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RPI 2025 Off-Season: HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A lengthy article about Smolinski going to SCSU. https://www.stcloudlive.com/sports/...-nhl-center-to-transfer-play-defense-for-scsu

A part about his time at RPI

But he said that he enjoyed his time at RPI.

"The staff was awesome to me," Smolinski said. "I came here because I wanted to come in as a 19-year-old, have a lot of opportunity to play a lot. That's exactly what was given to me. I ended up coming in and I was on the power play all three years. I played 107 games. There was always opportunity for me.

"I ended up committing when I was 17 and I was in the USHL and not really playing much. They still supported me and still recruited me. When you're not really playing and not really getting your time, but the team still believes in you ... that was pretty special for me. I think my three years here were awesome. Everything I could have asked for. We had a great team and was a part of some really great groups. This year, I was able to wear a letter as an assistant captain and I think that helped me grow a lot and I wanted that role coming back as a junior.
 
Luc Wilson committed from Mankato. Honestly, I'm a bit underwhelmed by our portal additions outside of Sobieski and Wallace. Lindberg had 11 points in the Atlantic, Wilson had 13 points in the CCHA, and Bono wasn't much of a contributor on a bad Merrimack team. I don't really agree with the takes that it's an upgrade on what we had before. Wallace is pretty comparable to what Heidemann was when he transferred. Sobieski is like a TJ Walsh type of transfer but at defenseman instead of forward
 
Luc Wilson committed from Mankato. Honestly, I'm a bit underwhelmed by our portal additions outside of Sobieski and Wallace. Lindberg had 11 points in the Atlantic, Wilson had 13 points in the CCHA, and Bono wasn't much of a contributor on a bad Merrimack team. I don't really agree with the takes that it's an upgrade on what we had before. Wallace is pretty comparable to what Heidemann was when he transferred. Sobieski is like a TJ Walsh type of transfer but at defenseman instead of forward

NZ star history
2019 3.75
2020 3.75
2020 4.00
2021 4.00
2021 3.75

He beat out the Nadeau brothers in scoring in Penticton. Granted, Wilson was older. https://www.eliteprospects.com/team/2177/penticton-vees/2021-2022?tab=stats
 
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Luc Wilson committed from Mankato. Honestly, I'm a bit underwhelmed by our portal additions outside of Sobieski and Wallace. Lindberg had 11 points in the Atlantic, Wilson had 13 points in the CCHA, and Bono wasn't much of a contributor on a bad Merrimack team. I don't really agree with the takes that it's an upgrade on what we had before. Wallace is pretty comparable to what Heidemann was when he transferred. Sobieski is like a TJ Walsh type of transfer but at defenseman instead of forward
Bottom line is Lang is making lemonade at this point.... Cale Makar ain't walkin' through the door this fall. His ONLY option is to take the best available players that he can convince to come to Troy for the fall....AND get them through admissions.....all in a very short time window.

I'll keep saying it, we're gonna take our lumps next season. Anyone who thinks otherwise isn' t dealing in reality.
 
Bottom line is Lang is making lemonade at this point.... Cale Makar ain't walkin' through the door this fall. His ONLY option is to take the best available players that he can convince to come to Troy for the fall....AND get them through admissions.....all in a very short time window.

I'll keep saying it, we're gonna take our lumps next season. Anyone who thinks otherwise isn' t dealing in reality.
Yeah this is very true. We just need to field a team on the ice this fall. Perhaps I was too optimistic thinking we could get some more difference makers right away. The recruiting class for next year when he has more time will be much more important.
 
Luc Wilson committed from Mankato. Honestly, I'm a bit underwhelmed by our portal additions outside of Sobieski and Wallace. Lindberg had 11 points in the Atlantic, Wilson had 13 points in the CCHA, and Bono wasn't much of a contributor on a bad Merrimack team. I don't really agree with the takes that it's an upgrade on what we had before. Wallace is pretty comparable to what Heidemann was when he transferred. Sobieski is like a TJ Walsh type of transfer but at defenseman instead of forward
We've got to hope that some of these guys are like Zieky, who did nothing at Providence but produced more to his recruiting predictions for us. Lindberg also intrigues me because he had 22 points in 20 games as a freshman only to have his ppg decline by 70% as a sophomore. He went 10 consecutive games without a point. Was he carried by linemates as a freshman? Injured as a sophomore? Just in a funk over the D2 announcement? Lang must think he can get him back on track.
 
Yeah this is very true. We just need to field a team on the ice this fall. Perhaps I was too optimistic thinking we could get some more difference makers right away. The recruiting class for next year when he has more time will be much more important.
Outside of maybe hotson I like this group much better especially if they play defense and a complete 200 foot game. Lindberg played on a team that was completely wrecked with injuries. The year before he was a ppg guy. Bono is a good Faceoff guy. Wallace is a goal scorer. Kaz is legit. Over 100 points at shattuck. Wilson put up respectable numbers at Mankato. Also well coached
 
I like what Eric is doing and think you are all in the right ballpark. He isn't going to build a team full of NHL draft picks when he got the job weeks after the transfer portal opened. But, he has added 5 quality D1 players so far in my opinion. If he can get them bought into his style of play, I think it is reasonable to think we can compete for home ice in the playoffs in year 1. With that being said.... we may need a goalie first. Starting to expect he is going somewhere outside the box, such as USports with that spot. There simply aren't very many good options left
 
Outside of maybe hotson I like this group much better especially if they play defense and a complete 200 foot game. Lindberg played on a team that was completely wrecked with injuries. The year before he was a ppg guy. Bono is a good Faceoff guy. Wallace is a goal scorer. Kaz is legit. Over 100 points at shattuck. Wilson put up respectable numbers at Mankato. Also well coached
I too am focus on defense (and even more on special teams play). Correct those two aspects of play and we can be close most nights. Try to do what we can to improve the things that killed our chances game after game for a couple years. Hoping that time will produce the chemistry necessary to play all three periods as a team instead of individuals. And of course, not to be over looked, making sure the boys come out of the locker room and are ready to go full throttle at the beginning of every period of every game. Sure hated to look up at the screen and see we were down 2-0 before the ice melted in my drink!! Our OOC record will be mostly dependent on who we play. if we face mostly HE teams we will struggle a whole lot more if the schedule has mostly Atlantic conference games.The success of the season, however will ride on how we handle the 22 ECAC games. If as usual there are 2 or 3 top teams running away from the rest, then how we compete against the larger group below them will determine whether we can find a way to the four at Lake Placid or not.
 
Agree with those taking a measured, sensible perspective on next year.

Yes, there will be teams that can use the portal and the CHL to get rich quick. But we have to be honest with ourselves. RPI's average league position over the past decade is 8.6th. While we have a new administration that certainly is talking with more ambition, there have been questions about the Institute's commitment to hockey. And it's a full rebuild.

No doubt that Lang will be working relentlessly to make things happen, clearly has ambition, character and capability, and for a good player who wants to play immediately, the opportunity is there. But we're starting from a low position and convincing kids within just a matter of a couple weeks to commit to a pretty unique type of university and be part of that rebuild is going to take time.

2025-2026 is about keeping it together and about changing the culture - hard work, commitment, attitude - to get the best out of what we have. Even that's a significant step forward. I have full faith right now that he's the man for the job, so am excited to see how we get on.

On a separate note - it's really frustrating that RPI's sports information department has done nothing since the announcement about Lang. I recognise that Lang has been on the road non-stop. But tell us a bit more about the coach, give us a sense of reaction, something to maintain the interest. Don't miss the opportunity, build the enthusiasm amongst potential recruits, students, the community.
 
Agree with all the sentiments... he'll be shaking the player tree wherever he can. II saw Leaman grabbed a kid from USports the other day.

The offer is simple and if I'm a portal kid who was buried on a depth chart somewhere I'd be interested in: Immediate playing time, great coaching and great academics. Agree with someone here who said the goaltender will be important, in addition to the OHL kid.
 
Outside of maybe hotson I like this group much better especially if they play defense and a complete 200 foot game. Lindberg played on a team that was completely wrecked with injuries. The year before he was a ppg guy. Bono is a good Faceoff guy. Wallace is a goal scorer. Kaz is legit. Over 100 points at shattuck. Wilson put up respectable numbers at Mankato. Also well coached
Totally agree! When's the last time we had someone from Shattuck. Pencil the Engineers in for home PO game next year. Keep it going Eric.
 
Agree with those taking a measured, sensible perspective on next year.

Yes, there will be teams that can use the portal and the CHL to get rich quick. But we have to be honest with ourselves. RPI's average league position over the past decade is 8.6th. While we have a new administration that certainly is talking with more ambition, there have been questions about the Institute's commitment to hockey. And it's a full rebuild.

No doubt that Lang will be working relentlessly to make things happen, clearly has ambition, character and capability, and for a good player who wants to play immediately, the opportunity is there. But we're starting from a low position and convincing kids within just a matter of a couple weeks to commit to a pretty unique type of university and be part of that rebuild is going to take time.

2025-2026 is about keeping it together and about changing the culture - hard work, commitment, attitude - to get the best out of what we have. Even that's a significant step forward. I have full faith right now that he's the man for the job, so am excited to see how we get on.

On a separate note - it's really frustrating that RPI's sports information department has done nothing since the announcement about Lang. I recognise that Lang has been on the road non-stop. But tell us a bit more about the coach, give us a sense of reaction, something to maintain the interest. Don't miss the opportunity, build the enthusiasm amongst potential recruits, students, the community.
RPI's sports information dept is a joke. It is in dire need of an overhaul, to be honest they put out better material a decade ago which is inexcusable
 
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