What's new
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.

Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Wondering what you thought of the yea Alex Gillies had. I expect a lot more next year similar to Tyler Heinonen improvement his sophomore year.
Can we expect a lot from Blacklock, E. Anderson, and Jackson next year. Will they have better years than Gillies this year due to a lot more ice time?
i would expect Blacklock and Anderson to be better next year than gillies based on experience from practice. Jackson is very skilled but who knows how he'll adjust the jump.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Tanner Kero is our first All American since Jamie Ram. Huge.

Is this the CLASS award that you mention here?

EDIT: I see, AHCA All American too.
 
Last edited:
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

As BU takes the ice, some dignitaries standing there. Among them, coach Mel Pearson. Looking very dapper.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Unbelievable national championship game and I think the ESPN guys accurately assessed that we just saw the Bill Buckner moment of college hockey. Also nice Freudian slip by the committee chair awarding the trophy "to the Boston... uhhh, Providence College Friars" I think Tech fans should be pretty pumped that the last three NCAA champs are Providence, Union and Yale. Clearly, if you get in the tourney, anyone can win it.
Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Unbelievable national championship game and I think the ESPN guys accurately assessed that we just saw the Bill Buckner moment of college hockey. Also nice Freudian slip by the committee chair awarding the trophy "to the Boston... uhhh, Providence College Friars" I think Tech fans should be pretty pumped that the last three NCAA champs are Providence, Union and Yale. Clearly, if you get in the tourney, anyone can win it.
Ryan J

Actually what he said was, the uhhhh, Providence College..... Terriers.

Enjoyed the game, I think we can all empathize with BU. It also got me to thinking about the shot in the St Cloud game that Lesperence had point blank, and somehow the goalie stopped. I think if you watch NHL opportunities like that, they always shoot real high and it goes in. I also want to point out, we played that game without Pietila, so next season, I'm looking for us to be pretty darned good, even with losing some real top players.

Regarding the regionals, seems like an awful lot of people want a change. I'd take super regionals over campus sites for sure, but neither one is a great solution.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Saw this note on Blake.
http://www.nj.com/devils/index.ssf/2015/04/devils_rapid_reaction_73.html

Left winger Blake Pietila, the Devils' fourth pick (129th overall in the fifth round) in the 2011 entry draft, is to be examined by doctors before the team decides whether it will try to sign him. The Michigan Tech forward, who suffered a lower body injury, can also become an unrestricted free agent Aug. 15.

"He couldn't play so there is no rush," Lamoriello said. "He's injured. We wouldn't sign him until the doctors check him out and determine how serious the injury is."
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Wondering what you thought of the year Alex Gillies had. I expect a lot more next year similar to Tyler Heinonen's improvement his sophomore year.
Can we expect a lot from Blacklock, E. Anderson, and Jackson next year. Will they have better years than Gillies this year due to a lot more ice time?


Gillies had too many drive byes for my liking. Too much circling and not enough going to the dirty areas. I believe Jackson will be a regular in the lineup with his speed. And Boeing will be challenging for ice time as well. Anderson and Blacklock will have their work cutout to even crack the lineup. Be interesting to see who stays over the summer and works out with Shelast.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Gillies had too many drive byes for my liking. Too much circling and not enough going to the dirty areas. I believe Jackson will be a regular in the lineup with his speed. And Boeing will be challenging for ice time as well. Anderson and Blacklock will have their work cutout to even crack the lineup. Be interesting to see who stays over the summer and works out with Shelast.
So who on the team do you expect to play center and take faceoffs beyond Neville and Steman? Blacklock is the only other Center I know of that is coming in. Baltus is the only returning player to be listed as a center beyond Neville and Steman, but he never took a faceoff in 2014-15.

Returning players faceoff numbers (with more than 10 faceoffs):
Steman 274-264
Neville 238-265
Petan 53-58
L'Esperance 27-23
Heinonen 23-13
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

So who on the team do you expect to play center and take faceoffs beyond Neville and Steman? Blacklock is the only other Center I know of that is coming in. Baltus is the only returning player to be listed as a center beyond Neville and Steman, but he never took a faceoff in 2014-15.

Returning players faceoff numbers (with more than 10 faceoffs):
Steman 274-264
Neville 238-265
Petan 53-58
L'Esperance 27-23
Heinonen 23-13


I'm not sure who the centers would be beyond Neville and Steman. L'Esperance can play center, but not sure if he'll end up there. I'm sure most forwards can play both. Usually you wants guys with speed and some size up the middle. Wouldn't surprise me if Jackson plays center next year. Good questions for the next Mel Pearson show.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I'm not sure who the centers would be beyond Neville and Steman. L'Esperance can play center, but not sure if he'll end up there. I'm sure most forwards can play both. Usually you wants guys with speed and some size up the middle. Wouldn't surprise me if Jackson plays center next year. Good questions for the next Mel Pearson show.

Definitely, I've been told that both Hannoun and Jackson did not play center in the BCHL this year. I'd really like to hear from Mel who is coming in next season. Just remember that whatever he says he's unlikely to be able to mention Cope even though Cope will be coming in this season.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

L'Esperance can play center

I could be wrong but I have heard L'Esperance has always been a center and never played wing prior to coming to Tech? If that is indeed the case that should be an easy transition for him I would think.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I could be wrong but I have heard L'Esperance has always been a center and never played wing prior to coming to Tech? If that is indeed the case that should be an easy transition for him I would think.


True. He played center almost exclusively.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I wonder about Lucchini, can he play center? with those kinds of numbers you would think he's heading here.. It's a good spot for playmakers after all..

Tomorrow is the big day for NLI's.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

I wonder about Lucchini, can he play center? with those kinds of numbers you would think he's heading here.. It's a good spot for playmakers after all..

Tomorrow is the big day for NLI's.

We have 8 verbal commitments with no current NLI:
Lucchini, Ford, Redmond, Rostagno, Gould, Brown, Gingell and Williamson
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2015 off-season I: Building on what we've learned...

Anderson and Blacklock will have their work cutout to even crack the lineup.
I don't think Mel's decision to stockpile these guys was due to them not having high end talent or not performing in practice. They were both studs in the BCHL and Mel repeatedly talked about them being really strong in practice. I think when it became clear early on that they would miss the first half of the season due to injury/illness, Mel decided to redshirt them. As such, I don't think either of them were ever in the running to dress for a game. Based on their performance in juniors, I think they're both strong candidates to crack the lineup and to be major contributors. In fact, it would be a bit of a disappointment to me if they're not.
 
Back
Top