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RPI 2024 Off-Season: Was 2023 – 2024 Just a Bad Dream?

Today is 26 April 2024. There are 162 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
Engineers said:
Union is heading in the right direction under hauge. I said earlier this year Childs is an elite coach. We usually get bull**** for information regarding direction we are going. Still nothing from anyone out of Troy about what the hell just transpired this past season and what is being done to rectify the problems. The more this goes on the more people lose interest in RPI hockey. We are approaching brown status. Keeping a coach with one winning season makes no sense. Brown does the same crap with whitten who has one winning season in 12 years. We’re close
Anyone know why we have one coach going down to Naples this year? Registration list has one RPI coach going for men’s and nobody for women’s team?
Click to expand...

I have no insider information, but my guess of what is going on is this:

Smith saw a losing record and tried his best to turn it around in playoffs. We upset in round one, and played our best hockey in round 2, but it wasn't enough. RPI is in a tough situation, where they can either burn the contract money to bring in a new coach, knowing the program will still be bad for at least 1 to 2 years with no guarantee of getting better or wait one more year.

Smith meets with AD/President who tells him to either fix the team or be fired.

Smith gets rid of most of the sophomore class, leading to an extremely large portion of the team being new to RPI in the next season.

Smith brings in a backup goalie (likely to replace Miller next season).

Smith brings one forward, two defencemen, and a goalie from the portal. The forward to fill an open forward slot, the two defencemen because our defense was terrible last season, and I am stumped why we are bringing in a Senior starting goalie. While Watson wasn't great the last two seasons, when he is hot, he is unstoppable. Even when he is not, he usually keeps the team in the game. I understand the last two seasons he has gotten injured, meaning we have relied on our backups, but this goalie was a starter going into his senior year.

We found out we have four of our top performing Seniors returning.

We now know one of our OOC series is against Maimi, another team that will likely not be great next season.

From this, I would assume that Smith will schedule a weak OOC schedule. We played an incredibly strong one this year, and it didn't help the team much where it really mattered: in the conference, so I wouldn't be surprised if Smith does this to boost the team's record.

All in all, I would say last season was a story of overconfidence going into the season (look at the pre-season promotional material, newscasts, and OOC schedule), and unmotivated play in the conference, leading to our downfall. I'm hoping that RPI can turn this around for the 2025-26 season when Union is hosting the frozen four qualifiers in Albany. It's clear Union is trying to build up for that, I am hoping that RPI is too. Only time will tell, I guess. I just hope that the AD defines a goal, we're going to be competitive again by this year, and then they work to accomplish this goal.
 
RPI Hockey Guy said:
All in all, I would say last season was a story of overconfidence going into the season (look at the pre-season promotional material, newscasts, and OOC schedule), and unmotivated play in the conference, leading to our downfall. I'm hoping that RPI can turn this around for the 2025-26 season when Union is hosting the frozen four qualifiers in Albany. It's clear Union is trying to build up for that, I am hoping that RPI is too. Only time will tell, I guess. I just hope that the AD defines a goal, we're going to be competitive again by this year, and then they work to accomplish this goal.
Click to expand...
I can see it now, both Union and RPI will make the NCAA tournament in 2026 but will be in the same band. Thus RPI be shipped somewhere else. :-D
 
Engineers said:
Anyone know if we are done getting players out of the portal? I think we need a couple more forwards. Itagaki still available. Ambrosio available, Thompson out of Alaska recent addition to the portal. Wilmer would be a phenomenal addition. Emerson was a guy I thought we would have a chance with. New York kid. Merrimack grabbed him
Click to expand...

Itagaki to Ferris, Thompson to Ohio State according to Schlossman tracker.

RPI's entrants to the portal still appear to not have landed anywhere.
 
RPI Hockey Guy said:
I have no insider information, but my guess of what is going on is this:

Smith saw a losing record and tried his best to turn it around in playoffs. We upset in round one, and played our best hockey in round 2, but it wasn't enough. RPI is in a tough situation, where they can either burn the contract money to bring in a new coach, knowing the program will still be bad for at least 1 to 2 years with no guarantee of getting better or wait one more year.

Smith meets with AD/President who tells him to either fix the team or be fired.

Smith gets rid of most of the sophomore class, leading to an extremely large portion of the team being new to RPI in the next season.

Smith brings in a backup goalie (likely to replace Miller next season).

Smith brings one forward, two defencemen, and a goalie from the portal. The forward to fill an open forward slot, the two defencemen because our defense was terrible last season, and I am stumped why we are bringing in a Senior starting goalie. While Watson wasn't great the last two seasons, when he is hot, he is unstoppable. Even when he is not, he usually keeps the team in the game. I understand the last two seasons he has gotten injured, meaning we have relied on our backups, but this goalie was a starter going into his senior year.

We found out we have four of our top performing Seniors returning.

We now know one of our OOC series is against Maimi, another team that will likely not be great next season.

From this, I would assume that Smith will schedule a weak OOC schedule. We played an incredibly strong one this year, and it didn't help the team much where it really mattered: in the conference, so I wouldn't be surprised if Smith does this to boost the team's record.

All in all, I would say last season was a story of overconfidence going into the season (look at the pre-season promotional material, newscasts, and OOC schedule), and unmotivated play in the conference, leading to our downfall. I'm hoping that RPI can turn this around for the 2025-26 season when Union is hosting the frozen four qualifiers in Albany. It's clear Union is trying to build up for that, I am hoping that RPI is too. Only time will tell, I guess. I just hope that the AD defines a goal, we're going to be competitive again by this year, and then they work to accomplish this goal.
Click to expand...

Can't disagree with really any of this.....especially your thoughts on the Smith situation.... as you noted, you could buy him out but you'll still be in for one or two years (at least) of purgatory or you have a very short very direct discussion regarding the future and see if he can find his way to significant improvement next year. The damage was done when the previous administration gave him the long extension....

One caution I would add is the portal is open until 5/14 ?? I believe...so we're not out of the woods quite yet on possible departures...but hopefully we are done with them...

Overall, the lack of any communication regarding the program or the HFH building study is just salt in the wounds for the faithful having endured a horrific season.
 
DavidNardolillo said:
Itagaki to Ferris, Thompson to Ohio State according to Schlossman tracker.

RPI's entrants to the portal still appear to not have landed anywhere.
Click to expand...

Bummer! Itagaki is a phenomenal passer he would have been a great setup man for hotson and Caron on the pp. Driscoll went to sacred heart. ridiculously underrated defenseman. Big guy who can skate and play a two way game.
 
RPI Hockey Guy said:
I have no insider information, but my guess of what is going on is this:

Smith saw a losing record and tried his best to turn it around in playoffs. We upset in round one, and played our best hockey in round 2, but it wasn't enough. RPI is in a tough situation, where they can either burn the contract money to bring in a new coach, knowing the program will still be bad for at least 1 to 2 years with no guarantee of getting better or wait one more year.

Smith meets with AD/President who tells him to either fix the team or be fired.

Smith gets rid of most of the sophomore class, leading to an extremely large portion of the team being new to RPI in the next season.

Smith brings in a backup goalie (likely to replace Miller next season).

Smith brings one forward, two defencemen, and a goalie from the portal. The forward to fill an open forward slot, the two defencemen because our defense was terrible last season, and I am stumped why we are bringing in a Senior starting goalie. While Watson wasn't great the last two seasons, when he is hot, he is unstoppable. Even when he is not, he usually keeps the team in the game. I understand the last two seasons he has gotten injured, meaning we have relied on our backups, but this goalie was a starter going into his senior year.

We found out we have four of our top performing Seniors returning.

We now know one of our OOC series is against Maimi, another team that will likely not be great next season.

From this, I would assume that Smith will schedule a weak OOC schedule. We played an incredibly strong one this year, and it didn't help the team much where it really mattered: in the conference, so I wouldn't be surprised if Smith does this to boost the team's record.

All in all, I would say last season was a story of overconfidence going into the season (look at the pre-season promotional material, newscasts, and OOC schedule), and unmotivated play in the conference, leading to our downfall. I'm hoping that RPI can turn this around for the 2025-26 season when Union is hosting the frozen four qualifiers in Albany. It's clear Union is trying to build up for that, I am hoping that RPI is too. Only time will tell, I guess. I just hope that the AD defines a goal, we're going to be competitive again by this year, and then they work to accomplish this goal.
Click to expand...

Can’t argue with that assessment. I agree that RPI is in a tough situation with his contract however I personally think RPI should have fired him to get a jump start on the rebuild. Prolonging the inevitable is a waste of time. I just have to circle back to the recruiting. It’s atrocious…Yes they’re a few solid guys but overall it’s really bad.
 
Today is 27 April 2024. There are 161 days (23 weeks) until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
Today is 28 April 2024. There are 160 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
Engineers said:
....
Anyone know why we have one coach going down to Naples this year? Registration list has one RPI coach going for men’s and nobody for women’s team?
Click to expand...

Sachi and Vines were at the ALB airport this morning, so at least one hockey staff member appears to be headed to Naples....if RPI's check clears....LOL
 
Today is 29 April 2024. There are 159 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
Today is 30 April 2024. There are 158 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
Today is 1 May 2024. There are 157 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 5 October 2024 for the start of next season.
 
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