What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

Colgate offseason speculations

Re: Colgate offseason speculations

ColSkate65 said:
On another note, it's been posted on the 'Gate voy forum that Chris Wagner has signed with the Anaheim Ducks. What does this mean for next season? Is he gone, or will he be back? (this being mearly a "signing" and that's all?). Sure hope we aren't losing our key guy for next season.
Click to expand...

This may very well be true. But it could have also been an April Fool's Day joke. However, I received a private message on Facebook today from my reliable source indicating that he did sign with the Ducks. If this is in fact true, it creates a logistical nightmare because with both him and Jack McNamara leaving, we will only have 12 forwards on the roster. What happens if someone gets injured or banged-up???

Ironically, there are no press releases from the Colgate Athletics site, the ECAC Hockey site, or the official web site of the Anaheim Ducks. But if this is in fact true, well ... good luck to Chris. That's all I have to say.
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

A very, very sad day for Colgate hockey. I wish Chris nothing but the best. Ugh!
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

If true, where does that leave us for next year...as I have said many times in the past we've always played it close to the vest on our incoming classes...if 6 graduate, no more than 6 come in...this "on the edge" practice as long as players do not leave the program and we do not incur significant injuries during a season...well, chickens are coming home...does this leave us with only 12 forwards for next year? I hope not...if Wagner has left Colgate has lost (arguably) 2 of the best 10 forwards in college hockey...we've lost quality and quantity and it looks like (and I really, really hope I am wrong) we've been caught with our pants down...NOT GOOD...
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

Timed out while typing this post, glad I copied it before hitting send.

While no announcement has been made, it is just about official that Chris Wagner has signed with the Ducks. The contract is listed on CapGeek.com and begins next season. Three-year contract, $900,000/year (2.7 million total); two-way contract so he'll also have a set salary if he's in the AHL. It is my understanding that this is the max-type of contract that could have been offered by the team under the current collective bargaining agreement. So, basically Chris had an outstanding season and the Ducks agreed and offered him the moon (in terms of a rookie salary/signing bonus). It has to be really hard to pass up that type of money and an opportunity to play in the NHL especially when there's no guarantee that it would be there in the future (either due to a change in heart by the Ducks, possible injury or to a modification to the current CBA - which there will be soon given that the current CBA runs out at the end of the year).

The roster is what it is. The restrictions of terms of players coming/going in the same numbers have been there for some time and that's the same for just about every sport at Colgate across the board; it's not something unique to the hockey program. For example, last season the softball team had 14 or so players and you put nine on the field at once; assuming you have two other pitchers, this leaves you with three back-ups. Unfortunately, this is not a rule at Colgate that's going to change unless the school itself decides to change it. Keep in mind, this past year the roster was unique in that the senior class had nine players though the group started as a seven-man class. Colgate benefited from having a pair of fifth-year seniors in Austin Mayer and Kevin McNamara whose spots vanish as the incoming class, which we speculate has seven players as per Heisenberg, will replace the seven regular seniors.

When the recruiting process was going on for next season, the coaches were looking for seven players for seven holes opening up on the roster - both with scholarship and non-scholarship slots. Last time a Colgate player left school to play professionally was Rajamaki over 10 years ago - not like this is an every day occurrence which could be planned for in advance. According to Heisenberg, there are several players that have been listed as 2013 commits for Colgate, one has to wonder if one of them will likely head to school a year early to fill the spot opened up by Wagner's departure. Because, keep in mind, we don't officially know who's coming in next year.
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

as always, much appreciated GR and let's hope one of the 2013 commitments decides to live in idyllic Hamilton a year early...Shabby, I went from the "house cynic" to a foolishly hopeful fan...in light of his work product this year and GR's comments Chris' move is very understandable...I wish him all the success in the world...the bottom line for Colgate is that the rule summarized by GR HAS to be changed for hockey...correct me if I am wrong, but it does not appear other ECAC have their hands tied in this way...
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

It was announced at the awards banquet Saturday night and I have seen it on the Ducks website ! So bummed !
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

Every school is different. I know from the last five years of covering the league, some teams have larger rosters, some have smaller rosters. All depends on the school. Though do keep in mind for the teams with larger rosters, the majority of the extra kids are likely paying their own way through school and some may not even play. And Colgate's not cheap even with financial aid.

I'd have to guess that every coach at Colgate wouldn't mind having a slightly larger roster. That's the only way it will happen, all teams will have to have roster restrictions eased - there is no way just one team or one sport (hockey) will be allowed an exception.
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

Fair point GR and with an enrollment of less than 3000 (essentially less than one-half of the average Ivy and similar to DIII schools that do not have other DI programs) I understand some of the problems. We're also somewhat victimed by some of the silliness of Title IX (overall it's been good legislation, but...) where we have more varsity sports for women than for the men. If a school's enrollment is 55% female and 45% male and the number of varsity teams by gender will be allocated similarly...I think some of us have issues with a pure quota system...
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

One rhetorical question and then I'll shut up...in light of Colgate's restrictions on incoming freshmen hockey players - in essence limited to the number of graduating four-year seniors - AND our insistence on providing 4 and not 4.5 grant-in-aids per year, why in God's name are we building a $40million hockey facility??? Don't get me wrong...I'm pathetically loyal enough and foolishly optimistic enough (yes, The Coat optimistic) to provide some meagre assistance in this direction, BUT certainly the above queston is a legitimate one...furthermore, with the realignment of college hockey on the horizon that would seem to be a negative for most DI programs, do we really think we can continue along our current course and be a legitimately competitive DI program? I won't get into some other areas, including Silver Puck, right now...I'm simply too depressed and getting older by the minute...
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

I for one am never going to question any funds that go toward a new hockey facility! Colgate needs all the help it can get. So far it has been talk and I worry that the end result will be less than what I'm hoping for. Can $40million build anything good these days that isn't an eyesore and will stand the test of time?!

Am never in favor of any athlete leaving early for the pros and not graduating. Leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth as a fan and for the members/coaches of the team. But after seeing the year that Smith just had, and how we laid yet another goose egg at the tournament...our track record almost encourages players who get the chance to leave Colgate when and if they can...and for Colgate, that scenario is very depressing.

I haven't been sold on our goaltending lately but am impressed with some of the frosh talent coming in, most notably the Spink twins. We need freshmen that can produce from year one to year four like they do in the other leagues.

If all else fails, maybe we can lure Welsh or Zajac to transfer and give them scholarships. Without a Colgate women's coach, maybe some of the girls will defect to the men's side. At this point I'm open to anything. Don't even want to think about the preseason rankings.

Congrats to Wagner. Darn those Ducks...but they sure know a great Colgate player when they see him

:)
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

There is no doubt the Welsh is signing as soon as Union is done. He will not be there next year, so we have that to look forward to. I would also bet Grosenick is gone and Carr may be as well.
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

After witnessing John Calipari's "one and done" team win the Big Dance last night, I hope we're not seeing a "two and done" philosophy creep into 'Gate's hockey program :(

My cynical side says, thank you to Chris and the Mac brothers for paying our hockey supporters back for the free team bonding trip to Italy :(
 
Re: Colgate offseason speculations

Bummer that Wagner is gone but its tough to fault a player for leaving when they get a three year contract that, according to one tweet anyway, pays $850 if you make the big team and $225 or so if you make the AHL. Really no matter how good Wagner may be, without Smith riding his line his numbers were nearly certain to dip next year. When that can cost you real money, sometimes you have to make the jump.

As for the Mac brothers, keep in mind that K. Mac. is graduating and so he was leaving no matter what happened. And while I hate to see anyone transfer, J. Mac. had an 0-0-0 line in 21 games. He was obviously being used as a fourth liner and not the first option their either. Can't fault a kid who probably only has a couple years left to play when he decides he'd rather play somewhere than sit. Had Wagner stuck around and the incoming frosh proven any good, that is likely where J. Mac. would have ended up.

As for the new rink issue, Greencoat check out the place our incoming 2013 recruit plays at the Berkshire school. Since everyone has scholarships to some level or another, facilities are a primary recruiting weapon. From that standpoint, Starr is as useful as a marshmallow against an M-1 tank.

And hey on the bright side, maybe this turmoil will convince the school to up the roster limit by a spot or two. . .
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top