Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

I'm not sure this is a trait that can be coached.

Not by the current coach, for sure. He was hired as a stop gap when Foley left unexpectedly. Three seasons later...

Davies made a lot of mistakes yesterday...putting aside the ones you've highlighted, none so glaring as the one when he was deep in O-Zone and all he had to do was cycle puck behind net to Nolan or around to ZAR...he inexplicably tries to fire it on net from a bad angle and ends up firing the puck out of the zone and down ice...

Shea had his worst game all year.

Still doesn't excuse how bad both Cockerill and Williams are game in and game out.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Well...I finally watched the post-mortem presser...he finally gets that he has only 5 or 6 forwards who show up to play every game?

Welcome to our season, Jim.

 

[PPGuru]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Headed into the last few weeks of the season, does anyone else think the team can stil grab home ice in the first round?

 

[NU_Husky]

Headed into the last few weeks of the season, does anyone else think the team can stil grab home ice in the first round?

Yes. The UConn series will likely determine if we do or not. We are basically fighting them, Merrimack, and UNH for 2 home ice spots.

Our remaining schedule: UMass, UConn x2, @Maine x 2
Merrimack's: @ BC, @ UMass, Maine x2, @ Vermont x2
UNH: @Vermont x2, BU x2, UConn x 2
UConn: PC, NU x 2, UNH x 2.

So a lot of infighting between the four of us but I would say we have the easier schedule ahead. We have zero games against NCAA tournament teams where the others have either one or four. The series vs UConn will basically determine our placement. I would expect no fewer than 3 wins out of those 5 games. 4 is possible but a sweep at Maine is tough, and UConn is better this year than in the last two years when we've swept them.

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

UConn is better this year than in the last two years when we've swept them.

UConn has a player or two but, win wise, they've ridden their goaltenders...

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Yes. The UConn series will likely determine if we do or not.

Assuming 2 this Friday and 2 v Maine...IMHO we HAVE to sweep UConn weekend...that's 21 and should get us to 7th or 8th...

 

[PPGuru]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

At the start of the year, I thought NU could be in the 4/5/6 range. If they wind up finishing in the 7/8 area I won't be too disappointed considering the way injuries, defense and goaltending have gone.

 

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

UConn has a player or two but, win wise, they've ridden their goaltenders...

Right, and Huska is better than what they've gotten the past couple years from Nichols. They have a much more balanced attack, Tage/Letunov's points are down but their supporting cast this year I'd argue has been better. They're only 21 points off last year's team total, with 7 games minimum left.

 

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

At the start of the year, I thought NU could be in the 4/5/6 range. If they wind up finishing in the 7/8 area I won't be too disappointed considering the way injuries, defense and goaltending have gone.

I had them third but have since realized that I overestimated the goaltending capabilities. Given the offensive abilities of this team, it's a disappointment wherever they finish, but the whole product makes it a sobering reality.

 

[northeastern]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

If John & Nolan are healthy and clicking.. (I know Nolan just came back).. may help some. Too bad Pecararo could not make it this season. Would have made a difference.. including in that Beanpot gm.

Without team working together.. it doesn't matter if we get home or not. When you have only half the team pulling weight.. (and goaltending average at best).. they are a long shot to get to the Garden. If Ruck can get it going (and I mean really get it going with the simple saves, clearing pucks to the side; not up the middle.. ouch).. then they have some chance.

 

[Richard]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

I would have thought that this team could have been in top 5, I thought the preseason #2 was a little lofty. Injuries and Ruck have hurt. The D is what it is, we knew they were weak coming in, what we didn't know was that Nolan was going to miss 70% of the season, John about 40% and that Ruck was this bad!

 

[Richard]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Couple of months ago I asked about next years class, the response was ehh. Any better?

 

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Couple of months ago I asked about next years class, the response was ehh. Any better?

Not much has changed in terms of recruits for next year. Next year's success will largely depend on who stays vs who turns pro- obvious candidates are Gaudette, Stevens, and Sikura. Cockerill has an outside shot at a contract too I guess.

In terms of players arriving next season, Cayden Primeau is the gem of the group. While his numbers are underwhelming (.890 SV% and 3.21 GAA), he is playing on a fairly average Lincoln team and is widely considering a top '99 birth-year goaltender and a lock for the top 90 picks in the NHL draft. I believe he was recently ranked as the 5th best eligible goalie, 3rd in terms of NCAA goalies after Oettinger (BU) and Petruzzelli (QU recruit). Primeau has the size, pedigree, and ability to come in next fall and take the starting role immediately.

For skaters, there are more depth guys in the class, but there are some standouts. Zach Solow is the top forward that will be a freshman. He lead Dubuque in the USHL in scoring with a 12-34-46 line in 36 games. He should contribute immediately. We also will be getting 2 transfers who will be eligible- Pecararo, who has been noted frequently, and Brandon Hawkins, a transfer from Bowling Green. He put up 29 goals and 58 points in 2 years at BGSU, but may miss the first semester/first few games net year due to dumb transfer rules. Someone else may have a better handle on that situation.

Other notable players are Brandon Schultz who plays with Primeau in Lincoln, and is their leading scorer with a 10-17-27 line. He is a small player, similar to Collier's size. I would expect him to be a bottom 6 center. Austin Goldstein is having a great year in the USPHL playing with NU recruit Matt Thomson and Austin Lemieux, son of Mario (committed to ASU). Goldstein is from Saugus, MA, went to Malden Catholic, and has a 23-23-46 line in 33 games. He projects to be a bottom 6 guy, possibly middle 6, who should be a good penalty killer. Eetu Selanne, son of Teemu, is also coming, but I don't expect much from him. He has a 5-6-11 line in 33 games in the USHL, but has picked it up recently,with 6 points (3-3-6) in his last 11. He already topped last year's point total (10) in 15 fewer games, so that is a good sign.

Defense has 2 incoming that we project- Darren Rizzolo and Ryan Solomon, both of whom I expect to be depth/bottom pairing guys.

Incoming players can obvious shift with accelerations/early departures/transfers, but that's what I am forecasting right now. You can see the status of recruits through 2021 here: http://northeasternhockeyblog.com/future-roster-huskies-projections-recruits/

 

[TheRevengeance]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

The tl;dr is a pretty highly regarded but statistically underwhelming goaltender, 3 quality forwards (1 FR and 2 JR) and a bunch of depth. Which, if by some miracle all three of Gaudette/Sikura/Nolan stay, basically matches what we lose. Which is John Stevens and a bunch of depth.

My projected lines next with everyone back would be:

Sikura-Gaudette-Hawkins
Stevens-Filipe-Pecararo
Griffin-Solow-Jozefek
Goldstein-Schultz-Schule
Lerario-Picking-Selanne

Same D with two new names replacing Schechter on the healthy scratch list, and Primeau in net

 

[Gr8Sk8M8]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

...basically matches what we lose. Which is John Stevens and a bunch of depth.

ZAR being the "bunch of depth"?

I believe that not only did we all over-estimate Ruck's abilities, we grossly overestimated what we have at forward after the Top 6.

 

[NU_Husky]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

ZAR being the "bunch of depth"?

I believe that not only did we all over-estimate Ruck's abilities, we grossly overestimated what we have at forward after the Top 6.

Lol. I imagine TR forgot ZAR was a senior. Mental lapse.

I am guilty of that overestimating. I expected Griffin to make a leap, especially after he started the year on fire. I expected 10-15 points from Kurker/Collier/Schule each from the bottom lines. Collier and Griffin could get there I guess but they are unreliable in terms of points- Griffin a little moreso given he sometimes plays up. I still think he can be a quality forward for us- he's still young. Kurker has been an abomination.

 

[TheRevengeance]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

Yeah, my brain jumped right over him. Either way, we're going to be slightly worse offensively next year, but it should theoretically be more than made up for with the new goaltending and some defenseman development.

Of course, we could also lose the other three or Cayden could be Ruck 2.0 and be a total trainwreck. Who knows.

 

[PPGuru]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

I didn't expect too much out of the bottom tier forwards because i didn't think too many of them would dress. 18. 21, 8, 9, 17, 12, Jozefek, Pecararo and 19. That's a pretty good group composing three lines. I thought 16, 10 and 22 would be the fourth line to begin and maybe one of the other new forwards would play themselves into the lineup. It hasn't turned out that way as we know. (We gave up a SHG vs Harvard where Patrick Schule was on the ice. Not saying it was his fault. Saying I never thought I'd see him om the PP.) I did overestimate Davie's impact on the team. (First team USHL All Star last year - was that based on all offence? Weak year for Dmen in USHL?)

 

[TheRevengeance]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

That too. Pecararo, Jozefek, John, and Nolan were all supposed to be top six options with one of Pec/Jozy falling to the third line opposite Griffin. Between the four of them we've gotten... 35 games? A Collier-Kurker-Schule/Pond fourth line would be totally fine. That isn't how it happened.

I've noticed that Pond has been getting a good number of RW shifts in the top six as well and I have absolutely zero idea why. He's slightly fast, but he falls over his own skates twice a shift, can't hit the broad side of a barn, and has like one point all year. Why he's getting extra shifts is beyond my comprehension. He blew a tire skating into the offensive zone on Monday and caused a breakaway against. Unfortunate, sure, but avoidable considering you know he's going to blow that tire like clockwork.

 

[HHound]

Re: Northeastern Huskies 2016-17 -- Great Expectations

That too. Pecararo, Jozefek, John, and Nolan were all supposed to be top six options with one of Pec/Jozy falling to the third line opposite Griffin. Between the four of them we've gotten... 35 games? A Collier-Kurker-Schule/Pond fourth line would be totally fine. That isn't how it happened.

I've noticed that Pond has been getting a good number of RW shifts in the top six as well and I have absolutely zero idea why. He's slightly fast, but he falls over his own skates twice a shift, can't hit the broad side of a barn, and has like one point all year. Why he's getting extra shifts is beyond my comprehension. He blew a tire skating into the offensive zone on Monday and caused a breakaway against. Unfortunate, sure, but avoidable considering you know he's going to blow that tire like clockwork.

It sounds (reads) as though you all done a thorough post-mortem on a team that is still alive. someone has covered most of the points I might have covered, but I have a few thoughts to add.
Pond was never much of a scorer in the USHL. He was recruited to be a disrupter and PK guy. He has done a decent job on the PK, which is an area that the team has improved. He has learned to disrupt the offense. Unfortunately the offense he had disrupted is ours! He has a balance problem and falls down more than any player I can remember, but he does usually blow a tire while skating in a stgraight line. His PK is what keeps him in the lineup - barely.
I, too have been terribly disappointed in the two bu transfers, particularly Kurker. He is said to be a very good student. I wish him a successful career in business. This was supposed to be a "breakout" year for Griffin. No creativity at all. Jozefek never had a chance to develop as he has had a headache for most of the year.

The D has been a disappointment, but have been bright spots. Davies has super skills, but has to find better ways to get the puck out of the D zone. Flipping doesn't cut it. I place equal blame on a lack of D zone coverage and backchecking effort by certain forwards. Forechecking to create opportunities would have been nice, too.

On the recruiting front: Rizzolo is an "18 arrival. We are involved with a couple of forwards. Hopefully we'll get one of them (that's all we can afford). Either could develop into a top or middle six forward.