Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

[brassbonanza]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

A brief legitimate (maybe) question to the NU fandom.

9 months ago you were calling for Madigan's head, since, among other reasons, he did not seem capable of coaching the talent he had collected to their potential. Nine months later many of you are taking offense that the rest of the conference, who remembers who you were for the other 4 years he was your coach, still does not trust him the way we do the other 5 coaches (I am including Jackson in this, ignore him if you want) who have proven to be better coaches pretty much throughout his tenure (except maybe 3(?) weekends last season).

Care to explain how he turned it around? Has his style changed at all? Seems like the same person to me, it just so happens your players decided to play defense for 3 months.

From an outsider's perspective, my thoughts on Madigan have been that he's definitely got a way of getting his team motivated to play in certain spots, most notably the Beanpot and last year's HE tournament. That seems to be in part why the program has been so streaky under him. But the flip side of that I've seen is that he has some real fatal flaws in his in-game coaching that were headscratching - be it a woefully misused timeout, line matchups that made no sense when he had first change, etc. Of course my sample size is pretty small, but putting those few instances together with him not being a hockey coach for 18 years prior to being hired makes it seem likely that he's a solid motivator and can get the most out of his players but is spotty when it comes to Xs and Os game prep and in-game decisions.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

Care to explain how he turned it around? Has his style changed at all? Seems like the same person to me, it just so happens your players decided to play defense for 3 months.

The problem at the beginning of the season was the goal-tending, period. Everyone knew this could be a problem going in. I was hoping that Ruck would get the nod from the onset. I'd seen the kid over two seasons in the USHL and believed that he could step right in and start over whomever was returning. He'd get a few games under his belt, adjust to the speed and skill and, IMHO, exceed what Clay Witt had done the previous two seasons.

I was as stunned as everyone else when, the week after Bentley, he was back on the bench.

The fact remained, the players out front kept their chins up and continued to work hard.

Fans always second guess a coach when they lose. What you are accusing NU fans of doing plays out in the stands and armchairs in venues and homes worldwide across all sports.

Anyone who was watching, when they came back from Minnesota, saw a team that was gelling in the offensive zone and, but for a bit of puck luck, was playing well enough and strong enough to win. They continued to play very strong until Providence which was an absolute disaster of a weekend and the weekend that they had lost Roy.

IN a nutshell, my issue with Madigan last year was the decision that he made vis-a-vis the goaltenders.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

You should apologize for a lot more than that.

If you find the internet so offensive then maybe you should find another medium to play in. I-93, perhaps?

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

And the question of how old is gr8sk8m8 is answered.

As has your age as well, which has been verified to be at least one grade short of 3rd.

It's too bad his mom decided to ignore my advice about signing his Internet permission slip

You have some sort of odd obsessions with "Moms"; in my case, a dead one, which makes you even odder. Some MILF porn may help you "work" those out.

 

[Split-N]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

A brief legitimate (maybe) question to the NU fandom...Care to explain how he [Jim Madigan] turned it around? Has his style changed at all? Seems like the same person to me, it just so happens your players decided to play defense for 3 months.

I'll give you my .02: Those of us who knew him over a period of years (in my case, going back to his playing days) always knew that down deep, he had what it takes to be successful. He had a hard time at the outset because of residual bad feelings in many parts of the hockey world leftover from the shoddy way Cronin's dismissal came about. Not only did it cost him established players (i.e., Bitetto), it also cost him recruits, starting with some kid named Gaudreau. It frankly took awhile to mend fences in the recruiting world. But he also had a reputation as a good judge of talent based on his NHL scouting work and he was able to leverage that network to reopen some closed doors and finally get some guys he wanted.

You're spot-on about his ability to motivate, which was on full display during last year's turnaround, especially with KRoy on the DL. It's been said about him that he could sell refrigerators to Eskimos.

For the record, you never saw a post from me and several other regular posters demanding his head.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

For the record, you never saw a post from me and several other regular posters demanding his head.

I think we all know/knew that Madigan is "Mr. Husky" and is/was going to be around for just about as long as he wants to be. His players love him and Keefer (not sure about anyone else - eye roll) and the fact that they did not give up and they did come together is testimony to that.

 

[TheRevengeance]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

Personally, I was on board in December for the end of the Madigan era. The only thing stopping me was that I absolutely did not want to lose Jerry Keefe as the recruiter or lose all the talent we had lined up, like what happened with Cronin.

Nobody will doubt that Jim is a great motivator and frankly would be a fantastic athletic director, but the team always seems to struggle with seemingly obvious coaching decisions, be it the Witt vs. Roy goaltending battle that went on for entirely too long, the Roy vs. Ruck goaltending "battle" where Roy started for entirely too long, Mike Jamieson starting entirely too many games all spring, Jarrett Fennell dragging down the first pairing all winter, changing up the lines completely and totally after every loss last fall, just to name a few.

Having said that, when he does get out of his own head and ices the right players in the right roles, his teams are generally a lot better than you would expect. Aside from winning Hockey East, his teams have:

Finished .500 or better overall and in the top half of Hockey East three years in a row.
Made three Beanpot finals in a row (Which also means he beat both BC and BU in the Beanpot) and were tied in the waning moments of the title game all three times.
Played BU close or won at Agganis every year of his tenure I'm pretty sure
Beat a very good Minnesota team two years ago the night after they smoked BC out of Conte



He's unquestionably loved and the leader, and he builds the team up over the course of the season every year. It would be nice if some of the X's and O's could get worked out by the end of September instead of the end of November, but that's honestly the only thing holding him back.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

BTW ya I'm jealous and wish I could trade in seeing my school win 4 national titles in person (especially that glorious 24-hour run I made in Tampa with no sleep and no hotel room) with being an NU fan and seeing my team fade into obscurity every February except that one time they won a trophy in the last 20 years!

For greater perspective of your stupidity, not even PC fans or UML fans are jealous of NU.

I know we're all fans, but it's just college hockey - settle down.

 

[The Zlax45]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

I'm not in the job of predicting but when I see stuff like ^^that^^, I laugh heartily.

BC/BU/ND/UML it's all about who they have brought in to replace what they lost. What you should ALSO remember is what else they lost...and that was HE to NU.

The only Top Tier HE team to outplay NU was BU. Looking at the in season meetings, NU OUTPLAYED UML, BC, ND even though the scoreboard results were mixed.

NU has the CORE of what got them there returning this season and they have picked up some very talented incoming players. Look at that roster and, again, without making predictions, on paper NU looks superior. You CANNOT argue otherwise.

So you UML/BC/BU folks can sit here and stroke yourselves silly over "potential". NU has PROVEN returning for the season and that should be and needs to be respected.

The co-Hockey East regular season champs last year beat Northeastern by scores of 5-2 and 3-0...why you forget to mention that?

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

The co-Hockey East regular season champs last year beat Northeastern by scores of 5-2 and 3-0...why you forget to mention that?

I did in a subsequent post.

 

[HHound]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

I'll give you my .02: Those of us who knew him over a period of years (in my case, going back to his playing days) always knew that down deep, he had what it takes to be successful. He had a hard time at the outset because of residual bad feelings in many parts of the hockey world leftover from the shoddy way Cronin's dismissal came about. Not only did it cost him established players (i.e., Bitetto), it also cost him recruits, starting with some kid named Gaudreau. It frankly took awhile to mend fences in the recruiting world. But he also had a reputation as a good judge of talent based on his NHL scouting work and he was able to leverage that network to reopen some closed doors and finally get some guys he wanted.

You're spot-on about his ability to motivate, which was on full display during last year's turnaround, especially with KRoy on the DL. It's been said about him that he could sell refrigerators to Eskimos.

For the record, you never saw a post from me and several other regular posters demanding his head.

That is an excellent and succinct summary of the hurdles that Jim Madigan had to overcome in his early years behind our bench. I would add that an important part of what helped the team to gel was the fact that the players knew that their coaches believed in them and in their ability. The trip to Ireland was pivotal in solidifying the bonds that turn a group athletes into a "team". After taking Lowell into OT and hammering Colgate 7-1 in Belfast, the team returned home and tied BC then lost a winnable game 3-4 in the Sunday rematch. They beat a weak Mich. State team and left for Christmas break feeling as though things had changed. January started with QPAC needing to score an EA/PP goal in the last minute to gain a tie. By that time, the boys realized they had it going. Yes, the schedule was a bit easier, but they were off and skating. The only team that stopped them was bu in the Beanpot 1st round and North Dakota.

Zlax45 - Your allusion to the 2 losses to PC was accurate. I would say that PC dominated us in those games - and not because the boys were packing for Belfast. At times, they were as good as any team in the league. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was not looking forward to meeting them in the HEA final. They should be very good again this season.

 

[jcarter7669]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

The problem at the beginning of the season was the goal-tending, period. Everyone knew this could be a problem going in. I was hoping that Ruck would get the nod from the onset. I'd seen the kid over two seasons in the USHL and believed that he could step right in and start over whomever was returning. He'd get a few games under his belt, adjust to the speed and skill and, IMHO, exceed what Clay Witt had done the previous two seasons.

So you are counting on a mediocre sophomore goaltender to carry you again this season? That typically works out well for teams. Madigan was right in playing Witt at the beginning of the year. He earned it, but alas against quality opponents he couldn't carry the team. Enter Ruck and the weak part of the schedule... the team starts winning. Of course, you could say that was despite goaltending not because of it.

The confidence exuded by the NU fans have me even more excited for the season to start.

 

[HHound]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

So you are counting on a mediocre sophomore goaltender to carry you again this season? That typically works out well for teams. Madigan was right in playing Witt at the beginning of the year. He earned it, but alas against quality opponents he couldn't carry the team. Enter Ruck and the weak part of the schedule... the team starts winning. Of course, you could say that was despite goaltending not because of it.

The confidence exuded by the NU fans have me even more excited for the season to start.

Madigan wishes he could have played Witt at the beginning of the season! But, alas, Witt had been graduated. It was Derrick Roy who was given the chance and who put the team n a first period hole in most of the games that he started. The team was chasing game after game and simply was not yet good enough to catch up and pass their opponents.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

So you are counting on a mediocre sophomore goaltender to carry you again this season? That typically works out well for teams. Madigan was right in playing Witt at the beginning of the year. He earned it, but alas against quality opponents he couldn't carry the team. Enter Ruck and the weak part of the schedule... the team starts winning. Of course, you could say that was despite goaltending not because of it.

The confidence exuded by the NU fans have me even more excited for the season to start.

Witt was gone after the 14/15 season. Please edit your babble so it at least carries a slight hint of truth.

Thanks.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

Madigan wishes he could have played Witt at the beginning of the season! But, alas, Witt had been graduated. It was Derrick Roy who was given the chance and who put the team n a first period hole in most of the games that he started. The team was chasing game after game and simply was not yet good enough to catch up and pass their opponents.

His recount of history is, to be kind, fantasy. Madigan began rotating the goalies after UMN until one gave up three absolutely horrible goals - the tying one on a dump in on net - against UVM.

Ruck came in from that point on and faced, in order, BU, ND, PC, UML and BC...hardly the *weak* part of the schedule and but for two bad bounces in 3rd period v BU @ Agganis, Huskies win that game and we totally outplayed BC in both games. Ruck absolutely stoned UML in Belfast. Too bad a defenseman didn't appreciate the effort...

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

So you are counting on a mediocre sophomore goaltender to carry you again this season? That typically works out well for teams. Madigan was right in playing Witt at the beginning of the year. He earned it, but alas against quality opponents he couldn't carry the team. Enter Ruck and the weak part of the schedule... the team starts winning. Of course, you could say that was despite goaltending not because of it.

The confidence exuded by the NU fans have me even more excited for the season to start.

Wake us up when Vermont does anything of note. Try getting past round 1 of the playoffs even. We will happily take talking to's from BC, BU, Lowell, PC fans on here with actual sustained success but man, win a few games first.

 

[FiveHole12]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

On Sunday, January 3, 2016, Ryan Ruck's record stood at 1-9-3.
On the same day, Northeastern's record stood at 3-12-4

Fire Derick Roy!!!

Northeastern Fandom . . . living the dream.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

On Sunday, January 3, 2016, Ryan Ruck's record stood at 1-9-3.
On the same day, Northeastern's record stood at 3-12-4

Fire Derick Roy!!!

Northeastern Fandom . . . living the dream.

Hmmmm.

 

[Rhett Hot]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

His recount of history is, to be kind, fantasy. Madigan began rotating the goalies after UMN until one gave up three absolutely horrible goals - the tying one on a dump in on net - against UVM.

Ruck came in from that point on and faced, in order, BU, ND, PC, UML and BC...hardly the *weak* part of the schedule and but for two bad bounces in 3rd period v BU @ Agganis, Huskies win that game and we totally outplayed BC in both games. Ruck absolutely stoned UML in Belfast. Too bad a defenseman didn't appreciate the effort...

Yeah...... "bad bounces" aren't excuses to justify losing a game. Get over it. You haven't beaten us (BU) in years.

Witt was gone after the 14/15 season. Please edit your babble so it at least carries a slight hint of truth.

Thanks.

Interesting YOU of all people speak of "babble"

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Hockey East Preseason Thread. Predict and Win Eternal Glory

Yeah...... "bad bounces" aren't excuses to justify losing a game. Get over it. You haven't beaten us (BU) in years.

Not saying this specifically about NU-BU matchups, but seriously, do you watch hockey? Bounces decide games all the time.