RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

[RPI67]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Thanks to all the posters and returning posters. My number is 16 wins and enough ties for .500. 1963-64 was my freshman year. Very special year - 2 lines and 3 Dman. Bob Brinkworth+++.
I didn't miss many home games in my 5 years at RPI. I felt at the end of last season the returning players + TB could win enough 3rd periods and OTs to finish .500. Still hopeful. LGR.

I would be ecstatic if the team finished over .500, but I'm not optimistic that they'll come close to that. After all, RPI's coming off a season when their winning percentage was .230.

I agree that we have some talented players returning, but they don't include anybody like Bob Brinkworth and Jerry Knightley, with whom Rube Bjorkman was blessed upon his arrival in Troy. With those two and the rest of what he inherited from Ned Harkness, Bjorkman went on to achieve a .692 winning percentage in 1963-64, the best of any RPI head coach in his first year.

If Dave Smith does half that well, I won't be too unhappy about it. 11-22-4 this season (including 1-2 in the postseason) would work out to a winning percentage of .351. That's as optimistic a prediction as I'm willing to make.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Today is 2 August 2017. There are 59 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 30 September 2017 for the start of next season.


No complete roster yet.

 

[FreshFish]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

If we had set up a poll of some sort it would be interesting to see just how everyone here truly feels about this upcoming season as far as how many total wins they expect.

Is "more than last season" an acceptable number for my guess on total wins?

Actually, I also would be fine if we have substantially more ties than last season as well. The point total perhaps more than the raw win total will be (for me at least) a slightly better metric of progress. Enough already with the other team tying late in regulation / winning in overtime!

 

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Is "more than last season" an acceptable number for my guess on total wins?

Actually, I also would be fine if we have substantially more ties than last season as well. The point total perhaps more than the raw win total will be (for me at least) a slightly better metric of progress. Enough already with the other team tying late in regulation / winning in overtime!

FF: 'More than last season' - anyone who can come up withe puns and humor you do can be a bit more specific than that. Just trying to get a bit of a psychological gauge on the feelings of those who post regularly here. So far, anyone chiming in seems to at least think we can do better than last year (it would be difficult not to). But you do indicate something very important. It may come down to how we do in all those one goal games and close games with less than 5 minutes remaining.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Is "more than last season" an acceptable number for my guess on total wins?

Actually, I also would be fine if we have substantially more ties than last season as well. The point total perhaps more than the raw win total will be (for me at least) a slightly better metric of progress. Enough already with the other team tying late in regulation / winning in overtime!

Can we get any lower?

 

[FreshFish]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

FF: 'More than last season' - anyone who can come up withe puns and humor you do can be a bit more specific than that. Just trying to get a bit of a psychological gauge on the feelings of those who post regularly here. So far, anyone chiming in seems to at least think we can do better than last year (it would be difficult not to). But you do indicate something very important. It may come down to how we do in all those one goal games and close games with less than 5 minutes remaining.

Hi, Doc,

I guess I phrased my prior post rather poorly.

I am less concerned about "how many wins" as I am about "how many points." One tie last year? I don't have stats handy on how many losses in OT or losses in last two minutes of regulation, but my recollection was "too many."

I think more than doubling our point total from last year would be a good start, however it is comprised. A 12-15-10 season would be better from my perspective than a 14-20-3 one.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Segall Joins <a href="https://twitter.com/RPI_Hockey">@RPI_Hockey</a> Staff as Ops Coordinator <a href="https://t.co/iewdBOK9kR">https://t.co/iewdBOK9kR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RPIHockey?src=hash">#RPIHockey</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ECACHockey?src=hash">#ECACHockey</a> <a href="https://t.co/R4mdVvyO7A">pic.twitter.com/R4mdVvyO7A</a></p>— RPI Athletics (@RPIAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/RPIAthletics/status/892803114167930880">August 2, 2017</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

9-12 wins and fighting for home ice in the first round but ending up in 9th or 10th. That said, I'll still say #1 in the annual standings thread...

 

[rsfs04]

FF: 'More than last season' - anyone who can come up withe puns and humor you do can be a bit more specific than that. Just trying to get a bit of a psychological gauge on the feelings of those who post regularly here. So far, anyone chiming in seems to at least think we can do better than last year (it would be difficult not to). But you do indicate something very important. It may come down to how we do in all those one goal games and close games with less than 5 minutes remaining.

I'll probably post my thoughts more as we get closer to the season, though I wouldn't say I post regularly here.

In general, I would say there is no win total I'm hoping for. I'm much more interested in how I feel about the direction of the team come next season's end. That's a very broad statement on purpose.

Specifically, I want to feel good about the style of play Coach Smith employs (whatever it may be) and I want to see individual/team growth as the season goes on.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

9-12 wins and fighting for home ice in the first round but ending up in 9th or 10th. That said, I'll still say #1 in the annual standings thread...

I'm sure this past year, Doc enjoyed the "reprieve" of having to buy expensive jewelry for Jenny...

 

[25+years]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

I agree. Anything can happen. One of the goalies could get really hot. Or there could be a significant injury or two making line combinations a challenge. There are certainly many teams RPI will be able to challenge. If they play the majority of games for a full 60 minutes, other teams will respect them. And when teams respect you, they play you differently. They give you more space. They become intimidated and that takes them off their game. So I don't think a .500 season or better is out of the question. I watched Princeton against Union last season. Union was lucky to get out of that series and move on. RPI can be such a team. If they are hungry. I am excited to see what they bring this season. And as long as they play with passion for 60 minutes I will call it a success.

 

[fishcore12]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

20 wins, home ice and a trip to LP. No the summer heat is not getting to me.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Today is 3 August 2017. There are 58 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 30 September 2017 for the start of next season.


No complete roster yet.

 

[sk8tronthepond]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Is "more than last season" an acceptable number for my guess on total wins?

Actually, I also would be fine if we have substantially more ties than last season as well. The point total perhaps more than the raw win total will be (for me at least) a slightly better metric of progress. Enough already with the other team tying late in regulation / winning in overtime!

Forget wins and points. Coach Smith must change the attitude and culture that currently exists within the locker room/program. Only then, will you start to see that translate into whatever one's definition of success might be.

 

[turk181]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Forget wins and points. Coach Smith must change the attitude and culture that currently exists within the locker room/program. Only then, will you start to see that translate into whatever one's definition of success might be.

IMO the 1st step has already been taken with the hiring of a new HC.

 

[AspyDad]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Wow man let it go.....Your boy toy is better off now and you know it....Stop being upset he had to leave town and you need to find a new lover.....It will happen if you let it.....You got him maybe you can get Smith...

drinking again, are we?

 

[DrDemento]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

I'm sure this past year, Doc enjoyed the "reprieve" of having to buy expensive jewelry for Jenny...

Dude: Jenny has so many different things she collects. Some for investment, some for fun, and some just for the sake of having some things that virtually no one else does. Jewelry and watches fit all three of those categories. But her newest passion is something that basically fits the first two. The Chinese invented gunpowder approximately 1100 years ago in the 9th or 10th century. Since that time almost no one has lost much money on a firearm. If you do your homework, and purchase wisely, it can be very rewarding.

 

[DavidSec17]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Hi all, hope everyone is enjoying the summer. I'm hoping to see more discipline. Less bad penalties at bad times. At times we were a team that crossed the line a bit.

It will also be interesting to see how games are officiated against us. It seemed like we were on the short end of some bad calls over the past few seasons, not to mention some games where we were shorthanded 2, sometimes 3 to 1.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Today is 4 August 2017. There are 57 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 30 September 2017 for the start of next season.


No complete roster yet.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2017 Off-Season (Part II): Mr. Smith Goes to Troy

Hi all, hope everyone is enjoying the summer. I'm hoping to see more discipline. Less bad penalties at bad times. At times we were a team that crossed the line a bit.

It will also be interesting to see how games are officiated against us. It seemed like we were on the short end of some bad calls over the past few seasons, not to mention some games where we were shorthanded 2, sometimes 3 to 1.

You make a great point. SA was not a favorite of the officials. He got off to a very bad start and never really recovered.
He also never seemed to get some of the players to be disciplined on the ice causing some very stupid penalties.
We'll see if Smith can turn that around. It should give us a couple of more victories down the line.