Re: MSU Spartans 2015-16. Got a problem with that?
Honest question.
Bowling Green lost a defenseman in
December when Dajon Mingo went pro. They immediately added not one but TWO new blueliners for the second semester. Both Jordan Ernst and Adam Smith have played in each of the 5 games for the Falcons since they arrived.
http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2015/12/27/HOCKEY_1227154117.aspx?path=mhockey
Michigan State knew they were losing Josh Jacobs in
May. They've shown repeatedly that there are only 5 NCAA caliber defensemen on the roster, but didn't add anyone at the break. Why not try to bring in someone for the second half of the season?
Oh that's an outstanding question, and a great point.
A few things:
* They counted on Jerad Rossburg - a rookie - to
partially fill Jacobs' shoes. His rehabilitation from surgery last Winter, however, did not go as smoothly as planned.
* Knudsen supposedly made some pretty big strides over the summer to be able dress for every game. So far that's not worked out so well ... although it can be argued that he's not as big a disappointment as some of our scholarship d-men.
* They still have the club "call-up" Arsenault they could theoretically use - haven't seen him yet, although we may when the NTDP plays here next weekend.
* Matt DeBlouw played D-man earlier this season for one or two games. I did not see the game and I don't know what his numbers were, but the fact that it was tried tells me it was worth a try.
All this adds up of course to a pretty sorry situation for our blue-liners. In theory we have as many as 8 defensemen on our roster (if you count DeBlouw as part-time D). Yes, Jacobs' departure in late May (it was around the 29th) left MSU scrambling. Or we should have been. We simply can't have a patchwork roster of blueliners and expect to compete for a league title. But to your point, it's stretches belief to think we couldn't have imported
someone with experience for the second semester.
