Northeastern Huskies 2023-24: Brave New World or New Beginning?

[Split-N]

Well, it seems the downhill road to rock bottom is longer than any of us thought. What I personally found painfully frustrating was how they outplayed and outshot UNH for extended periods, then suddenly tuned everything out for a few minutes and had the roof cave in on them. Attacking zone futility is hard to fathom. I don't even want to think about the rest of the season if they can't somehow right the ship vs equally moribund RPI this weekend.

 

[OnePack]

The blog calling it unwatchable does speak volumes. Even post that comment they have found ways to point to positives.

Execution is beyond words terrible though. You can’t play a hockey game when you can’t pass the puck, and if you do make the pass the guy on the other end has it bounce off their stick. The basics just aren’t there. I’m not sure what they’re doing in practice but it’s time to start doing some little kids passing drills.

 

[eaglekeeper]

I can guarantee you that if the situation were the same at BC, our administration would do nothing as well. Have you seen the mess we call our football and basketball programs!

One bad season after 3 straight Beanpot Championships is nothing to worry about. BC has not won a Beanpot or been to a frozen four since 2016. They have not won the Hockey East tournament since 2012. NU will find talent and right the ship soon enough.

I heard that you guys might have to build a new arena due to structural problems with Matthews. A first class 4-5,000 seat arena is long overdue and it would really help recruiting.

 

[PullTheGoalie]

The Arena is an issue I hadn't thought about recently. I was told that the back wall on the zamboni end needed serious attention this summer. Walking out Friday night I noticed a sign that said the seating in that end of the balcony was closed. A new multi-purpose Arena would be wonderful. With the scarcity of space, NU would probably have to go on the road for a couple of years while the old arena was torn down and a new one erected.

 

[RossiRules]

I can guarantee you that if the situation were the same at BC, our administration would do nothing as well. Have you seen the mess we call our football and basketball program

Yeah but playing in the ACC is about the Franklins. Nobody expected the change to tank the programs but now that it's confirmed there isn't anything anyone can do. A move back to the Big East in Basketball and would do wonders ask UCONN for the blueprint, but that ACC Football $ will never allow it financially. NU really never built a powerhouse because they just don't have the recruiting ability. They drafted a few key players over the last 10 years, that said they haven't won an NCAA tournament game in over 40 years.

 

[Split-N]

...I heard that you guys might have to build a new arena due to structural problems with Matthews. A first class 4-5,000 seat arena is long overdue and it would really help recruiting.

That has been near the top of the wish list for decades but successive generations of Boston pols have been less than enthusiastic. The only exception was Marty Walsh (ironically a BC guy) but there was only so much he could do. Then there's the historic preservationists.

 

[Ryecheers]

There is also the challenge of expanding a new arena's footprint. IIRC, The U owns the small apartment building on the Mass. Ave end, but they are sensitive to the needs of the tenants. A new facility might have to extend upward, as there really no way to widen it. The people who should know about any plans are acting like bivalves, or like politicians who answer a different question from the one they've been asked.

 

[PullTheGoalie]

I'm fine with going up and not out. An arena with a balcony like Penn State or Notre Dame built sounds wonderful to me. In other news, Mark Divver reports that D Chris Romaine (Milton Academy/Green Bay USHL) has decommitted from Providence. Two years ago, either Neutral Zone or New England Hockey Journal, named him Prep Player of the Year. He'll draw offers.

 

[PullTheGoalie]

Also, Jayden Struble called up to Montreal today.

 

[OnePack]

The building out over the parking lot has been in the master plan for a while. Capacity doesn’t need to be increased, but you need a better entrance, concessions, restrooms. If the whole building gets ripped down you may not see an athletics facility in its place

 

[PullTheGoalie]

Dean Letourneau committed to BC.

 

[Split-N]

Dean Letourneau, possibly the most talented player in the NU pipeline, is no longer committed to NU.

Just speculating but... another poster noted that Greg Brown at BC has been recruiting committed players diligently. Just flipped a defenseman who is considered a 1st rd pick. NIL was mentioned as a factor when the Hagens brothers committed to BC...

Dean Letourneau committed to BC.

Am I the only one smelling something besides turkey?

 

[Ryecheers]

Dean Letourneau committed to BC.

Greedy BC hardly needs him. They can never have enough, especially if he's a good player who has committed to a rival, especially if bu or another HEA team wants him. I hope the kid is drafted high, then signs and plays Junior A. No problem. BC will simply go after someone else's top recruit.
Perhaps Greg and his eagle-eyed assistants feel that every opponent's scouting and recruiting notes should be submitted to them - in case they may have missed something!
I suppose their justification is that they don't expect their freshman dandies to stay longer than two seasons (I didn't say two school years). They have used this recruiting strategy for many years, but I can't find their name engraved on many Beanpots, HEA championships, or NCs trophies during the past decade. They must think their recruiting and pirating of "superstars" is easier than recruiting quality players and coaching them up over 3 or 4 seasons. Quinnipiac might disagree!

 

[RossiRules]

LOL, I've been seeing our cross town rivals at the Heights snap up our commits for over 4 decades. Fern would have to grab unknown farm boys from Saskatchewan (Charlie Huck) and Ontario (Rod Isbister), to keep them off the radar. Heck, Johnny Hockey Gaudreau himself would have been running right down Huntington Ave in his underwear if not for some last minute BC meddling. That snipe had a lot less to do with Cronin's departure then is commonly reported. However, make no mistake this situation is a far greater reflection of our program than that of BC's. Heck, the story goes than Don McKenney followed Harry Mews and Len Ceglarski from Pino's into Maryann's the Spring before he arrived on Campus. So, please don't, just now tell that something is rotten in Denmark.

 

[OnePack]

RPI doesn’t seem to have the A/v engineers to be able to show a replay in a timely manner so they then show it 5x during play

 

[RossiRules]

Did anybody watch this? RPI isn't a good team. I am thinking their is a chance we don't win a HE game this season. Does anyone agree? BU and BC are going to hang a 1/2 dozen goals on this team.

 

[OnePack]

I think you might be coming in low with half a dozen.

We unfortunately are not good. That said seeing a more complete game against admittedly bad competition was at least moderately enjoyable. At this point we are playing for not last.

 

[RossiRules]

I think you might be coming in low with half a dozen.

We unfortunately are not good. That said seeing a more complete game against admittedly bad competition was at least moderately enjoyable. At this point we are playing for not last.

Yeah watching Army v Lowell and they also look like crap. So maybe aren't last. Utter disappointment

 

[PullTheGoalie]

The die is cast on this season. It is discouraging. I'm not sure who our competition for last place might be but I think we are the 'favorites' to finish last. At least Vermont and Lowell have managed to win a couple of games.

 

[Ryecheers]

Was this game televised? I couldn’t find a link on either team’s website. Tomorrow, we overlap with the last hour of then Giants-Patriots game. Oh, what a dilemma!?!