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Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

uaafanblog said:
Looks like you guys lost a very very promising recruit in 2012 Sam Labrecque who is now reported to be going to Clarkson this season (per heisenberg).
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And Clarkson will be very happy to take him - we need the help!
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
Maybe during the season he just got second thoughts & wanted to play closer to home, and the coaching change gave him an easy out. We'll never know the details.

As for recruiting, I think we'll start seeing more commitments during the fall months. Also, the type of player that Pearson really wants is going to be looking for a program that can win games, and that's something that he hasn't established yet. The coaches have only been on the recruiting trail for three months, give them time.
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So apparently Mel announced on the radio this morning that there will be another defenseman for 2011-12 announced later this week.
Possible Targets:
Nick Amies-Cowichan Valley (BCHL)
Riley Sweeney-Surrey (BCHL)
Josh Monk-Surrey (BCHL)
Nicholas Wong-Cowichan Valley (BCHL)
Dan Molenaar-Eden Prairie MN
D.J. Jones-Wayzata MN
Taylor Fleming-St.Thomas Academy MN
Nolan Zajac-Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Carter Foguth-Muskegon (USHL)
Steven Hensley-Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Craig Bokenfohr-Camrose (AJHL)
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Shirtless Guy said:
So apparently Mel announced on the radio this morning that there will be another defenseman for 2011-12 announced later this week.
Possible Targets:
Nick Amies-Cowichan Valley (BCHL)
Riley Sweeney-Surrey (BCHL)
Josh Monk-Surrey (BCHL)
Nicholas Wong-Cowichan Valley (BCHL)
Dan Molenaar-Eden Prairie MN
D.J. Jones-Wayzata MN
Taylor Fleming-St.Thomas Academy MN
Nolan Zajac-Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Carter Foguth-Muskegon (USHL)
Steven Hensley-Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Craig Bokenfohr-Camrose (AJHL)
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Molenaar or Jones please. I thought Jones was one of the best players on the ice in the section 6 championship game (and that is high praise, given the talent in that game), but I was also told that it was deceiving because he was a year older than everyone else. Either way, he is a helluva d-man.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

bigblue_dl said:
Molenaar or Jones please. I thought Jones was one of the best players on the ice in the section 6 championship game (and that is high praise, given the talent in that game), but I was also told that it was deceiving because he was a year older than everyone else. Either way, he is a helluva d-man.
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My top 4 from that list are Molenaar, Jones, Zajac and Sweeney but I have a feeling it will be Foguth or Hensley (both kids from Lower Michigan).
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

I would expect shirtless is right and we are going to see a player or two more from Michigan. Also these coaches really have only had 6 or 7 weeks at this.
I expect a different style player from them especially on the defensive side. One that is more offensive and can skate with the forwards. I think this is extremely good and will have immediate effects on the quality of the power play. I think it's very possible we win 10 league games this year just based on a different attitude, assuming we don't have the injuries again.I like what Mel said earlier, no one is going to be coming in to Houghton looking at the games as 4 points any longer.

Has anyone heard what is going to happen with Furne after his little incident?
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

From the Tech Alum Email update, it looks like we have a few players that can hold their own in a golf scramble too.

Twenty teams teed off at the second annual MBAA golf outing during reunion. The team of Alex Macleod, Evan Witt, Daniel Holmberg, and Cole Cook took first prize with a great score of 58 in the four-person scramble.
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Also, the roster has been updated with the Freshmen, no surprises it looks like.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

mtu_huskies said:
From the Tech Alum Email update, it looks like we have a few players that can hold their own in a golf scramble too.



Also, the roster has been updated with the Freshmen, no surprises it looks like.
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One surprise. Justin Fillion is on that list.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Shirtless Guy said:
Maybe our source was mistaken about Fillion not qualifying?
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It's possible, though not likely IMO, that he's decided to attend as a partial qualifier, take classes, and sit out a year. Being 21, he doesn't have the major junior option that CPZ had - if he wants to keep playing competitive hockey his other options would be to try and get a minor league deal (which may come, but most likely from a team in league like the SPHL or CHL), or try to get accepted into a Canadian university and join a CIS team.

Your source could also be wrong.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
It's possible, though not likely IMO, that he's decided to attend as a partial qualifier, take classes, and sit out a year. Being 21, he doesn't have the major junior option that CPZ had - if he wants to keep playing competitive hockey his other options would be to try and get a minor league deal (which may come, but most likely from a team in league like the SPHL or CHL), or try to get accepted into a Canadian university and join a CIS team.

Your source could also be wrong.
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In the case of a partial qualifier, is that essentially a redshirt year? He is listed as Fr, not RFr.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
In the case of a partial qualifier, is that essentially a redshirt year? He is listed as Fr, not RFr.
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In the case of partials, you can attend, take classes, and practice with the team. You lose your entire freshman year of eligibility and cannot play any games, but you can gain it back and be granted a fifth year if you earn a bachelor's during the first four years. In Fillion's case though, I believe that would be irrelevant since he would turn 25 during his senior year, and my understanding is that 25 is the red stop sign for all eligibility regardless of any exemptions or hardship claims.

We don't know if he's a partial yet though. SG's source could've been wrong, or (most likely) this could just be a lack of communication within the athletic department and he's not coming at all.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
In the case of partials, you can attend, take classes, and practice with the team. You lose your entire freshman year of eligibility and cannot play any games, but you can gain it back and be granted a fifth year if you earn a bachelor's during the first four years. In Fillion's case though, I believe that would be irrelevant since he would turn 25 during his senior year, and my understanding is that 25 is the red stop sign for all eligibility regardless of any exemptions or hardship claims.

We don't know if he's a partial yet though. SG's source could've been wrong, or (most likely) this could just be a lack of communication within the athletic department and he's not coming at all.
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Thanks. I was just curious on how the system worked. I know nothing of the athlete in question.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
In the case of a partial qualifier, is that essentially a redshirt year? He is listed as Fr, not RFr.
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the RFr is because Heitila was at Michigan Tech last year and sat out due to injury, Fillion would not be listed as a RFr. He just might not be able to play this season, but has to enroll this year to be eligible at all.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Shirtless Guy said:
Well what positive moment have you actually seen? So far, Mel has gotten a high school senior to commit to playing at Michigan Tech this season...how often does that work well for a kid out of Michigan? I have high hopes for the future, but I would have thought Mel would have pulled in some recruits for the future by now...
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I've seen perennial losing coach released from his duties and one of the most (if not the most) successful assistant coaches brought in as a replacement; the new coaching staff he has put together has 5 combined championships; they've locked in the top recruits for next year and brought another in a year early who otherwise wouldn't have been coming (this year); that's a great start and and definitely positive momentum IMO. Regarding his first commit (it appears you're writing him off already which indicates you don't believe Pearson can recognize talent- I'm giving him more credit after 21 straight NCAA appearances), it's a refreshing change to recruit a 18 year old "kid" "who is a great skater" (along with having great character) as compared to 21 year old "men" who are great character guys with apparent lack of skating ability. While I agree it would have been nice to see more recruits for this coming year, I'll start to get worried in February if there hasn't been more commits for next year. It's going to be a slow process but locking in Kero, Pietila and Johnstone for next year is a good start.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
I've seen perennial losing coach released from his duties and one of the most (if not the most) successful assistant coaches brought in as a replacement; the new coaching staff he has put together has 5 combined championships; they've locked in the top recruits for next year and brought another in a year early who otherwise wouldn't have been coming (this year); that's a great start and and definitely positive momentum IMO. Regarding his first commit (it appears you're writing him off already which indicates you don't believe Pearson can recognize talent- I'm giving him more credit after 21 straight NCAA appearances), it's a refreshing change to recruit a 18 year old "kid" "who is a great skater" (along with having great character) as compared to 21 year old "men" who are great character guys with apparent lack of skating ability. While I agree it would have been nice to see more recruits for this coming year, I'll start to get worried in February if there hasn't been more commits for next year. It's going to be a slow process but locking in Kero, Pietila and Johnstone for next year is a good start.
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Im not writing of Davis, he has potential, but to expect an 18 yo that wasn't already committed elsewhere that is coming in straight out of Mich HS hockey its hard to expect him to do much until the 2nd half of this season at the earliest...that learning curve is pretty steep.

So far Mel has brought in Davis and lost Labrecque whom Russell had locked up and was unable to convince Ben Johnson to go to MTU. That's not a great start for "the golden one." I'm most certainly saying he wasn't a great hire, I just want to see something positive. If this new recruit that is supposedly going to be announced soon is someone like DJ Jones or Molenaar, I'll stop questioning how things are going...
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Shirtless Guy said:
Im not writing of Davis, he has potential, but to expect an 18 yo that wasn't already committed elsewhere that is coming in straight out of Mich HS hockey its hard to expect him to do much until the 2nd half of this season at the earliest...that learning curve is pretty steep.

So far Mel has brought in Davis and lost Labrecque whom Russell had locked up and was unable to convince Ben Johnson to go to MTU. That's not a great start for "the golden one." I'm most certainly saying he wasn't a great hire, I just want to see something positive. If this new recruit that is supposedly going to be announced soon is someone like DJ Jones or Molenaar, I'll stop questioning how things are going...
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Until Labrecque proves something, I'm still skeptical and will not consider it a loss. Regarding Johnson, Berenson was unable to as well. Apparently we disagree on the positives so far but yes if he could bring in a stud defensemen for next year, I'd chalk it up as another positive. And I'm going to assume you meant "not saying he wasn't a great hire".
 
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