RPI 2025 Off-Season: Help Is On the Way

[sezenack]

I would go the major junior or ushl route. Pearson is not bad but the rest….

Outen had a good year but a weird career before. Rancier was good at Mankato but not at UVM, so maybe he's okay? Bruveris is weird because his numbers at Miami were terrible but Miami was also terrible, and he was solid in the USHL. I agree I don't really like them but for 1-2 year options, I wouldn't hate it

 

[DrDemento]

Ok AD, let’s have some offseason fun; list out your top 5 all-time RPI backliners.

Sez- I had a fairly high opinion about Bailen but he is not in my top 5 (or top 10 for that matter). But I do go back much further than Aspy does and have to include the guys I have seen since 1963. Will await others to comment before I add my own considerations.

 

[jericho]

Sez- I had a fairly high opinion about Bailen but he is not in my top 5 (or top 10 for that matter). But I do go back much further than Aspy does and have to include the guys I have seen since 1963. Will await others to comment before I add my own considerations.

The first year I remember watching was 1989, so I don’t go as far back as you, so here’s mine.

5. Jon Pirrong (I LOVED the rhyming name as a 12 year old kid, so by virtue of the name alone he makes it in)

4. Kelly Askew. Horrible shot but man could he skate.

3. Bryan Tapper. Hell of a good guy, I have a stick signed by both he and Brad

2. Nick Bailen. Reasons mentioned above.

1. Brian Pothier. That guy could play anywhere, head was always on a swivel and could dish the puck anywhere on the ice.

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

I'd have to give 5 a bit of thought. But hands down, the best blueliner I've ever seen in Cherry and White was Brian Pothier. He is the only RPI d-man that I've seen play in Troy that gave me the strong belief that they could stick at the NHL level. Very smooth skater, quick first pass and saw the ice extremely well. Power play QB. Oh, and he got to be a teammate of some guy named Ovechkin. LOL

I'd actually forgotten how long he played and just well he did. New Bedford, MA native recruited by the late Bill Cahill who excelled at digging kids out of Boston, among other places. (Eric Healey being another)

362 ga 26G -92A - 118 pts +29

 

[DrDemento]

The first year I remember watching was 1989, so I don’t go as far back as you, so here’s mine.

5. Jon Pirrong (I LOVED the rhyming name as a 12 year old kid, so by virtue of the name alone he makes it in)

4. Kelly Askew. Horrible shot but man could he skate.

3. Bryan Tapper. Hell of a good guy, I have a stick signed by both he and Brad

2. Nick Bailen. Reasons mentioned above.

1. Brian Pothier. That guy could play anywhere, head was always on a swivel and could dish the puck anywhere on the ice.

From your list - Pothier has to be in my top 10 and probably my top 5. Extremely smart defensive player who was always aware of everything going on the ice. Would make any RPI team that had him instantly better. Askew may well be the fastest skater i ever saw (both on ice and on roller blades in roller hockey) but not truly a defensive player and often his speed put him totally out of control with the puck. Bryan Tapper and his family has been close with us for over 30 years. Simply a quality man who was converted early from being a forward (where i personally felt he would have been a top tier player). Severe back injury limited his production in Troy but worked hard in rehab to come back so he could play his final year with his younger brother. When healthy, hit like a Mack truck (forcing both St. Louis and Perrin to the bench in one game against Vermont).
Waiting to hear from some of the seasoned posters here (Ralph, Waite, etc) so we can add some of the fellows from the 60's 70' and 80's.

 

[jstadts]

Tim Friday was a heckuva a two way Dman.

 

[tony/troy]

Ok AD, let’s have some offseason fun; list out your top 5 all-time RPI backliners.

Golden rule #1 for me with little to nothing being second. Always start with guys who have rings. Like Friday, Hammond, Dark, Robinson, Langevin. However good others may have been, like UNH, they have no hardware. Though it was a different game (no checking in the offensive zone and icing had to cross both BLUE LINES to be icing through the 1960's) along with no one who could vouch for them still being on this side of the grass, some of the 1954 guys should not be ignored either. They would not take up many spots anyway since, as legend has it, often they only used three!!!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 6 May 2025. There are 151 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 4 October 2025 for the start of next season.

 

[Ralph Baer]

From your list - Pothier has to be in my top 10 and probably my top 5. Extremely smart defensive player who was always aware of everything going on the ice. Would make any RPI team that had him instantly better. Askew may well be the fastest skater i ever saw (both on ice and on roller blades in roller hockey) but not truly a defensive player and often his speed put him totally out of control with the puck. Bryan Tapper and his family has been close with us for over 30 years. Simply a quality man who was converted early from being a forward (where i personally felt he would have been a top tier player). Severe back injury limited his production in Troy but worked hard in rehab to come back so he could play his final year with his younger brother. When healthy, hit like a Mack truck (forcing both St. Louis and Perrin to the bench in one game against Vermont).
Waiting to hear from some of the seasoned posters here (Ralph, Waite, etc) so we can add some of the fellows from the 60's 70' and 80's.

Terry was indeed askew when he played.

I think that it is very difficult to compare players from different eras because the game has evolved over the years.