Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Going in I thought that they really had a chance to win this, I had actually convinced myself they were going to win it. There big weakness is the defense men and it showed. There D are slow, not great skaters. Benning who had a terrible night, will have a great career here. He is a good skater and can play, its tough when you need a freshman to be your number 1. Manson is a big physical player, he needs to be your number 2 dman, not your 1, bu the can play. After that, I think they are all on thin ice for the future. Saucerman can't skate, he has some offensive ability, but as too weak a skater to be a D. Gunn is just plain slow, he has size so maybe he stays in your top 6, but should play smaller minutes, Dax to me is just a smaller version of Gunn, slow skater, can play physical. There are 3 dman coming in next year, here's to hoping that atleast 2 of them can step in and be bettre players than what we have. If that happens, this team will be very good. Look at what they have up front, losing Pimm and Ferriero, Pimm will hurt, but that is it. You have to be impressed with what looks ahead. Tough loss last night, but the future is bright. Hopefully they get back on the winning track at UMass Saturday.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Wish Schecter could get a chance on D. And you have to applaud the effort last night. Witt HATES losing and that's the kind of goalie we have needed after 4 years of Rawlings. If we can get our Shots Allowed down to 30 instead of 40, this team has a serious chance in the tournaments with Witt backstopping.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

79 looks lost out there, thankfully his time is done here.

true. absolutely tough watching him gm in gm out lately. hope its not injury related & he fully recovers from whatever is ailing him.

Wish Schecter could get a chance on D.

He's a smart kid. Must be something they see in practice.. regardless, get him out there for a gm & give the kid a chance again.

 

[nufan2001]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

You must have been watching a different game. 79 looks lost out there, thankfully his time is done here. He will go down as a big disappointment.

Could not agree more.

 

[nufan2001]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Wish Schecter could get a chance on D. And you have to applaud the effort last night. Witt HATES losing and that's the kind of goalie we have needed after 4 years of Rawlings. If we can get our Shots Allowed down to 30 instead of 40, this team has a serious chance in the tournaments with Witt backstopping.

Don't even mention Rawlings. His name is like nails on a chalkboard.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Remember when losing Gillies was a big deal?

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Bit off topic.. and this is more for Sports admin at Matthews if you read here.. was at the last UMass gm.. and I noticed we did not have an Olympic flag up in the rafters. We should. Kendall Coyne is representing the country (and NU in many ways) and I have seen other schools in the past honor their Olympians with their names & the Olympics logo/flag at their arena. Actually we have more than 1 Olympian with Schelling & others representing their countries.. but in Coyne's case it is current, & relevant. Pls do this NU.. its a win win. Thx

 

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Did a little PWR digging this morning, Providence losing helped NU out in that front. Michigan has 4 left with Minnesota including 2 this weekend at Minny. Maine series is very big for NU in HE and PWR. Bu series as well as in the pwr common opponent criteria. Biggest point is that NU controls its destiny.

 

[Nick Papagiorgio]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Biggest point is that NU controls its destiny.

Destiny cannot be controled. That's what makes it destiny.

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Madigan has absolutely taken a step forward this year.

No.

Clay Witt took a step forward from unplayable goalie to top goalie in the Nation. That has been the only difference. The coaching has been the same. Cant teach the team to defend? Check. Cant put together a PowerPlay, still running the same crap that teams have been eating up for two seasons now? Check. Offense riding a few guys? Check. Guys taking dumb penalties? Check. Guys playing selfish hockey? Check. February swoon? TBD

He has also lucked into this being a down year for Hockey East. Only one real dominant team in the league this year. UML starting to come on strong now, but the rest of the league is all average to bad. Can you imagine a typical Hockey East year with the defense that we put out there? The last time we had a defense this bad I think Chuck Tomes was captain, and was Cronin's first year or two. And at least those teams could turtle correctly, they cant even get these guys to do that.

The lack of good coaching yet all the wins this year has been nothing short of amazing. Clay Witt being so good this year probably hurts this program more long term then it does help as Madigan probably gets a 15 year extension.

Once this season is over, I will layout what needs to happen for this thing to actually start moving forward, even with JM at the helm.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

I am still not sold on Madigan as HC. However, he has made a compelling case as recruiter. That might be the name of the game today..

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

No.

Clay Witt took a step forward from unplayable goalie to top goalie in the Nation. That has been the only difference. The coaching has been the same. Cant teach the team to defend? Check. Cant put together a PowerPlay, still running the same crap that teams have been eating up for two seasons now? Check. Offense riding a few guys? Check. Guys taking dumb penalties? Check. Guys playing selfish hockey? Check. February swoon? TBD

He has also lucked into this being a down year for Hockey East. Only one real dominant team in the league this year. UML starting to come on strong now, but the rest of the league is all average to bad. Can you imagine a typical Hockey East year with the defense that we put out there? The last time we had a defense this bad I think Chuck Tomes was captain, and was Cronin's first year or two. And at least those teams could turtle correctly, they cant even get these guys to do that.

The lack of good coaching yet all the wins this year has been nothing short of amazing. Clay Witt being so good this year probably hurts this program more long term then it does help as Madigan probably gets a 15 year extension.

Once this season is over, I will layout what needs to happen for this thing to actually start moving forward, even with JM at the helm.

Oh please Great One, tell us what has to happen in the most dogmatic way.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

I am still not sold on Madigan as HC. However, he has made a compelling case as recruiter. That might be the name of the game today..

It's probably Keefe doing all the recruiting work.

 

[Happy Husky Victory!]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

Bit off topic.. and this is more for Sports admin at Matthews if you read here.. was at the last UMass gm.. and I noticed we did not have an Olympic flag up in the rafters. We should. Kendall Coyne is representing the country (and NU in many ways) and I have seen other schools in the past honor their Olympians with their names & the Olympics logo/flag at their arena. Actually we have more than 1 Olympian with Schelling & others representing their countries.. but in Coyne's case it is current, & relevant. Pls do this NU.. its a win win. Thx

Don't hold your breath. I emailed Peter Roby a couple years ago, was either at the end of Thiessen era or first year of Rawlings regarding the playing of both US and Canadian national anthems as a good # of our players were Canadians and thought it would be a nice tribute and recognition. At the time, Merrimack was playing both anthems at their games and many other schools do the same in other conferences. His response was that if they started playing the Canadian anthem then they would be forced to play all the anthems of each athlete from every country represented in all sports (basketball, swimming, you name it....). This is the type of Politically Correct, BS mentality that is coming from our AD. Typical really.....Lots of luck with this.....

 

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

No.

Clay Witt took a step forward from unplayable goalie to top goalie in the Nation. That has been the only difference. The coaching has been the same. Cant teach the team to defend? Check. Cant put together a PowerPlay, still running the same crap that teams have been eating up for two seasons now? Check. Offense riding a few guys? Check. Guys taking dumb penalties? Check. Guys playing selfish hockey? Check. February swoon? TBD

He has also lucked into this being a down year for Hockey East. Only one real dominant team in the league this year. UML starting to come on strong now, but the rest of the league is all average to bad. Can you imagine a typical Hockey East year with the defense that we put out there? The last time we had a defense this bad I think Chuck Tomes was captain, and was Cronin's first year or two. And at least those teams could turtle correctly, they cant even get these guys to do that.

The lack of good coaching yet all the wins this year has been nothing short of amazing. Clay Witt being so good this year probably hurts this program more long term then it does help as Madigan probably gets a 15 year extension.

Once this season is over, I will layout what needs to happen for this thing to actually start moving forward, even with JM at the helm.

I can't wait for your expert opinion and you rlayout as what needs to be done. I am upset that you did not do us all the service and apply for the job when it was open. Imagine how good we would be with you as the coach, making those coaching moves that you say he doesn't do. It would have been awesome! YOU ARE A ****IN CLOWN!!!! This team has more offensive depth on it than any team in the last 10 years. The have 2 full lines contributing, not just 3 or 4 players. They are all freshman and sophomores, there is 1 senior forward playing, Cody is just going through some sort of motion out there. There D stink, I agree, they have 2 D that will help them in the future. Hopefully the 3 D coming in next year can step in and be better.

You are against JM, have always been. Now team has success and you are trying to come up with reasons as to why team is not good. I hate to break it to you, but the season that everyone looks back on with googly eyes, the 27 win season in 09. You don't think there goalie had anything to do with that season? If Chris rawlings was there goalie they were a 15 win team. If you can't be happy with a team that is winning and has a legit NCAA chance that what are you going to be happy with? Go root for BC, they are stacked.

 

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

It's probably Keefe doing all the recruiting work.

Recruiting is done mainly by assistant's, York's recruiter was Cavanaugh, now Ayers. Bavis was at BU before this season, now Greely. HC has final say, he counts on his coach's to be his eyes.

 

[Split-N]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

I can't wait for your expert opinion and you rlayout as what needs to be done. I am upset that you did not do us all the service and apply for the job when it was open. Imagine how good we would be with you as the coach, making those coaching moves that you say he doesn't do. It would have been awesome! YOU ARE A ****IN CLOWN!!!! ...If you can't be happy with a team that is winning and has a legit NCAA chance that what are you going to be happy with? Go root for BC, they are stacked.

I don't often agree with his opinions either but I defend his right to have them. Better to have people with enough interest in the program to contribute commentary and voice opinions than to have fans who don't give a sh*t and come to Matthews disguised as empty seats.

Let's agree to disagree when we must but name calling and trying to run people off the board is a little over the top, IMO.

 

[retsap71]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

I don't often agree with his opinions either but I defend his right to have them. Better to have people with enough interest in the program to contribute commentary and voice opinions than to have fans who don't give a sh*t and come to Matthews disguised as empty seats.

Let's agree to disagree when we must but name calling and trying to run people off the board is a little over the top, IMO.

I agree, everyone has the right to there opinion. But they are finally having a good season, there is reason to be optimistic about the future. To have to listen to people still talk crap about the same things they were complaining before about is so sad.

 

[kdiff77]

It's probably Keefe doing all the recruiting work.

He definitely got the Roy brothers...

#StillKindOfBitter

 

[Huskies01]

Re: Northeastern Hockey 2013-14 Season

I agree, everyone has the right to there opinion. But they are finally having a good season, there is reason to be optimistic about the future. To have to listen to people still talk crap about the same things they were complaining before about is so sad.

Because I dont think they are having a good season. I think the GOALIE is having an All-American, perhaps best season in the pipes I have seen since Robitatille. The rest of the team is blah.

This team does not have 2 scoring lines. It has 2, maybe 3 dynamic forwards depending on where you want to put Hedges. The rest of them are interchangable and occasionaly pot a goal. Think about it this way, leave out Roy and Szmatula, which forwards on this team would other teams want? Leave out the top 2 teams and the bottom 2 in the league to be fair. Think anyone is going to rush for ZAR or Snydeman or Reid or Pond or McMurtry? Not knocking their hustle, or their want or anything along those lines, skill wise pretty limited. Personally, I am not sure its all their fault because its hard to play forward when the defense struggles to get you the puck, but some of these guys cannot pass or recieve a pass either. And a few of them suddenly think they are Roy like with the puck, when it could be farther from the truth.

They have done a good job of beating up on the little blind poor sisters outside the league, other then that, they have looked average in a bad Hockey East year. Clay Witt keeping them in games they probably did not deserve to be in. They are 8-6-1 in the league, scoring 4 more goals then they have given up, which is amazing since the goalie has seen 100 shots more then the guy closest to him in amount of saves. Demko has played 1/2 the minutes Witt has in the league but has had to make something like 370 less saves. Thats crazy.

Think about it this way, if Witt was even league average this year, how many people would be saying how great a job JM is doing? They would probably be right where everyone thought they would be, around 9th place. Everything said about this team before the season was basically spot on, except at the goalie position, where they have gotten incredible play.