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Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Oval

Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

Lots of depth this year on the team.
How does this look to try to win the Cup ourselves.
I think there will be a lot of shuffling in and out of the lineup especially at home with possibly 4 players in and out on a regular basis.
I am rooting for Blacklock and Anderson to get regular time, but with the quality of the recruiting class, it will be a battle for playing time.

Heinonen Steman L'Esperance
Baltus Lucchini Gillies
Jackson Beretta Gerrie
Gould Neville Sturos

Anderson Smith Pederson
Blacklock Brice

Watson Roy
Auk Hanna
Leibinger Birks
Ford Reinke

Kero
Wintjes
Raymond



I can't share the "quality recruiting class" excitement. Nothing against the incoming guys but I don't see any of them playing a big role this coming season. Hope I'm wrong.

I feel Gould has the best shot of seeing the most regular ice time. The others don't have the experience at a level high enough to make a quick jump. I don't think any of them except for Gould come close to the experience that Blacklock and E. Anderson had coming in.

I see Blacklock definitely replacing Beretta in your lineup above and E. Anderson pushing for regular ice time.

I see Gerrie, Beretta, Pederson, Smith and Brice all having to work their tails off for limited time; in the order listed.

I also don't see Neville and Sturos playing a fourth line role if your order indicates that; especially below any of the incoming guys.

Hope I'm wrong on the new guys especially with the early schedule being so tough. I really see a team that may have to rely on 2 lines to carry the majority of the load.

There are still a lot of offensive question marks. Will Heinonen be 100%, will Steman return to his freshman form, will Lesperance continue to improve, will Gillies make the next step, can Jackson contribute night in and night out, can Sturos find his scoring touch?

The fortunate thing as mentioned earlier; the D core should be solid.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

Michigan Tech got another commitment over the weekend from 18yo Brenden Rons...a defenseman from Farmington Hills, MI. He's 6-4 and currently a teammate of another future techie, Tommy Parrottino on the Oakland Grizzlies AAA team.

Sounds like he's a pretty smooth skater, big and more of a stay home defenseman...not many points in is AAA/U16 career. Has a chance to stick with Omaha (USHL) this year with another tech recruit, Jake Gingell. If he doesn't, he'll likely end up in the NAHL at Topeka.

If we include Travis Brown, that makes 8 committed defensemen.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

I think some combo of Jackson, Blacklock, and Gilles are due to take a step, and Sturos should be motivated to have a solid senior year after withering on the vine for the last two years.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

...withering on the vine for the last two years.

"Withering on the vine" might be a little harsh. IMO he plays very hard and despite his scoring woes has looked very good at times. Not sure why the puck doesn't go in the net for him but I think he definitely contributes more than his numbers show. He can be a thorn in the opposing teams side when he wants to be.

He was also a big part of Max Vallis' success late assisting on 6 of his 8 goals. Paired with the right guys I think he can still do some damage.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There will be no more ties as far as the WCHA is concerned this season.

All games will be worth a total of 3 points

3 points for a win regulation or the traditional 5 minute OT (5 v 5)

2 points for win in 3 v 3 OT or Shootout

1 point for loss in 3 v 3 OT or Shootout
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There will be no more ties as far as the WCHA is concerned this season.

All games will be worth a total of 3 points

3 points for a win regulation or the traditional 5 minute OT (5 v 5)

2 points for win in 3 v 3 OT or Shootout

1 point for loss in 3 v 3 OT or Shootout

Where do the clown cars come in? Holy hell that is moronic.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

Where do the clown cars come in?

On the same road ASU is coming to join us, can't you see them just clamoring to join the conference that prides itself on being the cheap, watered-down version of the NHL?
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

On the same road ASU is coming to join us, can't you see them just clamoring to join the conference that prides itself on being the cheap, watered-down version of the NHL?

What difference does it make? Everyone in the west is doing this...
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

...the conference that prides itself on being the cheap, watered-down version of the NHL?
Or is so desperate to copy a league of teams that left them for dead... We could have at least made overtime 1 on 1 with goalies rather than just copy everyone else if they wanted to make some moronic changes to the league.

Well at least we can shed the "clutch and grab" label. How are you going to clutch and grab playing 3 on 3. Time to start recruiting the 5' 6" skill players again...

WCHA points for originality - 0.0

Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

Well looks like 2018 will be the year mankato leaves. let's hope we can get things under control as a league by then. I don't hate the changes. I think the league had to do something to reduce the ties.
As far as the team this year, I'm not as confident about our team as I was last year at this time. I think Gerrie can contribute, but I question if any of the other freshmen forwards can be a day to day player any time soon. Maybe Gould.

also, check this one out. From late june.
http://arizonasports.com/story/709720/leblanc-coyotes-have-chosen-site-for-new-arena/
at Glendale thru 2018-19 at least.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

Still a lot of wishful thinking on ASU's part that they are going to have a new facility by the start of the 2018-19 season. Even if they partner with the Coyotes, they plan to be in Gila River through the 2018-19 season so ASU isn't going to get a new facility faster than the Coyotes. ASU's best case scenario is that they share a facility with the NHL which means they won't have a new rink until at least the 2019-20 season. Even the NHL is realistic enough to admit that the planning / construction for a new rink will be at least three years, and that's assuming they get their land situation figured out pretty quick.

As for MSU departing... whatever. I won't miss them. If it means Tech is in a position to win more games and maybe win the WCHA and an NCAA auto-bid 3 or 4 times out of every five years in a "weak" conference, so be it. I would rather that Tech show some moral character and stick it out with the WCHA.

Ryan J
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There has to be concern now with the WCHA for Tech.
MSU, possible UAA, potential for BGSU, LSSU president questioning div 1 status, Oy, enjoy this season everybody.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There has to be concern now with the WCHA for Tech.
MSU, possible UAA, potential for BGSU, LSSU president questioning div 1 status, Oy, enjoy this season everybody.

I wouldn't be too worried overall, at least until both Alaska schools fold. Losing UAA and MSU will hurt but actually make the league more attractive to AHA teams that want full scholarships. Which could help keep BGSU happy.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There has to be concern now with the WCHA for Tech.
MSU, possible UAA, potential for BGSU, LSSU president questioning div 1 status, Oy, enjoy this season everybody.
It's not the LSSU president questioning Div 1 status. It's the president of the faculty association. The LSSU president supports Div 1 status.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

It's not the LSSU president questioning Div 1 status. It's the president of the faculty association. The LSSU president supports Div 1 status.
The president of the faculty association also doesn't understand that hockey can't just go to D3 without all athletics going d3, or they won't truly be d3 in hockey...
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

The president of the faculty association also doesn't understand that hockey can't just go to D3 without all athletics going d3, or they won't truly be d3 in hockey...

Yep.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

The president of the faculty association also doesn't understand that hockey can't just go to D3 without all athletics going d3, or they won't truly be d3 in hockey...

As was seen at Tech, winning solves this type of talk. Hopefully the WCHA can keep going in the future, with Tech, Ferris, NMU and LSSU all involved.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

For anyone who lives in the LP, or anywhere else for that matter, Scott Monaghan, director of Hockey Operations for USA hockey and Sean Braziel, volunteer coach, are going to be speaking at the Kiwanis Club in Plymouth next thursday at noon. If you are interested e mail me and I can get you free tickets.As you know the USNTDP is headquartered now in Plymouth.
 
Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

There has to be concern now with the WCHA for Tech... potential BGSU [flight risk]...
If Tech continues to win 20+ games per season, they have no worries regardless of what happens to the WCHA.

If ASU is going to join the NCHC, both BGSU and MSU are not going to the NCHC because they won't have a partner to join with... well at least until San Diego, UNLV, Oregon or who ever folks claim are making the jump, actually goes DI.

Ryan

PS Yesterday, I heard the U-HI Fighting Rainbows are going to D-I in hockey and will be joining the Pacific Rim Division of the NCHC. Actually I'm not sure they even have a team, but I'm still pretty sure they are going D-I...
 
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Re: Michigan Tech 2016 Off-Season: Good Things are Taking Shape... The Shape of an Ov

The main Hockey Roster page is still 15-16, but updating the website with 2016-17 has a roster on it.

http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2016-17/roster

Obviously it's not official but some notes at this point.
No Keegan Ford listed yet
Todd Kiilunen is listed at D from Brighton, MI
Patrick Anderson is listed, didn't he participate in the senior night last year?
 
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