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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

Huskiefan906 said:
With the additions, the lineup is going to be a mystery:

Here is how it looks so far:
Forwards
Top Line Furne Olson Gordic
2nd line Baker J. Johnstone B. Pietila
3rd line Gubb D. Johnstone Kero
4th line A. Pietila McCadden Rix

Top Replacements who will see ice time
Lickteig, Holmberg, Witt, MacLeod, and C. Pietila (Dec)

Defense

Top Pair Brown Seigo
2nd Pair Stebner Nielsen
3rd Pair Sweeney Sova

Top Replacements who will see ice time
Davis, Cecere, Heinonen,

Goalies
#1 Genoe
#2 Robinson

Long year for
Doriott, L'Esperance, Hietala, Reddick, and Cramer
Click to expand...

Do you honestly believe that Furne and Gordic can be on the same line with their skating ability? Especially the top line?? Both have the ability to score but are liabilities with their skating and will not be paired on the top line. And mark my words, Kero will not be a third line player on Tech. My guess is he is either the 2nd line center or he plays wing to Olson with Gordic on the other side. Regarding Baker, he's been off for a year and is going to be question mark until he proves he can get back to what he did his sophomore?? year. It also sounds like he's (and likely others) going to be in for a rude awakening starting tomorrow with the new coaching staff regarding a culture change. My guess is McCaddens ice time decreases substantially from the end of last year (which I realize increased partly due to injuries).

Tommy Brown as a top two defenseman?? I'll be surprised if he's in the lineup regularly. Jimmy Davis not in the top six?? Why would he make a kid his first recruit, give him a full ride and not play him? Sweeney who he labels as a talented, smooth skating defensemen and Tech has four current D-men who are more capable? I don't think he went out and recruited two defenseman because he was happy with what they have. What I think is going to happen based on Pearson's comments is a shift is going to be made from "big, physical" d-man to mobile puck moving defensemen; who ever can move the puck (and not off the high glass) is going to get the ice time.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
Do you honestly believe that Furne and Gordic can be on the same line with their skating ability? Especially the top line?? Both have the ability to score but are liabilities with their skating and will not be paired on the top line. And mark my words, Kero will not be a third line player on Tech. My guess is he is either the 2nd line center or he plays wing to Olson with Gordic on the other side. Regarding Baker, he's been off for a year and is going to be question mark until he proves he can get back to what he did his sophomore?? year. It also sounds like he's (and likely others) going to be in for a rude awakening starting tomorrow with the new coaching staff regarding a culture change. My guess is McCaddens ice time decreases substantially from the end of last year (which I realize increased partly due to injuries).

Tommy Brown as a top two defenseman?? I'll be surprised if he's in the lineup regularly. Jimmy Davis not in the top six?? Why would he make a kid his first recruit, give him a full ride and not play him? Sweeney who he labels as a talented, smooth skating defensemen and Tech has four current D-men who are more capable? I don't think he went out and recruited two defenseman because he was happy with what they have. What I think is going to happen based on Pearson's comments is a shift is going to be made from "big, physical" d-man to mobile puck moving defensemen; who ever can move the puck (and not off the high glass) is going to get the ice time.
Click to expand...
Well based on what you're saying, I would think Siego, Nielsen, Sweeney and Davis would be the most likely to be "puck moving defensemen." As for forwards, Pearson said Younger Johnstone has the chance to be the best forward on the team THIS year so I have him higher than Kero. I do however think that Johnstone, Kero and B. Pietila will get good quality minutes this year.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Shirtless Guy said:
Well based on what you're saying, I would think Siego, Nielsen, Sweeney and Davis would be the most likely to be "puck moving defensemen." As for forwards, Pearson said Younger Johnstone has the chance to be the best forward on the team THIS year so I have him higher than Kero. I do however think that Johnstone, Kero and B. Pietila will get good quality minutes this year.
Click to expand...

I guess I would agree; I wouldn't be surprised if he paired the two freshman with the two juniors as his top four. Regarding Johnstone I only seen him play once so I can't make too much of an opinion; while I agree that both he, Kero and B.Pietila will be impact freshman on this team (with Kero and Johnstone contributing more scoring than Pietila), if Olson is healthy I'll opine that he'll be their best all around player as Johnstone appeared to still need to add some muscle as likely will Kero.

I also believe that with a healthy Olson and Baker, and adding Kero, Johnstone, Pietila and Sweeney, their PP will be drastically improved as well as having the ability to put together two good units. I know Johnstone played the point on the PP in junior at times so that would provide them with options as they would be lacking back there otherwise. Kero would likely be an option back there as well.

This fresman class is probably one of the most promising classes they have had in a long time; let's not get started on who to credit it to.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

I agree that they are going to faster, quicker defensemen, but I don't think the freshmen D men are going to get a lot of minutes until they show they can handle it. a La RED. Brown improved a lot last year but I would agree he might not be top line stuff, but whoever it is will have to compete with the forwards from the first line.I think speed will be a lot more important and the pp will show immediate improvement. I also think we will get a lot more scoring up and down and the attitude is going to be much different for sure. can't wait actually.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
I guess I would agree; I wouldn't be surprised if he paired the two freshman with the two juniors as his top four. Regarding Johnstone I only seen him play once so I can't make too much of an opinion; while I agree that both he, Kero and B.Pietila will be impact freshman on this team (with Kero and Johnstone contributing more scoring than Pietila), if Olson is healthy I'll opine that he'll be their best all around player as Johnstone appeared to still need to add some muscle as likely will Kero.

I also believe that with a healthy Olson and Baker, and adding Kero, Johnstone, Pietila and Sweeney, their PP will be drastically improved as well as having the ability to put together two good units. I know Johnstone played the point on the PP in junior at times so that would provide them with options as they would be lacking back there otherwise. Kero would likely be an option back there as well.

This fresman class is probably one of the most promising classes they have had in a long time; let's not get started on who to credit it to.
Click to expand...

We've had promising recruits before. It's about player development, so if these guys pan out, I give the credit to the coaches who developed them.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
We've had promising recruits before. It's about player development, so if these guys pan out, I give the credit to the coaches who developed them.
Click to expand...

I'm not talking about 1 promising recruit a year.

Please name a recent class of promising recruits that included a USNDPT player (& NJ Devils 5th round pick), one player in the top five or so in scoring in the USHL (who according to shirtless could be the best player on the team as a freshman) another in the top 10-15 until he got hurt (who UND pursued after Russell was let go), and two defensemen who are labeled as "great skating" and " talented smooth skating" defenseman.
 
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Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
I'm not talking about 1 promising recruit a year.

Please name a recent class of promising recruits that included a USNDPT player, one player in the top five or so in scoring in the USHL (who according to shirtless could be the best player on the team as a freshman) another in the top 10-15 until he got hurt, and two defensemen who are labeled as "great" "smooth skating" defenseman???
Click to expand...
That isn't according to me...that's what Mel Pearson said on the radio during the same spot where he announced the fact that a recruit would be announced later (ended up being Sweeney).
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
I'm not talking about 1 promising recruit a year.

Please name a recent class of promising recruits that included a USNDPT player, one player in the top five or so in scoring in the USHL (who according to shirtless could be the best player on the team as a freshman) another in the top 10-15 until he got hurt, and two defensemen who are labeled as "great" "smooth skating" defenseman???
Click to expand...

Regardless of the number of good recruits or who recruited them, unless they develop into progressively better players year after year, it is for naught.

Don't get me wrong, I'm (guardedly) excited. I actually saw someone wearing a husky hockey t-shirt a couple of days ago. I didn't even know we made hockey t-shirts anymore.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

oldish husky said:
Regardless of the number of good recruits or who recruited them, unless they develop into progressively better players year after year, it is for naught.

Don't get me wrong, I'm (guardedly) excited. I actually saw someone wearing a husky hockey t-shirt a couple of days ago. I didn't even know we made hockey t-shirts anymore.
Click to expand...

You can buy them on line at wcha.com.I got one last year.
I think at least some of the reason they have not developed that much is the attitude towards the coach. Absent that attitude and with a new model in place, it follows that the players will develop more. Though you have to admit that some players did develop under Russell. Brown, and Stebner developed a lot last year and both were a lot better at the end of the year.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

JOHN SCOTT ROCKS said:
Do you honestly believe that Furne and Gordic can be on the same line with their skating ability? Especially the top line?? Both have the ability to score but are liabilities with their skating and will not be paired on the top line. And mark my words, Kero will not be a third line player on Tech. My guess is he is either the 2nd line center or he plays wing to Olson with Gordic on the other side. Regarding Baker, he's been off for a year and is going to be question mark until he proves he can get back to what he did his sophomore?? year. It also sounds like he's (and likely others) going to be in for a rude awakening starting tomorrow with the new coaching staff regarding a culture change. My guess is McCaddens ice time decreases substantially from the end of last year (which I realize increased partly due to injuries).

Tommy Brown as a top two defenseman?? I'll be surprised if he's in the lineup regularly. Jimmy Davis not in the top six?? Why would he make a kid his first recruit, give him a full ride and not play him? Sweeney who he labels as a talented, smooth skating defensemen and Tech has four current D-men who are more capable? I don't think he went out and recruited two defenseman because he was happy with what they have. What I think is going to happen based on Pearson's comments is a shift is going to be made from "big, physical" d-man to mobile puck moving defensemen; who ever can move the puck (and not off the high glass) is going to get the ice time.
Click to expand...

JSR, relax, just stoking up some discussion on the possible lineup. This is possibly how the season starts, not how it finishes.

Tommy Brown complements Seigo as a puck moving defenseman. I do not see a freshman direct from high school beginning the year in the lineup. Davis is a project that will be developed.
I see him playing only one game of a series until he gains the experience necessary to crack the top 6. Sweeney has played in the USHL and is far more ready for the WCHA than Davis.

Olson can carry the puck and Furne and Gordic can bury it. I'm sorry, but I love that line.
I also like the 2nd line with B. Pietila setting up Baker and J. Johnstone.
This leaves a 3rd potential scoring line (yes you heard it, a third scoring line on a MTU team) with younger Johnstone, Kero, and a very promising Gubb winning all the battles on the wall.
Then, the 4th line needs to shutdown the top line on the other team.

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

Huskiefan906 said:
This leaves a 3rd potential scoring line (yes you heard it, a third scoring line on a MTU team) with younger Johnstone, Kero, and a very promising Gubb winning all the battles on the wall.
Click to expand...

I'm just going to contemplate this concept for a while...
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

Huskiefan906 said:
Sweeney has played in the USHL and is far more ready for the WCHA than Davis.
Click to expand...

Sweeney is a western Canadian who played in the BCHL, but you are correct to say that the competition he played against there is older and better than most MHSAA hockey teams, and he should be more 'ready' for college, at least on paper. We'll see how it plays out.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

I'm still very skeptical about both of the new d-man recruits. Since they were recruited so late in the game, I would expect both of them to be more developmental players, that hopefully start to contribute in the second half and become solid defensemen for their final 3 years. They will both get their chances, but the jump to WCHA caliber play is huge, even from the BCHL. I'm assuming that both players *should* be in juniors this year, but to get them to come to Tech, Mel told them that they could come in a year early. Since they fill an obvious hole, I don't have a problem with giving the kids a chance. Time will tell if bringing them in early is a good move.
 
Re: Michigan Tech Offseason III: Two Years To Prove It Can Be Done

What is the "It" that you want to prove can be done? I've heard that time will no longer tell, so maybe we'll just have to wait and see.
 
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