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MSU Spartans 2024 Off-season: APRIL start?

owslachief said:
Here's someone's take regarding the moves the Blackhawks have made since Friday, and how that impacts Levshunov's plans for the fall.
https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicag...ov-in-chicago/
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This is obviously great news for us, but I think it will benefit Arty, as well. As talented as he is, it is not easy for defensemen as young as he is to make that jump and not struggle. If he was an high flying forward, I could see it but D is a little trickier. Another year of growth at MSU and B1G competition would be huge.
 
aallenpollreisz said:
Would Deschenes work? He had an OK season in the BCHL.
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Neither Garin or Deschenes seems particularly college hockey ready to me. Not to mention, with 6 dmen all accustomed to playing 30+ games last season (5 returnees and 1 transfer), you're already looking at scratching the 2 frosh dmen more often than not, barring major injuries. IMO why add another scratch to that unhappy dynamic? Honestly I was surprised they didn't try to salvage Hurtig's role since it was a high probability that Levshunov wasn't coming back.
 
FLHockeyMom said:
Neither Garin or Deschenes seems particularly college hockey ready to me. Not to mention, with 6 dmen all accustomed to playing 30+ games last season (5 returnees and 1 transfer), you're already looking at scratching the 2 frosh dmen more often than not, barring major injuries. IMO why add another scratch to that unhappy dynamic? Honestly I was surprised they didn't try to salvage Hurtig's role since it was a high probability that Levshunov wasn't coming back.
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I’d have bailed were I Hurtig. He’s got Pro aspirations and after a year on the pine, probably wouldn’t be too amenable to “a single spot is opening but also some new guys are coming in.” He could have found a comfy spot at almost any school looking for a D.

I agree that we may as well stand firm at 8, but it’s risky. Just gotta hope nothing too goofy happens like mid-season transfers or suspensions.

oh, also, starting to think we’re stuck with a 2 game hole in our schedule? It feels like we would have heard something by now had we managed to schedule anyone. And if we give up a home game for the Wrigley field game or whatever, we’re down to 13 home games. Prettttyyyyy light. The LSSU thread says they have 19. I’m certainly not impressed with Colorado
 
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aallenpollreisz said:
Next season's roster.

The only real surprise is no Jack Sparkes. Looks like we'll be going with eight defenseman after all.
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Yes, the late add on defense is now becoming quite clear. The writing was on the wall for Sparkes due to a variety of reasons including the logjam in front of him at D; the underwhelming trajectory of his juniors career; and not the least of which being one of Cole's last remaining recruits in the pipeline. He will be better of with a fresh start elsewhere, so good luck to him.
 
FLHockeyMom said:
Yes, the late add on defense is now becoming quite clear. The writing was on the wall for Sparkes due to a variety of reasons including the logjam in front of him at D; the underwhelming trajectory of his juniors career; and not the least of which being one of Cole's last remaining recruits in the pipeline. He will be better of with a fresh start elsewhere, so good luck to him.
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I wonder what about his development is giving us pause. He doesn’t score a lot but his eliteProspects page says he projects as more of a shutdown defensemen. I guess he was considered an NHL draft prospect a couple years ago.
 
Just joining the conversation, but I'm curious about 2 commits who are still somewhat listed commits from (last season's) US-NTDP U-18, are not on the roster, and were 7th-round NHL draftees.

If their commits hold to 2025-26 (and I didn't miss any news otherwise), it's another testament to the roster depth at forward and the level of attraction that Nights has brought to the program.

Conversely, D-man Frederic Deschanes is a line-through now in Chris Heisenberg's list. Whew ... a lot of activity to ponder over the last few weeks.
 
Pirateasaur said:
I wonder what about his development is giving us pause. He doesn’t score a lot but his eliteProspects page says he projects as more of a shutdown defensemen. I guess he was considered an NHL draft prospect a couple years ago.
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The taller one grows in one's youth, the more quickly one hits one's ceiling.

That's sort of a funny heh heh
 
owslachief said:
The taller one grows in one's youth, the more quickly one hits one's ceiling.

That's sort of a funny heh heh
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Sparkes' height no doubt adds to his developmental curve since it impacts his skating to a large degree. But moreso than that, I think the demotion from the USHL to the BCHL was a red flag, not to mention that he didn't dominate a marginally inferior league in this, his overage season. All of that combined to give the coaching staff a huge pause. And, as I mentioned, him being committed under Cole was probably a final determining factor.
 
FLHockeyMom said:
Sparkes' height no doubt adds to his developmental curve since it impacts his skating to a large degree. But moreso than that, I think the demotion from the USHL to the BCHL was a red flag, not to mention that he didn't dominate a marginally inferior league in this, his overage season. All of that combined to give the coaching staff a huge pause. And, as I mentioned, him being committed under Cole was probably a final determining factor.
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Frankly, there were red flags when he was in the USHL. He was either the seventh defenseman or a healthy scratch most nights in Muskegon. In general, he's had a rough time at the junior level.

Sparkes might be an NHL-caliber defenseman when he's in his 30s, but that's not going to do you much good if you're running a college program.
 
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