What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

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

Status
Not open for further replies.
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

J.D. said:
Agree completely. And just because Merrimack's opponent on any given night might have more NHL draft picks, that doesn't automatically mean they are a better team than Merrimack. This could quite possibly be Merrimack's best team in their D1 history and they have a legitimate chance to make the NCAA tournament. It's not all because of two players either.
Click to expand...

How has having a bunch of NHL draft picks worked out for Minnesota and Harvard the last few years? Yes, I know both had success for the early parts of the 2000s, but how have they been lately? A lot of underachieving. Also, some of UNH's best teams were with those undrafted guys that ended up developing and being stars.

The Merrimack has offense has actually underperformed so far this year. Their defense and goaltending have led them. Check out the statistics. It backs this up. Karl Stollery is one of the best d-men in the league. I don't even mean for his offensive production. He is just solid. Heywood is a great freshman, laying some big hip checks.

I really hope Cucci isn't hurt too badly. He is an underrated player who is one of the key cogs on offense.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

J.D. said:
Agree completely. And just because Merrimack's opponent on any given night might have more NHL draft picks, that doesn't automatically mean they are a better team than Merrimack. This could quite possibly be Merrimack's best team in their D1 history and they have a legitimate chance to make the NCAA tournament. It's not all because of two players either.
Click to expand...

Hook up the HC to a lie detector test and you would get a different opinion....

Not 1 D on MC as good as DW or MN. AC will be as such if he stays.

All good and I 100% root for MC but the emperor is not decked out in a tuxedo. Bitter? nope. Simply have an opinion that is based upon what I saw. Outside 1 or 2 years with Vesey, there is no question this is their best team. I am a believer. But also feel as soon as those 2 leave, look out below.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

irishfan85 said:
How has having a bunch of NHL draft picks worked out for Minnesota and Harvard the last few years? Yes, I know both had success for the early parts of the 2000s, but how have they been lately? A lot of underachieving. Also, some of UNH's best teams were with those undrafted guys that ended up developing and being stars.

The Merrimack has offense has actually underperformed so far this year. Their defense and goaltending have led them. Check out the statistics. It backs this up. Karl Stollery is one of the best d-men in the league. I don't even mean for his offensive production. He is just solid. Heywood is a great freshman, laying some big hip checks.

I really hope Cucci isn't hurt too badly. He is an underrated player who is one of the key cogs on offense.
Click to expand...

Agree 100%... Stollery is interesting as he gets it done, period...
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I don't think Merrimack will finish 3-5 consistently. I've been watching college hockey way too long. It's been a sport dominated by the same few teams nationally and in league for many, many years. Recent history shows that the small schools, the outsiders have had a good run and then will fall back some, whether it be Ferris State, St. Lawrence, etc.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

I'd take Stollery over Nicastro, but I'd take Warsofsky over just about any defenseman in the league for college success. I'm not sold on his ability at the next level yet.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

And at the end of the day it still comes down to recruiting. Dacosta was a fluke and Cannata simply wanted to be close to home and Dennehy offered first. If he had waited 5 or 6 weeks, he would have had offers from several other schools after frozen four.
2 very unique situations that will probably not be replicated. If you look at Heisneberg, the list is the same old same old. A long list of 21 year old freshmen from western Canadian leagues. Most of whom are ending up there after exausting other options. That is the world the coach has to live in. There could be another Dacosta in the crop, which would be good foer the school and league.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

J.D. said:
Hokydad, it's YOUR opinion. Stick to that and leave Dennehy out of the conversation. You don't know what he thinks.



Nobody said differently.
Click to expand...

No SH**. Never said he did. That is my opinion and still is. HC is a very good judge of talent and does a great job running the program. I simply said that is what I believe and I still do.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

irishfan85 said:
I'd take Stollery over Nicastro, but I'd take Warsofsky over just about any defenseman in the league for college success. I'm not sold on his ability at the next level yet.
Click to expand...

He is a pro. He was making passes last night off the charts. MC tried to beat him up all night, to no avail.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Warsofsky would be the smallest d-man in the NHL. Not one of the smallest, the smallest. Will be very interesting to see if he can succeed at that level.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

With the combo of the new president and the new AD and the commitment they have shown to the athletics department that has been lacking completely in past administrations, I don't think we'll see the program's "wheels" fall off. We have much higher caliber players coming in than before...but perhaps their biggest difference is their attitudes.

I credit the Pat Bowen era of changing it, before him the team was constantly getting in trouble on campus with drinking, partying, etc. Their attitude of work first and play second is a big factor in their success...not just talent. While the talent may leave, that attitude is here to stay. And that attitude is what keeps you out of the 9th and 10th place.

I know college hockey is NO WHERE near college bball in popularity, but look at what happened to our sister school after they made a run at the championship in the 80s. Prior to their championship, Villanova wasn't all that to brag about - whether it be athletically or academically. A lot of their success in both of those fields can be attributed to that team that got their name out there.

Let's see if Merrimack can get us some national recognition this year. Getting into the NCAAs is a great step to make. (NOTE: I'm not suggesting that MC will win anything this year....just that the possibility of an NCAA bid is there...and from there it's just one win at a time)

Anyone have any idea on how Bigos is coming along?
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

J.D. said:
Warsofsky would be the smallest d-man in the NHL. Not one of the smallest, the smallest. Will be very interesting to see if he can succeed at that level.
Click to expand...

He will....

He plays chess, most others play checkers. Even if he wasnt an offensive guy and was simply a transitional D, he would be above average. first pass is as good as anyone in D 1, if not the best. made some 2 zone passes last night that you see a couple times a year. Believe it or not, that is what hurts Clendening as he tries to copy and cant.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

1. I really don't think Nicastro is anything special.

2. Stop using initials, it's creepy. I'm going to lay off the Chris Hansen jokes here. It's just really strange. I know, I know...

3. Colby Cohen and Warsofsky = Bruins dynasty... in Providence. Warsofsky will be a good pro... in the AHL. Kid's going to get hammered in the NHL. He'll get a cup of coffee up there once in a while. He'll take a beating beneath his own goal line. Sounds like a good kid though and a very good college player.

4. Merrimack is definitely going to drop off when Dacosta and Cannata take off. That is obvious but with the putridness of the league right now they could drop back to 9-10 or could hang around 5-8. Tough to tell. It's as much about what the other teams back there are doing as well. I do think they'll be more competitive than they used to be (hooray for Salvo getting his rocks off on this) but their time hanging around the NCAA field and home ice could be short lived.
 
Nick Papagiorgio said:
1. I really don't think Nicastro is anything special.

2. Stop using initials, it's creepy. I'm going to lay off the Chris Hansen jokes here. It's just really strange. I know, I know...

3. Colby Cohen and Warsofsky = Bruins dynasty... in Providence. Warsofsky will be a good pro... in the AHL. Kid's going to get hammered in the NHL. He'll get a cup of coffee up there once in a while. He'll take a beating beneath his own goal line. Sounds like a good kid though and a very good college player.

4. Merrimack is definitely going to drop off when Dacosta and Cannata take off. That is obvious but with the putridness of the league right now they could drop back to 9-10 or could hang around 5-8. Tough to tell. It's as much about what the other teams back there are doing as well. I do think they'll be more competitive than they used to be (hooray for Salvo getting his rocks off on this) but their time hanging around the NCAA field and home ice could be short lived.
Click to expand...

Let's take the BU discussion to the BU thread, thanks.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Also just like any team with a superstar, the team is centered around that athlete.

I think Da Costa and Cannata will be missed greatly, and our success may drop off a bit, but not off a cliff. Freshmen have looked good, we have a winner with heywood. But let's worry about this year first.

Home ice is priority #1. Let's save the next year worries to the off season when material is at a low.
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

irishfan85 said:
I'd take Stollery over Nicastro, but I'd take Warsofsky over just about any defenseman in the league for college success. I'm not sold on his ability at the next level yet.
Click to expand...

For college success, I'd take Kessel over Warsofsky. For pro success, I'd take Dumoulin over anyone
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Hokydad said:
No SH**. Never said he did. That is my opinion and still is. HC is a very good judge of talent and does a great job running the program. I simply said that is what I believe and I still do.
Click to expand...

Who let you out of your cage? I was hoping you got hit by a car
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Great win for the Mack. The team has gotten it done against 2 of the big 4. Good job.

Now, will they keep up the same intensity against teams not from BC, BU, UNH or Maine?
Therein lies the key to being one of the big 4, or remaining one of the pack, on the outside looking in. :cool:
 
Re: Merrimack College 2010-2011: taking H.E. one chair-back seat at a time

Given that frosh like Ellis and Heywood both have NHL scouts watching, in addition to DaCosta, Cannata, Stollery, Barton, Bigos, Todd and Ross, I find it hard to believe thier success is coming from "two players". That's not a fluke. Those are players from four separate classes. Whether it's a fan of one particular team or it upsets someone's idea of Hockey East equillibrium it seems much like sour grapes.

Acting like the BU's and BC's are sooo good at recruiting is absurd. All they have to do is put their name on stationery and send it to a kid. The MC's, NU's, PC's, UML's have to forecast where a player might be potentially in 3-4 years and take a chance.

Warsofsky is good but I really don't see him that much better than Stollery. He certainly can't skate as well although we could say that about most D-men in college hockey. Maybe Warsofsky will be the next Don Sweeney for the B's but I'd think he'd need time in the A. I certainly wouldn't expect a Shattenkirk rookie year from him.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top