Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

[Huskiefan906]

It's not unreasonable to think that Mel may be covering Tech's bases a bit, but it's completely unfair to suggest he already has one foot out the door.

In fact, I would say that discussions surrounding Mel's contract extension should be starting in earnest now that the assistant search has wrapped. Would be unusual not to get him inked to an extension soon, being on the last two years of his original, 5-year deal.

I would add another 5 years tomorrow, no one who cares for Tech hockey wants Mel to leave, but I expected the next great young hockey mind being hired and we got a very experienced coach that could possibly assume the head position.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

my 1969- 70 and my 70 71 season tickets. 69 -70 was 4. 50 and 70 71 was 6 dollars.

Surely they didn't expect folks to pay for parking as well at those exorbitant prices. Frankfurters were only a nickel back then. How was a young whippersnapper to make an honest living with those ticket prices...
But in all seriousness, could you post a scan or digital image of some of them - cool memento for sure.

Ryan J

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

I really don't understand why there is so much doom and gloom regarding Mel's future with the Huskies. Yes, he coached a loooong time at Michigan but he's also a Tech alum, not a Wolverine.

Compare the situation to baseball. If you become the head coach of the Yankees, sure you might get paid more and you get the glamour of a big city market, but on the down side, unless you win a championship every year, you are called a failure by the fans, the media and the former players. If you do manage to win it all, people say "Well anyone could do that, it's the Yankees..."

Our drought hasn't been as long by comparison, but there is a reason that people still want to coach the Chicago Cubs and until recently the same was true of the Boston Red Sox. They are historical franchises in their sport and if you can make them a winner, even once, you'll be remembered forever. And in the case of Boston they not only won one, but they figured out the formula of how to dethrone the Boston College of baseball and said "Now it's OUR turn at the top.

At Michigan there is nothing but downside. At MTU there is nothing but upside. I'm very confident that Mel is now in his last coaching job in the NCAA ranks if he keeps building the Huskies year after year.

Ryan J

 

[UpNorthHockey]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

This hire makes me very nervous that Mel is indeed leaving.
He will take Muckalt with him leaving our U.P. Veteran to pick up the pieces.....
All the Lakers wanted him as their next coach, won't it be ironic if the job could have been Damon's if he waited a year.

I think Shawhan is a great hire, but he's not the level of guy that would be groomed to take over for Mel. I don't think Damon was either. Tech has signaled a willingness to put up big bucks for an elite coach that can restore the brand. Mel was a known quantity and could have gone almost anywhere he wanted. If Mel were to leave, I expect we'd be looking for another known quantity with elite credentials as opposed to bringing in an assistant coach from a nearby school and quickly grooming them. Also, with respect to the competition for wing positions, I see that Evan Anderson isn't in the discussion much. He was every bit as solid as Gillies and Blacklock in the BC last year. I expect he'll get an early chance to crack the starting lineup.

 

[huskyfan]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

in tMel I trust. otherwise its a *yawn*. lateral moves, I don't like.

 

[geezer]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Why do you think he'd leave NMU for MTU?

from the Gazette interview, "The position I held at Northern wasn't funded to be a career position - so it was inevitable that I moved on eventually. I thought this was the right time."
It sounds like he moved for the money, and was hired for the goalie coaching experience and recruiting networks.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Surely they didn't expect folks to pay for parking as well at those exorbitant prices. Frankfurters were only a nickel back then. How was a young whippersnapper to make an honest living with those ticket prices...
But in all seriousness, could you post a scan or digital image of some of them - cool memento for sure.

Ryan J

They didn't charge for parking to my recollection, but I almost always walked downtown to the games. I would buy standing room for saturday nights games and use these for friday.
I would love to post an image but don't you have to upload an image to some web site like picassa first?

BTW. this last year a buddy of mine was coming from out of town and we went to a michigan game.The game was sold out so I bought two tickets on stub hub. For 95 each.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

in tMel I trust. otherwise its a *yawn*. lateral moves, I don't like.

As has been discussed, this move is actually a half-to-full step up for Shawhan. Sure, he gets the same title, but it comes with a pay increase and likely a considerable amount of input into the goaltending situation, since that is his specialty and that is how Mel treated Shields when he was a volunteer.

 

[JohnsonsJerseys]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Ta buddy of mine was coming from out of town and we went to a michigan game.The game was sold out so I bought two tickets on stub hub. For 95 each.

Yeah, that seems about right. 95 cents is right around what I would pay to watch Michigan play (unless they were playing Tech of course).
Ryan J

 

[giwan]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

I really don't understand why there is so much doom and gloom regarding Mel's future with the Huskies. Yes, he coached a loooong time at Michigan but he's also a Tech alum, not a Wolverine. Compare the situation to baseball. If you become the head coach of the Yankees, sure you might get paid more and you get the glamour of a big city market, but on the down side, unless you win a championship every year, you are called a failure by the fans, the media and the former players. If you do manage to win it all, people say "Well anyone could do that, it's the Yankees..." Our drought hasn't been as long by comparison, but there is a reason that people still want to coach the Chicago Cubs and until recently the same was true of the Boston Red Sox. They are historical franchises in their sport and if you can make them a winner, even once, you'll be remembered forever. And in the case of Boston they not only won one, but they figured out the formula of how to dethrone the Boston College of baseball and said "Now it's OUR turn at the top. At Michigan there is nothing but downside. At MTU there is nothing but upside. I'm very confident that Mel is now in his last coaching job in the NCAA ranks if he keeps building the Huskies year after year.Ryan J

First. I would not trust the old pizza guy to even offer the position to tMel.
Second. Isn't there a saying about being the guy AFTER the guy that replaces a famous coach?
Third. Screw Michigan

 

[mtu_huskies]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Shawhan seems like a good hire. I like the goalie experience angle.

Here's a couple Tech recruit items I've seen around the internet.

Prospect Watch: Early summer NCAA commitments
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/prospect-watch-early-summer-ncaa-commitments/

Jacob Olson, D, Michigan Tech
Like Jackson, Olson was in Buffalo for the Select 17s tournament and earned a spot on Team USA’s entry at this summer’s Ivan Hlinka Memorial tourney in the Czech Republic/Slovakia. Olson is a big boy at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds already and not the type of player you want to go into the corner against. He is slated to return to the Minnesota high school ranks for 2014-15 as a member of the Hill-Murray Pioneers, a top-flight program. He’ll head up to Houghton in 2016-17.

Here's Pittsburgh's media guide for the development camp. I thought it was interesting they say he's expected to suit up for Tech next year.
http://penguins.nhl.com/v2/ext/media/pdf/2014 Development Camp Bios.pdf

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Shawhan seems like a good hire. I like the goalie experience angle.

Here's a couple Tech recruit items I've seen around the internet.

Prospect Watch: Early summer NCAA commitments
http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/prospect-watch-early-summer-ncaa-commitments/



Here's Pittsburgh's media guide for the development camp. I thought it was interesting they say he's expected to suit up for Tech next year.
http://penguins.nhl.com/v2/ext/media/pdf/2014 Development Camp Bios.pdf

Jacob Olson should be a top notch stay at home d-man. As for the penguins article, I assume it's talking about Dane Birks. he is slated to come in this season and I expect him and Roy to step in a play regular minutes from day one. Birks, Roy, Liebinger, Watson, Hanna, Sweeney, and Hyland will be fighting for minutes and I expect the younger guys to get the majority of minutes...

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

They are also defensemen that play opposite roles. Birks is an elite skater, puckmover, and a natural PP point, while Roy is more physical and a better 1-on-1 defender who can chip in offensively.

What's particularly intriguing is that having Birks and Hanna gives us the option of establishing two PP units that can legitimately convert, or putting them together in certain situations where we need all the vision and puck movement we can get.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

They are also defensemen that play opposite roles. Birks is an elite skater, puckmover, and a natural PP point, while Roy is more physical and a better 1-on-1 defender who can chip in offensively.

What's particularly intriguing is that having Birks and Hanna gives us the option of establishing two PP units that can legitimately convert, or putting them together in certain situations where we need all the vision and puck movement we can get.

I can't wait to see Hanna, Leibinger, and Watson as sophomores and what Birks and Roy can do as freshman. The Blueline is going to be very strong. Hopefully a strength of this team.

 

[Huskiefan906]

I can't wait to see Hanna, Leibinger, and Watson as sophomores and what Birks and Roy can do as freshman. The Blueline is going to be very strong. Hopefully a strength of this team.

Shirtless, have you confirmed Birks, he was not listed on the hidden Tech website 2014-15 roster a few weeks back?

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Shirtless, have you confirmed Birks, he was not listed on the hidden Tech website 2014-15 roster a few weeks back?

I am 99% sure that Birks will be a Husky this fall.

 

[manurespreader]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

I was thinking that the line up will change depending on if we are going to have to grind it out or if it's an up and down game.

And what of Jimmy Davis. He's been improving.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Davis has handled his situation pretty well for a guy who seemingly played every minute in high school. He got overwhelmed by the college game as a true freshman with no juniors experience, and now the unfortunate part for him is that despite showing improvement over the last three years, Mel's first recruit is nevertheless probably the 10th or 11th best defenseman on the roster due to all of the other players the staff has added who have more pure talent. Let's bear in mind that he did only play in one game last season. So, it's likely that Davis will be lucky to get any sort of ice time at all this year, however like I said, it seems he's worked hard every day to be ready when he does get the call.

 

[Shirtless Guy]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Davis has handled his situation pretty well for a guy who seemingly played every minute in high school. He got overwhelmed by the college game as a true freshman with no juniors experience, and now the unfortunate part for him is that despite showing improvement over the last three years, Mel's first recruit is nevertheless probably the 10th or 11th best defenseman on the roster due to all of the other players the staff has added who have more pure talent. Let's bear in mind that he did only play in one game last season. So, it's likely that Davis will be lucky to get any sort of ice time at all this year, however like I said, it seems he's worked hard every day to be ready when he does get the call.

Depending on how things shake out he could end up being top 6 but I think his ceiling is more likely the 8th spot.

 

[Huskiefan906]

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason 2014: Nothing To Say

Johnstone, Kero, Pietila, and Petan are the offensive leaders.
Sturos played so well with Johnstone and Pietila that they should form 1 of the top 2 lines.
Then, E. Anderson, Gillies, Heinonen, L' Esperance or Blacklock could win the final job in the top 6.
Then Gillies, L'Esperance, E. Anderson or Blacklock form a talented 3 rd line.
Then, Eick, Neville, Gould or Vallis could form a very tough 4th line which can score and shut down the other side.
Where this leaves Hietila, Baltus, P. Anderson as they will fall on the depth chart.
Where does Steman fit 3rd or 4th line?

Same battle for ice on defense.
Hanna, Sweeney, Watson, and Leibinger will play all the games.
Birks and Roy should round out the starters.
Hyland and Auk will rotate in.
Where this leaves Davis, Fillion, and Schuldt

Will there be any cuts as it seems a lot of players to manage as the talent uptake is realized.