Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18
They seem to be recruiting more and more from the BCHL and USHL and recruiting more and more talent but still going the wrong way in actual play . This team was preseason picked to finish 6th and that pick was a high pick compared to years of being pick 7th and lower . I think some were even saying they could very well finish higher then 6th and could break into the top five .
The talent does seem to be there . The recruiting early is something new for them . The funny thing being , this year most thought they had a decent team with good talent taking to the ice and most could not wait for the season to start and now we are running out of time for them to even make the play offs . How did one fan describe their play a couple weeks ago . He used the word apathy to describe their over all play and he followed up with , if the players don't care if they win or lose, why should the fans . The answer to that is the fans do care , only 800 showed up for the games and we can blame everything from weather to schools out but the fans cared enough to stay home. Lastly, the Laker game was described as watching paint dry .
Just getting players out of the USHL and BCHL isn't going to automatically make you a winner. In the old CCHA, prior to making coaching changes, both WMU and BG for many years were getting quite a few guys out of the USHL but were still finishing in the bottom tier of the conference. College coaches have to build relationships with USHL and BCHL coaches, identify talented players earlier, and get commitments from guys that turn out to be 1st and 2nd line USHL/BCHL players and not just 3rd and 4th line players. While Damon and his assistants have gotten some guys out of the USHL, so far they have been mostly guys who were aging out of Juniors rather than younger guys. Exceptions to that are Collin Saccoman and Luke Morgan who both committed to the Lakers before playing in the USHL. The BCHL guys we have recruited were also for the most part older guys who were aging out of Juniors. The exception to that is Diego Cugglieta who committed to the Lakers but still played another season in the BCHL.
We haven't yet seen many of the younger players who committed to the Lakers. In this sense, younger to me means guys who committed even before playing Junior hockey (i.e. they committed right out of AAA Midget hockey or prep or high school hockey). I may be missing someone, but I think the only 3 younger guys in that category we've seen play for the Lakers so far are Collin Saccoman, Luke Morgan and Chase Gamelin. Others either are still in Juniors or no longer in hockey. A couple of guys that committed while still in AAA Midget hockey will never be with the Lakers. Jaden Anderson played in the NAHL for a while but had to retire from hockey due to concussion issues. Nico Blachman also committed while playing AAA Midget hockey but after starting playing Juniors in the USHL decided to go the Major Junior route instead and that didn't turn out well for him. Dustin Manz committed to the Lakers while in AAA Midget hockey, played in the NAHL last season, is in the BCHL this season, will likely be in either the BCHL or USHL next season, and with the Lakers the following season. Niko Esposito (Prep school) and Spencer DenBeste (AAA) are younger guys who have only seen limited action so far this season in the USHL. Robert Blueger (Prep school) is in the NAHL this season. Jack Robbel (Prep school) is also in the NAHL this season. Chase Pilawski (AAA) has played in the USHL and NAHL this season. Ashton Calder (AAA) played in the BCHL last season, the USHL this season, and probably will be with the Lakers next season. But the coaches have to continue to at least go after younger players. Many of the best players in the USHL especially, and even in the BCHL, have committed to colleges even before they start their junior careers.
Even when considering that the Lakers have expanded recruiting to the USHL and BCHL in recent years, and the fact that they are also now looking for younger recruits (commitments), Damon's teams so far have consisted mostly of guys who were older guys who were recruited while aging out of Juniors. The jury is still out on many of the younger players he's recruited.
It's been stated before, but we took a big hit with the guys we lost early during and after last season (Hults, Headrick, Morgan, Bindulis). That said, I still think there is more talent on the team than what they've shown on the ice so far this season. Not as much depth of talent as the top teams in the league, but enough to expect better results than we've seen.
