Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

[RENCEB]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

......
fun to watch and awesome fans are so supportive and having fun but huge part is smoke and mirrors. They are stil a team coming off a way below 500 year and 5-4-3 in conference this year with losses to PC and NU. Only win vs a team inh top 30 was vs BC.
That is not a top 15 team performance to date. If you believe the stories, they never should have lost to PC and NU this year.

I don't understand "smoke and mirrors" comment? Do you mean hard work by under-recruited kids who've bought into a system put together by an imaginative coach, combined with outstanding goaltending? Or does Dennehey have that same "pop the net off" button that Parker has (now THAT is smoke and mirrors!). "Smoke and mirrors" to me implies something fake/false; I don't see where hard work, tough, physical, play the body approach + Cannata = "smoke and mirrors".
And "only wins vs Top 30 teams" are still 2 pretty good wins as that particular team is realistically top 2 or 3 in the country; I think 2 ties vs BU is pretty good, but I think they'll come back to the pack (even with their 11 draft picks )

 

[WarriorDJ]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

he wasnt drafted because he is not nhl type. he took the spot by default when CS went pro. has been a great goalie and has done better than anyone ever expected. doubt much pro interest though

of course nhl draft picks mean talent.

Next year MC has 1 kid, maybe, coming in from USHL, zero from national team. they have 4-21 year old canadians and 2 - 20 year old canadians as well as well as 2-21 year old kids from EJ

all seem to come in and fit in, MD gets them to buy into his style. But, in fairness they ended up there for a reason. They spend as much time over past years as any program watching and recruiting in USHL with zero results.

I call talent the kids the 9 or 10 teams listed above are getting, blue chippers saught by everyone at 18.

I see what you're getting at, but honestly I don't see a ton of difference between NHL draft pick and NHL free agent signees. In response to Muse not fitting the NHL prototype--how about Tim Thomas--he fits no prototype for the NHL, but he made it (in a roundabout way) and is having success. Also, back to the draft pick = talent point, how about former BC tender Matti Kaltiainen? Drafted by the Bruins in the 4th round...he fit the NHL mold--big guy, solid positionally, college success with the Eagles--from the Finnish goalie school...how'd his NHL career go?

In terms of signees--look at former Terriers Kevin Shattenkirk and Matt Gilroy--both non-draftees making major impacts at the NHL level--never being drafted after their successful college hockey careers...

You can make the argument that most of the players in the NHL now are draftees, but I feel like the NHL is trending towards the college free agent more now than ever before because they can spend less on the college FA contracts and take less time to bring them up to the show.

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I see what you're getting at, but honestly I don't see a ton of difference between NHL draft pick and NHL free agent signees. In response to Muse not fitting the NHL prototype--how about Tim Thomas--he fits no prototype for the NHL, but he made it (in a roundabout way) and is having success. Also, back to the draft pick = talent point, how about former BC tender Matti Kaltiainen? Drafted by the Bruins in the 4th round...he fit the NHL mold--big guy, solid positionally, college success with the Eagles--from the Finnish goalie school...how'd his NHL career go?

In terms of signees--look at former Terriers Kevin Shattenkirk and Matt Gilroy--both non-draftees making major impacts at the NHL level--never being drafted after their successful college hockey careers...

You can make the argument that most of the players in the NHL now are draftees, but I feel like the NHL is trending towards the college free agent more now than ever before because they can spend less on the college FA contracts and take less time to bring them up to the show.

Option B would be guys in the NHL and from what school. MC is not that well represented here either. so drafted or not, the numbers dont add up


College Players Team Players

Wisconsin 18 Colorado 11

Boston College 17 Los Angeles 11

Michigan 17 San Jose 11

Boston Univeristy 15 Florida 11

North Dakota 12 Tampa Bay 10

Michigan State 11 Chicago 10

Minnesota 11 New Jersey 9

Clarkson 8 Pittsburgh 9

Ohio State 7 St. Louis 9

Maine 6 N.Y. Islanders 9

Colorado College 5 Buffalo 8

Dartmouth 5 Anaheim 8

Denver 5 Vancouver 8

Miami (Ohio) 5 Calgary 6

Notre Dame 5 Edmonton 6

Princeton 5 Ottawa 6

Vermont 5 Carolina 5

Harvard 4 Columbus 5

Massachusetts 4 Detroit 5

Michigan Tech 4 Minnesota 5

Nebraska-Omaha 4 Montreal 5

New Hampshire 4 N.Y. Rangers 5

Providence 4 Toronto 5

St. Cloud 4 Philadelphia 4

Western Michigan 4 Washington 4

Alaska-Fairbanks 3 Atlanta 3

Bowling Green 3 Boston 3

Colgate 3 Dallas 3

Cornell 3 Phoenix 3

Minnesota State-Mankato 3 Nashville 2

Minnesota-Duluth 3

Northern Michigan 3

St. Lawrence 3

Yale 3

Alaska-Anchorage 2

Lake Superior 2

Massachusetts Lowell 2

Bemidji State 1

Ferris State 1

McGill 1

RPI 1

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

A High School AD/coach makes more than Mark Dennehy???

Yes he does, he was signed to a contract and guaranteed by old MC boosters that he would make the same plus bumps to go to his new gig. the old President at MC had given him a nice contract, about 50K more then MD signed for.

The answer is yes. He never missed a beat

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Just read an interesting stat on Mike's blog, Over the past 25 regular season games, Boston College is 17-7-1, Merrimack over the same stretch? 15-8-3. Just a two point difference.

 

[J.D.]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

In terms of signees--look at former Terriers Kevin Shattenkirk and Matt Gilroy--both non-draftees making major impacts at the NHL level--never being drafted after their successful college hockey careers...

OK a couple things here...1. Shattenkirk was drafted in the 1st round. Are you talking about someone else? 2. Gilroy is not making a major impact in the NHL

Merrimack over the same stretch? 15-8-3

That looks pretty darn good, but you need to avoid the home losses to bad teams like NU (although they've been playing better). I suppose they just imposed their will and made you play Husky hockey?

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

OK a couple things here...1. Shattenkirk was drafted in the 1st round. Are you talking about someone else? 2. Gilroy is not making a major impact in the NHL



That looks pretty darn good, but you need to avoid the home losses to bad teams like NU (although they've been playing better). I suppose they just imposed their will and made you play Husky hockey?

look at BC'S games compared to MC

MC plays niagra or Army, BC plays Wisconsin, Denver, Yale, Notre Dame, Denver twice, Miami of Ohio etc. All top 10 teams

MC has Niagra, CT, PC 3 times, lowell 3times and u mas 3 times

slightly different strength of schedule

better yet, MC had a losing record last year, first rd exit in playoffs. one game over 500 in HE this season

BC had a winning record and natl chmpionship last year and is 9-4 and 1at place in Hockey East. MC tied BU twice when they played last week, BC throttled them both games

stats sometimes look like bs

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

7-4-4 this year

in their last 10 reg season games of 2010 they were 6-2-2. thats 13-6-6 not 15-8-3.
3-10 run in mid last season


this doesnt count 1-2 vs bu in playoffs and losses to unh and lowell in the 2 immediate games before their last 10 of 2010, before that a nice little

even thinking about comparing them to BC is laughable. seeing that BC only lost 2 of their last 20 vs some of the top comp in the country

can anyone say apples to oranges?

 

[RENCEB]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

That looks pretty darn good, but you need to avoid the home losses to bad teams like NU (although they've been playing better). I suppose they just imposed their will and made you play Husky hockey?

Well played J.D., this one made me smile.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Just read an interesting stat on Mike's blog, Over the past 25 regular season games, Boston College is 17-7-1, Merrimack over the same stretch? 15-8-3. Just a two point difference.

RAISE A BANNER!!!!

(and take your hand out of your pants, chief).

Real interesting stat, these two programs are definitely very close to each other now that Merrimack has gone from basement dweller to borderline .500 club!! See you guys in Minnesota in April, then ok?!?!?

Or not.

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

RAISE A BANNER!!!!

(and take your hand out of your pants, chief).

Real interesting stat, these two programs are definitely very close to each other now that Merrimack has gone from basement dweller to borderline .500 club!! See you guys in Minnesota in April, then ok?!?!?

Or not.

and I dont see how he gets that record over previous 25

fuzzy math as well

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I love all the BC fan boys getting their panties in a twist when I mention a stat like that. I never intended it to mean Merrimack is at BC's level, Hokydad makes a good point, a lot of the non conference games are not comparable. However, the fact that the records are even remotely close speaks to where this program is headed and how far we've come.

As for playing Husky hockey, I think they play a very similar game to us. Very very physical which is why the results were so close and could have gone either way both nights. I don't think they made us play "their" type of game because "their" type of game is our type of game.

If the reffs continue to call tick tacky interference calls and not slashes and hooks than fine the players need to adapt to that. But it must be extremely frustrating as a player to play two periods of hockey (Saturday night) and then all of a sudden in the third the whistle is blowing for things both sides have been doing the whole game. No flow. No consistency. It was if there was an entirely different officiating crew on the ice. I don't get it.

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Up a spot to 17

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Up a spot to 17

thank BC

BC is 6-0 this year vs top 10

I know that they are not much better than MC over past 25 but you have to walk before you run

 

[sterlippo1]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

thank BC

BC is 6-0 this year vs top 10

I know that they are not much better than MC over past 25 but you have to walk before you run

lol............he even has a dry sense of humor now. i like it

 

[SteveF]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Just read an interesting stat on Mike's blog, Over the past 25 regular season games, Boston College is 17-7-1, Merrimack over the same stretch? 15-8-3. Just a two point difference.

it is **** poor analysis like this that got machnik fired by uscho and merrimack in the first place.

but to think, merrihack is just 2 points away from being the winningest college hockey team of the last decade and just one game away from 3 national championships in 10 years... oh so close!!!!

i won't even go into the fact that 15-8-3 is 26 games, mathlete.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I know that they are not much better than MC over past 25 but you have to walk before you run

Pfffffft... give him some time to respond. He has his hands in his pants right now with Merrimack at #17 and a few games above .500 (not to mention Merrimack made BC play THEIR GAME!!!!!!!!!!! ZOMG!!!!!).

 

[theprofromdover]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

it is **** poor analysis like this that got machnik fired by uscho and merrimack in the first place.

But to think, merrihack is just 2 points away from being the winningest college hockey team of the last decade and just one game away from 3 national championships in 10 years... Oh so close!!!!

I won't even go into the fact that 15-8-3 is 26 games, mathlete.

lol!

 

[Salvo1017]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

17th in the nation, 4th in HE going into break...I'm happy.

This team could have been plagued by the Charles Dickens - like expectations...but I think it's fair to say they've lived up to them so far. I like where we're at, and Merrimack fans have reason to be excited.

I look forward to seeing seats on the other side after break.

 

[Hokydad]

Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

17th in the nation, 4th in HE going into break...I'm happy.

This team could have been plagued by the Charles Dickinson - like expectations...but I think it's fair to say they've lived up to them so far. I like where we're at, and Merrimack fans have reason to be excited.

I look forward to seeing seats on the other side after break.

No one has amore loyal optimistic fanbase than MC. Very lucky to have that... Some programs get spoiled and cant enjoy the ride.

Losing last game before break at home to NU is not a way to go to break. Being barely above 500 is not a positive and I would guess that slipping up vs NU and PC would be considered a negative.

Also spitting out the bit at home vs BU is a slight blip


blip, blip, blip= Hooray!!!! in MC land. Thats not a bad thing in college sports