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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

As I pointed out, Pearson is probably not going to be making headlines this late in the 2011 recruiting cycle. Let him win some games next year, show some positive progress, and focus on the 2012 and 2013 classes. Then we can start judging his ability to recruit good players to Tech. You can argue that the bar for him is a lot higher than the bar for Russell when he was hired, and I won't disagree, but you've also got to afford him the same things that we afforded Russell back in 2003 - he's inherited a situation with little recent success, and a sustained losing culture. Few kids are going to want to get on-board with that until he proves that he has things going in a positive direction (which will hopefully happen with several more wins next year).

You also have to remember, it's not just about recruiting, but also about player development. If Mel can pluck a young and seemingly unheralded guy like Davis with almost no junior experience, and with the help of the assistants, mold him into a solid d-man in a year or two, that will say a lot about his ability to rebuild the program as well.

Pearson has to play with the hand he's been dealt - he's got some decent cards to start with, but he's got a long game to go.
 
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...
Click to expand...

I find it hard to believe that there are a whole lot of high quality players sitting out there this summer ready for fall. The cream of the crop for 2011-12 committed 2 years ago. This summer is about shoring up the existing roster and getting some depth for a change. The roster has 32, compared with 28 last year, so it seems that depth is improving, especially if a 33rd is on the way.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
As I pointed out, Pearson is probably not going to be making headlines this late in the 2011 recruiting cycle. Let him win some games next year, show some positive progress, and focus on the 2012 and 2013 classes. Then we can start judging his ability to recruit good players to Tech. You can argue that the bar for him is a lot higher than the bar for Russell when he was hired, and I won't disagree, but you've also got to afford him the same things that we afforded Russell back in 2003 - he's inherited a situation with little recent success, and a sustained losing culture. Few kids are going to want to get on-board with that until he proves that he has things going in a positive direction (which will hopefully happen with several more wins next year).

You also have to remember, it's not just about recruiting, but also about player development. If Mel can pluck a young and seemingly unheralded guy like Davis with almost no junior experience, and with the help of the assistants, mold him into a solid d-man in a year or two, that will say a lot about his ability to rebuild the program as well.

Pearson has to play with the hand he's been dealt - he's got some decent cards to start with, but he's got a long game to go.
Click to expand...
I agree with everything you've said, I have been a bit surprised that he didn't pull a quality recruit yet but I agree that your second paragraph is the part I'm most interested in...what he does with the recruit after they get to Tech. I want to see consistent improvement over a players 4 years, not slumping through their junior & senior years...hopefully Mel can develop players better than Russell.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
I find it hard to believe that there are a whole lot of high quality players sitting out there this summer ready for fall. The cream of the crop for 2011-12 committed 2 years ago. This summer is about shoring up the existing roster and getting some depth for a change. The roster has 32, compared with 28 last year, so it seems that depth is improving, especially if a 33rd is on the way.
Click to expand...

Not saying that it will happen, but there could easily be a cut or two made yet.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Tech needs senior leadership this year. You can't compete with youthful energy and coasting upper classmen. It all goes back to culture...
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
I find it hard to believe that there are a whole lot of high quality players sitting out there this summer ready for fall. The cream of the crop for 2011-12 committed 2 years ago. This summer is about shoring up the existing roster and getting some depth for a change. The roster has 32, compared with 28 last year, so it seems that depth is improving, especially if a 33rd is on the way.
Click to expand...
there might not be a whole lot of them, but they are out there. Players develop so differently that there are a few who have been slower coming along who are not committed yet.

Shirtless Guy said:
I agree with everything you've said, I have been a bit surprised that he didn't pull a quality recruit yet but I agree that your second paragraph is the part I'm most interested in...what he does with the recruit after they get to Tech. I want to see consistent improvement over a players 4 years, not slumping through their junior & senior years...hopefully Mel can develop players better than Russell.
Click to expand...
I think that attitude is a factor here and will influence the players in this regard as well.

oldish husky said:
Maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. I'm not commenting on anyone, just the general idea of accountability and raising the bar.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure they are focussed on getting better and quickly, so anything that can make the team better they are doing, but I am a little worried we will still have the injury problem.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

We should have two new recruits over the coming weeks.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Happy Birthday to HuskyNation today. :)
We get to spend it together, in the car, driving westward for a wedding tomorrow.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

FadeToBlack&Gold said:
So is the defenseman still expected to be announced "later this week" (Friday)?
Click to expand...
Well, he's technically not a defenseman, but he was the best skating 3rd string goalie in the SJHL last season, and Mel thinks he can turn him into a top-4 d-man. Time will tell.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

bigblue_dl said:
Well, he's technically not a defenseman, but he was the best skating 3rd string goalie in the SJHL last season, and Mel thinks he can turn him into a top-4 d-man. Time will tell.
Click to expand...

I'm going to give Mel credit for thinking out of the box.

Help my math out here. Are we talking about a total of 3 recruits?
 
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