Re: Bentley University 2017-18: Can I get an "AMEN!" from the congregation?
See post #4 from acohen527; finals have been over for about two months.
Haha you got me, sorry about that. Haven't been on the forum in awhile, but excited to get back into things.
As promised, here's some intel about the incoming freshman class:
This class may not be as exciting as last years, which arguably was one of the best freshman classes Bentley has ever had. But in my opinion, this incoming class provides a well rounded base of skaters that not only provides a good amount of skill but plenty of size, a category Bentley has seriously lacked in the last few years.
To start, the player I'm most excited for is Brett Mennear. Mennear will most likely be the biggest asset to the Falcons from this freshman class both on and off the ice. Mennear is a 5'9 165 right handed center from Kelowna, BC. Sound familiar? This kid is basically a carbon copy of Max French, and while it's very unlikely Mennear will be able to fill the void left by French, he's about as close as you're gonna get. Mennear played 3.5 seasons for the West Kelowna Warriors, including the 15-16 RBC Cup championship season where he played on the same line as... Jonathan Desbiens. These two were dominant on the same line in the playoffs that year, with Mennear earning MVP honors in the Western Canada Cup with 4 goals and 2 assists in 5 games. That season, Mennear scored 42pts (18g24a) in 52 regular season games as he took more of a backseat role in the Warriors star-studded lineup.
In 16-17, Mennear was sent to the Prince George Spruce Kings, where he was almost immediately named captain upon arrival. He then put on a display that proved he was a force to be reckoned with in the BCHL. Mennear posted 25-54-79 in 58 games with the Kings, good enough for 4th in points and 2nd in assists in the league. Comparatively, Jonathan Desbiens posted a 83 point BCHL season the year before. However, Mennear becomes more impressive when you look at his surrounding cast. Desbiens had two other teammates post 74+ point totals in 15-16, and had another teammate with 54. In 16-17, Mennear's closest teammate? 47 points, and it was a defenseman. Mennear got it done on his own, showing his incredible individual talent. Despite his efforts, the Kings weren't able to manage to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. However, Mennear's outstanding play did earn him BCHL Second-Team All Star status. From what I can tell, Mennear is a real game changer on the ice and will hopefully be able to contribute from day one. His only downside is his size at 5'9", but recent examples show us this shouldn't be too much of an issue (Schmidt, Desbiens, Gorowksy)
Speaking of size, this class has it. 5 guys over 6 feet, including 3 players standing at 6'3". Those 3 guys will actually be the tallest players on the team (excluding goalies), as the current team only has 9 guys over 6' and none over 6'2". Here are the 5 guys over 6 feet, and their 16-17 stats:
Luke Santerno - 6'3" 181 - Forward - RH shot - 16/17 BCHL Trail Smoke Eaters 33-31-64 57gms - 21 years old
Jakov Novak - 6'3" 201 - Forward - LH shot - 16/17 NAHL Janesville Jets 11-17-28 52gms - 18 years old
Nick Rutigliano - 6'1" 201 - Defense - RH shot - 16/17 BCHL West Kelowna Warriors
C* 3-14-17 45gms - 21 years old
David Giunta - 6'0" 187 - Defense - RH shot - 16/17 BCHL Coquitlam Express 4-17-21 51gms - 20 years old
Michael Boyle - 6'3" 194 - Defense - ? shot - 16/17 USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints 5-6-11 57gms - 19 years old
Out of this group, I think Santerno and Rutigliano are the real bright spots. Rutigliano was also a part of that 15/16 WK Warriors RBC Cup team, and was captain of the warriors this past year. Santerno was the top contributor on his BCHL squad and provides the rare size/scoring dual threat. Novak is young and was actually a C-list prospect for this years NHL draft. If his game develops, he could become a real threat with his size. Giunta is a local from Lynnfield MA, and should provide as a solid blue-liner. Boyle is the only USHL recruit in this class, which is always helpful in terms of college readiness. His 114 penalty minutes were 11th most in the USHL last year, leading me to believe he could play somewhat of an enforcer role.
The rest:
Brendan Hamblet - 5'11" 170 - Forward - RH shot - 16/17 USHS The Rivers School
C* 15-25-40 31gms - 18 years old
Charlie Marchand - 5'11" 185 - Defense - RH shot - 16/17 AJHL Brooks Bandits 3-23-26 60gms - 19 years old
Hamblet hasn't played in any major junior leagues, with his limited experience coming in the form of high school (prep school?) hockey, and midget U18 hockey. At 18 years old he has a lot of potential, but questions arise as to whether his game can translate to the college level with his limited experience. Marchand has been committed since the end of 2015 and his game should translate well to the NCAA. He's played 3 years on a very dominant AJHL team in the Brooks Bandits, one of the teams that gave the WK Warriors a run for their money in 15/16. Marchand had an offensive decline last year, but expect his offensive numbers to rise once again at the college level.
OVERALL NOTES:
- Size is a big asset for this class. The Falcons desperately need size in order to win puck battles along the boards with their heavy reliance on the dump and chase.
- This is the first year the Falcons have had two true freshman (Novak and Hamblet) on the squad in recent memory, not to mention two other players just a year older than them. Maybe the new rink is bringing in younger, more talented recruits. This is the first time (in my 4 years as a Falcon) I've noticed freshmen under 20 years old on the roster, and there are 4 of them.
- 3 local players from Mass (Rutigliano, Hamblet, Giunta) could provide some more fans at the JAR in the first half of the season
- 8 incoming freshmen compared to 5 outgoing seniors. 4 D-men coming vs. 2 leaving, 4 Forwards coming vs. 3 leaving. Will there be cuts? Will Soder just have an expanded roster. We won't know the answers to these questions until much later in the year, but the spike in injuries the last couple of years lead me to believe that there might be a few extra skaters on Soder's bench this year. My guess is that one or more of Salsberry, Kucerovy, or Sieckhaus will either be cut or are leaving the team, it'd be very interesting if Soder expanded the roster by 3 guys.
I'm excited for this team. My expectations are not as high as they've been in the past, but it will be really interesting to see how these guys perform. The young talent will be the driving force behind their success; if they produce, the team will win. If the freshmen/sophomores disappoint, it will be a LONG season. Only time will tell.
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