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Harvard Hockey 2010-11

Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Watson Rink said:
Wasn't the fundamental problem that everyone realized during that recruiting season that Harvard was going to graduate only one senior -- Cahow -- and that any incoming first-years would have to compete for ice time with 21 returning veterans? Compounded by the growing realization, as that recruiting season was winding down, that those 21 returning veterans were having unusually strong results? Unless a prospective was resigned to being nailed to the pine her first year, most any other program would seem to offer her more opportunity than Harvard's stuffed roster.
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I understand the argument and had considered it, but that perception would've been wrong since the 08-09 team ended up not being nearly as successful as the 07-08 team. Some fresh blood would've helped the 08-09 team as well. I understand its a challenge and takes a certain kind of player. Now Harvard still managed to recruit some talent entering in 02-03 despite those players not getting a ton of playing time, and that certainly was the difference between the 05-06 team winning an ECAC title vs. losing on the road on quarterfinals when those players were seniors.
 
Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Re: An Era of Good Feelings

dave1381 said:
I understand the argument and had considered it, but that perception would've been wrong since the 08-09 team ended up not being nearly as successful as the 07-08 team. Some fresh blood would've helped the 08-09 team as well. I understand its a challenge and takes a certain kind of player. Now Harvard still managed to recruit some talent entering in 02-03 despite those players not getting a ton of playing time, and that certainly was the difference between the 05-06 team winning an ECAC title vs. losing on the road on quarterfinals when those players were seniors.
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Hmm, not so sure I agree Dave. I think the junior class and especially the freshman class with Jenny Brine and Sarah Wilson provided the spark that got the Crimson through to the finals of the tournament in '06. I think Sarah Wilson had a hat trick in the final against Brown. Sifers scored the winning goal the day before as the Crimson upset SLU in Appleton. I do agree that Jennifer Raimondi and Ali Boe were huge for the Crimson especially against Clarkson on the last day of the season to secure home ice for the first round. But given that Vaillancourt, Chu and Cahow were off to the Olympics that year, the frosh really made a difference come playoff time in '06.
 
Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Skate79 said:
Hmm, not so sure I agree Dave. I think the junior class and especially the freshman class with Jenny Brine and Sarah Wilson provided the spark that got the Crimson through to the finals of the tournament in '06. I think Sarah Wilson had a hat trick in the final against Brown. Sifers scored the winning goal the day before as the Crimson upset SLU in Appleton.
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And Sifers scored twice to put Harvard past Clarkson in the playoffs.

I do agree that Jennifer Raimondi and Ali Boe were huge for the Crimson especially against Clarkson on the last day of the season to secure home ice for the first round.
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Precisely what I had in mind.

But given that Vaillancourt, Chu and Cahow were off to the Olympics that year, the frosh really made a difference come playoff time in '06.
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And I agree the frosh were key to the team.

But my point was that if Harvard had a totally mediocre recruiting class entering the 02-03 season, Harvard would not have won the ECAC title in 05-06. While I agree Raimondi and Boe were not the Stack and Schaus of that team, Raimondi was the team's leading scorer and Boe a decent starting goalie. Given that Harvard secured home ice and advanced in the quarterfinals by the narrowest of margins, it's clear to me that if you replace the '02-03 incoming class with less talented players, that team doesn't get home ice and doesn't advance past the quarterfinals. That's all I was saying.
 
Re: An Era of Good Feelings

Re: An Era of Good Feelings

dave1381 said:
But my point was that if Harvard had a totally mediocre recruiting class entering the 02-03 season, Harvard would not have won the ECAC title in 05-06. While I agree Raimondi and Boe were not the Stack and Schaus of that team, Raimondi was the team's leading scorer and Boe a decent starting goalie. Given that Harvard secured home ice and advanced in the quarterfinals by the narrowest of margins, it's clear to me that if you replace the '02-03 incoming class with less talented players, that team doesn't get home ice and doesn't advance past the quarterfinals. That's all I was saying.
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Point well taken and I agree. Senior leadership translates into more than just goals and assists. I'm sure Raimondi et al were able to usher the frosh into the Harvard program and the expectations that go with it. That continuity has been broken somewhat over the past couple of years and certainly with only one senior on the roster next season, it will be tough with another incoming class. But I have faith in the junior class that they will rise to the occasion and jumpstart Harvard's return to national prominence.
 
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