RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

[jericho]

Ralph, you skipped a day somewhere, today's the 17th.

He set his clock ahead 24 hours, instead of just one.

 

[RPI fan 4 life]

He set his clock ahead 24 hours, instead of just one.

Actually if you look at earlier posts, he listed Saturday as the 17th, skipping the 16th. Must have just got started on his St. Patrick’s Day drinking early.

 

[RPI fan 4 life]

Ya probly better attendance than our last home weekend . Also maybe do better promotional nights like valley cats do and add a food stand like Moe’s for options for dinner at the game.
Ask brenden whittet how to win playoff series

Not bad ideas, but the simplest solution to increase attendance is one simple thing: WIN. If they win, they will come.

 

[ServinisScores]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

A few thoughts collected over the last 10 days:

- not sure of expectations for any new coach, much less this one. I think the needle moved this year in terms of team play, cohesion, perseverance, and results. Considering where the program was coming from 24 months ago, I think it's reason for optimism.
- Chase Polacek, BRandon Pirri, Jerry D'Amigo, Ryan Haggerty, Riley Bourbonnais, Jacob Hayhurst - these are a few of the "snipers" the team had in the past, and supposedly needs. I call BS. They need a bunch more players going a bunch more goals. One single player wont fix the overall issue here - better skating and puckhandling breeds more goal scoring opportunities. Opponents like Yale, Clarkson, QU who are good skating and physical shows the gaping hole in the team
- seeing Brown make the ECAC FF again renders the facility/support issue less important. Maybe the focus is on the education available? No one can ever tell me RPI's support from the students and administration is less than Brown and Dartmouth, nor are the facilities far more superior. I would argue needs to invest to keep up w/ educational parallels like Clarkson, Colgate, QU, but it's not THE limiting factor in attracting players and putting out a winning product.

 

[lugnut92]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

- Chase Polacek, BRandon Pirri, Jerry D'Amigo, Ryan Haggerty, Riley Bourbonnais, Jacob Hayhurst - these are a few of the "snipers" the team had in the past, and supposedly needs. I call BS. They need a bunch more players going a bunch more goals. One single player wont fix the overall issue here - better skating and puckhandling breeds more goal scoring opportunities. Opponents like Yale, Clarkson, QU who are good skating and physical shows the gaping hole in the team

Including Pirri and D'Amigo on that list doesn't make any sense given that they were on a team with Polacek. That season we had exactly what you say we need: a bunch of players scoring a bunch of goals. It's been discussed for nearly a decade, but if they stay for even one more year, the 10-11 season probably plays out quite a bit differently, which would have significant ripple effects. Later, while weren't a spectacular team when Haggerty was on the team, we were at least close to the magic 3 goals-per-game number. Despite Bourbonnais' modest talent, we haven't broken 2.5 since (To be fair, Haggerty had a much stronger supporting cast than Bourbonnais had).

It's silly to interpret "we need a sniper" as "we need one and only one player that is capable of scoring." When we're coming off a season where no one scored more than 10 goals (though Zieky and Polino would likely have gotten there if they'd played all 36), I don't think it's unreasonable for someone to hope for someone actually capable of executing. Obviously we'd all like 18 players with that kind of talent, but we have to start somewhere.

 

[rpi82]

RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Including Pirri and D'Amigo on that list doesn't make any sense given that they were on a team with Polacek. That season we had exactly what you say we need: a bunch of players scoring a bunch of goals. It's been discussed for nearly a decade, but if they stay for even one more year, the 10-11 season probably plays out quite a bit differently, which would have significant ripple effects. Later, while weren't a spectacular team when Haggerty was on the team, we were at least close to the magic 3 goals-per-game number. Despite Bourbonnais' modest talent, we haven't broken 2.5 since (To be fair, Haggerty had a much stronger supporting cast than Bourbonnais had).

It's silly to interpret "we need a sniper" as "we need one and only one player that is capable of scoring." When we're coming off a season where no one scored more than 10 goals (though Zieky and Polino would likely have gotten there if they'd played all 36), I don't think it's unreasonable for someone to hope for someone actually capable of executing. Obviously we'd all like 18 players with that kind of talent, but we have to start somewhere.

I often wonder how different our program and Seth Alpert’s life would be if Pirri had been drafted by anyone but the Blackhawks. They won the Stanley Cup that year while in cap hell. The resulting exodus of players through trades and free agency (necessary to free up cap dollars by moving some cheaper talent up from the AHL roster), was, I suspect, largely the reason they brought in early a talented, but physically and defensively undeveloped, player in Pirri. If he stays then I suspect D’amigo stays and we might have had a special season.

Then again, perhaps just the wishful ramblings of a fan and the premature dismantling of our hopes was pre-ordained by the gods in Chicago and Toronto..


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[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Today is 18 March 2019. There are 201 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2019 for the start of next season.

 

[Noresmen]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Today is 19 March 2019. There are 208 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2019 for the start of next season.

Ralph .... Today is March 18th.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Ralph .... Today is March 18th.

I have been wrong since Saturday.

 

[ServinisScores]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

I often wonder how different our program and Seth Alpert’s life would be if Pirri had been drafted by anyone but the Blackhawks. They won the Stanley Cup that year while in cap hell. The resulting exodus of players through trades and free agency (necessary to free up cap dollars by moving some cheaper talent up from the AHL roster), was, I suspect, largely the reason they brought in early a talented, but physically and defensively undeveloped, player in Pirri. If he stays then I suspect D’amigo stays and we might have had a special season.

Then again, perhaps just the wishful ramblings of a fan and the premature dismantling of our hopes was pre-ordained by the gods in Chicago and Toronto..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

just think how D'Amigo feels. He brought a few more skills to the table than Pirri, and got lost in the shuffle his first year ex-RPI.

 

[sk8tronthepond]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

He brought a few more skills to the table than Pirri, and got lost in the shuffle his first year ex-RPI.

I respectfully disagree with you. Pirri had more offensive skills that D'Amigo and was a much better skater. D'Amigo reaped the benefits of an excellent World Juniors and could never match or exceed that performance, which led to getting lost in the numbers game.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

I respectfully disagree with you. Pirri had more offensive skills that D'Amigo and was a better skater. D'Amigo reaped the benefits of an excellent Olympics and could never match or exceed that performance.

I think that you mean World Junior tourney, the one before he entered RPI.

 

[sk8tronthepond]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

I think that you mean World Junior tourney, the one before he entered RPI.

Yes... thank you Ralph!

 

[vicious]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Including Pirri and D'Amigo on that list doesn't make any sense given that they were on a team with Polacek. That season we had exactly what you say we need: a bunch of players scoring a bunch of goals. It's been discussed for nearly a decade, but if they stay for even one more year, the 10-11 season probably plays out quite a bit differently, which would have significant ripple effects. Later, while weren't a spectacular team when Haggerty was on the team, we were at least close to the magic 3 goals-per-game number. Despite Bourbonnais' modest talent, we haven't broken 2.5 since (To be fair, Haggerty had a much stronger supporting cast than Bourbonnais had).

It's silly to interpret "we need a sniper" as "we need one and only one player that is capable of scoring." When we're coming off a season where no one scored more than 10 goals (though Zieky and Polino would likely have gotten there if they'd played all 36), I don't think it's unreasonable for someone to hope for someone actually capable of executing. Obviously we'd all like 18 players with that kind of talent, but we have to start somewhere.

Team offense in league play has been somewhat consistent the last four seasons. Looking back from this past season it's been 49, 45, 52, 47. Skimming some of the league finishes in recent seasons, the teams with first-round byes and home ice in the league playoffs are almost always north of 60 goals-for in league play. So maybe the question is, how do we get to 60 GF in league play? We need to find another 11 goals in 22 league games.

I'm basing this all on Savory turning in another really solid season next year (goals allowed in league play dropped from 86 in 2017-18 to 67 this past season.).

 

[vicious]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Ya probly better attendance than our last home weekend . Also maybe do better promotional nights like valley cats do and add a food stand like Moe’s for options for dinner at the game.
Ask brenden whittet how to win playoff series

The building felt old, cold, and empty much of the season. Install newer, more comfortable seating. All red seats (have never understood why half of HFH is blue!). Revive the Red Army and get students back in the building. Lack of student support is sad but understandable after a string of losing seasons. Offer better food options instead of the Sodexho fare. Sell craft beers. I know SAJ will never go for it, but I bet attendance would increase and it would take the sting out of losing.

 

[jericho]

The building felt old, cold, and empty much of the season. Install newer, more comfortable seating. All red seats (have never understood why half of HFH is blue!). Revive the Red Army and get students back in the building. Lack of student support is sad but understandable after a string of losing seasons. Offer better food options instead of the Sodexho fare. Sell craft beers. I know SAJ will never go for it, but I bet attendance would increase and it would take the sting out of losing.

Just a guess. Maybe it’s blue because the AHL’s CD Islanders played there in the late 80’s and early 90’s and requested that some of the seating be blue? Could also explain why the blue seating has padding whereas the rest do not. Maybe they paid a certain amount to RPI to do this, and when they left to go to Syracuse to become the Crunch RPI never changed back?

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">No. in the league in save percentage <br>2.46 GAA <br><br>Congratulations Owen Savory ( <a href="https://twitter.com/RPI_Hockey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RPI_Hockey</a> ), 2018-19 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ECACHockey?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ECACHockey</a> All-Rookie Goaltender! <a href="https://t.co/dSFtB1FUjW">pic.twitter.com/dSFtB1FUjW</a></p>— ECAC HOCKEY (@ecachockey) <a href="https://twitter.com/ecachockey/status/1107657937084923904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

.... Sell craft beers. I know SAJ will never go for it, but I bet attendance would increase and it would take the sting out of losing.

I was told that league rules prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages at school facilities . I believe Clarkson is the only ECAC program that has it - sort of -and technically it's not in the arena. Cheel has the student union which adjoins the arena --but access and admission to the pub is separate to that of the rink.

Sodexo has the food vending contract for the entire campus - ANY changes or additions made would need to go through them contractually.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

I was told that league rules prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages at school facilities . I believe Clarkson is the only ECAC program that has it - sort of -and technically it's not in the arena. Cheel has the student union which adjoins the arena --but access and admission to the pub is separate to that of the rink.

Sodexo has the food vending contract for the entire campus - ANY changes or additions made would need to go through them contractually.

Just curious. Is the B&J ice cream table under that contract?

 

[ServinisScores]

Re: RPI 2019 Off-Season: Where Did Everyone Go?

Just a guess. Maybe it’s blue because the AHL’s CD Islanders played there in the late 80’s and early 90’s and requested that some of the seating be blue? Could also explain why the blue seating has padding whereas the rest do not. Maybe they paid a certain amount to RPI to do this, and when they left to go to Syracuse to become the Crunch RPI never changed back?

It was red and blue as far as I can remember, which is 78-79. Those padded seats went in around 83-84 maybe? Right behind our seats, which I never understood.