Re: Northeastern Huskies '13-14 Season Thread Part II: In Witt we Trust
Re: Northeastern Huskies '13-14 Season Thread Part II: In Witt we Trust
Speaking of CWs options for next year, the other side of the equation is that if he comes back, he's probably going to be one of the consensus Hobey Baker favorites, assuming he puts together another year like this behind a more experienced and (hopefully) deeper team. If those things happen, his stock goes up exponentially and he ends of making a boxcar load more than he'd make by grabbing whatever free agent cash he can snag at the end of this year.
The goalies are never the favorites to win the Hobey, its always the forwards. Winning the Hobey of late is actually a bit of a curse to making it in the NHL and having any kind of succsess.
While I am sure he would love to win it, I do not think that would be a factor in him returning or not. Its going to come down to the $$$.
As for Roy and Szmatula. I think these last few weeks will go in determining what they do, and I do not mean in Wins and Losses. If they stick together on the first line, and show some chemistry together, I think they both come back and look to go scoring balastic next year. IF they do not, and one or the other leaves, the other will go to.
Roy has been missing a partner forward to support him and give him the puck all season. He is smart enough to know that we do not have a guy on the roster who can do that, (unless its Szmatula) and wont want to rely on next years freshmen class to supply him that guy. He wont stick around if he has to be the guy to carry the puck up the ice, and create on his own to get off his shots every time, which is what it turned into. He needs to be fed. The big dog needs to eat. But he cannot do it all himself. (some of this also flows into the horrible design of a PP we have that cannot put him in a position to get off a shot)
Why have they not played together all season? I think JM likes to have them seperate to have two "balanced" scoring lines. And it sorta worked for awhile, especially as Pimm went on a bit of a tear there for a bit. But with Stevens' play falling off the cliff, Pimm back to being Pimm, and Szmatula virtuallly avoiding giving the puck to who ever his linemates were, something he cannot do with Roy out there with him, time to switch it up.
We maybe a one scoring line team now, but it could be as dangerous as the Johnny Goo line.
edit: I know Hedges was Roy's center to start on Saturday but got hurt and Szmatula took over. I think they should stick with those two, forget that they may hurt the squad defensivly, what they could do on offense together could make other teams play more careful nullfying their own chances.
