack of transfers, which made it apparent to Bink that she would drop to 4th line or worse, causing her to decide to hang it up?

Because if it is the latter, that's part of what rubs me the wrong way about it all. And I guess others, too. Your post reads like you want to imply it was the former. But was it?

[Lindsay]

Looking at instagram accounts for a few minutes, it's apparent that Brooke Bink is one of the "2 seniors who decided not to stay". (I wasn't able to suss the other; many of the accounts for the other 'candidates' are 'private'.)

So here's my question: chicken or egg? Did Bink and the other decide to not use their fifth year, which caused Muzzerall to need to go looking for replacements? Or did Muzzerall sign up a pack of transfers, which made it apparent to Bink that she would drop to 4th line or worse, causing her to decide to hang it up?

Because if it is the latter, that's part of what rubs me the wrong way about it all. And I guess others, too. Your post reads like you want to imply it was the former. But was it?

it’s not rec hockey. I don’t love this transfer stuff but between covid and new transfers rules here we are. Bink and Parent should be proud of their 4 years. The players that grind it out who don’t get a ton of ice time don’t have an easy job. A reasonable fan can conclude that they weren’t going to get a fifth year whether replaced by a transfer or a freshman.

What about the younger Shirley that left Wisconsin? Does that rub you the wrong way? She ran out of ice time the same way these OSU players are.

The knife cuts both ways as I said before. Even Penn State. Would they have won 2 trophies this year without their transfers? This is the landscape for better or worse.

[robertearle]

it’s not rec hockey. I don’t love this transfer stuff but between covid and new transfers rules here we are. Bink and Parent should be proud of their 4 years. The players that grind it out who don’t get a ton of ice time don’t have an easy job. A reasonable fan can conclude that they weren’t going to get a fifth year whether replaced by a transfer or a freshman.

What about the younger Shirley that left Wisconsin? Does that rub you the wrong way? She ran out of ice time the same way these OSU players are.

The knife cuts both ways as I said before. Even Penn State. Would they have won 2 trophies this year without their transfers? This is the landscape for better or worse.

Bink has been a solid 3rd liner her whole time at OSU. Grace Shirley has been 4th line her entire time. So while Grace might be the closest on the UW roster to Bink in terms of school class and 'graduation', etc, she isn't a particularly apt comparison in terms of playing time.

Beyond that, Bink has FIVE transfer forwards being brought in that are likely to bump her down or off the chart this year (and if we look at past years, that number climbs even higher); Grace Shirley has ZERO forwards transferring in in front of her. That's where the comparison breaks down entirely.

I understand that it's the life of a team athlete; there's always somebody coming for your job. But Muzzerall turns that up to 11.