RPI 2025 Off-Season: Help Is On the Way

[DrDemento]

Really kind of nice to see this thread maintain such an upbeat tone!

 

[DrDemento]

How tall was Paul Rakowski '72 ?

I saw him play a bit when I used to return for games while in medical school across the river. he could not have been over 5'6" (perhaps he was if you included the skate blades).

 

[tanman]

Really kind of nice to see this thread maintain such an upbeat tone!

Like I said about 40 pages ago, enough things have lined up at the Tute to feel like a real sea change rather than some deck chair rearranging. We can, for now at least, feel some optimism!

 

[ServinisScores]

Billy Sack was fabulous - but he was a goalie!!! Incredible reflexes and capable of making some of the most acrobatic saves ever. i suppose he could have also played as a defense man but it was hard to skate up and down the ice in those pads!!

LOL - that was from listening to my Mom swoon over him.

Ok, put Tim Friday or Steph Robitalle in there and call it done

 

[ServinisScores]

Back when I was in school Clarkson had an All-American d-man named Dave Fretz. They listed him at about 5'6", but I think even that was an exaggeration. He looked like he'd get killed out there, but he was almost impossible to line up for a hit. On the defensive end he was far more effective than you'd expect, but I was convinced that was partly because the refs allowed him at least one or two free cross-checks in front of the net to compensate for his size.

I remember him, and SLU had a similar player named Rick Rafter. Both accomplished a lot without a lot of physical gifts.

 

[sezenack]

I’d say! I guess lang didn’t want him in Troy?

Probably couldn't get admitted to the school. Someone who has been at 3 colleges in 3 years probably doesn't have too great a transcript. Also RPI doesn't allow incoming seniors as transfers. You have to spend at least 2 years at RPI to get a degree there. So Clark's options were either that he'd have to drop a year's worth of credits and not graduate after this year, or figure out a way to graduate early and go to RPI as a grad student.

 

[DrDemento]

LOL - that was from listening to my Mom swoon over him.

Ok, put Tim Friday or Steph Robitalle in there and call it done

Your mom was not alone! Got to know Bill a bit and he never had to worry about a date for a party or a weekend night when he was not in net. Hockey players back in that era in Troy (early to mid 60's) were treated a bit like rock stars. They were easily recognized walking on campus and were certainly among the elite at the school. on the other hand, On the other side of the coin were the football players, many of whom I knew well, who avoided conversation on campus since they were always asked the same question -"When do you think we might finally win a game?"

 

[Engineers]

Probably couldn't get admitted to the school. Someone who has been at 3 colleges in 3 years probably doesn't have too great a transcript. Also RPI doesn't allow incoming seniors as transfers. You have to spend at least 2 years at RPI to get a degree there. So Clark's options were either that he'd have to drop a year's worth of credits and not graduate after this year, or figure out a way to graduate early and go to RPI as a grad student.

Makes sense. I always forget RPI doesn’t allow incoming seniors as transfers. The RIT goalie is a good option. He had good numbers in the bchl. Pairing him with krawchuk would be a solid move

 

[tony/troy]

I saw him play a bit when I used to return for games while in medical school across the river. he could not have been over 5'6" (perhaps he was if you included the skate blades).

Hockeydb.com lists Paul Rakowski at 5'5". Could be the shortest RPI D man ever. Nominations for other goofy D man categories:

D man with the shortest combined first and last names- Bo Dolan???

D man with the most vowels in both their first and last names- Bruno Salvalaggio??? Only a couple of seasons in the early 70's but seven vowels must put him in contention.

 

[tony/troy]

I saw him play a bit when I used to return for games while in medical school across the river. he could not have been over 5'6" (perhaps he was if you included the skate blades).

Hockeydb.com lists Paul Rakowski at 5'5". Could be the shortest RPI D man ever. Nominations for other goofy D man categories:

D man with the shortest combined first and last names- Bo Dolan???

D man with the most vowels in both their first and last names- Bruno Salvalaggio??? Only a couple of seasons in the early 70's but seven vowels must put him in contention.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Today is 8 May 2025. There are 149 days until RPI's next game.


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

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Really kind of nice to see this thread maintain such an upbeat tone!

The beatings will continue until morale improves ! LOL

 

[Wicked Slappaahs]

Hockeydb.com lists Paul Rakowski at 5'5". Could be the shortest RPI D man ever. Nominations for other goofy D man categories:

D man with the shortest combined first and last names- Bo Dolan???

D man with the most vowels in both their first and last names- Bruno Salvalaggio??? Only a couple of seasons in the early 70's but seven vowels must put him in contention.

Bo Dolan, another RPI blueliner who was never afraid to lay the body! He played WAY bigger than his size !