Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

[Hammer]

A new season. Here we go.

Hopefully this season thread is devoid of some of the ranting and raving of seasons past. Maybe a kinder, more gentle Hammer? Well, we'll see.....

Let's face it. Last year hurt, especially the way it ended. One more win somewhere along the way and we would have had a tournament berth. I suspect that we're going to find out just how precious seasons like that are for this program.

There. We're done with that. I'm done beating the dead horse. It's time to look at this season. The defense should be fine. The goaltending is just about the last thing in the world I'm worried about. No concerns there, either. Hell, I'm even okay with the penalty totals, provided that we put an end to the CFB penalties that haunted us the 1st half of last season. If the penalty kill and PP totals are similiar, I'd take that, no questions asked. Which leads us to.............

The goal scoring. Mainly, who and where? 55 of our 118 goals graduated this past summer. The problem is, we can't point to another player on this team and confidently say "we can count on this guy to provide 15-20, and maybe this guy can get to 12-15" without taking a huge leap of faith. And as I have said before, relying on freshmen to do so is a risky proposition at best.

No one on this team has ever scored double digit goals in a single season at the collegiate level. Our leading returning scorer is Justin Menke, with a whopping 21 career goals through 3 years. Mike Embach has 19, Zach Redmond has 15 as a defenseman, Mike Fillinger has 12 and Scotty Wietecha has 10. No one else on the team has at least 10 career goals. Again, these are CAREER totals. Folks, this is THE issue this season.

The university has made a couple changes this offseason that I would like to point out, and both are certainly for the better, IMO. They admitted that the 5:05 Saturday starts did not work, and according to the USCHO schedule, the Saturday home games are back to 7:05. Great move. The other adjustment that they made is providing broadcasts for road games outside the CCHA, and I'm assuming, the 7:05 Thursday night game against Michigan State on 1/27/11. A few years ago, Ferris played MSU on a Tuesday night, AT HOME, and there was no broadcast available. That is completely unacceptable, and it looks like Ferris State University has corrected that problem as well. They deserve credit for that.

I think we're going to see a bump in the attendance this season for two reasons: 1) the Saturday attendance is not likely to go into the toilet due to earlier starts, and 2) both Michigan and Michigan State are in Big Rapids TWICE this season. There is no reason whatsoever that attendance should be under 2,493 for any of these four home dates. If those four games do not sell out, it's not the university's fault. We've got a nice home schedule, at least about as well as we can do. The university has done their part. It's time for the fans to step up to the plate.

Not much of a prediction this year, but just a guess. For about the 638th time, goal scoring is likely to be the undoing of this team. If the defense and goaltending falters (not likely in either case), we're in real trouble. If the goal scoring steps up and surprises me (quite possible), we can be a .500 team in conference and be a top-6 team. Put a gun to my head, and I'm thinking roughly 15-16 wins. Not like last year, but not like some of the debacles of seasons past. I'm not nearly as down as I usually am at the beginning. God knows I only missed on last year by about a mile and a half.

Let the season begin.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Kinder Gentler Hammer??

Bullocks!!! At some point on the season, you're going to blow up like Joel Zumaya's Elbow.

 

[hockeytown100]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Predictions that may make me looks like an idiot, or a genius here we go!

-Redmond leads the team in points

-Fillinger is our senior pleasant surprise

-14 wins

 

[Hammer]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

I think you've got 2 out of 3.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

I would really, really, really, really like to thank your organization for scheduling UAH home-and-home in 2010-11. We expect to extend Southern hospitality when y'all visit in 20 days, but we're not going to just hand you two wins.

GFM

 

[Hammer]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

We're glad to help. At least I am as a fan. Who knows, we need similiar help in about 5 years due to you-know-what. And no, I do not care to drag that discussion into this thread at this point in time.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

We're glad to help. At least I am as a fan. Who knows, we need similiar help in about 5 years due to you-know-what. And no, I do not care to drag that discussion into this thread at this point in time.

I have no idea what you're talking about! I just want to see the Chargers in the CCHA in 2011-12.

GFM

 

[diddlypoo]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Awesome thread title!

 

[DominicHennig]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Nice post Hammer. I thought I'd add a few updates for the upcoming season:

- Video Webcasts:
All of Ferris State Hockey's home games will be video streamed on America One. I believe everything is the same, but America One just bought out B2 Networks. http://www.b2livetv.com/partner_members.asp?id=21&s=339&stype=Sports Hockey Men's

- Audio Webcasts:
I am pretty sure all away games will be audio streamed live for free on our website, or at http://161.57.5.17/ramgen/broadcast/test.rm. (Must have RealPlayer installed to listen)

- Radio Broadcasts:
The Ferris State Hockey games have switched from all being on Big Country 100.9fm WWBR last season, to the majority being on News Talk 107.7fm and 1460am WBRN. Some will switch to Big Country in the case of a scheduling conflict.

- Season Tickets:
Just an update here, we passed the number of student season tickets sold last year this past Monday, September 13th. Almost one month before the first home game. So we are doing well on that.

- Dave Cencer is back as the Bulldogs' new strength and conditioning coach along with video coordinator. Cencer served four seasons (2005-09) as Ferris State's director of hockey operations and the team's video coordinator prior to his departure from FSU early last summer. Cencer spent the 2009-10 campaign with the American Hockey League's (AHL) Rockford (Ill.) IceHogs in a video coach position after accepting a position with the organization in June 2009. Rockford is an affiliate of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

- The Student section (Dawg Pound) jerseys have switched from (In my time with Ferris) Yellow, Red, White, White, and are now BLACK this year

- Social Media:
Ferris State Hockey Student Section Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=71845055460

Ferris State Athletics on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ferrisathletics?ref=ts

Ferris State Hockey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/FerrisHockey

Ferris State Athletics on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ferrisathletics

Tatango Text Message Updates: Text the word "Bulldogs" to 68398 to receive periodic text message updates.

Radio Booth E-Mail Address: SportsRadio@Ferris.edu


- Promotional Items so far for Ferris State Hockey

--- Radio Commercial during the entire month of September on the below stations:
100.9fm - Big Country WWBR
102.3fm - Today's Best Hits WYBR
107.7fm - News Talk WBRN
1460am - News Talk WBRN

--- Website Release.

--- Yard signs in front of most dorm entrances on welcome weekend for parents to see. <a href="http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/?action=view&current=IMG_20100915_101108.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/IMG_20100915_101108.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

--- Yard Signs in front of every entrance to all main class buildings on campus during school hours so all students will see. (Above)

--- Table Flyers at The Rock Cafeteria, Westview Cafeteria, and Quiznos on Campus:

<a href="http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/?action=view&current=IMG_20100916_133711.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/IMG_20100916_133711.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

and

<a href="http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/?action=view&current=IMG_20100915_103613.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/IMG_20100915_103613.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

--- Announcements over PA Systems at big campus events
--- Flyers in dorms and around campus
--- Newspaper Ads
--- Facebook message to 1,500+ students on multiple occasions.
--- Mass text messages
--- Release on Ferris Hockey Twitter.


Cool picture of our rink I found over the summer:
<a href="http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/?action=view&current=EwiglebenIceArenaSoldOutPhoto.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/EwiglebenIceArenaSoldOutPhoto.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Still much more to come. I can't think of everything right now, I'll add more later.

 

[gfmorris]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Thanks for all that info, DominicHennig! I was looking for Ferris info to get out to our fans, and now I've got it.

GFM

 

[SportsTalk51]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Sorry, Hammer. I'm dragging the topic in for you. It does have reaction from Daniels. BTW, he didn't sound overly worried.

OPINION: Penn State makes it official, hockey coming in '12

By Zeke Jennings
Pioneer Sports Editor

Published: Saturday, September 18, 2010 12:16 AM EDT

It’s official.

Penn State is throwing its hat in the ring of college hockey beginning in the 2012-13 season.

The official announcement for the addition of men’s and women’s hockey, which had been rumored for months, came Friday afternoon.

A donation of $88 million by alumnus Terrence Pegula, who sold his energy company, East Resources, Inc., to Royal Dutch Shell earlier this year, will fund the new programs, including creation of a new 5,000- to 6,000-seat arena.

Penn State will become the sixth Big Ten Conference school with men’s hockey, which opens the door for a Big Ten hockey conference.

Currently, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State play in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), while Minnesota and Wisconsin play in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).

Per NCAA rules, a conference is suppose to have at least six members to receive an automatic bid to the postseason national tournament.

With Penn State’s arrival, you can bet the landscape of college hockey in the Midwest will change in the coming years. How much change we’ll see is the question.

The Big Ten (and the Big Ten Network) is going to want all Big Ten schools to play in the same conference, and what the Big Ten wants of its members is probably the most likely scenario.

The best-case scenario for the CCHA, as a whole, would be if Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin joined to make it a 14-team league.

That’s a possibility. Of course, the Big Ten is going to push for as many Big Ten vs. Big Ten matchups as possible — the league already does — so a formation of an upper division (say the Big Ten plus Notre Dame or Miami) and a lower division might satisfy the parties involved.

Schools like Ferris State, Lake Superior State and Western Michigan would still have the stability of playing in a conference, what would then be undoubtedly the best conference in the country.

And then there is the possibility that the six Big Ten schools break off and form their own league. This is probably the strongest possibility because, like I said, that will probably be what the Big Ten wants.

So what would come of the CCHA?

That’s a tough call.

The league’s status without Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State would take a tremendous hit but it could survive, especially considering the Big Ten would have just six teams. There would still be an awful lot of open non-conference dates to fill.

Schools like Ferris State and Western Michigan, with their close proximity to East Lansing and Ann Arbor, would be right in line as a non-conference opponents. Whether or not MSU or Michigan would agree to come to Big Rapids very often would remain to be seen, but it’s reasonable to think the CCHA, as well as its members’ rivalries with the Big Ten schools, could stay intact in a different format.

Where that could change is if the potential Big Ten league decided to invite a couple of other big names in the CCHA, namely Notre Dame and Miami, to form an eight-team league.

That’s really diving into the world of speculation, but it’s a possible reality.

More expansion on the way?

To dive even further in the realm of maybe and ifs, perhaps Penn State is just the first new program to pop up. Maybe there will be others to follow. Maybe even other Big Ten schools like Illinois, Indiana or Iowa.

Hey, if Penn State can get it done, why can’t any of those schools?

Any of the ones mentioned would be great geographic fits into the world of college hockey and already are homes to many junior hockey feeder teams, like Cedar Rapids, Tri-City and Waterloo, just to name a few.

Adding a sport at this day in age is unusual, but Penn State’s addition of hockey just gave hope for other programs to emerge, and for a sport with just 58 teams (59 counting Penn State), that would be a positive.

In respect to each school’s program future, that seems to be the consensus throughout hockey, including at Ferris State.

“I think it’s just tremendous,” Ferris State coach Bob Daniels said about the Penn State situation. “It’s a great sign for the health of college hockey.”

Being that the Nittany Lions won’t even begin play for two years and likely won’t be joining any conference, CCHA, Big Ten or otherwise, for four — there must be a building period — any major change is a ways off.

The next couple of years will be exciting or scary and probably both for Ferris State.

Either way, it’s going to be interesting.

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and PSU into the CCHA?? Has he been sniffing glue??

 

[bueller]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Minnesota, Wisconsin, and PSU into the CCHA?? Has he been sniffing glue??

Somebody would lose out because 14 teams would almost certainly mean two divisions, nevermind the fact that getting Wisconsin and Minnesota out of the WCHA would be the coup of the century.

So you're telling me there's a chance... *YEAH!*

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Yeah, wisconsin maybe. But never Minnesota! Given that the CCHA would have 4 big ten schools plus Norte Dame, that might be a tempting place to be for the mad little dictator in Madison. Get UAH to balance the numbers out, and then somehow split the league into divisions that would have the five big tens, ND and perhaps Miami or just rotate the MACs on side, and have all of the D2 schools on the other side. Only way you could sell that to the D2's is if they wouldn't meet any of the schools from the Have division in the ccha playoffs until the championship game.

 

[hockeytown100]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

I think you've got 2 out of 3.

I take it the wrong one is the wins? I could see them winning your 15-16 prediction, or even several more if some scoring comes from some place. That is the big kicker though. I would love to buy some stock in the Kirzinger/Ouellette/Alexander breakout year campaign, but I don't have a lot of money.

For PSU. I'm done talking/worrying about that. Let's not worry about the future, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.

 

[SportsTalk51]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Yeah, wisconsin maybe. But never Minnesota! Given that the CCHA would have 4 big ten schools plus Norte Dame, that might be a tempting place to be for the mad little dictator in Madison. Get UAH to balance the numbers out, and then somehow split the league into divisions that would have the five big tens, ND and perhaps Miami or just rotate the MACs on side, and have all of the D2 schools on the other side. Only way you could sell that to the D2's is if they wouldn't meet any of the schools from the Have division in the ccha playoffs until the championship game.

If the Big Ten wants Minnesota and Wisconsin in the CCHA, then that's what will happen. I don't think that it will go that way anyway. There will be a Big Ten conference first.

The Big Ten wants its teams playing each other and will make sure they are one way or another. I don't care how strong Minnesota's ties to the WCHA are.

 

[DominicHennig]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Got these at the front entrances of the dorms on campus now:

<a href="http://s919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/?action=view&current=Dorms.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i919.photobucket.com/albums/ad40/FerrisHockey/Dorms.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


Any more suggestions?

 

[Hammer]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

I would have put on there that both Michgan and Michigan State are coming in twice this year.

 

[DominicHennig]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Funny thing is - I "markered" that in there hahaha

I got it right on the table flyers for the cafeterias though

 

[bigmrg74]

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

Re: Ferris State Hockey '10-11-Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the penalty box

If the Big Ten wants Minnesota and Wisconsin in the CCHA, then that's what will happen. I don't think that it will go that way anyway. There will be a Big Ten conference first.

The Big Ten wants its teams playing each other and will make sure they are one way or another. I don't care how strong Minnesota's ties to the WCHA are.

Yeah, that Wisconsin thing was all pie in the sky thinking there. Still more likely they just form their own league.