ericredaxe
Veteran
In other news from the Comm Ave rumor mill: evidently as of tomorrow, T-Anthony’s is changing hands.
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BU 2021-22: Albie's Great Adventure
- Thread starter Harry Cleverly
- Start date
- Status
brassbonanza
Super Serial
It is, but word is there won't be any changes.
farther down Comm Ave, what's up with the Dugout? last few times I've been in town, it's been closed...
I would imagine there'll be some sort of announcement or at least a signal from the AD on the head coach this week because you have to shore up incoming recruits ASAP.
Oh, man. Don't make me cry!
ericredaxe
Veteran
I would not say they had a much greater season than we did - but the pairwise is so tight that a bad loss or two (or good win) can make all the difference - it certainly seems that losses to Northern Michigan, Sacred Heart and Cornell (as OOC examples) affect the pairwise more than Michigan and Minnesota State.
Scanning their Hockey East record, they also did not really have any bad losses as we did to Maine and UVM - that hurts too.
Without running a pairwise calculator, I'd bet if we had simply not lost to Maine and Sacred Heart we would be in the top 16. Not playing the "what if" game here, just illustrating how tight the pairwise can be. Perhaps someone has a calculator / predictor and can play with that.
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ericredaxe
Veteran
So I'll go out on a limb and predict that Albie will be back next year. I do think that the coaching staff moves from last year, adding Pandolfo and Friedman were good moves and hopefully it pays off. My guess is that BU administration will not be ready or looking to make a move quite yet. Had they not gone on their hot streak in the second half of the season and won the Beanpot it might be a different conversations behind the administrations walls. Of course, if the next season or two go without forward progress and it very well could be a different story then as well. I could very well be proven wrong of course - it will be interesting to follow.
Players - who do we lose beyond the seniors? And - who is in the incoming class for next year?
Schedule - I saw in one of the season ticket holder emails that Notre Dame will be on the home schedule for next year. Will Alaska reschedule? Any other known OOC opponents yet beyond the Beanpot?
Players - who do we lose beyond the seniors? And - who is in the incoming class for next year?
Schedule - I saw in one of the season ticket holder emails that Notre Dame will be on the home schedule for next year. Will Alaska reschedule? Any other known OOC opponents yet beyond the Beanpot?
defkit
New member
On the coaching front, it is certainly a good possibility that they won't want to fire the coach. But if I understand correctly, he is at the end of his contract, correct? You would have to think that at a minimum, they have some concerns about signing him for more than a year or two tops.
I do think some people will want to avoid the negative tone of firing a coach (it's been a LOOOOOONG time since that happened). But I think there is one reason that he could be gone despite that. There was some chatter going back a couple years that Albie was in over his head, that he didn't know what he was doing. If there was a recognition within the first year or two by the powers that be that he wasn't cut out for this gig, perhaps they decided to let him finish out the contract work on a succession plan while he is still here, and make a change when his contract is up.
defkit
New member
As far as who leaves - I think the big question is with the three Junior defensemen (Fensore, Vlasic, McCarthy). I believe they were all drafted in the second round? Maybe third? I think the rule is still in place that says if they get to their senior year they become free agents (a la Vesey). If that is the case, their teams will be trying to get them to sign this summer.
Hopefully Commesso comes back for one more year - I mean between COVID and other factors, he hasn't really even played two seasons. Perhaps looking at Oettinger's success will convince him that a third year is a good idea. At forward, who knows. There certainly aren't any players ready to play in the NHL. But I could see the Flyers wanting to get O'Brien into the fold. This could be the rare year where we return almost all the forwards, which would be pretty nice.
Hopefully Commesso comes back for one more year - I mean between COVID and other factors, he hasn't really even played two seasons. Perhaps looking at Oettinger's success will convince him that a third year is a good idea. At forward, who knows. There certainly aren't any players ready to play in the NHL. But I could see the Flyers wanting to get O'Brien into the fold. This could be the rare year where we return almost all the forwards, which would be pretty nice.
defkit
New member
And in terms of recruits, Rogie can give a better flavor, but from what I have seen, I think Lane Hutson will be the highest-end freshman. He led all USNTDP d-men in scoring, and could be the next of the smaller strong skating d-men to come out of Ann Arbor/Plymouth: Fensore, Farrance, Grzelcyk, Warsofsky, Bryan Miller, Freddy Meyer...
After that, his brother Quinn Hutson, Jeremy Wilmer and Devin Kaplan could be the forwards that are expected to make the roster, and there are a couple others. Charles Alexis Legault seems like a good d-man.
After that, his brother Quinn Hutson, Jeremy Wilmer and Devin Kaplan could be the forwards that are expected to make the roster, and there are a couple others. Charles Alexis Legault seems like a good d-man.
They become free agents if they wait until August of their senior year. That is why teams try to sign elite players after 3 years
Expect Vlasic to leave but Fensore and McCarthy could really use an additional year. McCarthy had an injury riddled season
Can anyone answer definitively how long Albie's contract is for? If he's truly at the end of a 4 year deal, how do they possibly re-up him? Is he going to sign a one year extension? Don't you worry about Pandolfo bolting if the coach's Reign of Error continues?
If he's on a 5 year deal, then yes I can see letting him play out the string while telling Pando the job is his. Sucks as a fan but BU is probably too cheap to eat a year of his contract.
If he's on a 5 year deal, then yes I can see letting him play out the string while telling Pando the job is his. Sucks as a fan but BU is probably too cheap to eat a year of his contract.
Fleury is under contract for 2 more years. But they’re thin at the position and they suck, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a push to sign Commesso. As long as they’ve forgiven BU for Chad Krys. : )
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The idea of “staying an extra year at BU to improve as a player instead of riding the bus in the minors” only made sense when BU used to improve/develop players.
In a related story, Jake Wise is Ohio State's 3rd leading scorer this season.
true dat
Sean Pickett
2009 NCAA Champions
It's usually accepted that a new head coach gets a pass their first couple of seasons as players need to adjust to a new head coach and his style and I bought into this when Coach O'Connell was hired. However, after researching every Division I coaching change since the end of WWII it's apparent that successful head coaches are immediately successful when taking over a successful program. Other successful coaches have taken over a poor or mediocre program and have also been immediately successful as well. And even those successful coaches who have taken over poor programs and needed some time have become successful within 4 seasons.
I thought Coach O'Connell was the right choice for BU and I publicly stated so here. Unfortunately I was wrong; he took over a successful program and instead of continuing that success he has had average seasons at best. Worse, every one of his teams has played their worst hockey at the end of the season. In my opinion to retain Coach O'Connell will only continue the mediocrity for as long as he remains the head coach.
However, kvetching about the coaching here is not likely to produce a change, so I suggest that if you want a coaching change you write a letter to BU, as I have already done. You can write to Drew Marrochello, but as brassbonanza has posted that the ultimate decision maker is President Brown you may want to write to him as well or instead. If you do write to either or both of them I strongly suggest that you keep your letter polite and state why Coach O'Connell needs to be replaced. Despite their disagreement regarding Albie's coaching this season both Harry Cleverly
You can reach Drew Marrochello at bmkane @ bu.edu and President Brown at president @ bu.edu
Sean
I thought Coach O'Connell was the right choice for BU and I publicly stated so here. Unfortunately I was wrong; he took over a successful program and instead of continuing that success he has had average seasons at best. Worse, every one of his teams has played their worst hockey at the end of the season. In my opinion to retain Coach O'Connell will only continue the mediocrity for as long as he remains the head coach.
However, kvetching about the coaching here is not likely to produce a change, so I suggest that if you want a coaching change you write a letter to BU, as I have already done. You can write to Drew Marrochello, but as brassbonanza has posted that the ultimate decision maker is President Brown you may want to write to him as well or instead. If you do write to either or both of them I strongly suggest that you keep your letter polite and state why Coach O'Connell needs to be replaced. Despite their disagreement regarding Albie's coaching this season both Harry Cleverly
and brassbonanza
both wrote posts that I think would make good letters as they are both respectful and state why Coach O'Connell should be replaced.
You can reach Drew Marrochello at bmkane @ bu.edu and President Brown at president @ bu.edu
Sean
- Status