As someone said earlier, they’re in for a shock. They’re not getting Lane.
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BU Hockey '25-'26: Can we keep up the run to Vegas?
- Thread starter Terrier86
- Start date
6 months is a long time…the issues were apparent early in the season and frankly should have been anticipated given the roster. I don’t know what an athletic director’s job description says but I would hope part of it includes understanding the dynamics of each team and ensuring the coaching staff and players are supported to address various challenges such as a young roster, a new coach, significant roster turnover, a losing streak, maybe an injury to a key player etc.
I also would expect a BU coach of any sport to reach out to somebody like Jack Parker who might have had similar, but not identical, challenges in his tenure.
Can’t believe this guy was NCHC Rookie of the Year last year. I think everyone was expecting one fo the top players in college hockey. Anything but…
Section 6 Row S
Always a Terrier
They should have one of the top classes coming in, led by Caleb Malhotra. One guy to keep an eye on is Luke Schairer, arguably the top defenseman on the USNDTP. Good puck-moving skills and strong defensively. He should help.
I did not! I like this. Chance for the team to bond starting the year on a long trip.
Dave in DC
Active member
I've been as disappointed and critical as anyone, but let's have some perspective. Even Jack Parker had (actual) losing seasons. I'll take 3 FF tickets in the first 4 tries anytime. Let's see what next year brings.
Very well said. We need talented older players out of the portal.
Totally agree…what I was trying to convey was this team had the same problem for 36 games (I was at the LIU game and was shocked how they got outworked…any other team beats BU that day). Losing seasons happen but they shouldn’t when HE is not great, the roster is loaded, the G is very good and the team has been successful for years. This wasn’t a team working its way out of a prolonged malaise…as young as the team was they also had a lot of guys who had won a Beanpot and gone to a FF last year.
So, to me, it’s not that they lost, it’s why they lost. I’ve stood in Alfond back in the day and said “Maine is just better than us”. I’ve watched excellent BU teams play great games and lose to a better goalie. I’ve seen weak BU teams do everything right but just not have enough to beat a better team.
But 36 games of the exact same issues is frustrating…it may be that we hear of constructive efforts to change the behavior of the team but it felt like we were seeing the same players make the same mistakes, the same Friday night sleepwalk and the same late game loss of focus consistently. Then we heard the same post-game assessment.
They can lose, they can go 0-36 and I still could feel better about the level of effort, commitment and accountability. (Well, not 0-36
Dave in DC
Active member
That would have been 0-35 anyway.Totally agree…what I was trying to convey was this team had the same problem for 36 games (I was at the LIU game and was shocked how they got outworked…any other team beats BU that day). Losing seasons happen but they shouldn’t when HE is not great, the roster is loaded, the G is very good and the team has been successful for years. This wasn’t a team working its way out of a prolonged malaise…as young as the team was they also had a lot of guys who had won a Beanpot and gone to a FF last year.
So, to me, it’s not that they lost, it’s why they lost. I’ve stood in Alfond back in the day and said “Maine is just better than us”. I’ve watched excellent BU teams play great games and lose to a better goalie. I’ve seen weak BU teams do everything right but just not have enough to beat a better team.
But 36 games of the exact same issues is frustrating…it may be that we hear of constructive efforts to change the behavior of the team but it felt like we were seeing the same players make the same mistakes, the same Friday night sleepwalk and the same late game loss of focus consistently. Then we heard the same post-game assessment.
They can lose, they can go 0-36 and I still could feel better about the level of effort, commitment and accountability. (Well, not 0-36
But seriously, I hear you. There was too little growth this year, and the effort was inconsistent at best. I want to see relentless. But once they dug that hole so deep, it was probably too much to believe they were going to climb all the way out. I'm inclined to take this datapoint and throw it out given the results from 2023-2025. More of the same would change my mind.been surprised that people thought this roster was “loaded”. Not sure why people continually called this team skilled and talented. I think it’s more of an ability issue more than effort.Totally agree…what I was trying to convey was this team had the same problem for 36 games (I was at the LIU game and was shocked how they got outworked…any other team beats BU that day). Losing seasons happen but they shouldn’t when HE is not great, the roster is loaded, the G is very good and the team has been successful for years. This wasn’t a team working its way out of a prolonged malaise…as young as the team was they also had a lot of guys who had won a Beanpot and gone to a FF last year.
So, to me, it’s not that they lost, it’s why they lost. I’ve stood in Alfond back in the day and said “Maine is just better than us”. I’ve watched excellent BU teams play great games and lose to a better goalie. I’ve seen weak BU teams do everything right but just not have enough to beat a better team.
But 36 games of the exact same issues is frustrating…it may be that we hear of constructive efforts to change the behavior of the team but it felt like we were seeing the same players make the same mistakes, the same Friday night sleepwalk and the same late game loss of focus consistently. Then we heard the same post-game assessment.
They can lose, they can go 0-36 and I still could feel better about the level of effort, commitment and accountability. (Well, not 0-36
The forwards fumbled the puck all season (especially on the PP) that’s not an effort issue
I'll wait to provide my full assessment on this season when someone starts the off-season thread. I do like that Jay took accountability and verbalized that he had a bad year. That he needs to do a better job as the leader of this team. Good for him. We could use some of that in our government.
Dave in DC
Active member
Given last year's results and this year's additions, that was understandable. But not all Hutsons are created equal, Boisvert did not pan out as expected, and both EIserman and Big Mike regressed. The passing was never crisp, and I've said it before, but the no-look drop passes in their own zone killed them too often, though a bit less by spring. That drove me nuts. I think they read too many of their promos and never learned desperation for more than a period at a time.
Section 6 Row S
Always a Terrier
Win or lose, you always want to see players who care. Maybe just a coincidence but three who consistently played like it mattered to them, Eiserman, Rouk, and Merrill, are Massachusetts kids. I think that BU needs more of that.
Much agreed, We saw that in Eichel too. Lots of MA players on that 2015 runner up team.
defkit
Well-known member
This wasn't the coaching staff's best year, but I wouldn't trade them for anyone (as a group). How quickly we got spoiled with three straight Frozen Fours. Their job is to learn from three areas where they fell short this year IMO:
1. The Power Play - there was enough variety of talent that they should have been able to come up with a scheme that was a better fit.
2. Anticipating the impact of the CHL eligibility - this one is more of a "it would have been hard for anyone to get it right in the first year" but we had one CHL player and he came in with a high level of anticipation and fell short of those expectations. Other teams in Hockey East got bigger contributions from CHL players.
3. Lack of leaders on the roster - in our three FF's we had guys that you could just tell were leaders - whether vocal or not. Having a guy like Webber who was a shot blocking expert shows the other defensemen what it takes to get ice time. Having a fourth liner like Sam Stevens taking critical draws int he final two minutes shows young guys how important that skill is. Having one senior and three juniors on the roster was part of the issue, but none of them fit the mold of strong leaders from what I could see.
1. The Power Play - there was enough variety of talent that they should have been able to come up with a scheme that was a better fit.
2. Anticipating the impact of the CHL eligibility - this one is more of a "it would have been hard for anyone to get it right in the first year" but we had one CHL player and he came in with a high level of anticipation and fell short of those expectations. Other teams in Hockey East got bigger contributions from CHL players.
3. Lack of leaders on the roster - in our three FF's we had guys that you could just tell were leaders - whether vocal or not. Having a guy like Webber who was a shot blocking expert shows the other defensemen what it takes to get ice time. Having a fourth liner like Sam Stevens taking critical draws int he final two minutes shows young guys how important that skill is. Having one senior and three juniors on the roster was part of the issue, but none of them fit the mold of strong leaders from what I could see.
Totally disagree- As I posted on Bc site Massachusetts hockey has really fallen off a cliff
BC who previously has 90% Mass players has 5
In the tryouts this week for the development team there were only 3 Mass kids out of 45 trying out
Glad we have 3 who produce
He wasn't saying to have all or 90% MA players. It has been a very long time since BC has had 90% MA players. BC isn't that great this year either so I'm not sure BC only having 5 MA players helps your argument that much. I don't think MA hockey was much better a decade ago but that 2014-15 runner up BU team had almost all MA starters in the FF.
This BU team lacked passion and leadership all year and it hurt to bring out the supposed talent of this team. Having some more local kids, where appropriate, can only help IMO.