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Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

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Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

They landed Szmatula before Darcy left, at least he was visiting the school. Maybe they knew Darcy was unhappy, but I think Szmatula was coming anyway. Olsson has a chance to grow, and like I said, he may not come next year. Szmatula might be a hedge for that happening, or IS happening based on his slower then slow start. ZAR is a Keefe kid who came over from Brown, has done nothing and I would not be surprised if we cut him loose. Messa seems to be the new Morra. Stevens like I said is nice, but hardly a kid who turns heads. Solid, not spectacular, not projected to be a top 6 kid.

Look up front, unless Olsson turns it on and comes, and Stevens turns on the scoring tough, next year's forward class is a total bridge year.

I grew up in NJ. Never minded the Giants, leaned more towards the Jets at the time due to them being the "not" team and me being a sucker for the unpopular teams, which is one of the reason I became a Yankee fan. Really only like the NFL at this point for the gambling, because the game gets slower and slower and less exciting every year. "instant replay" has ruined the NFL.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

Well, my simple point is, the USHL is 13 games into their season. Let's look at their stats in a couple months.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

Huskies01 said:
I am selling out the forwards, not the dmen. ZAR has managed all of 5 assists in 13 games, his third year in the league. Olsson who may or may not come next year has 1 goal in 10 games. Messa has gone 14 games with 3 assists. Ferriero like I said earlier, and you agreed with is a prep kid so there is a nice jump up he is going to need to make, so he maybe a year away from making a difference for NU once he gets here. Stevens is the only kid who had committed last year who is doing anything in the USHL so far offensively, and that is due to his 9 assists in 15 games to go along with 2 goals. So it is not like he is finding the net. They NEEDED to sign Szmatula for next season because the kids they were bringing in prior had managed all of 3 goals in like 50 games. So yeah, not selling them out, more like pointing out that next years group at this point seems more like a bridge year then a upgrade which is why losing Darcy, a kid you project to be a top 6 forward is a huge loss.

The defense, which has not been that much of an issue, so far, will be upgraded with Benning and Cockerill. It would be nice if they landed another goalie for next year as I have little faith in the three some of Witt/Roy/Mountain if he chooses to come back which is rumored.

On to this week. I figure big loss down at PC as they are looking to break out of a mini scoring slump and their goalie has been hot, and a scramble for a tie at UVM as the team continues to fold under JM.

I hate it when the best part of the season is the first week.
Click to expand...

About the only things I agree with you about is that Olsson has a very good chance of being deferred and sent to power skating school. ZAR - his stats are completely unimpressive, but I haven't seen him play this year. Without seeing him and learning what he contributes I can't opine. Messa was a prolific scorer in prep school and is said to be a very "smart" player. He may not be getting a lot of ice time and/or PP opportunities given the strength of the other forwards on Muskegon and will have even less with Cam Darcy coming aboard.

Szmatula's recruitment was in process long before the coaches had any idea of Darcy's defection. These recruitments are rarely overnight affairs. They also would have had Stenglein, from Youngstown, except that Lowell wouldn't let him out of his LOI if he transferred to another HEA school. Don't I wish we taken that approach with Gaudreau!!

As for the hot PC goalie: Our coaches certainly must know his strengths and weaknesses. Our fans might wonder if he would be starting for us if he had the stones to challenge Rawlings. OTOH, we probably wouldn't have had the scholarship $ needed to have landed the Roy family. Kevin is just fun to watch. I wish I could say tthat for the team as a whole - especially the past two weekends. I'd predict a win at PC and if I'm mistaken, a close loss.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

CollegeHockeyRinkReport said:
Having talked to an NHL scout who played in Hockey East in the early 2000s, some NHL teams are concerned with Madigan's game planning and player development. No one takes away his eye for talent, but NHL clubs and FA's are concerned with his ability to develop players under his watch. It will always be an issue and people can use the "well he didn't coach for 30 years" excuse.
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I heard the same thing 16 years ago about Jerry York at BC. Its a matter of opinion.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

I hope Mens hockey were at the Mens soccer tonight ..nice effort by the team to continue on in the NCAA playoffs.. anyway, coming back to hockey.. let's play as a team & go get the Friars, go Huskies! :)
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

Why? Who knows, he hasn’t tweeted or FB any updates on his decision. The university will always fall back on academic issues and we will never really know if that’s completely true. However a few years back over at BU Chris Bourque had decided mid way and early that he wasn’t going to go to class and well spin whatever story you want. Today you have to go to class and do the work to keep the scholarship at least @ NU you do. Times have changed. Reggie Lewis was in 3 or 4 of my classes over 2 year period and if he showed up 10 times I would have been surprised. When he did show up he was usually unprepared and yet somehow he passed these classes to move on to upper level work. I suspect this doesn’t happen as much today. However from following Cams career as a Boston kid and having my own kids play against him I would say that the only goal for him, in his mind is the NHL career and he must have just felt that NU and or its coaching and system was not going to give him the best chance at that goal and that the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL at least for this year would improve his chances.

Let’s face it this team is not very good. So what’s has he got to loose, if the issue wasn’t academics or a breach of communication and understanding with Madigan, he gets a year of quality hockey in a top league, he can red shirt next year or perhaps even play at a better hockey college the following season.

I will say this, his departure makes 2 good local kids not happy with NU as I will add Dongara to that list and will say that he was a fine hockey player with plenty of potential. Not every kid can play your system all the time and granted if the system is proven and working you might try but if it’s a marginal system that’s not working well while at the same time snubs your individualized flair for the game and your style to play, taking away your edge you say screw it you do what’s best for you and move on.

Darcy needs to be a pivotal player in an offence with big numbers and he has the talent to do that elsewhere. Sounds quite selfish but that’s the reality. He could land anywhere but if he lands in college he will have to do the work for sure, if anyone told him differently he was given bad info. I see him more of the kind of kid who goes to play a few years of major junior or in Europe before making an AHL or NHL bid. Anyway, you can call it as another bad loss for the program and a hit to Madigan who will, like all NU hockey coaches feel the rumble of the AD and alumni if he doesn’t get results in the first 3 or 4 seasons. So far over the past 2 or 3 years our team can sum up a lisit of great players who went elsewhere. If it is the caoch or a persoanllity that is stading in the way of success it will eventully be flushed out as the cause and nobody will want to play for you. I dont know if thats the case here and for the time being its not even worth it to speculate, but really do you see a bean pot win against Harvard, BU or BC, I don't, not without a small miricle. Thus Lord, let my suffering continue. The question is now onward and upward and who is going to replace Darcy, We have a schoolership right?
 
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Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

RossiRules said:
...if the issue wasn’t...a breach of communication and understanding with Madigan, he gets a year of quality hockey in a top league, he can red shirt next year or perhaps even play at a better hockey college the following season...you can call it as another bad loss for the program and a hit to Madigan who will, like all NU hockey coaches feel the rumble of the AD and alumni if he doesn’t get results in the first 3 or 4 seasons.
Click to expand...

From what I know of Madigan and Roby, a breach of any agreement--however informal--is highly unlikely. And from what I'm told, the parting was amicable. But lets remember, Madigan is Roby's signature coaching hire and he has deep NU roots, so it would probably take something beyond a worst case scenario to have the AD and influential alums turn on him. For everyone's sake, I hope it never comes to that.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

Split-N said:
From what I know of Madigan and Roby, a breach of any agreement--however informal--is highly unlikely. And from what I'm told, the parting was amicable. But lets remember, Madigan is Roby's signature coaching hire and he has deep NU roots, so it would probably take something beyond a worst case scenario to have the AD and influential alums turn on him. For everyone's sake, I hope it never comes to that.
Click to expand...

I disagree. If JM cannot make the playoffs this year or just makes it in, and then next year ends up as the last seed or 2nd to last seed and gets blown out in the playoffs by the 5th or 6th seed, however it works, he will get his walking papers sooner rather then later. Its a results business. He needs to start showing some results here. Hockey is not womens basketball at NU. There will be more then enough alums who will want a regime change no matter how deep Madigan's roots are.

Personally, I hope it does not come to that. That JM can either turn it around, or realizes that he is not a HC, and walks away before he does more unintentional damage. Then maybe they can go bring back Sebastian who should have gotten the role in the first place.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

You talk to the wrong people then. Jerry York was not out of coaching. He had already racked up tons of wins, won a national championship, etc.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

RossiRules said:
Why? Who knows, he hasn’t tweeted or FB any updates on his decision. The university will always fall back on academic issues and we will never really know if that’s completely true. However a few years back over at BU Chris Bourque had decided mid way and early that he wasn’t going to go to class and well spin whatever story you want. Today you have to go to class and do the work to keep the scholarship at least @ NU you do. Times have changed. Reggie Lewis was in 3 or 4 of my classes over 2 year period and if he showed up 10 times I would have been surprised. When he did show up he was usually unprepared and yet somehow he passed these classes to move on to upper level work. I suspect this doesn’t happen as much today. However from following Cams career as a Boston kid and having my own kids play against him I would say that the only goal for him, in his mind is the NHL career and he must have just felt that NU and or its coaching and system was not going to give him the best chance at that goal and that the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL at least for this year would improve his chances.

Let’s face it this team is not very good. So what’s has he got to loose, if the issue wasn’t academics or a breach of communication and understanding with Madigan, he gets a year of quality hockey in a top league, he can red shirt next year or perhaps even play at a better hockey college the following season.

I will say this, his departure makes 2 good local kids not happy with NU as I will add Dongara to that list and will say that he was a fine hockey player with plenty of potential. Not every kid can play your system all the time and granted if the system is proven and working you might try but if it’s a marginal system that’s not working well while at the same time snubs your individualized flair for the game and your style to play, taking away your edge you say screw it you do what’s best for you and move on.

Darcy needs to be a pivotal player in an offence with big numbers and he has the talent to do that elsewhere. Sounds quite selfish but that’s the reality. He could land anywhere but if he lands in college he will have to do the work for sure, if anyone told him differently he was given bad info. I see him more of the kind of kid who goes to play a few years of major junior or in Europe before making an AHL or NHL bid. Anyway, you can call it as another bad loss for the program and a hit to Madigan who will, like all NU hockey coaches feel the rumble of the AD and alumni if he doesn’t get results in the first 3 or 4 seasons. So far over the past 2 or 3 years our team can sum up a lisit of great players who went elsewhere. If it is the caoch or a persoanllity that is stading in the way of success it will eventully be flushed out as the cause and nobody will want to play for you. I dont know if thats the case here and for the time being its not even worth it to speculate, but really do you see a bean pot win against Harvard, BU or BC, I don't, not without a small miricle. Thus Lord, let my suffering continue. The question is now onward and upward and who is going to replace Darcy, We have a schoolership right?
Click to expand...

Rossi:
Your posts are a real hoot! Do you really think that the U. would mention academic problems if it wasn't true??? By leaving before his grades came out, Darcy's academic record is kept spotless. So it cost him a year of eligibility at the college level. He has a chance to start over again at another school (preferably in the midwest, where he said he was most comfortable).


Cam was not happy with his lack of productivity. He got to center Roy and Karlsson for four games. That's when he picked up his 2 assists vs BC in game two. He hadn't made the scoresheet for the past 7 games. He managed 6 SOG in his 9 games despite playing on a top line and PP for much of his time here. Last weekend he centered the 4th line. He was disappointed with his inability to contribute more at this level - forgetting that few 18 year old freshman set the league on fire during the early part of their first season. Add to that, his academic challenges and NU just didn't feel like a good place for him to be.

The parting was pleasant, even cordial. Both the boy and his dad called Madigan to thank him for all he had done for Cam. There is no "non-disclose" agreement as some imbecile suggested and we don't expect any "well-poisoning" by Cam with respect to our other recruits in the USHL. Let's wish him luck. Now let's move on.

You mention Dongara. He was a fan favorite - not a coach favorite.
While he could bring the fans out of their seats with his speed, the rest of his game was very incomplete. Cronin didn't like his game. Madigan didn't like his game. JM didn't string him along. Perhaps he will fit in better on the wider rink at UMass.



You believe that Reggie Lewis got a pass in school. Did it ever occur to you that, (if you really are Rico Rossi), you probably benefitted from same lowered standards for athletes that, you believe, prevailed at that time?

Tonight and Sunday we have games that are definitely winnable. It was about this time last year that the team came together for a run that saw them win games in which few expected them to be competitive. it is far too early for you, or anyone else, to try to declare the season to be over and that Madigan is unfit to coach.
 
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Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

Ryecheers said:
..You mention Dongara. He was a fan favorite - not a coach favorite.
While he could bring the fans out of their seats with his speed, the rest of his game was very incomplete. Cronin didn't like his game. Madigan didn't like his game. JM didn't string him along. Perhaps he will fit in better on the wider rink at UMass..
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This is very true. I was one of those fans.. (until i started to notice the bad habits). This & the fact that Rossi prob spent time with Dong up in the club behind the glass talking about 'the hat'.. :) & his lack of playing time..

Rossi's posts are a hoot.. he is a fan of the sport.. guess every University has all kinds.. we have all kinds :).
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

CollegeHockeyRinkReport said:
You talk to the wrong people then. Jerry York was not out of coaching. He had already racked up tons of wins, won a national championship, etc.
Click to expand...


All I am saying is that, whoever this scout was has his opinion and also has his own agenda. Madigan has been the coach for 1 year, I expect in 20 years to still see him behind the bench, and saying that he has been the most stabilizing and consistent coach in school history. You need to have talent in order to develop talent.
 
Re: Northeastern 2012-2013 Season Thread: A New Hope

It's a shame to see Cam go. He didn't light the world on fire, but I thought his play looked pretty solid. I didn't notice any big mistakes committed by him, and he looked fundamentally sound. I was looking forward to watching him play here for the next few years. Hopefully he left as amicably as Ryecheers was saying.

This weekend will be a good measuring stick for this team. Was the play in week one and to an extent week two a fluke, or the play in weeks three and four? I think two W's are definitely not out of the question. Hopefully we can make Gillies regret his decision to switch commitments tonight.
 
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