Now that we've all slept on it... let's break down some major talking points as we nosedive towards the end of the season.
Cloutier/Korec/Goaltending:
- Cloutier has no idea what planet he's on out there even when he's making saves. Like the majority of this team, the good things that happen seem to be by accident. I'd be shocked if he's ever the goalie for this program beyond this season.
- Korec has been very good prior to this year and I think his performances this season are outliers (and yes they've been BAD).
- Play Korec Thursday in a massive road game at Amherst. Perhaps Cloutier is tired but either way it's time to make this move for 1 game and see what happens.
- Was it the wrong overall call to go with Cloutier over Korec this year? That's a question I hadn't pondered until now. Did the staff give a little too much weight to early performances at Minnesota and RPI, two teams which are dreadfully bad this year? Hmm.
- Who do we have in the recruiting pipeline at the position or do we need to get a portal hit or scour the CHL to see who we can bring in? I know there was some banter about a super good goaltender in Canada but I believe that was an agent playing a bunch of people (including Greg Clown) as fools to force a trade so I would likely rule that guy out at this point.
- You cannot go into 2026-2027 season with this goaltending duo.
Skahan:
- Healthy scratch this weekend with a fully healthy lineup for the first time in forever.
- This is a 2nd rounder with size that was considered a top player in his age group at the position. I understand there are a bunch of LDs and I understand Hagens being an extra D due to his ability to move back and forth, but I'm not sure why he's sitting ahead of Joyce. I am a big fan of Joyce and think he's great in spot duty (similar to Traeger up front). I don't know about this. Not a huge point of contention for me given all the others but interesting and worth it to point out.
Conmy and Gustafsson
- I've been reserved on these 2 all year even though I see the same thing every night from them. They are interesting to me as they are basically the same story at different positions.
- Good for the PP, they love to shoot into shinpads of defenders, and not good 5x5 which is a theme and huge problem for the team in general. And both of these guys had the games of their lives in the Beanpot which is interesting.
- Conmy was -4 last night and is -5 for the season, worst on the team. I think he forces things in the offensive end; lately he's avoided the shinpad shots but has been going with the extremely low angle shots instead. Possession is so important! He still has only 2 EV goals against a goaltender in net if my numbers are correct. He has been surprisingly good in setting up Hagens and Letourneau on the PP which I didn't expect given his off-wing one-timer that was expected to produce more.
- Gustafsson was -6 this weekend, -3 on both nights. He's now -2 this season. For comparison, Minnetian is +16. I don't even know what else to say, in my 30 years watching it's hard for me to think of a regular defenseman that is this bad. He can be brilliant at times but for only very short stretches.
- Both will get brief shots in the AHL and spend a lot of time in the ECHL although the smart move for Gustafsson would be going to Europe.
NPI/Hagens
- You're free to do what you like but I strongly suggest all BC fans stop looking at NPI. This team is going to get hammered into oblivion if they even make the NCAA tournament and I'd like to see whatever spot BC may have had reserved for a team that could pull off a win or at least deserves to play. This team does not deserve to go to the NCAA tournament and they certainly play like they don't want to go. If they do make it, they'll back in dishonorably due to the other teams around them faltering.
- Is there a scenario where BC gets eclipsed by Uconn, UMass and UMaine in the NPI? If the season was extended another week I'd consider this a likely scenario.
- Here's another scenario. If people expect Hagens to sign, BC sits on the bubble after losing their first playoff game at Conte, and Hagens is stuck waiting for a week to figure out BC's NCAA fate. They slide off the bubble and he lost a week with the Bruins. Or they back in and get hammered in the first round and he wasted two weeks all for an obvious L. Hagens has good numbers but he hasn't dominated 5x5 like I had hoped he would but it is what it is and it's the least of our problems.
- Winning a game or two and getting everyone's hopes up is the likely scenario here as it's been happening all year. Don't get fooled and don't be a Merryman with "diD yOu eXpECt tO RuN The tAbLe?" when they lose or "No oNe WAntS to plAy Us IN thE poSTsEason" after a groundbreaking 2 or 3 game win streak.
North Dakota/BU
- BU this year is an absolute aberration IMO. Three straight FFs before this under Pandolfo. How many years did Albie O'Connell get before they moved on? Four. His final record? 19-13-3. Greg Clown currently owns a 19-12-1 in Year 4. Progression from years 2-4... 34 wins, 27 wins... 19 wins so far. Hmmm. BU knew just like we knew. But BC won't do anything.
- North Dakota is interesting because they are in Year 1 of their new coach and if you question the seriousness of the B1G as a conference as I do, UND is perhaps the odds-on favorite to win the national title. Sure they had some issues and that helped move Brad Berry out but here is a guy that lucked into a national title early in his tenure and he's gone. Can anyone think of a coach that almost lucked into a national title very early in his tenure? Do you see where I'm going with this?
- Hell... look at the Pats canning Jerrod Mayo and going to the SB one year later. This program can get back very quickly with the right hire.
Intangibles
- Clearly don't have it. Everyone knows it. And they know it and they play like it. All starts with leadership (lack thereof) of Greg Clown.
We've talked about why it won't happen but I think it's worth discussing, who realistically should we be looking at to replace Greg Clown in a few years?