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LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

It is time for a change. I thought maybe this coaching staff just needed to wake up and realize they needed to be taught how to coach but they don't have the talent for that . Whitten ,just like Anastos at Mi State , coaching was never your cup of tea and take Metro and York with you . Some of us saw the scam that was used to get Whitten in and we hoped for the best and gave him time but all we got was a coach who never should of been a coach .

Just because a guy calls himself a coach doesn't mean he is a coach and I think that is where this coaching staff falls into . They have the title but they have no talent to be coaches . I would rather watch a team with little talent lose but love playing for the coaching staff then a team that actually seems to have talent but apparently has no desire to play for the coaching staff and I think this is where the Lakers fall into .
 
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Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

RapidsCity said:
We got what we paid for. Lowest or second lowest paid staff in the league. Looking back on it, the previous coach may actually have over achieved. But it was just a few years ago that the same comments were being made about him. The team doesn’t want to play for him. They’ve quit. Etc. Etc. Etc. And the same was said about Frank. And the same stuff was said around town about Scott. Lake Superior State University. Where Sixth Place is a Dream.
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Sadly I agree. Without an infusion of capital, a coaching change by itself will probably achieve very little. What we do need is total buy in from the administration, involving massive outreach to all and any alums and a search for sponsorship and money across the continent. A huge marketing drive is also needed that reaches all the neighboring counties and into Ontario to bring paying fans to the game. Attendance less than a 1000 is an embarrassment for a D-1 program.
 
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sm2pk said:
It is time for a change. I thought maybe this coaching staff just needed to wake up and realize they needed to be taught how to coach but they don't have the talent for that . Whitten ,just like Anastos at Mi State , coaching was never your cup of tea and take Metro and York with you . Some of us saw the scam that was used to get Whitten in and we hoped for the best and gave him time but all we got was a coach who never should of been a coach .

Just because a guy calls himself a coach doesn't mean he is a coach and I think that is where this coaching staff falls into . They have the title but they have no talent to be coaches . I would rather watch a team with little talent lose but love playing for the coaching staff then a team that actually seems to have talent but apparently has no desire to play for the coaching staff and I think this is where the Lakers fall into .
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I think this says it best. The “hiring committee” was a sham and there were a few people that saw through it from the beginning, (much maligned on here) that have proven to be right in the 3 plus years of Whitten.

That flawed process should be an example for the new ad on what not to do when hiring the new coach.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Just chiming in from an outsider’s perspective: LSSU has some fundamental problems they’ll need to fix before they can compete again. LSSU has the lowest salary for a head coach and I’m sure the pool for assistants is the smallest as well. Potulny is in his first ever year as a D1 head coach and is making $180,000. Is Lake Superior able to offer that kind of contract to replace Whitten?

I also realize location is something you have no control over. But, the new landscape of D1 hockey means teams won’t travel long distances for OOC games. That means you’ll either have to start offering money games, playing 3 or 2-for-1s, or playing most of your OOC games on the road. Playing WCHA teams for OOC games will do nothing to re-build your program.

LSSU is one of my favorite non-BG teams. I just wonder if the finances are there for the Lakers to ever compete for a home playoff spot.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Finally some offense! And they didn't collapse after Ferris got the 2 quick goals to tie it.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

I hope the coaches and some of the players have read what has been posted here the last day or so . Maybe it lit a fire under their butts . They still need wins to make the play offs and it will be a tough rest of the season to play . Good win and come out hungrier next week .
 
sm2pk said:
I hope the coaches and some of the players have read what has been posted here the last day or so . Maybe it lit a fire under their butts . They still need wins to make the play offs and it will be a tough rest of the season to play . Good win and come out hungrier next week .
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The team finished 7th last year and lost dome pretty key players like Morgan, Bindulis, Defeils, Hults & Headrick. Did you really expect them to be “improved?”
 
RapidsCity said:
The team finished 7th last year and lost dome pretty key players like Morgan, Bindulis, Defeils, Hults & Headrick. Did you really expect them to be “improved?”
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I have a hard time believing the talent level on this team is so poor that they are scraping to make the playoffs in a very weak conference, and all but 2 teams are ranked worse than them in all of college hockey. College hockey powerhouses like AIC, Sacred Heart and Bentley are better teams and possess more talent?

Whitten promised a lot of things, and many people on here were singing his praises of all these recruits and better leagues they were scouting, promises of having the best conditioned team and a new high octane offense. I think it’s safe to say we are seeing none of that.

The question has also been asked why so many players are or have left early under this head coach, and why he has so many troubles in the locker room and motivating his players for more than just an night or game here and there.

With people staying away in record low numbers for attendance, and the majority of laker fans expecting a little bit better, it’s safe to say the excuses , wait until next year, and woe is me because of lack of funding attitude is wearing a bit thin on those who don’t have a vested interest in keeping this coach around.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

RapidsCity said:
The team finished 7th last year and lost dome pretty key players like Morgan, Bindulis, Defeils, Hults & Headrick. Did you really expect them to be “improved?”
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I think we all expected them to be ranked 58 out of 60 teams in the country at this point . All the power house teams in the Atlantic Conference are in front of he Lakers in the rankings . Every team loses players and Lake State is not alone with that .
 
sm2pk said:
I think we all expected them to be ranked 58 out of 60 teams in the country at this point . All the power house teams in the Atlantic Conference are in front of he Lakers in the rankings . Every team loses players and Lake State is not alone with that .
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What fans expect and what is reality are often two very different things.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

RapidsCity said:
What fans expect and what is reality are often two very different things.
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I expect the players to give their best on the ice, each and every game, representing the school and uniform they wear, to the best of their abilities.

I also expect a coach to guide, inspire, lead, develop and motivate these young men, all the while respecting them and earning it in return, showing progress and results

It's safe to say after 3 1/2 years we are seeing neither of these two things, and I don't think those expectations are that far from reality.

Time to make a change!



If that clashes with what you call reality, then we really do have a disagreement.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Truth Serum said:
I expect the players to give their best on the ice, each and every game, representing the school and uniform they wear, to the best of their abilities.

I also expect a coach to guide, inspire, lead, develop and motivate these young men, all the while respecting them and earning it in return, showing progress and results

It's safe to say after 3 1/2 years we are seeing neither of these two things, and I don't think those expectations are that far from reality.

Time to make a change!



If that clashes with what you call reality, then we really do have a disagreement.
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Good post. I agree .
 
Truth Serum said:
I expect the players to give their best on the ice, each and every game, representing the school and uniform they wear, to the best of their abilities.

I also expect a coach to guide, inspire, lead, develop and motivate these young men, all the while respecting them and earning it in return, showing progress and results

It's safe to say after 3 1/2 years we are seeing neither of these two things, and I don't think those expectations are that far from reality.

Time to make a change!



If that clashes with what you call reality, then we really do have a disagreement.
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What exactly does LSSU have to offer that would attract a better pool of coaching candidates? Salary? Salaries to offer Assistants? A competitive recruiting budget? Travel budget? Equipment budget?
 
Bill said:
Good effort by the Lakers tonight against the WCHA's #2 team.
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But...but...but I thought the geniuses here said the team won’t play for the coach, that the dressing room is a mess. Those kids showed a lot of heart and was right there with a very good NMU team on the road.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Good effort doesn't mean very much at this point of the season. The play offs are out of reach for this team and the biggest thing they may accomplish is not finishing in tenth place and there is still a huge possibility that may be where they land .
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

Kudos to the team for playing hard this weekend. I stand bye my previous comments however that we need a new coach.
 
Re: LSSU Lakers Hockey: 2017-18

The effort was better but the results are becoming all too common.

9th place, 6 wins in 28 games, ranked 58th out of 60 teams, attendance hitting rock bottom, along with early player departures and the head coach apparent mind games and issues, isn’t getting the job done after 3 1/2 years at the helm.

It’s time for a change, this isn’t working, Lake Superior State can do better.
 
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