Re: Harvard Crimson 2016-2017
I just want to say how grateful I am for this Harvard team and the joy it brought this fan over the past 7 months. I never expected the outcomes that this year produced which made it even sweeter.
To the Seniors, thank you, and more specifically:
@Sean Malone - thanks for persevering through all of your injuries and finally getting a full season of health to display your talent. Such a knack for clutch goals
@ Tyler Moy - Was anyone in the ECAC better at cycling behind the net and firing the one timer from the low slot on the PP? Such improvement over your four years
@ Luke Esposito - Thank you for your grit, your chirp, and your willingness to play the body.....not to mention your ability to finish. Don't apologize for anything
@ Phil Zielonka - the best finisher in practice finally got a chance to show his stuff. Lot of mid-week sweat equity paid off and thank you for your readiness and patience
@ Alex Kerfoot - So smooth and unselfish, a heralded recruit who just kept getting better as the years went on. Vesey and Donato owe a lot to your vision
@ Clay Anderson - I was super tough on you over the years but you had a heck of a senior year and you didn't let the doubters/skeptics (like me) get the best of you.
@ Devin Tringale - Thank you for your leadership and your voice in the locker room and on the bench. It was always about Ws and what doesn't show up in the box score
The team will be different next year. Much more of a four line, lunch pail team, with a true top line (Donato+) and a very, very good defense and goalie. Finishing will be tougher, that is for sure, and the 5v5 will have to be better given the likely PP% dip. They will have to win many more 2-1 and 3-2 games next year. Likely not a NCAA team, but they could be and certainly should challenge for top 4 status in the ECAC. They bring in some recruits who will contribute - Jack Badini on offense (4th leading goal scorer in the USHL) and Reilly Walsh (best player in prep hockey this year and is a very good puck moving D Man who should step in for Clay Anderson to round out the Top 6). Other guys, especially on offense, will need to step up and in to the oppty given more playing time. F. Gregoire, C. Kerfoot, etc.
Of course there is risk. Paul Pearl will have plenty of oppty to be a head coach if he is interested. Donato and the Bruins could have conversations. And then there is always admissions. One of Denver's best puck movers (Adam Plante) ended up there due to being a late Harvard admissions casualty.
When we look beyond, the recruiting (admissions and MJ notwithstanding) gets really exciting. Bode Wilde, Marshall Warren, Oliver Wahlstrom, Jack Drury, John Farinacci, etc - point here, is this kind of talent makes Harvard a perennial Frozen Four, especially given the academic pedigree (greater likelihood of staying 3-4 years) and and less likelihood of the mercenaries who will opt for BU like Clayton Keller. Heck, Louis Leblanc is not that far in the rear view mirror and we all know how the story went for him. Woulda, shoulda, coulda.....
An amazing year was this. Ivy League Title, ECAC RS Title, Whitelaw, Beanpot, Frozen Four. 2 All Americans. Somebody pinch me! I think Harvard is back!
In all honesty I think you'll be right up there, saw someone on the Clarkson board post this.......
Harvard - Esposito, Kerfoot, Moy, Malone, Anderson.....Harvard will bring in a solid class but from what I see all of the top recruits for Donato will be coming in 2018 or later.
Union - Vecchione, Taylor, Sak who had a great SR year for them in net, Foo (leaving early), DeSimone (leaving early)
Cornell - Buckles, Freschi Kubaik, Weidner, McCarron, Gillam, that's a lot of leadership although the younger Cornell players do have more skill but the grit is what wins them games.
SLU - Dahl, Hudson, Smolcynski, Bayreuther, Graham, Massella, Sweetman, a lot of leadership plus Hayton and Gluchowski will have NHL interest.
Quinnipiac - Connor Clifton, Tim Clifton, Schutt, Smith, Tiefenwerth, they bring back a lot of important juniors so we will see but I thought Q was average this year and are losing a lot of leadership.
Princeton - Phinney so they will have questions in goal but their backup did well in his showings so maybe he is the guy, they didn't have one SR in the double digit point totals and they will will return Cressey, Hallisey, Kuffner, Riche, Robinson, Veronneau, along with Teves and Topatigh on D, if they find a G they should be in the top 6 next season.
I'll just add Clarkson with Boucher, D'Arrisso, de Haas, Fossen, Josephs, add Vigneault leaving early, I'm obviously biased but I think/pray this years class will breakout and the class Clarkson is brining in should be top 2-3 in the ECAC.
