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RPI 2025 Off-Season: Help Is On the Way

DrDemento said:
All 5 on my list for certain. Have a few others to consider also - Adam Bartell, Patrick Rachon, Brad Layzell, Stepane Robitaille, Allen Kummu, and from the distant past, Bill Grisdale. Can't comment on the 1954 group and as has been said, really difficult to compare across decades of hockey. I submit though that any of these listed so far (if we could bring them back and add them) would make next year's squad quite formidable!!!!
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Grisdale indeed!!! Senior D man in my first full time year of attending RPI Hockey in 1965-1966. Fortunately, dad brought me to a couple of games toward the end of the previous season when I actually got to see Senior Jerry Knightly play.

However, Grisdale was a pair with another guy that should not be forgotten either despite the 65-66 team being pretty dreadful (3-19). Obviously, it got a little thin in the back after those two.

The other guy was Al Jones who, as a D man, actually led the 65-66 Engineers in scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists. There wasn't very much else up front either.
 
DrDemento said:
Which is why, no matter how talented they were, Martin St. Louis and Brian Gionta did not play as defensemen. Different positions in hockey necessitate players have certain attributes. And as the old adage goes - you cannot teach size! The game has changed over the years. When I played a big D-man might be 5'10" and 185 pounds. Today, most D players are listed as 6'2" or taller and 210 or bigger, with the larger boys being a couple inches above that and 15 or more pounds of muscle heavier.
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It's worth mentioning that the 2 Elite d men in the NHL are Adam Fox and Cole Makar both undersized for that position not to mention the best d man at RPI in the last decade(top 3 or 4 all time) was unquestionably Nick Balen HANDS DOWN !!! If he said he was 5'9 he was lying Im not arguing the need for size but I believe the era has come where your best skater is a d man. The 3 players mentioned here are and were elite skaters.
 
troyboy said:
It's worth mentioning that the 2 Elite d men in the NHL are Adam Fox and Cole Makar both undersized for that position not to mention the best d man at RPI in the last decade(top 3 or 4 all time) was unquestionably Nick Balen HANDS DOWN !!! If he said he was 5'9 he was lying Im not arguing the need for size but I believe the era has come where your best skater is a d man. The 3 players mentioned here are and were elite skaters.
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There are always a few exceptions to the rule. Both Fox and Makar are incredible talents and you do not find players of that caliber very often. Hopefully they can avoid one of the problems that smaller players in the NHL seem to accumulate. Injuries! Neither is what I would describe as fragile but last year, every time I saw Fox get hit hard, I thought i was watching the end of the NY Rangers playoff run.
 
tony/troy said:
Grisdale indeed!!! Senior D man in my first full time year of attending RPI Hockey in 1965-1966. Fortunately, dad brought me to a couple of games toward the end of the previous season when I actually got to see Senior Jerry Knightly play.

However, Grisdale was a pair with another guy that should not be forgotten either despite the 65-66 team being pretty dreadful (3-19). Obviously, it got a little thin in the back after those two.

The other guy was Al Jones who, as a D man, actually led the 65-66 Engineers in scoring with 10 goals and 10 assists. There wasn't very much else up front either.
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Al was the most potent offensive weapon that year. And you are correct, there was not much else up front. You were indeed fortunate to get to see Jerry Knightly play but unfortunately you came on the scene just a tad late to see someone even more special in Bob Brinkworth. Surely both could have been NHL level players if the league at that time had been expanded to 32 teams.
 
Engineers said:
Chase Clark to canisius. Ethan David from RIT is really the only goalie left worth bringing in. Lang might need to go major junior or find an uncommitted ushl goalie.
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Clark continues his annual descent on the college hockey food chain: Quinnipiac --> Sacred Heart --> AIC --> Canisius
Ralph Baer said:
FWIW, Neutral Zone raised Ryan Sanborn from 3.50 stars to 3.75 since he committed to UConn, He was as high as 4.25 in 2020 and 2021.
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If he announced he'd be in Troy this fall they would cut him to 3.25.
 
DrDemento said:
Al was the most potent offensive weapon that year. And you are correct, there was not much else up front. You were indeed fortunate to get to see Jerry Knightly play but unfortunately you came on the scene just a tad late to see someone even more special in Bob Brinkworth. Surely both could have been NHL level players if the league at that time had been expanded to 32 teams.
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Alright Doc I got a top 5 guy for you and Ralph...Kirby Rowe !
 
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