Boston University 2019-2020

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Well that season BU did have 8 players with 10 or more goals; Doug was tied for 9th with Albie O'Connell.

Sean

That team was an offensive machine, and until the last few games of the season, was looking like a National Champion. Bob Norton used to talk about how they had 6 legitimate All-American forward candidates in Drury, Pandolfo, Grier, O'Sullivan, Bates, and Bob Lachance.

That was also the season of the SHG. I think the team finished with at least 23 of them. They had 7 tin one weekend against Northeastern including 5 in one game (Pandolfo had three of them).

 

[OldAlum]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

This has been going on all year ... and many have noticed ... it isn’t just zegras .. often it’s Harper curry and zegras .. sometimes just one or two sometimes Curry alone .. it’s awful to see and just shows such a lack of leadership .. I don’t care about currys numbers he has been a super disappointment as a captain

Sometimes on the 'jumbotron', at the point when the players start coming onto the ice, the camera is in the runway and you see Curry and Harper fist-bumping the players as they go by. Curry is the captain, and I assumed that Harper was there because he's the senior assistant captain. The other two "A"s are in numerical order. Zegras is the exception. As a long time youth coach I know a lot about team building, and allowing someone special status is a cancer that will grow in any team or organization.

Without any more info than what presents on the ice, I think Curry has done just fine as a captain. He plays hard, and while he isn't the most naturally talented player, he gives all that he's got and one can't ask for more than that. He has his teammates' backs and when an opponent runs one of them, he's among the first to respond. Not at all unlike Bobo Carpenter....., and that's pretty good company.

 

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Curry has certainly developed into a much better player than I expected. His hustle alone gets him some kudos from me on captains duties. I can't speak to anything beyond that.

I would caution on the Zegras number thing, in case there is a solid reason (I'm reminded of the story of when Gilroy asked to wear #97, and Parker said no way, until he heard the reason). But if there isn't a good reason, then I agree that it speaks volumes about leadership.

 

[mookie1995]

Curry has certainly developed into a much better player than I expected. His hustle alone gets him some kudos from me on captains duties. I can't speak to anything beyond that.

I would caution on the Zegras number thing, in case there is a solid reason (I'm reminded of the story of when Gilroy asked to wear #97, and Parker said no way, until he heard the reason). But if there isn't a good reason, then I agree that it speaks volumes about leadership.

Or tapper and his 83

No doubt there is some reasoning.
Of all the crap to get worked up over with the results this season, this is in the bottom 13th percentile

 

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

On the Zegras/Caufield with one foot out the door thing, it is easy to blame the system and it's just how things are now. But I would point to Eichel as an example of how it is still about the character of the kid. Eichel was so clearly better than anyone else on his team and pretty much the country, and yet you could see his enthusiasm for playing for BU. He busted his tail to help the team get as far as they did. He always deflected talk about the draft, comparisons with McDavid, etc. Heck, even in Sabres camp, he just talked about hoping to make the team. Compare that with Zegras who was was clear at the draft that he was looking at BU as a one season stopping point. And before the team had even started practicing, he was talking about how he was going to be playing on the first line.

Zegras is highly skilled, and I don't want to dump on an 18 year old, because that is still very young. But I think if we are going to continue to recruit kids that are highly skilled and will probably leave after one year, we need coaching and veteran players to teach them how to be a little more humble and focused on the team.

Alright, I'm off my rambling soap box.

 

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Or tapper and his 83

No doubt there is some reasoning.
Of all the crap to get worked up over with the results this season, this is in the bottom 13th percentile

Yeah, I thought about Jason as well.

 

[srsterrier]

On the Zegras/Caufield with one foot out the door thing, it is easy to blame the system and it's just how things are now. But I would point to Eichel as an example of how it is still about the character of the kid. Eichel was so clearly better than anyone else on his team and pretty much the country, and yet you could see his enthusiasm for playing for BU. He busted his tail to help the team get as far as they did. He always deflected talk about the draft, comparisons with McDavid, etc. Heck, even in Sabres camp, he just talked about hoping to make the team. Compare that with Zegras who was was clear at the draft that he was looking at BU as a one season stopping point. And before the team had even started practicing, he was talking about how he was going to be playing on the first line.

Zegras is highly skilled, and I don't want to dump on an 18 year old, because that is still very young. But I think if we are going to continue to recruit kids that are highly skilled and will probably leave after one year, we need coaching and veteran players to teach them how to be a little more humble and focused on the team.

Alright, I'm off my rambling soap box.

I was reading one of the obits for Henri Richard and it said that when he joined the Canadiens, his brother Maurice warned him to keep a low profile. Here was a kid with much talent and a famous last name but he was told by a veteran he respected (his brother) to keep his mouth shut.
Of course, the Habs in the 50’s aren’t the Terriers today but it’s still a good lesson. And it’s one of the many challenges with one-and-dones: guys like Zegras don’t have too many similarly talented veterans they respect who can give them good advice that they will listen to. There was a time when even great players stayed two or more years, but those days are mostly gone.

 

[Friend_of_BU_Hockey]

But I think if we are going to continue to recruit kids that are highly skilled and will probably leave after one year, we need coaching and veteran players to teach them how to be a little more humble and focused on the team.

Looking at next season's incoming class plus verbal commits for 2021 and beyond, Zegras is likely the last 1-and-done BU will have in the foreseeable future. I think there's a concerted effort to shift the recruiting approach to a more sustainable model w/ emphasis on 3-4 year impact players and minimizing early departures (specifically 1-2 and done).

There was a stretch where players who couldn've left early returned for 1 more year -- Grzelcyk, O'Regan, Somerby, Hickey -- and BU needs to get back to that than guys like Tkachuk, Farabee, Bowers leaving when they did after the coaching change.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

One of Quinn's most underrated accomplishments was how he handled Jack and the surrounding Eichelmania during that season. Never once did I get the impression Jack was getting special treatment in among the team - instead, he was a freshman like every other player. Of course he got the most playing time, but he earned it. DQ did as good a job as he could keeping the media and Twitter rumors away from Jack and kept the focus on the team as a whole.

That's not to say Trevor is a selfish kid who only cares about himself. I don't know him so that's not fair for me to assume. I do see a kid willingly double-shifting himself in bad spots, looking to make unnecessary highlight plays (between the legs shot in close last night?!) and from the stands appears to receive special status from the coaches. That's all more an indictment on the coaching staff than it is Trevor - he's 18, he's allowed to mature. The coaches don't appear to be driving a team-first mentality into him.

I found some Ducks fans on Twitter who attended an event with their GM in recent days, quoting him:
“I had a discussion with Zegras’ agent and he wants to go pro, we just have to figure out what’s best for his development.”

Those in Ducks Twitter, all six of them, found the GM not sold on Trevor being ready right away. Take that for what it's worth.

 

[Leonidas]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Would anyone like to offer a thought, opinion, or even an explanation if there is one, as to why Zegras - as a member of a team that traditionally enters the ice to start a game in numerical order - is the last one out of the room, even after the captains who have been fist-bumping their teammates on their way out?

Or, why the coach of this team would permit that? I think that speaks volumes for them both.

I believe Trevor has been here for himself, that his play has been a perplexing mix of intensity and indifference, and that he is not (yet) in the league of our other 'one and done' players (Eichel, Keller, Farabee or Tkachuk).

Perhaps he was misinformed that it was alphabetical?

I know that my 14 year old daughter is crushing on him hard.

 

[OldAlum]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

One of Quinn's most underrated accomplishments was how he handled Jack and the surrounding Eichelmania during that season. Never once did I get the impression Jack was getting special treatment in among the team - instead, he was a freshman like every other player. Of course he got the most playing time, but he earned it. DQ did as good a job as he could keeping the media and Twitter rumors away from Jack and kept the focus on the team as a whole.

That's not to say Trevor is a selfish kid who only cares about himself. I don't know him so that's not fair for me to assume. I do see a kid willingly double-shifting himself in bad spots, looking to make unnecessary highlight plays (between the legs shot in close last night?!) and from the stands appears to receive special status from the coaches. That's all more an indictment on the coaching staff than it is Trevor - he's 18, he's allowed to mature. The coaches don't appear to be driving a team-first mentality into him.

I found some Ducks fans on Twitter who attended an event with their GM in recent days, quoting him:
“I had a discussion with Zegras’ agent and he wants to go pro, we just have to figure out what’s best for his development.”

Those in Ducks Twitter, all six of them, found the GM not sold on Trevor being ready right away. Take that for what it's worth.

In team sports, it all flows from the coach. He/she sets the standards, the tone, the expectations, and then sees that they are followed. And these are team wide standards. And the coach also needs to, judiciously, work with those who may stray from them. That's what leadership is all about. And if the coach lapses into double standards, it's over as far as his/her authority.

I don't necessarily think Zegras is selfish, maybe a little self-important, and certainly a showboat, but that's correctable. That's the coach's responsibility. And, after two years, I'm wondering if we are missing that critical piece behind the BU bench.

 

[Harry Cleverly]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Disgraceful effort.

Albie putting DeBoer out on the 6x4 is inexcusable.

VERY easily explainable. He wanted a big body in front of the net. You don't need a skilled player to that, just a big, strong body.

 

[Harry Cleverly]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Curry's improvement during his four-seasons has been tremendous. He went from a fourth-liner to a legit first-line winger. He is the hardest worker on the team in off-ice conditioning. He plays hard. And he doesn't back down against bigger opponents.

Even if he didn't say a word -- and he does -- the example that he sets makes him a good captain.

The criticism he is receiving on here is totally unwarranted, IMO.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

VERY easily explainable. He wanted a big body in front of the net. You don't need a skilled player to that, just a big, strong body.

Disagree, especially since that big body has not proven to be an offensively adept. If you just want a large human there, may as well tell Vlasic to go stand in front of the goalie. Skoog was already out there as a large body, as was Curry. Both are skilled net-front presences. DeBoer is a borderline 4th-liner and does not skate on a power play line. To have him out there on an extra attacker power play is incorrect.

 

[Bomber]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

I’m assuming it’s the standard “Plenty of seats available” situation this weekend at Tsongas. #SpringBreakHockey

 

[defkit]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

I’m assuming it’s the standard “Plenty of seats available” situation this weekend at Tsongas. #SpringBreakHockey

I think that is likely. Unfortunately despite the games being pretty close to home - I am doubtful. Knee surgery is on Tuesday, so mobility will be limited.

 

[Rogie21]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

Looking at next season's incoming class plus verbal commits for 2021 and beyond, Zegras is likely the last 1-and-done BU will have in the foreseeable future. I think there's a concerted effort to shift the recruiting approach to a more sustainable model w/ emphasis on 3-4 year impact players and minimizing early departures (specifically 1-2 and done).

There was a stretch where players who couldn've left early returned for 1 more year -- Grzelcyk, O'Regan, Somerby, Hickey -- and BU needs to get back to that than guys like Tkachuk, Farabee, Bowers leaving when they did after the coaching change.

Add Carpenter to the list of four-year guys who could've left earlier. And getting a third year from Fabbro was very unexpected. The recent rule change delaying the dates for contact and commitments in the recruiting cycle should play into the "concerted shift" you noted.

Zegras committed to BU the summer before he was a sophomore at Avon and well before he joined the NTDP program. He was a highly regarded Bantam but there was no way to know he'd become a first-rounder, let alone a likely one-and-done.

 

[brassbonanza]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

For those who didn't see it, here's video of the penalty during warmups. https://twitter.com/twolinepass/status/1236415410901340161 The backup goalie clearly shoots the puck towards the BU end of the ice and hits Curry (kneeling by blue line) in the head.

Another *** moment from this - to start the game, Albie didn't put the first PP unit on the ice, instead 11/17/9 with 4/5. The 1st PP unit is 9/11/13/21 and 4. At no point during that opening PP was the first unit on the ice in full.

 

[Scarlet]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

I’m assuming it’s the standard “Plenty of seats available” situation this weekend at Tsongas. #SpringBreakHockey

I heard that UML was on break this past week so their students will be back.

 

[boblav1]

Re: Boston University 2019-2020

I heard that UML was on break this past week so their students will be back.

Lowell is on break this week, classes will resume on 3/16/20.